Literary reviews by Tim Love.
Warning: Rather than reviews, these are often notes in preparation for reviews that were never finished, or pleas for help with understanding pieces. See Litref Reviews - a rationale for details.

Saturday, 2 September 2023

"The Goldenacre" by Philip Miller

An audio book.

Shona is a journalist who uses a walking stick and lives with her father in Edinburgh. An artist, Robert Love, has been murdered. Then a counsellor who stopped planning permission for a multi million pound development is murdered. Thomas Tallis is in town to verify the authenticity of the last painting by McIntosh, - "The Goldenacre". A family want to donate it in lieu of death taxes. The same family gave many paintings to the nation on a long-term loan, and want them back now to sell them (they now regret that they were bought with ill-gotten riches from the Empire, and want to denote to charity). The museum's boss, Theseus, is black, and understands the issue. He helps Thomas when he gets hopelessly drunk.

Tallis's father has a big secret service job. Tallis's wife wants to divorce him. They have a young child. Tallis is sent a tongue in the post. McIntosh's tongue had to be cut out because of cancer. He's staying with his aunt rather than in a hotel. There are obstructions put in the way of him seeing the picture. When he sees it he knows it's a fake. We already know that Love was commissioned to do a painting by a women who has connections with the family who own the McIntosh painting.

Shona's newspaper is in trouble. The new boss wants to make it virtual.

The family have a social gathering to announce the donation. The painting is there - the real one. The Sister of the family takes him aside, explains to him that he's caused trouble - the family had indeed tried to pass off a fake to the nation. She explains that her stupid brother has got involved with gangs and investments. Tallis is killed, becomes a missing person.

The overall head of museums (and maybe the newpaper ed) may also be part of the intrigue. Tallis's father kills the head of museums.

Lyrical descriptions. Good writing though Tallis hears "an audible sigh" over the phone.

Other reviews

  • Alan Massie (the central plot [] hovers on the verge of the improbable, but stops well short of the impossible. ... What is unusual, if credible, is the author’s readiness to leave some crimes unresolved. There is, however, a nice and by no means unlikely twist to the tale, although the final chapter strains credulity. That said, not every question is answered. So some may feel unsatisfied)

No comments:

Post a Comment