Rate this book

Gefährliches Talent (2013)

by Aaron Elkins(Favorite Author)

3.43 of 5 Votes: 1

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

AmazonCrossing

series

Alix London

review 1: This is number 1 of a series starring Alix London, a skilled restorer of old paintings who is breaking into the better-paid role of “art consultant” to wealthy patrons. She has what’s known as a “connoisseur’s eye” meaning she can spot a fake with something like intuition, and only later can innumerate the reasons why she knows. (this is a real thing called “rapid cognition” –see Blink by Malcolm Gladwell- we do it with people all the time, don’t we?)Anyway, Alix’s father was a renown, respected art restorer too, until he began making fabulous forgeries and then got caught and went to prison. He’s out now, and the relationship is iffy. People sizing up Alix assume she might be shady too.Alix is flown to New Mexico to assess a Georgia O’Keefe p... moreainting for a possible buyer. The reader enjoys descriptions of the towns, resorts, countryside, and art galleries there. The characters are fine (nothing too wonderful) in fact my favorite character is her father, and then his post-felon friends. Alix is maybe laced up a bit too tight, trying to hold herself above suspicion in anything. She’s aloof but the authors give her a good appetite to make up for it. Murders happen, there is suspense, action, a whiff of romance, and interesting info about Georgia O’Keefe and the art of forgery. The book is well done! I like the series and plan to read them all!
review 2: Alix London has recently started to work as an art consultant in Seattle. Some years before when she was still an art student, her father, a prominent New York art conservator, was arrested and sent to prison for art forgery. She is now estranged from him and feels somewhat overshadowed by this family history. She is then approached by Christine Lemay, a novice wealthy art collector with plenty of money, who has been advised of a recently discovered painting by Georgia O’Keeffe. Chris hires Alix to authenticate the painting, an assignment that could establish her career. They head to Santa Fe where they soon find themselves caught up in a web of deceit and murder. This proved a delightful light-hearted mystery with a very appearing lead character in Alix London. There is the hint of a possible romantic relationship between Alix and another character and I rather look forward to seeing how it turns out. I knew from the outset that I would want more and so have already purchased the two other books in the series. less

Download links for: Gefährliches Talent

Advertising