The backdrop of this novel is World War Two in 1938 and Adolf Hitler’s quest to amass a collection of Europe’s great art works. The young art lover Ernst Vogler is sent on a mission for the Sonderprojekte, to deliver a magnificent statue from Rome to Germany. A simple plan to collect and deliver ‘The discus thrower’ turns into a dangerous detour of deception, lies and murder. Ernst is unprepared for the situation that evolves, unprepared for the corruption and unprepared for the outcome! The plot is well constructed and keeps the reader interested as the story unfolds. It is not a pacey read but rather, a slower awakening of characters and events. Romano-Lax has depicted the scene well. We are transformed to the Italian countryside, experience the culture and gradually discover the truth. Contrary to some, I particularly liked the ending. Sometimes its nice to move slowly with a book and eke out the nuances of characters and situations.
Publisher: Murdoch Books
Year published: 2012
Merridy Rady‘s
rating: 8 out of 10
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