Madonna of the Apes

Fred Taylor Art Mystery #6

by Nicholas Kilmer

Fred Taylor, a veteran of unspecified clandestine services that have caused him to spend hard times in Southeast Asia, finds himself at loose ends in Boston. A late-night chance encounter in the city's Beacon Hill area throws his lot in with eccentric art collector Clayton Reed. Reed has been tricked by a young man as unscrupulous as he is ignorant into examining and considering for purchase a collection of paintings whose presence in the U.S. seems, at best, informal. Fred, sensing Reed's naiveté in matters of personal security, volunteers to guarantee that security at the same time as Reed's acumen as a connoisseur astounds Fred. How could Reed just walk away from the situation with what he later gloatingly describes as "a prize worth more than the gross domestic product of Bulgaria." What Reed has purchased appears to be a painting by one of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance. But is it what it seems? Can The Madonna of the Apes be a forgery? How did it come to be, so quietly, in Boston? These questions propel Reed and Fred into an increasingly murderous tangle, guided only by the assurances of a sequence of art dealers who lie as easily as they withhold the truth about the painting, its true nature, and its history. Nicholas Kilmer is the author of five previous Fred Taylor art mysteries.

Genres: Mystery

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Teacher of art and Latin in Vienna, VA, 1960-62; Action for Boston Community Development, Boston, MA, writer in department of planning and evaluation, 1966-67; English teacher at private school in Beverly, MA, 1967-70; Swain School of Design, New Bedford, MA, associate professor of liberal arts, 1970-82, dean, 1979-82; affiliated with Art Research of Cambridge, Cambridge, MA, 1984-88; founder of Nicholas Kilmer Fine Art, 1988—. Painter, with exhibitions throughout the Northeast.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of this Boston-based art series may have wondered how street-smart Fred ever got together with his employer, Boston Brahmin Clay Reed. This prequel to the series describes how Fred's impulse lead him to help Clay, whose love of art is trapping him into a classic scam. Art, and a certain honesty, are the ties that bind Clay and Fred, who gradually realize that their talents are complementary.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting art mystery. I've always been fascinated by the crime of art theft and art fraud. Kilmer's expert knowledge gave me more insight into the technical aspects as well as the motivations. I found it a bit confusing to read.