The Portrait Artist

Dani Heywood-Lonsdale

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English

Bloomsbury
01 June 2025

Fiction & Literature; Historical fiction

All that is hidden will soon be revealed . . .

'Steeped in atmosphere, sprinkled with suspense and vivid characters ... An engaging, entertaining read' Daily Mail 'A triumph ... deliciously intriguing' Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist

'Impeccably researched, masterfully plotted, beautifully written' Santa Montefiore 'Imaginative. The streets, parlours and galleries of London and Oxford come alive in this twisting, Victorian-era drama.' Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake

One morning in 1890, a painting wrapped in brown paper appears on the steps of the National Gallery and causes a sensation. It’s clearly by Timothy Ponden-Hall, whose paintings were celebrated and debated not just for their beauty, but for the rumours behind them: they were believed to immortalise the souls of their subjects. But Ponden-Hall has been thought dead for the last 50 years. . .

In a bid to quiet the gossip and rumours that swirl around the streets of London, the gallery brings in renowned and reluctant art historian Solomon Oak to investigate. Oak is assisted by an unlikely aide: his daughter Alice. A passionate but sheltered student, Alice has worldly desires which eclipse the life she’s expected to lead. Together they discover that exposing Ponden-Hall’s legacy will prove more controversial than they could ever have imagined for their family, and for Victorian society.

Set between London and Oxford, The Portrait Artist is a twisting debut exploring race, fame and long-kept secrets.

'An intriguing and original debut' Emily Howes

By: Dani Heywood-Lonsdale
Imprint: Bloomsbury
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 420g
ISBN: 9781526669964
ISBN 10: 152666996X
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 01 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Dani Heywood-Lonsdale has paternal roots on the tiny island of Molokai, Hawaii – referred to as the Sandwich Islands throughout The Portrait Artist - and maternal roots in the Philippines. She is a Faber Academy alumna and teaches English Literature in Oxfordshire.

Reviews for The Portrait Artist

‘A triumph … deliciously intriguing’ * Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist * ‘Impeccably researched, masterfully plotted, beautifully written’ * Santa Montefiore, author of The House by the Sea *