A brother recalls the magnificent life of his sister, the greatest writer of her age

A launch party is underway for a hotly anticipated biography, the life story of Elena Franklin. As a young woman, Elena was one of the most promising literary talents of the 1920s, and over the years her legend grew. Her biographer, Martha Farrell, has combed through all the evidence of Elena's genius and passion, from her early years in New York to her expatriate life in Paris. The result is a monumental work – but among the party's crowd is the man who knows the book is an empty shell.

Only William, Elena's brother, knew the truth about the famed author. Martha's flawed biography spurs his memory, and he recalls how the temperamental baby grew into a legend. He knew Elena's hidden pain, shared their family secrets, and draws his own portrait of the troubled soul that lay behind her artistic gifts.