A Back Room in Somers Town

Tim Simpson #1

by John Malcolm

As an art dealer, Tim Simpson doesn't have the luxury of thinking only about aesthetics; he may have an artist's heart, but it had better be covered with a businessman's pinstripes if he s going to turn a profit. With that skill-set, Simpson's new job seems He's been hired by a London merchant bank to buy art -- as an investment -- for its obscenely wealthy clients. The first painting he sees, though, won't make anyone rich. It has a real appeal, but the artist -- a one-time protegee of Walter Sickert's -- has no collectible value. However, it seems somebody wanted the painting; within hours of Simpson's first viewing, the painting's been stolen and the dealer killed. Simpson pokes around to little effect -- sleuthing is not part of his skill-set -- but it isn't until the bank sends him to Brazil, on apparently unrelated business, that he solves the riddle of A Back Room in Somers Town .

Genres: Mystery, Art, Crime, Mystery Thriller

158 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1984

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Malcolm is the pseudonymn of John Malcolm Andrews, who lives in the south of England. He is an English author on antiques, journalist and crime writer, engineering businessman and author – as John Malcolm – of the Tim Simpson series of art crime novels and as John Andrews of the first Price Guide to Antique Furniture (1968) and Managing Editor of Antique Collecting magazine

Most of his novels feature Tim Simpson, art investment specialist, and the series began with 'A Back Room in Somers Town' in 1984. '

Born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, he is the son of May (née Whiteley) and Ernest Andrews, an engineer, His education was at Sale High School in Manchester and The British Schools of Montevideo (1946–1950), he returned to to England as a boarder at Bedford Modern School (1950–1955), and then attended St. John's College, Cambridge, where he read Engineering and was Captain of the Lady Margaret Boat Club. He graduated MA in 1958. Andrews worked as design engineer (1958–63), an export sales manager (1963–70), management consultant (1970–76), and international marketing manager (1976–90) before setting up his own business as a machinery broker in 1990,

In 1966 he was a founding member of the Antique Collectors' Club and published its first book under the name of John Andrews with The Price Guide to Antique Furniture (1968). He went on to write more books on antique furniture and is currently Managing Editor of Antique Collecting magazine.] He was Chairman of the Trustees of Rye Art Gallery from 1995 to 2004.

He published his first crime novel in 1984. He was Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association from 1994–5 and wrote a number of short stories.

Andrews is a member of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He married Geraldine Lacey (a picture restorer) on 25 March 1961. The couple live in East Sussex and have one son.

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written art theft mystery. I enjoyed the plot. The protagonist is a bit macho, but deliberately: Raymond Chandler updated for the 1980s (which is when the book was written). The financial stuff went over my head, but it went by pretty quickly and didn't impede my understanding of the mystery. Short, well-paced, and diverting.

[Deb Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is a well-written story, I did not finish reading it. The subject matter of art is a world of which I have little knowledge and equal interest. I'm sure this would be a welcome read for those with an interest in the art world in addition to a mystery story. It just turned out not to be a book for me.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

🍷
(Ballantine paperback edition)
Read this a whole bunch of years ago, recently rediscovered the series. This was very good; the art history and related exposition in the book worth the price of admission alone! Tim Simpson an interesting character, the plot is bifurcated between London and Sao Paulo but they come back together in the end.
Looking forward to reading the next!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting protagonist for an art-centric mystery set in London: an ex-rugby player with investment smarts and some art knowledge. Tim Simpson pairs with an art museum specialist from the Tate, and navigates both in Somers Town (North London) and Sao Paolo, with some James Bond moments. Some smartly thought out moments.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery, properly written (not aimed at people with a 6th grade reading level). However, what I enjoyed most was the art history, a real and minor British artist whose paintings I looked up and found wonderfully edgy.

[Regine]

Heated, balanced oddly.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first in the series. I enjoy the art parts, but not so much the merchant banking information. It gives me a headache, and I really can't follow all the ins and outs--political 'thriller' type novels often have the same feel for me. Way too many complicated machinations for me to follow! But the art and mystery parts are good, though the characters aren't as deep as one might like. This one centers on a Mary Godwin painting (and through this series I am definitely gaining exposure to British art...). I still prefer the Iain Pears art mysteries, but he has moved on to other writings, and one takes what one can find.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Tim Simpson series, published in 1984, and it's a bit of an anachronism, as is Simpson himself. Simpson is an ex-rugby player turned management consultant to a London merchant bank, which hires him to become a full time art investment specialist, acquiring works of modern British art and furnishings for a bank Trust which would be offered to select clients.

The art and banking stuff is interesting and Simpson, chauvinist though he is (think Mad Men without the martinis), and Jeremy, his banking boss and friend are enjoyable characters.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was okay. A little redundant in the descriptions of the women's clothing. That grated on me a bit. Not a really memorable book.