When Sabine Reye wins a scholarship to California's most prestigious art school, she longs for a place where she belongs. But the cutthroat world of visual arts is nothing like what she had imagined. Faculty member Colin Krell seems to take merciless delight in tearing down her best work-- and warns her that she'll lose the merit-based award if she doesn't improve. Adam, a grad student, helps Sabine get insight on Krell by showing her the modern master's work in progress, a portrait that has sold for a million dollars sight unseen. Enthralled by the work, Sabine secretly painting her own version of his masterpiece -- and becomes party to a crime so well-plotted that no one knows about it but her. -- adapted from jacket