Thrill turns to horror when Maud Gibbons inherits a masterpiece from her former art instructor. The celebrated Charles Venable has painted her a coded picture of his own murder. But she’s not the only one to inherit a mysterious work of art. The realisation that Charles spent his final months painting her clues has Maud wondering if he was a victim of homicide or delusion. As she deciphers his painted narratives, all doubt dissolves.