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The Hidden Assassinsby: Robert Wilson |
False Impressionby Jeffrey ArcherJeffery Archer's False Impression is an amazing story that includes corruption hiding behind a respectable front, a painting worth millions, an English estate brought to near-ruin, a woman's ear (complete with diamond earring sent in the mail), and a secretary who was qualified for a much better position. Anyone delving into Lord Jeffery Archer's background may well suggest that Mr. Archer has more than a passing acquaintance with false impressions – but there's no denying his expertise in creating fascinating, riveting, page-turning stories, regardless of whatever he does in his personal life. False Impression is the best example of this author's abilities yet.Lady Victoria Wentworth of Wentworth Hall has her throat slit in her own bedroom before she can sell her Van Gogh painting – a famous self-portrait of the artist with his bandaged ear – to clear her debts. The art is worth millions – all needed to clear loans made against the Wentworth estate. The killer is a slight female assassin named Krantz, who once executed a number of political prisoners for the dictator of Romania, Ceausescu. Krantz now works for Bryce Fenston, who owns the New York Bank where Victoria had the large unpaid loans. The murder takes place just one day before the destruction of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York. Neither Bryce Fenston nor his henchman Leapman happen to be in their offices at the World Trade Center when it was attacked. Nor was his secretary, Tina, who had the day off. Just how impervious Bryce Fenston is to any personal suffering is made clear when he is made aware of the carnage and his only concern is for the lost and uninsured painting he had hanging over his desk in the North Tower. Anna Petrescu once worked for the famous Sotheby auction house as their number two Impressionist expert, until she was fired for inadvertently revealing the name of a client and ultimately being responsible for losing a sale which went instead to Sotheby's main rival, Christies. Now she worked for Fenston Finance in the same capacity – until she was summarily also fired there - for her honesty: She was about to advise Victoria Wentworth to sell her Van Gogh and get out of debt to Fenston Finance. Jack Delaney is an FBI agent, assigned to cover murders on three different continents with one thing in common – all had outstanding loans with Fenston Finance. Meanwhile, Lady Arabella Wentworth, Victoria's more sensible twin sister, comes to take over the estate. After more murder and mayhem, flights to England and Romania, capture and escape by Krantz, faked art and constant fear of death, both Anna and Jack are able to bring the entire affair to a successful conclusion. False Impression never lets up on the suspense. Whatever Lord Jeffery Archer may be guilty of in the netherworld, Mr. Archer certainly hasn't lost his touch in creating realistic infamy with an actual historical background. Loyalty to this author is well deserved. Alan Paul Curtis |
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