Customer Reviews

The Raphael Affair

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the first book by Iain Pears, a writer that was later to go on to write 6 more in the same series, plus the internationally acclaimed epic 'An Instance of the Fingerpost' and most recently 'The Dream of Scipio'. It is a bold beginning, though by no means his best. It introduces us to two characters that over the course of the 7 books we are to become very familiar with: English art critic Jonathan Argyll and Italian Flavia Di Stefano, from the art crime squad.

In a book that is charming in its detailed view of Italy and its excellent balance of thrilling crime writing and an intellectual knowledge of art, Pears writes a page-turner which bode well for what was to be an even better series. It is interesting, thrilling and well wrapped up. Well worth a read.

After reading "An Instance of a Fingerpost" I knew Pears was a very good writer, so I went for this first in a series. I was not disappointed.

There are three elements of this novel I found strong. First, the three main characters. They are likeable with endearing foibles. Argyll is a loveable bumbling genius type; Flavia the beautiful, smart, action person who isn't quite as smart as she thinks she is; and the General, the affable smarter-than-he-looks detail man. I look forward to joining them in future escapades.

Second, I found the mystery to be a good one. There were good twists and turns and the final twist was a dandy. There are no superheroes here which I think always enhances a mystery.

Third, the cultural aspect. I enjoy a novel, whether a mystery or otherwise, that resides in an area of knowledge obviously known to the author but different from my experiences. It is obvious that Mr. Pears knows art and the art world (including the criminal aspects). He uses this expertise to enhance the plot and add depth to it without "showing off" and making the reader feel like a dunce.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery placed in the middle of the art world. I will continue on this series - joyfully.

I actually read Pears' Art History Mysteries out of sequence. But I find each of them beguiling and a quick read. This introduces the key characters, Jonathan Argyll, a tweady English Art Dealer and Flavia di Stefano of the Rome Art Theft Squad. There are few more charming pairings in recent mystery literature.

I notice that many readers come to Pears via 'An Instance of the fingerpost' or his latest,'The Dream of Scipio' and are somewhat disappointed because of the lack of depth. I would suggest that like his countryman, Grahame Greene, Pears is fully capable of serious, thought-provoking novels; and yet harbors a great affection for genre novels - in this case mysteries.

Pears' erudite depiction of the intricacies of art forgery are delivered with the kind of delicious drollery that makes an afternoon disappear quickly and magically if you leave your misconceptions behind. This is good beach or airplane reading and you won't feel disgusted afterward.

While I was not a fan of Iain Pears' most popular work "The Instance of Fingerposts" I still enjoyed this earlier work "The Raphael Affair". This was not your average mystery - it was also a lesson in art history which I thought was excellent.

I gave this book three stars because I thought the mystery part of this book was lacking a bit while the premise and the characters were much more in depth. The reader is first introduced to the Italian detective, General Bottando, and his assistant, Flavia di Stefano as they are called on the scene to investigate a supposed break-in at a local church. While talking to the vagrant we discover that Jonathan Argyll is not who we are lead to believe. He is in fact an art historian from England who is in pursuit of the holy grail of the art world - an undiscovered Raphael hidden behind the work of a lesser Italian artist Mantini.

While learning about the history of Italian art we discover how it affects each character in the book - we watch as Flavia and Argyll begin to learn from one another and go in search of the real Raphael.

Amazingly enough, the reader can't help but be intrigued and to absorb some knowledge along the way as Flavia and Argyll put their reputations and their lives on the line for a woman who has been dead for a few hundred years.

I think this book is more interesting for the lessons learned than the actual mystery itself. I will certainly pick up another of Pears' Art History Mysteries as I did really enjoy 'The Raphael Affair' and I have grown to like to characters in it.

I'm delighted to see that this series is becoming available in the states in paperback; I used to have to search them out in London whenever I was on vacation. This is the first of the series, and it introduces the characters, who admittedly haven't progressed all that much as characters in the next 5 or so volumes. But they are appealing, and the plots are very clever, and you learn about art, Italy, and art fraud. The Raphael Affair ends with the absolute best conference paper on art history that I have ever "heard", and I've sat through a lot of academic conference sessions on medieval and Renaisance art. I think that this series is superior (because it's more fun) to the author's much reviewed and praised An Indication of the Fingerpost which is a stylistic tour-de-force but not very appealing to me.

