Full of history, modernism, mystery and intrigue.
586984
I have never been an artistic person so some of the stuff in this book was a little over my head, but this book painted its own picture. Some of the book follows modern day characters who are also restorers. It also follows the painters of the past who gave them the things to restore. Along the way some questions arise and everything and everyone is not who or what they seem to be.

I was kind of weary when I began this book, I honestly thought it would be a bit boring but it was really interesting. It gives history, modernism, mystery, and intrigue. It was written very well and had characters that were interesting to follow and easy to love.

Overall, I'm really glad I was able to read this book and had the chance to review it....Stormi
3569932
The third Inspector Yashim mystery is Goodwin's strongest.  The plot revolves around a 15th century portrait of Mehmet II by Gentile Bellini.  Mahmud II has passed away, power now in the hands of his young son, Abdulmecid I.  With the change in power come changes in administration: Yashim's position within Topkapi palace is vulnerable.  The new Sultan would like to purcahse the Bellini portrait of his august ancestor, asking Yashim to procure it; the new vizir, Rasid Pasha has forbidden Yashim from leaving Istanbul.  To please both master and superior, Yashim sends his good friend (and Polish ambassador-in-residence) Palewski to Venice to purchase the painting.

Goodwin's Venice is beautiful, nuanced and deeply troubled- its glory days of the Doge long past, the city first conquored and occupied by Napoleon, now by the Austrians.  The political disaffection and apathy is palatable.  So too is the intrigue, manipulation and skulldugery one more often associates with the Balkans than northern Italy.  But as Goodwin masterfully illustrates, Venice, like Istanbul, is a Byzantine successor in more ways than one.  The variety of characters - K.u. K bureaucrats, jaded and noir-ish Ventian policemen, shady art dealers, forgers, murderers and hard-on-their-luck aristocrats make for lively reading and a fast-paced plot.

The elements of the Yashim mysteries that I expect and love - the desciptions of food, culture, and social class are all here, but Goodwin provides another treat , which is why I give _The Bellini Card_ five stars: his subtle interrelations characters, movtive and ultimately, the prized portrait.  The image of the Sand-Reckoners diagram (an eight-pointed star within a square) plays a prominent role in a variety of aspects in the story: in fencing, in literature, as a metaphor for life, and ultimately in solving the mystery and tying together the wider cast of characters and locations.  I was both pleased and impressed with the resolution this way.

If you are searching for a great mystery, _The Bellini Card_ can stand on its own; as part of the larger Yashim mysteries (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Janissary-Tree-A-Novel/dp/0312426135/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Janissary Tree: A Novel</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Snake-Stone/dp/0571236405/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Snake Stone</a>) it is a wonderful addition.  Recommended.
805709
What a marvelous book. It is so intricately plotted and erudite and full of history. It teaches while entertaining on a grand scale. Agatha Christie meets Umberto Eco meets Rashomon -- remarkably, it even has a bit of Morris West's The Clowns of God in it. A book to be savored. No page turner; rather, a thought provoking historical novel set in 1663 England, just after the restoration.

While the plot of the book revolves around a murder, the mystery is the nature of truth itself. This book is exactly in my favored genre. Historical fiction mystery.

Finally, the ending is most satisfying. I had a great time living in the world that Pears created.
2650103
For those who enjoy the intellectual stimulation of moral and ethical quandaries...for those who love complex plots and a good mystery...for those who have traveled and will recognize the lush and detailed descriptions of Florence, Venice and Istanbul,
4739448
I'm a huge fan of historical mysteries so I hungrily gobbled this one up. Ms Flynn doesn't disappoint, not in storytelling, or in the development of wonderful characters and a sense of place. This book gives the reader the sights, smells, and feel of San Francisco in late 1899. It takes the reader from the dirtiest wharf dive to the most prestigious men's club in the city, and many places in-between. As the Volume I suggests, I certainly hope this is the beginning of what will certainly be a long running series. The main characters are intriguing and beguiling. When you turn the last page, you too, will want to read more of Atticus Riot and Bel. They may not be a match made in heaven, but in the hell that is turn of the century San Francisco, they both have reasons to keep certain things to themselves. I will eagerly await Volume 2 as I need to know what happens next to Atticus Riot and Bel
3567059
This story contains it all ... History, romance, suspense,  mystery, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will read more works by this author.
4334929
From Chanel in Paris to the Orient Express, Davis Bunn's latest novel set in the 1920s is full of all the things that I have come to expect from his writing - mystery and action with solid faith themes. It was short and easy to read but still engaging. Muriel's quest for the reliquary is a wonderful story that I will enjoy sharing with my family and friends.

What Davis is so gifted at doing as a writer is transporting you to the places he writes about. I didn't merely sit on my sofa and read about Muriel in Chanel. It felt as if I was really there. His descriptions are so vivid that is as if I stepped through a door and into Muriel's world. The other thing I really love about Davis's writing is that he has such keen insight into people and culture. His characters have depth to them, and they often feel like real people and not just characters. His descriptions of the cultures and political climates of the time are well researched and historically accurate. While he writes fiction, it rings true to what really happened.

