Flowers and bee

Flowers and bee

Monday, May 14, 2007

Italian Art Mysteries

Jonathan Argyll, an English art dealer, and Flavia di Stefano, of the Art Theft Squad, in Rome, Italy, are featured in: The Raphael Affair (1991) and The Titian Committee (1992) by Iain Pears. This is a fun series that can only go places.

The author brings us in depth into the world of art and Italy. Jonathan becomes enamored of Flavia who is a modern woman stuck in the non-modern Italian Police. The realities and/or cliches of Italian life are featured as they travel from place to place (in these - Rome and Venice) to solve their crime and bring the art or situation back to where it belongs. Pears creates characters that you want to revisit again. I particularly like Flavia's superior officer who has the love of good Italian foot ware. I am looking forward to reading more in the series. This would be great reading before a trip to Italy!

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