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Picture This: An Erotically Charged Thriller Set in the Art World of New York
An erotically charged thriller PICTURE THIS is the latest offering from
Tobsha Learner (also known as T.S Learner).
Set in 2006 in the crazy, moneyed and sexy international art scene PICTURE THIS is the story of Susie Thomas, a bisexual installation artist renowned for her erotic re-enactments of famous historical paintings. Susie is about to hit New York big-time. Felix Baum, the most powerful gallery owner in NY, devil incarnate and enfant terrible, wants her as both his lover and his artist, the only problem is that, unknown to Felix, he’s already seduced Maxine, Susie’s ex-girlfriend and love of her life, a troubled sculptor who ‘suicided’ a few months earlier…Things gets complicated when Maxine’s muse Latisha pulls Susie into an investigation of Maxine’s death.
A powerful expose of moral corruption PICTURE THIS promises to take you into the obsessive minds of artist, gallery owner and muse.
Tobsha Learner (also known as T.S Learner).
Set in 2006 in the crazy, moneyed and sexy international art scene PICTURE THIS is the story of Susie Thomas, a bisexual installation artist renowned for her erotic re-enactments of famous historical paintings. Susie is about to hit New York big-time. Felix Baum, the most powerful gallery owner in NY, devil incarnate and enfant terrible, wants her as both his lover and his artist, the only problem is that, unknown to Felix, he’s already seduced Maxine, Susie’s ex-girlfriend and love of her life, a troubled sculptor who ‘suicided’ a few months earlier…Things gets complicated when Maxine’s muse Latisha pulls Susie into an investigation of Maxine’s death.
A powerful expose of moral corruption PICTURE THIS promises to take you into the obsessive minds of artist, gallery owner and muse.
Paperback
First published November 15, 2016
13 people want to read
About the author
Tobsha Learner
51 books87 followersAka T.S. Learner
Tobsha Learner was born and raised in England; she now divides her time between Australia, the UK and the USA. She is well known in Australia as an author and playwright.
Tobsha Learner was born and raised in England; she now divides her time between Australia, the UK and the USA. She is well known in Australia as an author and playwright.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 6, 2017
This was my first Tobsha Learner book and I’m not one hundred percent sure how I feel about it. It was an interesting read, yes, although it wasn’t at all what I had been expecting.
A part of me had been expecting a real thriller – the edge of your seat kind, where to put the book down for a single moment is the equivalent of cutting off a limb. A part of me had been expecting erotica – I wasn’t sure of what variety, but I was expecting there to be a lot of skin-on-skin moments throughout. A very small part of me had been expecting a low-key historical fiction – a look at the not too distant past, going back a mere decade. Whilst it had aspects of all of these parts, it was never quite enough of any of them for me to say ‘yes, that is how I will label this book’. There’s enough to keep you interested in the book, yet I was never really pulled in to the degree that I had hoped to be by any of the components I’d been expecting.
In terms of the thriller aspect, there were many nods to the genre. We have a murder; we have forgery; we have attempts at ending lives; we have people digging to find out the truth of everything that had happened. Each of these aspects were linked together really well, although I feel that no single aspect was really explored to quite the degree I had hoped it would. What I had wanted was real drama, real action. What we were given is an air of mystique that never quite develops to the full explosive potential.
In terms of the erotica, it wasn’t quite what I had expected. I feel as though the description of the book being ‘erotically charged’ describes it better than a simple label of erotica. Whilst there were erotic scenes, they did not dominate the story. When they did appear, they were well done. It was more of a twisted romance, filled with all kinds of complications.
I think, for me, what stopped me from truly being pulled into either aspect of the storyline was all the details pertaining to the art world. I love it when books are accurate, and it was clear the author had done her research and knew what she was talking about. However, I feel as though more attention was given to what was going on in the art world than the other aspects of the story, meaning I wasn’t as pulled in by the other aspects of the story. In other words, I was distracted by the art world. It was wonderfully done, and I could imagine what was going on, yet it seemed to be given much more focus than any other aspect of the story (be it the romance, the thrilling events, or the complexities of the characters).
