The Muse of Hope Falls

Everyone took a piece of Christie. Now she needs something back. As the muse and lover of one of the greatest painters of the late 20th century, Christie McGraw was once a major figure in New York. Now penniless, abandoned, and sick, she needs to sell the last thing of any value that is still in her possession. It's a lost masterpiece by her late lover, and she needs the help of Gabriel Viejo, the world expert on the artist, to authenticate it and get into the market. If he can help, she'll make it well worth his while. Gabriel opens negotiations with a shady Greek tycoon in the hope of saving Christie's life - and boosting his own fortunes into the bargain. But there are some nasty surprises in store. Alan Kane Fraser's devilishly devious debut is a page-turning plunge into the murkier depths of the art world and the age-old relationship between creator and muse.

Alan Kane Fraser was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, in the era when that district was famous for its riots. He has been variously a priest, a housing officer and a charity CEO, in which capacity he wrote for a number of publications, including The Guardian. He is also the author of an award-winning play, Random Acts of Malice. He still lives in Birmingham, with his wife and a woefully inadequate number of bookshelves.