Picture Perfect

Picture Perfect is the 31st book of the Charmed novel series.

It takes place between Season 6 Episode 4 The Power of Three Blondes and Episode 11 Witchstock.

Summary

 * A face revealed, and rage unleashed—
 * old anger set upon the world.
 * Three sisters must come together to fight
 * or worse fates will surely be unfurled…

The Bay Mirror is covering the grand reopening of Mural House, a San Francisco landmark built in the 1920s, and Phoebe invites her sisters to attend. Piper's got her hands full with P3, but Paige is happy to tag along to see the once-famous artists' colony that housed great art, passion, and scandal. Notable for all is the story of the building's architect, William Lancaster, who, during the construction, fell in love with an artist—a young divorcée named Isabella Marshall. Their relationship was tumultuous at best, eventually ending in tragedy… and in William's disappearance.

The hoopla surrounding Mural House's reopening has made William and Isabella's love affair legendary. With the permission of Isabella's daughter, Lucille, Phoebe has been reprinting the couple's love letters in her column. She joins Lucile, now an elderly woman, at the gala's main event—the unveiling of a long-painted-over mural. Lucile is visibly upset when the mural is revealed; in fact, she seems horrified. Before passing out from fear, she whispers, "The evil has been released…"

Meanwhile S.F. is hit by a series of brutal murders. And the handsome manager Piper hired is not as innocent as he seems to be.

Characters

 * Lucille Marshall: William Lancaster's and Isabella Marshall's daughter.
 * Maxwell Harrington III: Head of the Mural House Restoration Committee.
 * Donna Peterson: Employee at P3.
 * William Lancaster: Founder of Mural House. His essence was trapped inside a portrait by an Egyptian spell.
 * Isabella Marshall: William's ex-wife, and Lucille's mother.
 * Mandy: Wyatt's babysitter.
 * Jennifer: New employee at P3.
 * Gil Townsend: New manager of P3. Donovan Hawthorne's grandson.
 * Norman Jones: Customer and victim.
 * Donovan Hawthorne: William's friend, and assistant. He turned to the dark arts to help William.
 * Miranda Nance: Artist. Though not a witch, she studied the arts of magic and became an expert on entrapment spells.
 * Danny Logan: Restaurateur.
 * Gloria Mashuto: Victim.

Book of Shadows

 * There is an entry on Miranda Nance written by an anonymous Warren witch in the 1930s.
 * There are also several notes on regeneration spells.

To Find Miranda Nance's Entrapment Spell

 * Ancient ancestors,
 * magic warriors,
 * aid me in my time of trial.
 * Reveal your secret,
 * share your knowledge.
 * Show me Miranda Nance's spell.

Scrying Spell

 * Requires the four elements, combined with the four directions, a map, a gold chain, and two photos linked to the target. To begin the spell, place four candles on each direction of the map, light them in order (north, south, east, and west) then chant the following:


 * North, south, east, west,
 * Aid me now in this, my quest.
 * What I seek, reveal to me.
 * As I will, so mote it be.


 * Cast earth over the map, blow it to the edges of the map, then place a photo in a bowl of water, light the second photo on the edges with four candles in the same order. Once finished, chant the following:


 * Earth, air, water, fire,
 * Call to me my one desire.
 * Evil hides its face yet I would see,
 * Where it lies, reveal to me.


 * All said and done, dangle the gold chain over the map in scrying manner.

Mind Control

 * Power of Three spell


 * Powers of balance, powers of light.
 * Help us now to make things right.
 * Join our minds in harmony.
 * Let all bear the strength of three.

To Strengthen the Mind Control Spell

 * Power of balance, pure of strong,
 * Help us now to right a wrong.
 * Vanquish evil, set goodness free.
 * As we will, so mote it be.

Glitches

 * Leo never became an Elder, and Chris isn't in the picture.
 * Darryl and Andy were mentioned to be police detectives instead of inspectors or lieutenant.
 * Andy and Prue were mentioned to have been engaged in the novel.

Foreign Titles

 * Ukrainian: Fatal'nje kohannja (Fatal love)