WHITE LEAD

In this stylish, fast-paced thriller, for readers of Tana French and Stieg Larsson, a deadly heist upends art conservator Stella Da Silvera’s life in New York City. Now she must restore order or lose everything.

As a nightowl, Stella Da Silvera appreciates that Claiborne’s Auction House allows her to keep an unconventional schedule. Natural light can damage priceless works of art, and besides, Stella’s concentration improves after hours.

One night, while working on a seventeenth-century painting by Diego Velázquez, Stella hears screams from the office of Claiborne’s curator Jack Ashby. She tries to investigate, but when the noise fades away, she heads back to her studio—where she finds a dead body and a man with a tattooed face who isn’t happy to have company. After eluding the unsavory character, Stella returns with the police, only to find the corpse—and the Velázquez—gone.

With no murder in evidence, the detectives turn their attention to the missing canvas. They figure Stella had access and opportunity, making her a prime suspect. Adding insult to injury, Claiborne’s cans her for negligence. To save her reputation, Stella has no choice but to find the painting. Turns out, someone else is looking for her.

SUSANDAITCHis the author of four works of fiction. Hershort fiction has been included inThe Norton Anthology ofPostmodernFiction,Tin House,Guernica,Bomb,Conjunctions,McSweeney's,The BrooklynRail,The Pushcart PrizeAnthology,Ploughshares,The Village Voice, andelsewhere. Her work has been the recipient of two Vogelstein awards. HernovelL.C.won an NEA Heritage Award and was a Lannan Foundation Selection. Sheteaches at Hunter College.