Location : Cleveland, OH
I started this book on the flight to Lotusphere. Luckily, I was able to read more than 150 pages on the flight, as I didn't seem to have a lot of time in Orlando to continue reading it. But, eventually, I did finish it. That didn't have anything to do with the story, but rather demands on my time elsewhere. :-)
I picked up this book, The Art Thief, as it is the first novel by Noah Charney. After reading quite a few series lately, I wanted something new. Charney's book fit the bill nicely. It has some very good characters, an interesting premise, and a little art history/appreciation.
The Art Thief begins with the theft of a painting from a church outside of Rome. Shortly thereafter, another painting goes missing from a vault in Paris. Finally, in London, a recently purchased painting is stolen from a museum. None of these thefts seem to be connected and each has a separate investigation. However, an expert on art investigations, Gabriel Coffin, is brought in on the Rome theft. Later, he is approached on the London case by the lead inspector from Scotland Yard. Mysterious characters, all from the art world, keep the story moving, leaving the reader to wonder who is behind the thefts and if there is any meaning to them.
The early chapters move very quickly, as you learn the players and the history behind the stolen artwork. But nothing is clear. It becomes more murky as the story progresses and Charney delivers a history of art, auctions, and art forgery. Using the Coffin character, you find yourself in one of his lectures, describing various methods of forgery and detection. But in the mix, you also learn how to "read" a painting. For someone that has, in the past, simply looked at a work of art, this was a welcome introduction to art appreciation. However, if you have a background in this, or if you don't find it very interesting, the book may become a little tiresome. Finally, I thought that I had some of the particulars ironed out, but was sorely mistaken as the final chapters were read. I suppose that you can call them "plot twists" but I think it has more to do with information not provided to you in the early chapters.
Overall, a fairly enjoyable novel. Charney takes you on a nice ride through the art world, "interesting" characters and all. It would be nice to see some of them turn up in later novels, specifically French Police Inspector Bizot and Inspector Wickenden of Scotland Yard.
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