A Mysterious Review of A Cruise To Die For by Charlotte and Aaron Elkins. An Alix London Mystery.
Review summary: The lead characters are endearing, the setting magnificently drawn, and the murder mystery plot engaging (though takes its time getting going). Still, the suspects are merely caricatures of the "rich and famous" and not all that interesting. For readers who appreciate "clean" narratives, there is no sex, coarse language, or horrific acts of violence to detract one's reading pleasure. (Click here for text of full review.)
Our rating:
A Cruise To Die For
Charlotte Elkins and Aaron Elkins
An Alix London Mystery
Thomas & Mercer (September 2013)
Publisher synopsis: Surrounded by art and wealth and the sun-drenched Greek isles, she's aboard a sumptuous mega-yacht with no responsibilities save the occasional lecture to the guests of her temporary employer, Panos Papadakis, one of the world's richest men. But there's a catch: Papadakis has long been suspected of being at the center of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme and Alix is actually there as an undercover operative of FBI special agent Ted Ellesworth, a member of the Bureau's Art Crime Team. They hope Alix can gather the inside information they need to finally put the cagey Papadakis away.
Alix's exposure to the enormous wealth of high-end collectors and the shadier aspects of the art trade — the avarice, naked greed, and ingenious scams — somehow brings her closer to her charming, "reformed" rogue of a father, and helps crystalize in her own mind just where she fits into the mix.
Moguls, murders, a forged Manet, and the Albanian mafia all play a role and send this pleasure cruise into brutally dangerous waters.
I'm already worried about Alix. It's working!
ReplyDelete