The Immaculate Deception - Hardcover

Pears, Iain

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0743212576 ISBN 13: 9780743212571

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2000

Synopsis

From the acclaimed author of "An Instance of the Fingerpost" ("may well be the best 'historical mystery' ever written," said "The Boston Globe)" comes a luminous new Jonathan Argyll/Flavia di Stefano crime novel set against the richly evocative backdrop of Rome and Tuscany. In his first new novel since "An Instance of the Fingerpost" became an international bestseller, Iain Pears transports us to Rome, where an impudent thief has stolen a politically sensitive painting on loan from a foreign museum. Summoned to see the prime minister, Flavia di Stefano, acting head of Italy's Art Theft Squad, is told to retrieve the painting without publicity or payment of ransom. But does the prime minister mean what he says? And why was this particular painting stolen? Faced with a case sure to cause her grief, Flavia turns to her mentor, General Taddeo Bottando, who has a wholly unexpected view of the situation. Flavia's husband of four weeks, art historian Jonathan Argyll, is busy, meanwhile, with a mission of his own. As a gift to the soon-to-retire Bottando, Jonathan will track down the provenance of a small Renaissance painting, an Immaculate Conception, now hanging on Bottando's wall. Who owned the painting over the years, and how did it come into Bottando's hands? Flavia's search for an art thief soon becomes a hunt for a killer, while Jonathan's probe uncovers some startling secrets and an unlikely alliance as poignant as it is surprising. Absorbing, witty, ingeniously plotted, "The Immaculate Deception" is stylish entertainment from a justly celebrated author.

About this title

Review:

A good working rule for the police is to have as little as possible to do with politicians, but Flavia, acting head of the Rome Art Squad, finds herself deprived of that luxury when the Prime Minister involves himself in the case of a painting hijacked for ransom... Iain Pears' new thriller The Immaculate Deception picks up the story of Flavia and her British art-dealer husband Jonathan at a point where they are thinking seriously about the rest of their lives--Flavia is pregnant and Jonathan is in the process of selling off his remaining stock. The last thing they need is for Flavia to find herself at the heart of a major scandal involving illegal handovers of ransom, the last gasp of 1970s terrorism and a performance artist who has drowned in a vat of plaster. Meanwhile, Jonathan sets out to track down an unattributed painting owned by Flavia's former boss, and uncovers some neat little mysteries of his own... Art scholarship and police work are not that like each other, but Iain Pears wittily explores what analogies between them there are; he is intelligent about art, and marriage and Italian politics. This is a worthy addition to a charming series. --Roz Kaveney

Review:

Praise for ‘The Immaculate Deception’:

‘Pears is that rare bird: a crime writer who can grip without gore’ Independent

‘An intricately plotted, entertaining murder mystery’ Observer

‘The writing is graceful, the characters are people in whose company it would be a delight to pass an evening. And Pears gives a rich sense of what it is to live in raddled, ever-glorious Rome’ Sunday Times

Praise for the Jonathan Argyll series:

'Superior entertainment.' Allan Massie, Scotsman

'There is nothing so satisfactory as the deconstruction of a puzzle in the hands of such an erudite and sure-footed author.' The Times

'Pears is a delightful writer, with a light, ironic touch.' Frances Fyfield, Mail on Sunday

'Iain Pears writes delightfully witty, elegant, well-informed crime novels.' The Times

'You don't have to know much about art to enjoy Iain Pears's Italian mysteries. Like a good teacher, he shares his passion unobtrusively and flavours his lessons with wit.' Val McDermid

'Pears is a delightful writer, with a light, ironic touch.' Mail on Sunday

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0743212576
• ISBN 13: 9780743212571
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 221