Publisher's Synopsis
In 1725, in the remote French village of Sainte-Mère-Église, a painter named Jacques-Claude, tormented by hellish visions, created a series of disturbing works that reflected his descent into madness. Consumed by hallucinations and obsessed with capturing evil in his paintings, he began using prostitutes as models, who then mysteriously disappeared. His final piece, the most macabre of all, was a self-portrait painted on human skin and using blood as pigment, a portrait so haunting that it seemed to be alive. Horrified by Jacques-Claude's crimes, the villagers lynched him and burned down his house with all his works inside, convinced they were burying his evil forever. Yet, his last painting survived beneath the ashes, and over time, the tale of the possessed painter became a dark legend of Sainte-Mère-Église.
Centuries later, during the Nazi occupation in World War II, Sainte-Mère-Église caught the attention of an elite Nazi group specialized in the occult and under Hitler's orders. They believed Jacques-Claude's painting held supernatural power that could be valuable for their paranormal investigations. However, just as they were close to finding it, the Allied invasion of Normandy disrupted their plans, and a bombing raid buried their discoveries under the remains of a warehouse near the village church, once again entombing the dark secrets of the cursed painting. In present day, Javier and Sara, a Spanish couple of paranormal researchers, travel to France seeking rest. During a visit to a small village near Sainte-Mère-Église, they hear the story of the mad painter and his final painting made of human skin, and the legend deeply intrigues them. Determined to uncover more, they journey to Sainte-Mère-Église to investigate, delving into local archives and remnants of Nazi research until they finally locate the painting, buried in a dark, abandoned warehouse near the church. However, what begins as an exciting search soon turns into a terrifying experience as the painting reveals its true nature. Javier and Sara quickly become witnesses to paranormal events that defy all logic, and Jacques-Claude's cursed self-portrait seems to hold the power to consume the souls of those who venture too close. What was once a mere legend now comes to life in an escalating series of dark events, and the couple must confront the demonic forces within the painting if they hope to survive. Will they escape Jacques-Claude's curse, or become the next victims of a work that should never have existed? The story of Sainte-Mère-Église is about to unveil a new chapter, and darkness spares no one.
