The book begins with the tragic story of young American Gray Hart, who survived a devastating emotional shock caused by physical violence. To change the scenery, her fiancé moves the girl to England, to an old estate known for its secrets. It was rumored that the owner— the earl—had been cursed and disappeared without a trace… The first thing the girl sees when she enters the house is a huge, realistic portrait depicting a man exactly as if he were alive. Gradually, she begins to understand that something is wrong with the image, but she has no idea what danger she is in, because her attacker from the past is very close.