The blue horse - Philip Miller

Ahighly atmospheric literary noir and remarkable debut by one of Scotland's leading art correspondents

The recently bereaved George Newhouse is an art historian and newly appointed curator at the National Gallery who becomes increasingly obsessed with a lost minor Dutch masterpiece, The Blue Horse by Van Doelenstraat. The painting's provenance is disputed and many doubt its existence at all. But Newhouse has uncovered a letter by Rembrandt where the master states, "That damned painting vexes my mind's eye." As Newhouse struggles with his grief, his grip of reality slowly loosening, he embarks upon a surreal journey of loss and self-discovery, fueled by alcohol, drugs, and self-destructive behavior. As the lines between reality and imagination blur, will George lose himself in his obsession or return from the brink of destruction in time?