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Madonna of the Apes
Art Mystery series, No. 6

by Nicholas Kilmer



      Though this is Nicholas Kilmer's sixth art mystery, Madonna of the Apes made me wonder what the appeal was. I was intrigued about a story of finding a long-lost da Vinci painting and eagerly read the chain of provenance linking the painting to da Vinci. There was even a dead body or two along the way, some thugs, and a mysterious professor.

But I had trouble liking the main character, Fred Taylor. I wasn't at all sure who he really was and what his background had been. The back cover told me he was "a veteran of unspecified clandestine services" in Asia, but I really didn't get that from the book. Perhaps that was evident from the previous five books.

It wasn't until I thought of Fred Taylor as Archie Goodwin, the personal secretary of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe, that I found a flippancy that I could relate to. And, Clayton Reed, the buyer of the purported da Vinci, I likened to Mr. Wolfe himself, knowledgeable and eccentric. The climax was an intellectual one, much like a gambit of the said Nero Wolfe's, bringing the ending to a very surprising conclusion.

The writing is often poetic, especially when the author waxes eloquent about Taylor's latest lover, and drifts into the pedantic when discussing art history. However, the art information is crucial to the plots of these books and is of interest.

Though I found Madonna of the Apes not exactly my cup of tea, I would consider giving Mr. Kilmer another try with another book in his art mystery series.

The Book

Poisoned Pen Press
October 1, 2005
Hardcover
1590581962
Mystery
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Janie Franz
Reviewed 2006
NOTE: Reviewer Janie Franz is the author of Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid!, Relaxation Techniques for Children, Relaxation Techniques for Adults; Co-author of The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book and The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book. Coming Soon: The Ultimate Wedding Workbook, Get Rich on Love, and Sacred Breath (a sound recording of relaxation meditations).
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