false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175180342m/487824.jpg 487824 15 <P> From the acclaimed author of <I>An Instance of the Fingerpost</I> ("may well be the best 'historical mystery' ever written," said <I>The Boston Globe)</I> comes a luminous new Jonathan Argyll/Flavia di Stefano crime novel set against the richly evocative backdrop of Rome and Tuscany. <P> In his first new novel since <I>An Instance of the Fingerpost</I> became an international bestseller, Iain Pears transports us to Rome, where an impudent thief has stolen a politically sensitive painting on loan from a foreign museum. <P> Summoned to see the prime minister, Flavia di Stefano, acting head of Italy's Art Theft Squad, is told to retrieve the painting without publicity or payment of ransom. But does the prime minister mean what he says? And why was this particular painting stolen? Faced with a case sure to cause her grief, Flavia turns to her mentor, General Taddeo Bottando, who has a wholly unexpected view of the situation. <P> Flavia's husband of four weeks, art historian Jonathan Argyll, is busy, meanwhile, with a mission of his own. As a gift to the soon-to-retire Bottando, Jonathan will track down the provenance of a small Renaissance painting, an Immaculate Conception, now hanging on Bottando's wall. Who owned the painting over the years, and how did it come into Bottando's hands? <P> Flavia's search for an art thief soon becomes a hunt for a killer, while Jonathan's probe uncovers some startling secrets and an unlikely alliance as poignant as it is surprising. Absorbing, witty, ingeniously plotted, <I>The Immaculate Deception</I> is stylish entertainment from a justly celebrated author. 476100 2000 The Immaculate Deception (Jonathan Argyll, #7) total:163|5:23|4:51|3:77|2:12|1:0| 163 574 251 23 3 2 false false Thu Aug 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 12:40:38 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 13 11:22:01 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Nov 16 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 14 02:56:31 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 18 04:42:21 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jun 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun May 17 13:49:59 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 30 05:01:34 -0700 2009
End thoughts - What a lovely surprise this book is. Who knew Pears 'did' a cozy series, and more to the point, who knew he did a cozy series that was so lovely to read. You know how in Fargo there is the domestic story of the pregnant cop with loving ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Jan 12 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 15 17:11:17 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 15 17:16:22 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed May 20 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun May 24 19:44:43 -0700 2009 Sun May 24 19:49:45 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon May 26 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon May 25 16:05:25 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 16:09:29 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false true Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2002 Wed Mar 18 18:18:12 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 18 18:18:26 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Fri Feb 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 05 17:40:13 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 06 17:33:32 -0800 2009 1 3 0 false false Mon Jun 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 22 20:39:03 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 22 20:39:57 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Sun Apr 12 13:18:56 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 13:20:22 -0700 2009 5 1 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Apr 06 13:20:09 -0700 2008 Sun Apr 06 13:22:16 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 14 16:16:03 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 14 16:16:51 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 15:22:08 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 15:22:08 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Wed Nov 19 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Apr 07 12:17:27 -0700 2008 Wed Jan 14 16:57:39 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jul 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 30 08:36:51 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 26 15:41:44 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Wed Aug 06 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 23 11:42:32 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 23 11:42:32 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 31 06:46:24 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 31 06:48:01 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Tue Nov 11 15:26:40 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 11 15:28:39 -0800 2008 2 0 false false Sat Mar 08 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Mar 01 16:39:14 -0800 2008 Fri Mar 07 19:47:51 -0800 2008 4 0 false false Fri Sep 14 20:29:25 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 10 15:52:34 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=487824