Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #434746 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Synopsis
Fascinating art-crime novel set in Italy from the bestselling author of An Instance of the Fingerpost. General Bottando of Rome's Art Theft Squad is in trouble: his theory that a single master criminal, dubbed 'Giotto', is behind a string of major art thefts has aroused the scorn of his arch enemy and rival, the bureaucrat Corrado Argan. He needs a result, and the confession of a dying woman may just provide the vital clue. In pursuit of the elusive Giotto, Bottando's colleague, Flavia di Stefano, sets off hotfoot for Florence, and English art dealer Jonathan Argyll is dispatched to London and then on to rural Norfolk...only to discover a body and a mystery which could lead to the greatest art find of his career...

Customer Reviews

Something different
My first Iain Pears book and an excellent start. I found the story engrossing, the art world background fascinating and the cast of main characters believable.

Its a very different approach to the detective story with no full on policemen. There are 2 great characters from the Italian art crime squad battling with art crime, internal politics, the Italian state system, and their own mixture of fiery and sleepy Italian nature. There is also an inquisitive, slightly restless and not very good (i.e too moral) art dealer who has a nose for research and a love for the female art crime squad detective.

They approach different elements of the crime and this keeps the interest going really well. The criminal is a lovable if slightly barmy individual and works well into the story.

I'm a keen Donna Leon fan and that brought me to this book and while not up to Leon's descriptive style it was really enjoyable and i want to find out more about Flavia, Argyll and Bottando.

I love books where I learn something, I'm entertained and where there is a real feeling for atmosphere and this book fits the bill.

Misleading!!!
This book is called "Giotto's hand", it is based around art theft, involves an art dealer and an art detection agency and is written by an art historian. SO WHY ISNT IT ACTUALLY ABOUT ART??
Ignore the reviews on the cover relating to anything regarding art history, this is very simply like an episode of Midsomer murders, with some extra europeans added in a presumed attempt to add some glamour. That aside, it really wasnt too bad overall, and it was very short and easy to read.
I would suggest that Pears isnt the most accomplished or imaginitive of authors, but he at least made a decent job of a very standard formulaic murder mystery. Having studied art history myself I really wouldnt have guessed that the author was connected to the art world, as the only vaguely arty themes are a few old atists names and a couple of dates here and there-nothing a complete novice couldnt find out very easily should they want to write something similar-with no real insight into...well, anything arty really... which was quite disappointing. It was also quite easy to guess who was behind it all as the book is only 260 pages long and it gets where its going pretty quickly as a result.
However, I did enjoy reading this book and I am going to be trying Iain Pears other books before dismissing him out of hand as this showed some promise in parts.
One final note Mr. Pears-you have about 10 characters in total in your book so is it really neccessary for the 3 main people involved to be called George, Gordon and Geoffery as this can get confusing at times without a surname!

shallow and uninspiring
With virtually no depth to the leading characters and a catatonically unexciting plot, this book is like a "young readers" detective story, or a re-written novel for learners of English as a foreign language.

Virtually a waste of time for any sentient reader.