This third and last (so far) entry is the best in the series, in my opinion. Art historian Chris Norgren is sent to France to determine whether or not his museum should suggest a newly-discovered Rembrandt. The key issue is whether or not it is a Rembrandt, and that's not a slam dunk, given the quixotic reputation of the potential donor, art dealer Rene Vachey. Matters quickly devolve into mayhem, murder, and a lot of interesting stuff about art fakes, art forgeries, and art fraud. There are at least three mysteries going on here -- who killed the murderee, what sort of man is Vachey, and is the Rembrandt real. It's all wound up in a compelling bow at the end. A good read -- makes me wish there were later entries in the series. ( )

Review Originally Posted At: FictionForesight

Step inside this artfully created world where the paintings, and the mysteries they hold, are to die for!

Rene Vachey likes to make big statements in the art world, which usually involves making art experts and museums look like fools. So when he announces two previously undiscovered paintings by Rembrandt and Leger, the Seattle Museum of Art sends Chris Norgern to see the exhibition, in Dijon France, and decide if they are real or fake. Everything becomes rocky when Norgern is pushed out of a two-story window and Vachey is discovered dead in a park days after the exhibition opens, leaving even more questions as to what Vachey had planned this time.

Theme books can be really hard to pull off well. Unfortunately, this is a theme book that has been lost in the world of art history, with only a dash of the murder mystery that I craved. The art history section however, isn't bad at all. In fact, I actually really liked it. I was looking for a book that dealt with the idea of ownership in the art world, and that's exactly what I got.

While Elkins does fail to properly blend the two main mysteries together, the art mystery definitely outshines the murder. We get many different viewpoints on what is acceptable in the world of art, in regards to buying and selling. Especially since it is set in a time where the Nazi collection and redistribution of artwork is still on the minds of every collector. It was very interesting to see how Vachey played a role in the war, as he had been an art dealer during that time period. The downside to this is that there is yet another sub plot, which distracts from the two existing plots, and is too neatly finished with such an easily created coincidence.

The murder mystery itself was for the most part ignored. Vachey is murdered, and then they jump straight into a reading of the will, with some minor hints at ideas of who could have killed him. These include a son who was bitter about the entire collection of paintings being donated, instead of passing on to him, as originally intended, in the event of Vachey's death. Norgern attempts to research the Rembrandt, which was going to be donated upon his acceptance of its authenticity, however he cannot run any tests on the painting, and instead has to identify it on sight. Everyone he talks to has some distrust of Vachey, but very few had any reason to kill him. Besides the fact there really is no attempt by Norgern to solve the murder mystery.

The only other thing that really didn't sit well with me was the long distance relationship he had with Ann. Apparently they were going to have a week together, which happens rarely, and throughout the entire book he mopes about it. It doesn't add very much to the plot, and really gets a little tiring. In fact, it wasn't until the end that she was even useful as a character, and then it was only as a soundboard for how he knew how everything happened.

This is definitely a good book if you want something a little different. Since the main focus is on the art mystery and not a murder, I think it is a nice change of pace. It excels in talking about the art world and explaining some terms and viewpoints for someone who is new to the topic. The actual murder mystery is sparse, so I would err on the side of caution if you are looking for a juicy murder mystery.

(www.FictionForesight.com) ( )

Chris Norgren suspects a scam when he hears that there is a recently uncovered Rembrandt being gifted to The Seattle Museum he works for. He has more doubts when he travels to Dijon, France to see it and the donor is himself gifted with a fatal bullet. Chris himself takes a header out a window that should have been a one way ticket out of his problems but he lands on his feet more determined than ever to solve the puzzle of the Rembrandt. ( )

This is the first of Elkins' books that is not in the Gideon Oliver series that I've read- Good story, well done. Who know he could do art as well as physical Anthropology? ( )