A free-spirited artist teams up with a no-nonsense detective to
capture a thief who has stolen a priceless Michelangelo painting
Manchester, England, 1857
Rosanna Hawkins is one of Manchester's finest artists, even though no
one knows her name. She reproduces "parlor versions" of classic
masterpieces with near-perfect precision, which her employer then sells
to the emerging upper-middle class families of Manchester.
When the largest art exhibition ever to be held in Manchester opens,
Rosanna attends, excited by the chance to sketch such famous works. When
she meets the handsome Detective Martin Harrison, who is head of
security for the exhibition, she is immediately intrigued by his charm,
confidence, and canvas-worthy good looks. The two spend many a
flirtatious afternoon exploring the exhibition hall, discussing art and
sharing their secret hopes. Rosanna dreams of painting something
original and meaningful, and Martin hopes to one day shed the shadow of
his father's notorious past.
The couple's blossoming summer romance takes a strange turn when Rosanna
recognizes her own works on display in the exhibition hall. Someone is
stealing paintings and replacing them with her parlor version
reproductions. When the evidence casts suspicion on her, Rosanna must
convince Detective Harrison of her innocence and proposes a plan to
capture the real art thief.
It is a daring race to catch the criminal before he disappears with the
most priceless piece in the collection--Michelangelo's Manchester
Madonna. If Rosanna and Detective Harrison fail, not only will the
painting be lost forever but so will their chance to rekindle their
romance and paint their own happily ever after.
