The Matter of the Crown
The Crown of the Andes, one of the world’s most precious and beautiful sacred objects, has been stolen right off the stage at Satterling’s Auction House in New York City. Five pounds of magnificent baroque gold that ransomed the Inca Ruler Atahaulpa, and hundreds of perfect Colombian emeralds, all gone without a trace! Will this legendary treasure be destroyed for its gold and emeralds? One woman is dead and another one in hot pursuit.
My Review
The story starts by introducing three totally separate characters. We meet Avi Valencia an artist living in Italy, with a mysterious reclusive character, Alfred Granfeld, an orderly gentleman with an interest in fine art and Claire Bliss, a troubled young woman, seeking therapy on an Adriatic cruise.
When Avi disappears it is Baldo. an ex-policeman turned handyman, who notices that the girl has vanished and begins a quest to find her.
Meanwhile, The Crown of the Andes is due to be auctioned in a New York City auction house. The rare work of Art has stirred up great anticipation as the sale date approaches.
The Crown is being kept at Satterlings auction house under strict security measures. Enquiries have been made from the royalty and aristocracy of many countries and there is an air of secrecy and competition about who will become the new owners of The Crown.
The mystery begins when The Crown of the Andes goes missing and the body of a woman is found.
The writer of this book offers exquisite, minute detail of historical and spiritual Italy. Personally, I found the crime and mystery element to the book more captivating, but a lover of art, history, and religion would adore this book.
At the beginning of the novel, I wondered how the strangely unconnected characters could possibly be brought together. As the story unravels the connections are unveiled and the mystery deepens. Gradually, we realise that things, and people, are not always as they seem.
A complex yet compelling read, sure to be a hit with historians because the story is part factual and the research is detailed and informative.
Thank you to @rararesources and Linda Ferreri for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase from Amazon UK
About Linda Ferreri
Linda Ferreri is a well-known art lawyer and author. Her books include novels about the Crown of the Anes, a novella entitled The King of UNINI, and whimsical hand-illustrated iBooks. She is known, also, for her drawings. She divides her time between Italy and the United States, and lectures widely around the world about art and history. Her next novel is in progress.
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