I was also challenged by Muriel's perception. As a photographer, she has keen insight into people. She saw what was written on people's faces when others did not. She saw faith, despair, longing, distrust, and hope on the faces of those she saw through the camera lens. It made me think about how often I walk through life without ever seeing who is around me. I always find myself challenged to grow after reading one of Davis's novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Franciscan Media in exchange for my honest review.
1327272
I enjoyed this novel for its historical content, as well as the twists and turns in the mystery. Another angle is that life throws plenty of curves, and if people genuinely care about one another, they can get through just about anything.
2979054
Wonderful history of London and her unseen corridors and people.  Mystery a good read and characters engaging and thought provoking.
3631203
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Tasha Alexander brings all of the glamour of Russia in the waning years of the Tsar and the allure of the ballet to this twelfth installment in the Lady Emily mystery series.  Death in St. Petersburg is a worthy addition to one of my favorite historical mystery series.

Death in St. Petersburg finds our intrepid amateur sleuth on holiday for New Years 1900.  Winter in Russia is both beautiful and brutal, something Lady Emily quickly finds when she leaves a stunning ballet performance to find the prima ballerina assoluta, still dressed in her Swan Queen costume, stabbed to death outside the theater.  Lady Emily is quickly drawn into the investigation when the ballerinas lover asks her to look into Nemetsevas untimely death.  This takes Lady Emily behind the scenes of the most prestigious ballet company at the time to the heart of revolutionaries and back to the Winter Palace and the Tsar, all the while weaving a complex multi-pronged puzzle of life and death.

I feel totally transported to St. Petersburg while reading, completely engrossed in the period and place.  Alexanders love for the city and the ballet is palpable through every description and detail.  I like that real historical figures are intertwined in the fictional murder mystery; it really gives a feeling of authenticity to the tale.  Of course, Alexanders fabulous research shines through, too.  The story is told from alternating points of view, and it works well here.  Interspersed with the current day investigation are short chapters told from the ballerinas point of view, giving readers an insiders look into their world and providing necessary background for the mystery.  Not being much of a dancer myself, this behind the scenes look at the insular world of the ballerinas is fascinating.

The characters are all intriguing.  At times I find Lady Emily to be too modern for her time, but she is still an intelligent and astute investigator.  Colin is, as always, rather enigmatic, mostly because his work for the Queen and country is so cloak and dagger.  I am so happy to see Sebastian Capet again.  He provides much needed comedic relief throughout the book.  The steady pace of the story serves the complicated mystery well.  Layer by layer the truth is revealed with a few surprises thrown in to keep it all interesting.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Lady Emily in Russia and highly recommend Death in St. Petersburg to fans of the series and those looking for a strong female sleuth in an exotic historical setting.
3652410
An intricate weaving of history, intrigue, romance and paranoia as told by the author.  An interesting and well documented read.
4714170
This complex murder mystery manages to combine an intricate plot with frequent danger filled action and a few twists and turns to a surprising ending.  Along the way it informs the reader of the fascinating ancient and modern history of St. Augustine, Florida.  The story is a colorful blending of history, politics, sex, archeology, police procedure, courtroom drama, etc.  Well worth a read.
1170555
Neat serpentine puzzle of a novel. The title and cover drew me in, but Kotzwinkle did the rest with his lavishly atmospheric writing bringing the readers into the 19th century Europe in all of its decadent magical glory. If viewed from a detective chasing suspect story, it's a mystery. Different approach may reveal it to be an occult drama or drama of the occult. It's quite stunning to read, the opulence of costume balls, magicians, intrigues...it's only the old trick ending (all that we see and seem is nothing but a...) that somehow cheapens the experience or leaves the reader feeling somewhat cheated. And yet such a quick read with so much to enjoy within its pages, it's tough to not like.
4151703
This story spans both time and distance as it tells the story of a mystical antique expert from Philadelphia. The story is cleverly related through a series of journal entries and paints a vivid picture of the high-end antique worlds of both the City of Brotherly love and of Bath, England. There is plenty of love, romance and mystery to go around, including some very interesting trips to the past. These trips are neatly handled by the author and I look forward to her future work.
616915
"The Geographer's Library" skilfully weaves together two story lines: the first being a present-day mystery about a deceased college professor, and the second a series of historical vignettes about fourteen antiquities that were stolen from a geographer's library in the twelfth century.  The geographer al-Idris also dabbled in alchemy, and the ancient objects were all used in this science.  From the first pages of the novel, I was hooked on both stories, and the pages simply flew past.

The editorial review here on Amazon compared this book to "The DaVinci Code", but in my opinion this book is far more enjoyable.  The characterization of the Connecticut protagonists is well-done.  But my favorite part of the book is the background on the fourteen objects that were once part of the famous scholar al-Idris' library in Sicily.  I whole-heartedly disagree with the reviewer who dismissed this part of the book as "too much information."

Author Fasman carefully develops the plot, tying together the connection between the ancient alchemical tools and the death of the mysterious Estonian professor in Connecticut.  This story is full of beautiful prose and is a finely crafted mystery.  I'd recommend it to all.
2951372
A mystery with lots of history!  This is a meticulously researched  journey back to 1400s Florence, which includes a lot of historical figures involved in solving a girl's disappearance and possible death.  The details of daily life make you feel like you are experiencing life as they knew it.  Alana White has a lovely touch with the turn of a phrase to provide description.
3773952
As any other Dan Brown novel it's full with rich descriptions of art and history.  And of course there is a story underneath it all.  Lots of quick turns to keep you guessing and of course thinking!  Enjoy.