Thomas Swan

En 1916, el místico ruso Grigori Rasputin, un hombre a quien la historia recuerda como El Monje Loco, ordenó la creación de un Huevo Fabergé Imperial, pero ¿acaso constituía algo más que joyas y tesoros? ¿Es posible que Rasputin, una de las figuras más enigmáticas y poderosas de la historia, dotara a este huevo con poderes más allá de los de los hombres mortales? Durante más de 80 años, el Fabergé ha estado perdido entre los pasadizos del tiempo, dejando huellas de asesinato y engaño a cada aparición. En medio de estos enigmas se encuentra un oficial de Scotland Yard, decidido a descubrir la verdad sobre el último Fabergé de Rasputin? y el poder místico que parece tener sobre la propia vida. El misterioso artefacto, creado como regalo de un místico loco para su hermosa obsesión, y enredado en una red de muerte y traición, no es más que el inicio para el inspector Jack Oxby, de Scotland Yard. Lo que empieza como una sencilla búsqueda de la reliquia, se convierte en capas enredadas de mentiras y asesinatos, que llegan hasta el otro lado del océano y que retroceden hasta las décadas de aquellos crímenes sin resolver, reveladores de una conspiración tan vieja como el preciado Fabergé de Grigori Rasputin.… (mehr)

I have a weakness for the beauty and brutality of Tsarist Russian history, especially in the fields of art and architecture. Combine that with a love of art history mysteries like Iain Pears' Jonathan Argyll series, and it was inevitable that I would read Thomas Swan's The Final Fabergé.

Scotland Yard art crime detective Jack Oxby has figured in two other books by Swan. He's been in this division of the Yard for fifteen years. He's savvy, he's got all sorts of contacts he can ask for help, and he's more than willing to jump on a plane and fly to who-knows-where in order to track down information.

From a promising beginning, The Final Fabergé rapidly devolved into a standard thriller: dashing from one location to the next to showcase Oxby's expertise in dodging bullets and knives while learning about power-hungry baddies and soulless henchmen. While not bad by any stretch of the imagination, the book would have been improved by spending more time in the historical aspect of the story-- in Fabergé's workshop and in the houses of the rich and titled. So much time was spent in chases and ambushes that it was easy to forget-- or to really understand-- what all the commotion was about. Yes, I would have loved to have spent more time immersed in the mystique of Fabergé and the treasures he and his artists created.

Will I be looking to meet Jack Oxby again? I rather doubt it.… (mehr)

Paul Cézanne painted twenty-six self-portraits. One owned by the London National Gallery, one owned by Alan Pinkster and one owned by the Hermitage have all be destroyed by an acidic chemical sprayed on them. Who and why?

Detective Inspector Jack Oxby of Scotland Yard Arts and Antiquities Squad is called in to find the culprits and find out why it was done. He enlists the help of American Edwin Llewellyn, who owns one of the Cézannes — one that has never been seen by the public.

Suspicion is that the vandalism is done in an effort to drive up the prices of Cézanne’s work, as Cézanne has recently become an interesting artist to the super high end buyers.

The destruction of the Pinkster piece puts interest on Pinkster, as he is known as one of the major players in the high-end market. Also as rumour has it, he is in deep financial debt and needs to make some fast cash.

The characters are interesting. The main antagonist, has a vast knowledge of chemistry, a drive to destroy the work, a coldness of attitude. The woman assists him in the destruction of art works does so to gain love and affection.

Oxby is of the methodical school of investigation and is also well versed in the world of art. Even if he doesn’t care for the particular artist, he does care about solving the crime.… (mehr)