In no way am I saying I did not enjoy this one – it simply wasn’t what I had hoped it would be. It was interesting, it allowed me to find out a lot about the art world, but it didn’t quite satisfy me in the way I had hoped it would. If nothing else, it has left me interested to see what else the author has to offer – after all, I enjoyed her way of storytelling, I just didn’t enjoy the story quite as much as I had hoped I would.
A part of me had been expecting a real thriller – the edge of your seat kind, where to put the book down for a single moment is the equivalent of cutting off a limb. A part of me had been expecting erotica – I wasn’t sure of what variety, but I was expecting there to be a lot of skin-on-skin moments throughout. A very small part of me had been expecting a low-key historical fiction – a look at the not too distant past, going back a mere decade. Whilst it had aspects of all of these parts, it was never quite enough of any of them for me to say ‘yes, that is how I will label this book’. There’s enough to keep you interested in the book, yet I was never really pulled in to the degree that I had hoped to be by any of the components I’d been expecting.
In terms of the thriller aspect, there were many nods to the genre. We have a murder; we have forgery; we have attempts at ending lives; we have people digging to find out the truth of everything that had happened. Each of these aspects were linked together really well, although I feel that no single aspect was really explored to quite the degree I had hoped it would. What I had wanted was real drama, real action. What we were given is an air of mystique that never quite develops to the full explosive potential.
In terms of the erotica, it wasn’t quite what I had expected. I feel as though the description of the book being ‘erotically charged’ describes it better than a simple label of erotica. Whilst there were erotic scenes, they did not dominate the story. When they did appear, they were well done. It was more of a twisted romance, filled with all kinds of complications.
I think, for me, what stopped me from truly being pulled into either aspect of the storyline was all the details pertaining to the art world. I love it when books are accurate, and it was clear the author had done her research and knew what she was talking about. However, I feel as though more attention was given to what was going on in the art world than the other aspects of the story, meaning I wasn’t as pulled in by the other aspects of the story. In other words, I was distracted by the art world. It was wonderfully done, and I could imagine what was going on, yet it seemed to be given much more focus than any other aspect of the story (be it the romance, the thrilling events, or the complexities of the characters).
In no way am I saying I did not enjoy this one – it simply wasn’t what I had hoped it would be. It was interesting, it allowed me to find out a lot about the art world, but it didn’t quite satisfy me in the way I had hoped it would. If nothing else, it has left me interested to see what else the author has to offer – after all, I enjoyed her way of storytelling, I just didn’t enjoy the story quite as much as I had hoped I would.
December 31, 2016
(This book was reviewed for the LibraryThing Early Reviewers.)
Tobsha Learner attempts in "Picture This" to bring her experience as a writer of three genres together. She has previously authored thriller, historical and erotic fiction. "Picture This" offers sufficient plot to keep the book moving. There's a murder, the possibility of art forgery, artwork under development, a beginning romance, and one woman determined to reveal the murderer. Accurate information about art history and philosophy are intertwined in the narrative with that information supporting the central plot line. There are several scenes with extended sexual encounters carrying the erotica thread.
The main characters are Felix Baum, gallery owner, Susie Thomas, artist, and Latisha Johnson, friend of the murder victim. The ghost of the murder victim, Maxine Doubleday, makes several appearances. I liked Latisha immediately and wanted more of her backstory. Some of Maxine Doubleday's story is revealed as the novel progresses, but more information about her would have been welcome.
Susie's photo shoots are based on real paintings, and the author offered enough detail for the re-setting and reinterpretation of the paintings to make those passages interesting. The original paintings are readily found on the Internet for those who may not be familiar with them.