Possibly the best thing about Iain Pears' art history mystery series is the cover artwork. Once you actually open the book, it's all downhill. The characters are weakly developed, the mysteries, such as they are, can be solved almost as soon as they're presented, and the plot dawdles amazingly for such short books. On the positive side, though, the books are extremely light, chipper, and fast reads - ideal, for example, for convalescents and the clinically depressed. Those who like a bit of meat to their reading material are advised to look elsewhere, though.

Perhaps I'm judging Pears too harshly, but I know he can do better than this. He has. His An Instance of the Fingerpost is an astonishing book, well-written, complex, detailed, and utterly satisfying - a book that transcends the mystery genre. It's hard to believe the Argyll/di Stefano mysteries come from the same author.

In The Raphael Affair, Jonathan Argyll and Flavia di Stefano meet over an investigation into a possible Raphael and a mysteriously deceased dealer in icons. Unfortunately, that's pretty much the beginning and the ending of the plot - the actual mystery doesn't make its debut until page 100 or so, and even then there isn't much to it. It is perfectly possible to solve the mystery even though the author commits the cardinal sin of failing to provide the reader with all the clues; however, it is not at all possible to care about the solution.

A more serious problem, given that this is the launch of a series, is the lack of character interest and development. Argyll is a believable character, but not a particularly compelling one - 'art dork' pretty much sums him up, with room to spare - and Flavia, while a good idea, never really makes it into three dimensions; Pears doesn't seem to have a feel for her at all. The background characters are even weaker, with the exception of Flavia's boss, who is a stereotypical but well-fleshed old-school Italian bureaucrat.

More interesting is the background and setting of the book. Pears obviously is familiar with the art world, and his descriptions are entertaining. The setting is also enjoyable, especially for those who love Italy; Pears clearly has knowledge of, and fondness for, the place, and manages to communicate some of that to the reader. He also has some humorous observations about the structure and function of Italian bureaucracy. Unfortunately, there isn't enough of this stuff to make up for the weaknesses of the book.

All in all, this book is recommended only for those interested in a very light read, or for those very interested in either Italy or art. Those who read mysteries for plot or for characters would be better off with another author. And those who are hoping for a display of talent equal to that shown in An Instance of the Fingerpost will be sadly disappointed.

If you are looking for another 'An Instance of the Fingerpost' you will have to look elsewhere. This was Mr. Pears' first novel and is much lighter in substance and tone. I actually read it before I read the 'Fingerpost', so I was not expecting the other book's depth. What I found was an amusing little book, where Art Historians are the most clever folks around, and where the action takes place in locales I remember from my study abroad.

Given that it was a first novel, and that I have since read the author's BRILLIANT 'Fingerpost', I am looking forward to reading other books in the series.

This, the first in the Jonathan Argyll series, pits Argyll and soon-to-be love interest against the forces of darkness in the European theater of fine art. Not meant as great literature, it nonetheless proves both immensely satisfying and entertaining, while teaching the uninitiated a thing or two about art history. A great traveling book for those who don't wish to tax their intellect, but don't desire to leave their brain's gearbox stuck in neutral, either. Enjoy.

After reading An Instance of the Fingerpost and Dream of Scipio, I was curious about Iain Pears' earlier works. I find a well-written mystery very enjoyable and the Raphael Affair certainly does not disappoint. While it does not rise to the level of his two latest novels, The Raphael Affair is a smartly-written, thoughtful mystery. It is a very quick read and cleverly put together. Have fun.

I first read "Instance of the Fingerpost" by this author and was anxious to see how he'd handle a shorter work. I was somewhat disappointed, though I enjoyed the book and may read more in the series.

Some of the characters (Argyll, the series protagonist, and the detectives) are well developed and drawn deeply. Also, the art history and world of art dealing are interesting and covered well. The author is gifted in his use of small details which make characters and milieu come alive. If you have been to Italy, his use of sites and situations (such as the cars squeezed onto a lane barely wide enough for pedestrians) is charming. However, the suspects are not developed overly well, probably so we do not figure out who the criminal is. Which leads to the other weakness of the book -- the mystery. It is not very compelling, nor is it particularly well laid out, and so the denoument is neither surprising nor particularly interesting.

Since there are not many books (let alone mysteries) set in the world of art, you may want to read this engaging novel, especially if you are an Italophile; but if you are primarily interested in a thriller or an elegant mystery, this is not it.