The Deadliest Art [Paperback]

Norman Bogner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2002

Michel Danton, the brilliant investigator-hero of To Die in Provence, is back with a vengeance. Badly wounded the summer before, he is getting ready to marry Jennifer Bowen, the beautiful American art professor who saved his life. But then a girl's disfigured body washes ashore on the beach of a resort near Aix-en-Provence, and Danton finds himself forced to take charge of a harrowing investigation. From the medieval city of Bruges in Belgium through the glorious sun-dappled towns of Provence, Danton chases a depraved madman, desperate to catch him before he strikes again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A chill descends on idyllic Provence when the acid-disfigured nude body of a 13-year-old American junior golf pro washes up on a pristine French beach under the jurisdiction of Michel Danton, commander of the special circumstances section of the Police Judiciare. The murder and subsequent kidnappings of other young girls puts a damper on Michel's imminent wedding to American art professor Jennifer Bowen, who shot two serial killers to save Michel's life in Bogner's well-received last outing, To Die in Provence. After establishing these facts in a brisk opening, Bogner backtracks to follow the villains through the crime, recounting in alternate chapters the police investigation and the entanglements of Provence locals. The flashback begins in Venice Beach, Calif., where insane tattoo artist Garrett Brant and his lover, Eve, run a tattoo/piercing parlor funded by billionaire heiress and s&m nymphomaniac Heather Malone. Invited to Belgium by a repulsive (but wealthy) "friend" of Heather's, Garrett decides he can only "paint" on the skin of young girls. His first (botched) attempt ends in murder, and that activity escalates. Bogner's crisply intercut plot contains good atmospheric detail, and Michel's gourmet chef parents' preparations for the wedding feast, along with the interference of Jennifer's addled mother, add humor. Strong characters overcome a serviceable plot culminating in a stateside climax with a nicely kept surprise. American and French sensibilities are cleverly contrasted and even minor characters are interesting. This is a great beach read for those in search of entertainment and titillation. Major ad/promo.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This sequel to the author's tremendously exciting To Die in Provence (1998) finds French detective Michel Danton investigating the murder of a young American girl whose body washed up on the beach of a popular resort near AixenProvence. The investigation takes Danton across the world, to sunny California, where once again he comes facetoface with the most hideous kind of thrillkillers. Like the first Danton novel, this is a very hardedged thriller, with expertly conceived characters. The author blurs the line between good and bad, between hero and villain, taking us through the various levels of society. Like the Cracker television series (and its spin-off novels), the Danton tales portray violence graphically, almost uncomfortably so, but the intensity has a purpose. The sense of vicarious participation in the action is so strong that we feel as if the characters are about to climb out of their violent world and into ours. Only Thomas Harris is as good at creating a mood, at making us feel as though we are a part of the story. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (December 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812575830
• ISBN-13: 978-0812575835
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,142,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an engrossing read, August 15, 2001

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deadliest Art (Hardcover)

This is my first Michel Danton mystery novel, and I will definitely be reading the first book in this series, "To Die In Provence" and be keeping an eye out for future Michel Danton mystery novels. Hard edged and gripping, this kind of mystery novel is not my usual fare, however I was quickly won over and found it quite difficult to put this book down. The identity of the murderer and his cohorts is known from the very beginning, so that this mystery novel is not so much about the authour engaging the reader to play armchair detective; rather "The Deadliest Art" is more of a psychological study about the workings of a deranged mind, and of the sway that this mind has over those that come into contact with it.

