Anna Porter (The Appraisal) has created a sprawling, fast-moving fine-art thriller in Deceptions. Former Budapest cop Attila Feher has been hired to help protect a Hungarian diplomat named Vaszary, representative to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. Vaszary and his wife are divorcing, and arguing about whether a large painting is a genuine Artemisia Gentileschi or not. To help end the divorce stalemate, Attila calls in his friend and former lover, Helena Marsh, an art appraisal expert and investigator. Helena is surprised to discover that the painting may be an unknown Gentileschi work that could be worth massive amounts of money, since the pupil of Caravaggio is rising in popularity.
Then a range of shady characters show up--mysterious Russian oligarchs, corrupt Hungarian officials and a murderous man who seems to be stalking Helena. Helena and Attila are now in a race for their lives, attempting to stay one step ahead of the gangsters as they change identities and move from Budapest to Paris to Strasbourg and back, in a quest to identify both the painting and who has it out for them.
Fast-paced and funny, Deceptions captures kleptocratic vibes in modern Hungary, police corruption, money laundering in the art world and much more. Helena is a kick-ass heroine--brilliant and strong, who can hold her own with the bad guys both physically and mentally. Perfect for fans of Alan Furst or Dan Brown, Deceptions is an exceptionally enjoyable thriller. --Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans, Tucson, Ariz.