Lazarus Arise (Art Mysteries) (Hardcover)

~ Nicholas Kilmer (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This fifth novel in Kilmer's (Dirty Linen) Fred Taylor series about artists and their rarified world could, like Lazarus, use a little resurrection. It takes a potentially fascinating story and turns it into a confusing and occasionally boring tale of a painter who drops dead at Boston's Logan airport on arrival from Paris. By chance, Fred, a buyer for wealthy art collector Clayton Reed, whom he's meeting in Boston, disembarks from the plane right behind the dead man, who turns out to be eccentric artist Jacob Geist. Fred accidentally picks up Geist's Paris newspaper from the concourse floor. When he arrives at Reed's digs, he and Reed discover a painting secreted between pages of the paper. It looks like a page from a medieval bible, depicting Lazarus arising from the tomb. Reed calls in an art antiquities expert to vet the painting's history, while Fred, the accidental detective, does his best to find out the identity of the painting's owner. Fred's search proceeds in herky-jerky fashion, with able assistance from his lady friend, Molly Riley, a reference librarian and one of the book's bright lights. Despite some good turns of phrase and the Boston setting, the author fails to develop the kind of fluid plot or solid characterization that, say, Robert B. Parker does in his Spenser novels. Artists or art historians may be enthralled, but straight mystery lovers will likely be disappointed by the lack of thrills and substance.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Kilmer's latest art mystery (after Dirty Linen) centers on chance: Boston art collector Clayton Reed's agent, Fred Taylor, tries to assist a man at the airport who suddenly keels over dead. When Fred reaches home, he's still clutching the man's newspaper which happens to conceal part of an exquisitely painted 15th-century illuminated manuscript. Clayton of course wants the piece for his collection, but Fred first wants to investigate the dead man and the manuscript. His search takes him through loose-lipped booksellers, unethical art dealers, and more. Effective prose, fascinating subject matter, and a sometimes cynical look at the art world combine in an intriguing read. For most collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890208809
• ISBN-13: 978-1890208806
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,505,992 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A geat mystery, October 31, 2001

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Fred Taylor, agent for art collector Clayton Reed, returns to his Boston home after a failed trip in Paris because his employer rejected a high bidding on a Sargent. At Logan Airport, the man standing in front of Fred collapses. In the confusion, Fred inadvertently picks up something while trying to help the unfortunate person. Later Fred arrives at Clayton's house, only to realize he had accidentally taken a portfolio that looks very medieval and expensive.

Clayton wants to keep the find, bless his larcenous nature, but Fred wants to return the folio to the rightful owner. Word leaks out about Fred's find and a spectrum of individuals ranging from legitimate collectors to cranks and crooks want the folio with some of the protagonists not concerned with the method to attain the prize.

Nicholas Kilmer knows how to tantalize his audience by describing one of the most beautiful artworks in the world that this reviewer would love to see. Readers also get a glimpse at the avarice and shady dealings that impacts the art world. Ethics is rarely seen, as infighting is the norm. LAZARUS ARISE is a seriocomic mystery that sub-genre fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book in This Series, May 2, 2006

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Lazarus, Arise (Art Mysteries (Paperback)) (Paperback)

Lazarus, Arise is the second book in a row where author Nicholas Kilmer chose to exercise his sense of humor more than his sense of the macabre. I found that the new lightness worked well and enjoyed the book very much until the author chose to chose on a familiar macabre note. Too bad. With a slightly different ending, this book could have been a remarkable accomplishment.

Reclusive art collector Clayton Reed has sent his long arm, Fred Taylor, to Europe with inadequate budget to bring back the desired goods. Fred's naturally tired and a little disgusted when an older passenger leaving the same flight from Paris collapses in front of him. Fred sticks around to try to help, but it doesn't look good for the older man. While the man was falling, Fred caught his rolled-up newspaper and walked out of customs with it under his arm.

Imagine Fred's surprise when the newspaper yields up an impeccable illuminated manuscript page. Clayton decides to help, but his help creates more problems than it's worth when word leaks out that a rare manuscript may have been found. The humor begins as goofy dealers and intermediaries try to swarm over the trail.

With a little help from his friends, Fred discovers the identity of the passenger. He was Jacob Geist, a sort of anti-establishment Christo, who makes political statements through his public art.

Looking for any clue as to where the manuscript might be, Fred tracks down Geist's dealer, a prototype for all sleazy gallery owners. Searching closer to home proves to be more effective, and Fred uncovers a truly amazing story.

The book itself is a wonderful satire on the tendency of artists, collectors and dealers to take themselves much too seriously. Without the seemingly gratuitous violence that Mr. Kilmer favors in his novels, this could have been a truly wonderful humorous story. As it is, the story is quite a good one.

If you liked Dirty Linen, this book will probably also appeal to you.