The Last Judgement - SPOILER Thread - (Jonathan Argyll #4) (Dec 23/Jan 24)

[Susan]

Welcome to our Dec 23/Jan 24 buddy read of The Last Judgement The fourth book in the Jonathan Argyll series first published in 1993.

Paris can do strange things to a man's mind… like making him agree to an apparently harmless favour of escorting a picture to Rome.

‘The Death of Socrates’ is a particularly nondescript piece, so art dealer Jonathan Argyll can sympathize when its recipient refuses to accept delivery. But in an unusual twist, the same man is found dead a few hours later. Surely the painting wasn't that bad?

Now caught up in a murder investigation, Jonathan recalls an attempt to steal the artwork while he was at the train station. Could this be the killer? The bodies start piling up and Jonathan must uncover the dark wartime secret at the heart of the mystery – before someone puts him out of the picture for good.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

[Frances]

I've just finished this-it dragged somewhat in the earlier part-to the point where I wasn't sure if I'd finish the series-but came back with quite the wow finish.

I did suspect that Rouxel was not the paragon he was made out to be, mainly because he was such a jerk to his granddaughter, and that Hartung was likely innocent, but what a tragedy overall. I did like how Flavia wrote to Henriette-no point in ruining someone's last days for no reason, and she had certainly suffered enough in life. Although generally a lighthearted romp, it certainly brought home the devastation that the war had caused in so many lives, even beyond the up-front killings and hardships.

I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts, and to reading the next in the series.

[Sandy]

Several of our reads lately have illustrated the tragedy of the two world wars. Probably a good thing to have reinforced as time moves on and many of the people who lived it are gone.

[Rosina]

Frances wrote: "Although generally a lighthearted romp, it certainly brought home the devastation that the war had caused in so many lives, even beyond the up-front killings and hardships.."

I thought it handled the switch between the two very well - the almost slapstick chases round Paris (including the escape from the airport!) and the underlying tragedy that the War had left in its wake.

[Frances]

Rosina wrote: "thought it handled the switch between the two very well - the almost slapstick chases round Paris (including the escape from the airport!) and the underlying tragedy that the War had left in its wake."

Agreed, that was really well done, and made me change my mind in the end-that I want to continue reading this series.

[Susan_MG]

I enjoyed The Last Judgement. I may go back to start at the beginning of this series but I’m definitely adding book 5 to my February reading.