Lady with the Dark Hair

2025 Michigan Notable Book

"Bartels perfectly meshes the stories of two women, both artists, living half a world and nearly a century-and-a-half apart. Bartels' settings and historical details are unusual and compelling; the dual time lines work perfectly, and this well-researched historical tale has the pacing of a thriller."--Booklist starred review

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Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella's greatest work--a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair.

In 1879, Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists' pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compellefd to pose as Vella's sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen.

This dual-timeline story from award-winning author Erin Bartels takes readers from the sleepy Midwest to the sultry Mediterranean on a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one's dreams.

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"In the alluring novel The Lady with the Dark Hair, questions about a portrait's origins inspire a search for personal meaning."--Foreword Reviews

"A fascinating time-split written by an author who consistently writes unique stories with layers upon layers of starts and stops, her characters merging and diverging upon the page, much like the brushstrokes on the incredible portrait."--Interviews & Reviews

"I was thoroughly captivated by this story. . . .Bartels' writing is impeccable, her characters are full of life, and her mastery of both timelines is seamless."--Reading Is My Superpower

"Carefully crafted with lots of historical detail, elegant language, and interesting twists. . . . The book educates readers about the art world while absorbing them in a great story."--The Historical Novels Review

"Bartels' latest addition to her excellent novels for adults . . . adeptly gives voice to the longing women in different historical periods have felt to know themselves, to express themselves through creative pursuits, and to find fulfillment by choosing their own paths."--The Banner