As a student of the brilliant Vincent Rushkin, Isabelle discovered she could paint images so real they brought her dreams to life. But when the forces she unleashed brought tragedy to those she loved, she turned her back on it all. Now, 20 years later, Isabelle must come to terms with the memories and unlock the power of her brush.
In Charles de Lint's world, the skin between the mundane business of everyday life and the realm of magical mischief is always thin. Passing from one to the other is effortless and can take but a moment. Often, his characters are deep into the doings of the world beyond before they begin to notice or admit that anything unearthly is going on.
When a mysterious man orchestrates an attack on archaeologist Annja Creed and then offers her an assignment, Annja is baffl ed. But the mission is too intriguing for her to refuse. She must fi nd an object that possesses a sacred and powerful secret offering atonement to anyone who uncovers it or wreaking havoc on the world.
'She was a girl, really, with short red hair and a waif-like slimness. But despite the flowered dress she wore, her belly had begun to show. Immobile, the girl gazed at the clinic as though it were a thousand miles away.' The young woman is Mary Ann Tierney. She is fifteen years old. Within days her name will be known to millions across America, her court case a television must-watch for everyone from the President downwards.
