This novel is categorized as a mystery thriller as well as literary fiction. Why is the mystery to me. This was an overwritten story about a rich, alcoholic gallery owner with an obsession to fill his empty, directionless life.

The plot:
Fairchild Moss is at midlife. He has inherited wealth. He lives alone, owns an art gallery, considers himself a failed painter, and is at loose ends as to how he should fill his life. A well known painter, Bainbridge, whom Moss respects, dies. His last canvas is spectacular but uncharacteristic of the artist's work. Also, there is an imprint of a nipple pressed on it. To combat his malaise, Moss needs to understand the painting. He intends to do this by finding the muse, Seren. Thus the mystery: how did the painting come to be and who is the muse who belongs to the nipple?

There is nothing much to like about Moss or the characters he pulls into his circle to find the muse. Another painter, Haller, is successful but known as a terrible human being; his mysterious muse, Saren, an artist’s model with a line bisecting her face; Marylou, the quirky art professor. There is one exception. The real muse, his lover Claudine (although we are meant to understand that Moss’s sexuality is ambiguous). She is fully developed character and the most meaningful to him, personally and artistically.

When Saren is finally found, the book takes a turn. Many readers will find that appealing but it didn’t work for me.

The other problem with the book are the longwinded descriptions of every move Moss makes. He doesn’t just choose a bottle of wine, he describes it for paragraphs in infinite detail. Same thing with food. A walk. His constant humming. It made the read a slog and might have been improved with a good edit.

The author is a painter. His knowledge and research is substantial but it weighs the story down. Perhaps, if it wasn’t characterized as a mystery/thriller and more as the journey of a troubled protagonist, it would have been more palatable.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Apprentice House for the opportunity to read the ARC and provide and honest review.

Seren offers a quirky and darkly comic glimpse into the Midwest art scene of the late 1970s, with an intriguing premise centered on a mysterious painting that changes the course of a gallery owner’s life. Fairchild Moss, a successful Detroit gallerist longing to rekindle his passion for painting, fixates on the painting’s peculiar feature—a nipple impression embedded in the paint—and sets off on a strange and unpredictable journey to uncover its origins.

The novel’s strength lies in its unique premise and the humorous, offbeat tone that threads through the story. Moss is a relatable protagonist for anyone who has ever felt trapped in a life that doesn’t align with their passions, and his quest is as much about rediscovering himself as it is about solving the painting’s mystery.

While the story has moments of wit and insight, it occasionally loses momentum. Some of the supporting characters and subplots feel underdeveloped, sometimes leaving the narrative uneven. The mystery surrounding the painting is compelling, but the resolution might not fully satisfy readers hoping for a deeper payoff.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of art-world satire and stories of personal rediscovery. It’s a quirky tale with a memorable premise.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this avance e-ARC.

Seren isn't my usual genre of novel but I was intrigued by it being both a mystery as well as a mystical read.

Fairchild Moss is a man suffering from ennui. Middle aged and in a rut, he tires of being an art dealer and longs to paint. However, his desire to paint is thwarted by feelings that he has no talent. He comes across a painting by the recently deceased artist Bainbridge and is intrigued by the departure in his style. Knowing that Bainbridge finished the painting a very short time before his demise, Moss's curiosity is piqued. Curiosity that leads to an obssession..

All in all, I enjoyed this novel. Unsual and atmospheric, it kept me turning the page and the ending left me wanting me more.

My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Please note I will leave a review on Amazon and Barned and Noble once the novel has been published.

Seren is a fantastic book about an artist searching for a muse, and willing to risk everything to find her, and to use her, and to be used by her. It's a trippy story and I was all in from the get-go. It's a peek into the lives of artists and art dealers. it's a story about the difficulty of knowing who we are and what we want. It's a story about art and what makes it great or boring. It's a story about inspiration and the lengths an artist will go to to find it.
Five Stars!