It was the hardest decision that top-selling crime novelist Paul Finch has had to make throughout his literary career.
But, at the end of a special artistic event on Westside, Paul was left with a unique painting that will now have pride of place in the lounge of his home.
The novelist was given the challenging task of selecting one of three paintings that sought to interpret his latest novel, Never Seen Again.
Artists Paula Gabb, Helen Roberts and Helen Owen, all members of the Birmingham Art Zone community group, had to create a single piece of artwork, having only read the book.
Paul travelled down from his home in Wigan to view the paintings for the very first time and then judge the best at a special event at the Velvet Music Rooms on Broad Street.
And, after much deliberation, he chose the creation of Helen Roberts, who was presented with the winning cheque of £500.
A delighted Helen said: “I am just elated. It has been very enjoyable and an absolute pleasure taking part. And, while I’m thrilled that my painting was chosen, we are all winners.
“I was very interested seeing my friends’ work before the judging started as they are all different.”
Helen, who used acrylic paint on canvas, added: “I will probably spend the money on more paints.”
Paul, whose 467-page book tells the story of a former crime reporter who fatally compromises a police operation, said he would have loved to take all three paintings home.
He said: “Without doubt, this was the most difficult decision in my writing career.
“Everything here was so praiseworthy. All three artists had done the most deep-diving in the book and I really love them all but, reluctantly, I had to exclude two.
“Every one of them spoke to me, but the painting I chose spoke to me just a little bit more. “
Helen’s winning painting featured the central character of Jodie Martindale, and Paul added: “I saw Jodie looking at me and she was saying ‘come and find me’. It’s exactly what I wanted, and this will now go in a place in our main lounge.”
Helen, who used symbolism to tell the story, said of ‘Jodie’: “We didn’t have much to go on from the book other than her age, the fact she was blonde, and her sister was described as attractive, so I assumed she was as well.”
However, she added a feature not in the book, with ‘Jodie’ touching a pendant with a blue heart in her painting.
“This represents the United Nations Blue Heart campaign which raises awareness of human trafficking, as this features in the book.”
Runners-up Paula Gabb and Helen Owen each received cheques for £250.
A video telling the whole story of the ‘paint-off’ competition is now in production and will be launched at a Westside venue in the New Year.
Main picture: Paul Finch presents a cheque for £500 to Helen Roberts in front of her winning picture.