Michel Danton is busy preparing for his upcoming marriage to Jennifer Bowen, keeping his quarrelsome chef-parents in check, getting to know his about-to-be mother-in-law, and regretfully contemplating his resignation as commander of the Special Circumstances Section of the Police Judiciare (he had promised Jennifer that he's give up his very dangerous job for something a little more sedate), when a body of a young girl washes up on one of the beautiful Provence beaches. A check with missing persons reveals that the body is that of 13 year old Caroline Davis, an American who had been on holiday with her parents in Bruges, and who the Belgian police believe was kidnapped by unknown American woman. A preliminary autopsy reveals that the girl had been sexually assaulted, and that her body had been disfigured by some kind of acid wash. To Michel, it becomes obvious that the girl had been specially selected for whatever horror she had been put through. With little to go on, Michel and his team begin sifting through every little piece of information that they can get at, hoping for a breakthrough, when they receive news that there been two more kidnapping attempts. But the women involved in each kidnapping seems to be a different one. Is there a whole bevy of crazed women on the loose kidnapping young girls? Michel would like to be able to concentrate on his upcoming wedding, but finds his attention continuously being taken up by this strange murder-kidnapping case. Will he be able to catch the mind behind this criminal spree before another girl turns up dead?

"The Deadliest Art" has two plot-lines that work quite independently of each other until they intersect in the last few chapters, and Norman Bogner does a wonderful job of juxtaposing each plot line without missing beat. One plot line deals with the police investigation and Michel's upcoming marriage ceremony. The other plot line deals with the murderer's life, motivation, the murderer's losing grip of reality, and the spell that the murderer casts on all those around. Eventhough the murderer's identity is revealed within the first few chapters, I'll not go into too much depth about this particular plot line, because it was this plot line that was gripping and held my interest. I do wish however that Norman Bogner had spent a little more time on the police investigation of this kidnapping-murder than he had done. Uncovering the sad, bizarre and shocking history of the murderer lent a touch of horror to this mystery novel that was engrossing, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if he had concentrated more on the police investigation that he did on Miche Danton's private life.

Nitpicking aside, "The Deadliest Art" is an engrossing read, and worth all it's rave reviews.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrill a minute. This author knows how to write!, June 29, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Deadliest Art (Hardcover)

In Aix-en-Provence, France, criminal investigator Michel Danton and California expatriate Jennifer Bowen will soon marry. Not to long ago, he and Jennifer were shot and she had to kill two people on his last major case. Knowing about her nightmares and that he inherited artwork worth hundreds of millions of dollars, Michel promised Jennifer he would resign as head of the Special Circumstances Section once a replacement is selected. Though he admits to himself that he loves Jennifer, he will miss the job he has held for seven years.

Michel avoids getting involved in the squabbles of his parents over the food and other arrangements for the wedding because he is involved in a new case. On the beach lies the abused body of a young girl apparently washed ashore. Michel begins making inquiries that soon has him out of country. Each step closer to the truth sends him one step deeper into a cesspool that the American EPA would avoid.

A new Norman Bogner novel is always a reason to cheer, but a new Dalton and associates tale is nirvana (see TO DIE IN PROVENCE). Michel's latest case, THE DEADLIEST ART, is a powerful police procedural that hooks the audience because one cannot help caring for Michel, Jennifer, and the rest of the brood. The investigation is intelligently constructed to keep readers guessing and reading (set aside time for one sitting). As usual Norman Bogner provides a powerfully entertaining, fast-paced story line that defines what a thriller should read like.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Pleasure To Read, October 5, 2001

By 

Kelly Graham "avid reader" (Napa, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Deadliest Art (Hardcover)

Norman Bogner's new novel, "The Deadliest Art", is fantastic! It is a sequel to "To Die In Provence", but it can easily be read on its own. If you read this book, you'll definitely want to read the first book anyway. The story follows French detective Michel Danton as he struggles to honor his promise to his new bride to give up his dangerous work, while being presented with a case of unimaginable horror. The book alternates between the actions of the criminals and their pursuers in a non-synchronous manner that works perfectly. "To Die In Provence" was a great mystery, plunging one into the customs and culture of the South of France. "The Deadliest Art" surpasses it, with an even deeper immersion into French psyche and attitude, coupled with an exploration of the Venice of Southern California. As you are simultaneously drawn into the madhouse of the killers and Michel Danton's increasing desperation, you won't be able to put this book down!