The Ghoulish Painting

Billionaire heiress Amanda Nikitas discovers an ancient painting which she buys at a local Sotheby's auction. Sitting in her home, the dark castle painting with its singular tower window is creepy and exudes an ambiance of evil. Amanda researches into its history and origins, only to hit dead ends wherever she looks. Then she discovers that the English Crown, MI5, and art thieves are after her painting. Amanda is forced to stay ahead of them at every turn as she seeks to discover the truth about the castle painting. Meanwhile, citizens of high status and royalty begin to die all over Europe in horrific ways, and no one knows how or why. The European Union erupts in rage and talks of secession begin among the European nations, even the ugly specter of war rears its head. During her search, Amanda meets a dashing officer of the European Council named Devan Windsor who sweeps her off her feet. He gets pulled into unraveling the mystery of the castle painting as well, while he attempts to stop the drums of war on the European Union's doorstep. An antagonistic MI5 agent Agent Oleastri, who nips at Amanda's heels at every step, comes to the realization that the assassinations across Europe are related to Amanda's actions. But how?Amanda, who dodges the MI5 agent every way she can, tries to figure it all out, but will she put it together in time? Why in blazes is everyone after the castle painting? Who authored the castle painting? Who commissioned it? What is its pall over those who it comes into contact with? What are its dark secrets? Can she deconstruct its legends and myths in time?Someone is pulling Amanda's, Devan's, and Europe's strings. Why?