From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Raphael Affair (Jonathan Argyll, #1)

Iain Pears

Start date: March 15, 2023

Finish date: April 8, 2023

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Members wanted to discuss this acclaimed book.
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What Members Thought

Mar 01, 2023 Susan in NC rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, audiobook

3.5 stars for this entertaining mystery set mostly in Rome, where we first meet General Bottando of the Italian National Art Theft and his assistant, Flavia di Stefano. They are asked to investigate Jonathan Argyll, an English graduate student of art history, arrested for breaking into an obscure Roman church.

Argyll denies breaking in, rather claims he was investigating a painting in the church. He claims it’s a Raphael, painted over with a landscape by the subject of Argyll’s research, the “ma 3.5 stars for this entertaining mystery set mostly in Rome, where we first meet General Bottando of the Italian National Art Theft and his assistant, Flavia di Stefano. They are asked to investigate Jonathan Argyll, an English graduate student of art history, arrested for breaking into an obscure Roman church.

Argyll denies breaking in, rather claims he was investigating a painting in the church. He claims it’s a Raphael, painted over with a landscape by the subject of Argyll’s research, the “magnificently mediocre” 18th century painter Carlo Mantini.

In his research, Argyll claims that he discovered “a series of documents that prove beyond any doubt that Mantini earned money by working for art dealers in Rome in the 1720s, and had taken part in a sizable fraud.” The fraud allowed precious works to be purchased and transported out of Italy to wealthy collectors in Paris or London, evading restrictions on art leaving the country.

A painting is discovered, but not by Argyll, who felt it would be a huge boost to his dissertation, and catapult him into his career as an art historian. A wealthy English dealer beats him to it, the Raphael is uncovered to huge, worldwide acclaim. But then there’s a horrible act of vandalism, followed by a murder. Was it a fake? Argyll, Flavia and Bottando must dig for the truth before there’s another murder.

I really enjoyed the clever, wily Bottando - he’s a delightful character, and his scenes with other government or museum officials are entertaining, showing the politics, gossip and labyrinthine maneuvering he has to contend with in Italian government, police and the art world. Flavia is a strong, smart, interesting young woman; I’ll be interested to see how she and Argyll develop as characters and friends (or more) in future books. This was a first of a series, so I forgive Argyll seeming the least developed or easy to imagine of the three main characters. I look forward to reading on with the Reading the Detectives group. ...more

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Apr 03, 2014 Teri-K rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, zz-2023-bought, z-permanent-bookshelf, best-series-book-1

First in a really good mystery series about Italian art. I wish the series was even longer. I expect fans of Rome would love this, it's very descriptive of the setting. But it also works for art lovers in general, or just those who enjoy a unique, puzzling mystery with some interesting personalities. It's not necessary, but I like reading this series in order so I can follow their developing fortunes and relationships. ...more

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Mar 28, 2023 Frances rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

3.5*. This is the first in a series of mysteries set in the Italian art world-the main "detectives" are a policeman in the Italian Art squad, his civilian assistant Flavia, and an English graduate student of Italian art, who believes he has discovered a missing portrait by Raphael hidden under a mediocre painting from the same era.

Art gets stolen, some gets destroyed, someone gets killed, there is some cross-continent travel in pursuit of the paintings, the thieves, and the money, and there is I ...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Jane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A mix of art and crime (2 of my favourite subjects) and set mainly in Rome - one of my favourite cities. Very enjoyable, will definitely read more in this series.

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