Book excerpt: Secretive and ghostly beautiful Karen Danser is on tour, delighting her audiences with her country-jazz violin playing. But some of her fans are too enthralled with her and the music; in particular, the painter Leonardo DeSalvo who is stalking Karen. He’s determined to add her to his collection of art works—and create another of his still life masterpieces. The cast of Danser misfits is colorful, strange and determined to both insulate and protect Karen. But DeSalvo is clever and evil. And his successful paths to claw his way closer to his prey just might make Karen a permanent part of his art collection.