The Memory Painter: A Novel

Two dreamers discover a connection that reaches across history in this award-winning sci-fi romantic thriller: “A mind-explosion of a journey” (Refinery29).World-famous artist Bryan Pierce never reveals the secret to his success. His paintings are all inspired by strangely vivid dreams that he believes to be memories from another life—and he hopes his art will lead him to an answer. And when he meets Linz Jacobs, a neurogenticist who recognizes a recurring childhood nightmare in one Bryan’s paintings, he is convinced she holds the key.Their meeting triggers Bryan’s most powerful dream yet—visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s, died in a lab explosion decades ago. As his visions intensify, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.Winner of the RWA Prism Award

US Weekly (Standout Spring Novels)

“Gwendolyn Womack's tale dazzles.”

Refinery29

“The guy-meets-girl story as you've never heard it before...A mind-explosion of a journey ensues that involves time travel, mystery, love, and a whole lot of plot twists.”

Paste Magazine (Best New Books of the Month)

“Suspenseful and ambitious...We predict The Memory Painter's story of love and revenge will be one of 2015's biggest literary hits.”

io9, The Most Essential Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of the Month

“It's a thriller as well as a love story, spanning 10,000 years of history. And it sounds freaking mental.”

Elle Canada

“A time-travel tale, stylishly told.”

RT Book Reviews

“Womack's debut is one of those rare works that impresses from the first vivid, unsettling scene, gradually building an atmosphere of secrecy and trepidation that ensures that the suspense remains high throughout. Part mystery, part science-fiction plot and part romance, this is a novel with broad cross-genre appeal, and the well-drawn scenes and flashes of humor and insight give this thriller a rare depth as well.”

Library Journal (starred review)

“It's best not to try to analyze the ambitious plot of this thriller, which combines romance, fantasy, and adventure; just hang on for a wild and entertaining ride around the world and through the centuries back to ancient Egypt.”

The Vancouver Sun

“A page turner that will keep readers up late into the night. Readers who love adventure, romance and fantasy will love this book.”

Kirkus Reviews (One of the Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Reads of the Month)

“Womack makes a romantic case for the existence of destiny...and does a beautiful job...Dive into this sweeping, romantic journey that will leave you breathless and a little unsure of where in time you've landed.”

Booklist

“Well-drawn historical flashbacks, engaging characters, and a twisty ending make this thrilling blend of neuroscience, romance, and ancient worlds good bets for Da Vinci Code and Outlander fans.”

New York Journal of Books

“Some debuts cause a stir. [But] The Memory Painter makes quite a splash... On its surface, The Memory Painter reads like sci-fi. Fundamentally it speaks to the cultural, emotional, and spiritual connectedness that binds us all.”

BookRiot

“The Memory Painter is romantic and fun, full of history and science teased out at the perfect pace.”

ZYZZYVA

“Womack has crafted a dark story defined by fast-paced prose that at moments sings poetic...at the novel's conclusion, all story threads have been tightened into a snug, satisfying knot.”

Publishers Weekly

“The chapters recounting [Bryan and Linz's] past lives are chock full of interesting historical tidbits...like being on a movie-themed ride at Disneyland.”

Katherine Neville, New York Times and No. 1 internationally bestselling author

“In The Memory Painter, Gwendolyn Womack delivers a multi-layered debut novel like no other: passing through the veils of time and brimming with history, mystery, science, intrigue, and passion.”

Anne Fortier, New York Times bestselling author of Juliet and The Lost Sisterhood

“The Memory Painter is an absolute masterpiece. Spellbinding from beginning to end, this brilliantly woven tale of time-crossed lovers will keep you hooked well into the wee hours. Gwendolyn Womack is a storytelling virtuosa, whose sexy, action-packed mind-boggler of a book is destined to become a classic.”

M. J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch of Painted Sorrows

“A sweeping, mesmerizing feat of absolute magic. Ten thousand love stories, tales of revenge, inventions, histories, mysteries, and memories combine to serve up a complex and utterly riveting novel that leaves you with feelings of awe and wonder. A star is born!”

Charlie Lovett, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookman's Tale and First Impressions

“Layers of past and present form a rich pastry of a narrative--poignant and thoughtful, rich and suspenseful, filled with intrigue and dripping with meaning. Womack's meditation on the beautiful mystery of memory is a riveting read from cover to cover, leaving us with the breathless realization that while grief may be eternal, so is love.”

About the Author

Originally from Houston, Texas, GWENDOLYN WOMACK studied theater at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and holds an MFA in Directing Theatre, Video, and Cinema from California Institute of the Arts. She is the USA Today bestselling author of The Fortune Teller and the RWA Prism Award-winning reincarnation thriller, The Memory Painter. She resides in Los Angeles with her family.

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