The Man in the Picture

The Man in the Picture by Hill, Susan. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9781590200919.

A chilling tale of a cursed Venice and a painting that traps the soul. From the acclaimed author of The Woman in Black, Susan Hill delivers a masterclass in atmosphere and escalating psychological horror. The Man in the Picture is a sophisticated, deeply unsettling ghost story perfect for fans of classic Gothic fiction and slow-burn terror. Dont look too closely, or you might be the next to join the eternal carnival. When renowned antique dealer and collector Christopher Cockerill acquires a striking nineteenth-century painting of a masked Venetian gentleman, he believes hes found a valuable, if somewhat unsettling, piece for his collection. The picture captures a sinister reveler from the citys notorious carnival, his face half-hidden in shadow, his eyes fixed on the viewer. But as the painting hangs on his wall, Cockerill begins to notice small, terrifying shifts. A whisper of cold air, a fleeting shadow, and the unnerving feeling of being watched transform his peaceful flat into a place of subtle dread. It is an image that seems to possess a life―and a chilling curse―of its own. As Christmas approaches, Cockerill finds himself irresistibly drawn into the paintings history: a history of dark secrets, tragic fates, and a malignant Venetian terror that refuses to be confined to the canvas. With the lines between reality and the supernatural blurring, Cockerill must confront a timeless evil that threatens to consume his sanity and his very soul.