The Crimson Shard

In this sequel to The Blackhope Enigma, Sunni and Blaise once again travel back in time. Previously they met painter Fausto Corvo, but now meet a man—Throgmorton—who is desperate to know Corvo’s secrets. A wonderfully sinister villain, Throgmorton has an amazing ability to hold people in his thrall, and his demeanor changes from calm to apoplectic in an instant. Tension and suspense build steadily, with stakes constantly raised: a museum tour guide and his daughter show excessive interest in Blaise’s artwork; a painted door turns into a real one; Sunni and Blaise are brought to a room that, logically, can’t exist, and are soon imprisoned . . . and that’s not the worst they suffer. Sunni and Blaise’s friendship has believable ups and downs. Initially, Sunni is jealous of the attention Blaise receives for his artwork and the attention he gives to another teenage girl. Blaise, oblivious, is annoyed by Sunni’s aloofness. But, once trapped in a workhouse—and in another century—the teens decide to cooperate in order to escape. Historical details highlight fascinating differences between being an artist today versus in the eighteenth century. For instance, Sunni and Blaise witness painters preparing their own gesso (primer for canvasses) by boiling animal parts.