Rating: 
Summary: Good Start to a Series
Review: After reading "An Instance of a Fingerpost" I knew Pears was a very good writer, so I went for this first in a series. I was not disappointed.
There are three elements of this novel I found strong. First, the three main characters. They are likeable with endearing foibles. Argyll is a loveable bumbling genius type; Flavia the beautiful, smart, action person who isn't quite as smart as she thinks she is; and the General, the affable smarter-than-he-looks detail man. I look forward to joining them in future escapades.Second, I found the mystery to be a good one. There were good twists and turns and the final twist was a dandy. There are no superheroes here which I think always enhances a mystery. Third, the cultural aspect. I enjoy a novel, whether a mystery or otherwise, that resides in an area of knowledge obviously known to the author but different from my experiences. It is obvious that Mr. Pears knows art and the art world (including the criminal aspects). He uses this expertise to enhance the plot and add depth to it without "showing off" and making the reader feel like a dunce. This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery placed in the middle of the art world. I will continue on this series - joyfully.
Rating:
Summary: Good Start to a Series
Review: After reading "An Instance of a Fingerpost" I knew Pears was a very good writer, so I went for this first in a series. I was not disappointed.
There are three elements of this novel I found strong. First, the three main characters. They are likeable with endearing foibles. Argyll is a loveable bumbling genius type; Flavia the beautiful, smart, action person who isn't quite as smart as she thinks she is; and the General, the affable smarter-than-he-looks detail man. I look forward to joining them in future escapades. Second, I found the mystery to be a good one. There were good twists and turns and the final twist was a dandy. There are no superheroes here which I think always enhances a mystery. Third, the cultural aspect. I enjoy a novel, whether a mystery or otherwise, that resides in an area of knowledge obviously known to the author but different from my experiences. It is obvious that Mr. Pears knows art and the art world (including the criminal aspects). He uses this expertise to enhance the plot and add depth to it without "showing off" and making the reader feel like a dunce. This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery placed in the middle of the art world. I will continue on this series - joyfully.
Rating:
Summary: Good Start to a Series
Review: After reading "An Instance of a Fingerpost" I knew Pears was a very good writer, so I went for this first in a series. I was not disappointed.
There are three elements of this novel I found strong. First, the three main characters. They are likeable with endearing foibles. Argyll is a loveable bumbling genius type; Flavia the beautiful, smart, action person who isn't quite as smart as she thinks she is; and the General, the affable smarter-than-he-looks detail man. I look forward to joining them in future escapades. Second, I found the mystery to be a good one. There were good twists and turns and the final twist was a dandy. There are no superheroes here which I think always enhances a mystery. Third, the cultural aspect. I enjoy a novel, whether a mystery or otherwise, that resides in an area of knowledge obviously known to the author but different from my experiences. It is obvious that Mr. Pears knows art and the art world (including the criminal aspects). He uses this expertise to enhance the plot and add depth to it without "showing off" and making the reader feel like a dunce. This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery placed in the middle of the art world. I will continue on this series - joyfully.
Rating:
Summary: A Smart Little Mystery
Review: After reading An Instance of the Fingerpost and Dream of Scipio, I was curious about Iain Pears' earlier works. I find a well-written mystery very enjoyable and the Raphael Affair certainly does not disappoint. While it does not rise to the level of his two latest novels, The Raphael Affair is a smartly-written, thoughtful mystery. It is a very quick read and cleverly put together. Have fun.
Rating:
Summary: A Smart Little Mystery
Review: After reading An Instance of the Fingerpost and Dream of Scipio, I was curious about Iain Pears' earlier works. I find a well-written mystery very enjoyable and the Raphael Affair certainly does not disappoint. While it does not rise to the level of his two latest novels, The Raphael Affair is a smartly-written, thoughtful mystery. It is a very quick read and cleverly put together. Have fun.
Rating:
Summary: The Raphael Affair
Review: I actually read Pears' Art History Mysteries out of sequence. But I find each of them beguiling and a quick read. This introduces the key characters, Jonathan Argyll, a tweady English Art Dealer and Flavia di Stefano of the Rome Art Theft Squad. There are few more charming pairings in recent mystery literature.
I notice that many readers come to Pears via 'An Instance of the fingerpost' or his latest,'The Dream of Scipio' and are somewhat disappointed because of the lack of depth. I would suggest that like his countryman, Grahame Greene, Pears is fully capable of serious, thought-provoking novels; and yet harbors a great affection for genre novels - in this case mysteries.
Pears' erudite depiction of the intricacies of art forgery are delivered with the kind of delicious drollery that makes an afternoon disappear quickly and magically if you leave your misconceptions behind. This is good beach or airplane reading and you won't feel disgusted afterward.
Rating: 
Summary: so-so mystery with interesting protagonists
Review: I first read "Instance of the Fingerpost" by this author and was anxious to see how he'd handle a shorter work. I was somewhat disappointed, though I enjoyed the book and may read more in the series. Some of the characters (Argyll, the series protagonist, and the detectives) are well developed and drawn deeply. Also, the art history and world of art dealing are interesting and covered well. The author is gifted in his use of small details which make characters and milieu come alive. If you have been to Italy, his use of sites and situations (such as the cars squeezed onto a lane barely wide enough for pedestrians) is charming. However, the suspects are not developed overly well, probably so we do not figure out who the criminal is. Which leads to the other weakness of the book -- the mystery. It is not very compelling, nor is it particularly well laid out, and so the denoument is neither surprising nor particularly interesting. Since there are not many books (let alone mysteries) set in the world of art, you may want to read this engaging novel, especially if you are an Italophile; but if you are primarily interested in a thriller or an elegant mystery, this is not it.
Rating:
Summary: so-so mystery with interesting protagonists
Review: I first read "Instance of the Fingerpost" by this author and was anxious to see how he'd handle a shorter work. I was somewhat disappointed, though I enjoyed the book and may read more in the series. Some of the characters (Argyll, the series protagonist, and the detectives) are well developed and drawn deeply. Also, the art history and world of art dealing are interesting and covered well. The author is gifted in his use of small details which make characters and milieu come alive. If you have been to Italy, his use of sites and situations (such as the cars squeezed onto a lane barely wide enough for pedestrians) is charming. However, the suspects are not developed overly well, probably so we do not figure out who the criminal is. Which leads to the other weakness of the book -- the mystery. It is not very compelling, nor is it particularly well laid out, and so the denoument is neither surprising nor particularly interesting. Since there are not many books (let alone mysteries) set in the world of art, you may want to read this engaging novel, especially if you are an Italophile; but if you are primarily interested in a thriller or an elegant mystery, this is not it.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Pears' best
Review: I have read most of the books in this series, and this is by far the best. The characters are well-developed, the plot is intriguing and the references to art, art history and the art dealing world are accurate and funny...
Rating:
Summary: I expected more
Review: I read Pears' "An Instance of teh Fingerpost" first and expected more from the Raphael affair. Unfortunately, I did not find the introguing plot of the Inmstance in the Raphael Affair. While the author spends a significant amount of time on developing his detective characters, the others are quite superficial. We learn a lot about Italian political system, corruption and career practices, but not enough about how teh dealer world works.
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