The author has taken on describing two complex characters, Felix and Susie. These characters could have been more fully developed to explore their contradictions. The reader knows from the outset that Felix is responsible for Maxine's death. Subsequent scenes showing a caring and vulnerable side to Felix didn't counter his presentation as self-absorbed and rapacious. Susie Thomas was readily taken in by Felix Baum's charms. The powerful attraction the author describes was at odds with Susie's goal of finding out more about Maxine. Losing focus so quickly seemed a contradiction with Susie's ability to concentrate on her artwork.
The physical attraction between Susie and Felix provides most of the opportunities for detailed erotic interaction. However, readers need to be aware that there is an extended scene where Felix titillates, humiliates, terrorizes and anally rapes a minor character. A later encounter with his victim results in her being evicted from a building. It was an act of violence without consequences for the rapist.
Though this novel did weave three novel types together the author would have had more room to delve into her characters and her story with just two strands interwoven into one book.
Tobsha Learner attempts in "Picture This" to bring her experience as a writer of three genres together. She has previously authored thriller, historical and erotic fiction. "Picture This" offers sufficient plot to keep the book moving. There's a murder, the possibility of art forgery, artwork under development, a beginning romance, and one woman determined to reveal the murderer. Accurate information about art history and philosophy are intertwined in the narrative with that information supporting the central plot line. There are several scenes with extended sexual encounters carrying the erotica thread.
The main characters are Felix Baum, gallery owner, Susie Thomas, artist, and Latisha Johnson, friend of the murder victim. The ghost of the murder victim, Maxine Doubleday, makes several appearances. I liked Latisha immediately and wanted more of her backstory. Some of Maxine Doubleday's story is revealed as the novel progresses, but more information about her would have been welcome.
Susie's photo shoots are based on real paintings, and the author offered enough detail for the re-setting and reinterpretation of the paintings to make those passages interesting. The original paintings are readily found on the Internet for those who may not be familiar with them.
The author has taken on describing two complex characters, Felix and Susie. These characters could have been more fully developed to explore their contradictions. The reader knows from the outset that Felix is responsible for Maxine's death. Subsequent scenes showing a caring and vulnerable side to Felix didn't counter his presentation as self-absorbed and rapacious. Susie Thomas was readily taken in by Felix Baum's charms. The powerful attraction the author describes was at odds with Susie's goal of finding out more about Maxine. Losing focus so quickly seemed a contradiction with Susie's ability to concentrate on her artwork.
The physical attraction between Susie and Felix provides most of the opportunities for detailed erotic interaction. However, readers need to be aware that there is an extended scene where Felix titillates, humiliates, terrorizes and anally rapes a minor character. A later encounter with his victim results in her being evicted from a building. It was an act of violence without consequences for the rapist.
Though this novel did weave three novel types together the author would have had more room to delve into her characters and her story with just two strands interwoven into one book.
June 28, 2020
I rarely read thrillers...The only reason I give it only four and not five is because for me it is a departure from my usual genre of reading. Which, as my followers will know, is magic realism. It is a marvellous novel. A true page turner. Very well drawn characters and a riveting original story. Tobsha researches the worlds her characters inhabit so thoroughly you would swear she had lived there in this New York art scene herself. I know this book is a sidestep from her usual historic writing, to read her in a contemporary erotic setting in the thriller genre is just as alluring, just as thrilling. More please...am about to start The Stolen, which I hear is magnificent. And then The Witch of Cologne and The Magick of Master Lilly based on the life of a famous magician in the 17th century...I can't wait till someone picks these works up and puts them on the screen.
January 13, 2017
I was asked to review this by Librarything.com.
To be honest I was rather skeptical after reading the Fifty Shades series where the author's writing skills left a lot to be desired.
This author can write and although this was erotic there was a good story line to this thriller. I found myself wanting to know what happened so was racing to the finishing posts, the characters worked, interesting plot set in the art world.
The erotic scenes were well written and enjoyable, I did not find as I have done in other erotic books flicked to the erotic scenes- there was a good balance.
This author's genres include historical fiction, erotic and thrillers.
I am now seeking out this author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews