Burnt Sienna

When internationally famous artist and ex-marine Chase Malone is approached by an emissary of mysterious businessman Derek Bellasar to paint a portrait of Bellasars wife, he politely refuses. In the next few days, however, when Chase finds his home bulldozed and his gallery sold out from under him, he has little choice but to take the job. Bellasar turns out to be one of the worlds wealthiest and most dangerously twisted arms merchants. He has spent the last two decades marrying a succession of beautiful womenall of whom have met with mysterious deaths just after having their portrait painted by a top artist. For Chase, rescuing the madmans current wife is only his first challenge. If he is ever to feel safe again, he must return to Bellasars turf for a deadly confrontationthat only one can survive. David Morrells most recent hardcover, Double Image (Warner, 5/98), has nearly 80,000 copies in print and was an Alternate Selection of Book-of-the-Month Club. The author has had six New York Times bestsellers. His novels have been translated into 22 languages and become record-breaking films and a top-rated miniseries. Black Evening, a collection of short stories by David Morrell, will be published in Warner paperback in 2/00. In addition, The League of Night and Fog (Dutton, 1987) and First Blood (Fawcett, 1972), two classic paperbacks long out of print, will also be reissued in 2/00. All three books include a teaser chapter from Burnt Sienna. Praise for David Morrell: A tantalizing tale of evil and passion with a touch of Alfred Hitchcock. Associated Press on Double Image

David Morrell is a former professor of American literature at the University of Iowa.