Joanne Kilbourn has moved to Saskatoon after the events of Deadly Ap­pear­ances, and renewed her childhood friendship with Sally Love. Sally is now a famous artist and the focus of con­tro­ver­sy: a huge fresco that she painted for the Mendel museum of the penises and vaginas of her former lovers is being picketed. As events turn ugly, Joanne will learn more than she ever wanted to know about Sally’s and her own history.

Bowen writes knowl­edge­ably about art and artists and frustrated ambitions. Joanne’s long, entangled history with the Love family adds texture to the story—and blind her to some of their failings.