Audubon Quartet: A Jonathan Wilder Mystery [Paperback]

Ray Sipherd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999

Artist and bird lover Jonathan Wilder is eager to view four newly discovered works of legendary painter John James Audubon, but at the first showing, notorious art critic Abel Lasher declares them to be fakes. Hours later, Lasher is found murdered. Wilder drives into the world of high art, where powerful collectors play for high stakes--and perhaps deadly games. Martin's Press.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Connecticut bird painter and sometime sleuth Jon Wilder (Dance of the Scarecrows, LJ 9/1/96) witnesses a nasty argument at an art gallery show between a millionaire collector and a much-despised art critic. After someone kills the critic, the millionaire adversary, now suspect, asks friend Jon for help. Central to the dispute are four extremely rare Audubon prints that apparently have been forged and/or stolen. The subsequent suspicious death of an art dealer points to covert conspiracy but fails to instill much life into the narrative. Low-key prose, subtle backgrounds, and passionless subplots; for larger collections.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Did John James Audubon ever travel far enough west to paint feathered friends on the other side of the Rockies? Audubon scholars have always thought not. But now, before a packed gallery audience, Brian Ravener, self-made millionaire, hardhead, and aggressive collector if ever there was one, produces documentation to prove otherwise. And, as part of the package, he's got four invaluable Audubon watercolors that he says have been authenticated by experts. At least one expert, however, begs to differ. Like the misanthropic witch of folk and fairy tale, Abel Lasher steps forward to put a curse on the Ravener watercolors. ``They're fake,'' he snarls. Bogus. Wrong as red-breasted swallows. In the ensuing uproar, he flings Lasher from the platformand so when Lasher is found strangled to death later that evening, Ravener is the leading suspect. Fortunately, though, he has a friend in Jonathan Wilder (Dance of the Scarecrows, 1996), ornithologist and bird-painter of note, whom Ravener calls on for sleuthing help. Wilder tapped, Wilder responds, and soon enough the bird-fancying world is restored to equanimity. Everything is either overfamiliar or underimagined, including the lackluster hero and his girlfriend, and the featureless cast of glitterati-suspects. Exception: the birds. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Worldwide Library (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373263112
• ISBN-13: 978-0373263110
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,846,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars so-so, April 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Audubon Quartet (Hardcover)

Brian Ravener announces that he is purchasing four previously unknown paintings by the great John James Audubon. Critic Abel Lasher lashes out by claiming the paintings are fake. Brian and Abel have a nasty public argument. Soon after their melee, Lasher is found dead.

Brian is the prime suspect, though Abel's death has pleased many people, who suffered at the hands of his caustic personality. Brian turns to his friend, bird artist Jonathan Wilder, who recently solved a mystery (see DANCE OF THE SCARECROWS) to prove his innocence by uncovering the real killer. As he travels through the world of high financed art, Jonathan realizes that someone will do anything, including murder an amateur sleuth, to insure that his identity remain a secret.

Though Jonathan remains a likable chap, THE AUDOBON QUARTET fails to leave the ground as the story line never soars. That is too bad because the concept behind the plot is quite intriguing and Ray Sipherd clearly demonstrates that he has plenty of talent. However, in spite of a well designed flight pattern, the story line never takes off. Readers need to pass on this novel and try the first tale in the series, DANCE OF THE SCARECROW, to obtain a taste of a well written and executed amateur sleuth tale.

Harriet Klausner

2.0 out of 5 stars Hardy Boys for grown-ups?, August 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Audubon Quartet (Hardcover)

There's a nifty premise here -- that John James Audubon reached the Pacific Coast and left behind four previously undiscovered paintings (in real life, he never made it that far west). Unfortunately, this becomes incidental to an at-best conventional murder mystery plot. The writing is sub-par, character descriptions are cursory, and details are bobbled. The dialogue reminded me at times of reading Hardy Boys books when I was a kid. It's too bad, because I love a birdwatching hero! I'll try his others and see.