Listen to a sample
The Portrait Artist
- Author
- Dani Heywood-Lonsdale
- Narrator
- Katherine Press
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 27 February 2025
- Run Time
- 12 hours 34 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Historical fiction
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
'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
Critics Review
-
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, Sunday Times Bestselling author
-
Imaginative. The streets, parlours and galleries of London and Oxford come alive in this twisting, Victorian-era drama ... An intriguing exploration of art, ambition, race and women's roles in the Victorian era
Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
A vivid, twisting debut, full of intrigue … kept me up late into the night
Flora Carr, author of The Tower
-
Masterfully written with brilliant, compelling characters ... A beautiful, poignant story delivered with expert precision
Isabelle Schuler, author of Lady MacBethad
-
An intriguing and original debut
Emily Howes, author of The Painter's Daughter
-
A mystery of exquisite detail and originality … What a joy to pass one’s hours in the world of this book
Nicholas Bowling, author of Witch Born
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Dani Heywood-Lonsdale
- Narrator
- Katherine Press
- Duration
- 12 hours 34 minutes
- Release Date
- 27 February 2025
- ISBN
- 9781526669995
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Historical fiction
Synopsis
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 CakeOne 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
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.