One morning in 1890, a painting wrapped in brown paper appears on the steps of the National Gallery and causes a sensation. It's clearly by Timothy Ponden-Hall, an artist whose paintings were celebrated and debated, not just for their beauty, but for the rumours behind them: his masterpieces were believed to immortalise the souls of their subjects.

But the shadowy explorer and artist has been thought dead for the last 50 years - so what does this new portrait mean? The gallery brings in renowned art historian Solomon Oak to investigate the painting as rumours swirl through the streets of London town.

In a bid to uncover the truth, Oak is assisted by an unlikely aid: his daughter Alice. A passionate but sheltered student, Alice has worldly desires which eclipse the life she's expected to lead. Together they discover that exposing Ponden-Hall's legacy will prove more controversial than they could ever have imagined for their family and Victorian society.

Set between London and Oxford, The Portrait Artist is a twisting historical debut exploring race, fame and long-kept secrets.

Dani Heywood-Lonsdale has paternal roots on the tiny island of Molokai, Hawaii - referred to as the Sandwich Islands throughout The Portrait Artist - and maternal roots in the Philippines. She is a Faber Academy alumna and teaches English Literature in Oxfordshire.