Shadows of Light: A Dark Romantic Suspense (The Dark Canvas)

What if you felt eyes on your every step for years without knowing why—and worse, someone is leaving gifts that unlock memories you didn't know were missing?

Beatrix Mercer discovers that some memories refuse to stay buried. A fashion conservator at The Met, she has built a career restoring beauty from the past, while quietly trying to piece together what she has lost.

A night of celebrating her promotion at an Michelin-worthy restaurant turns into something far more dangerous when Beatrix comes face-to-face a man who takes a very personal interest in the woman sitting at his Chef’s Table.

Once a mafia enforcer, celebrated Chef Gabriel di Rossi had a dark life he thought he had left behind. So when unsettling gifts appear and the signs of an escalating stalker grow more undeniable, he finds himself crossing lines that blur protection and control—everything he’s built hanging on a knife’s edge.

The mounting pressure of her career and the dreams of her own design house slip further away as her every move is watched. Something has to give.

Some memories refuse to stay buried.
Some truths won’t let you forget.

Readers are calling Shadows of Light an addictive blend of dark romance and psychological suspense, praising its gripping twists, unforgettable chemistry, immersive atmosphere, and Gabriel—the morally gray, walking red flag readers can't stop talking about. Be warned, the cliffhanger is brutal.

Tropes: Morally gray anti-hero, he’s obsessed, touch her and die, stalker, grumpy x life of the party, curvy/plus-size FMC, body positivity, kink exploration, “talks her through it,” who did this to you, found family, Met Gala glamour, high-fashion world, organized crime, psychological tension, mental health rep, disability representation.

Content warnings available at Anastasia Wilder’s website.