“False Impression” by Jeffrey Archer

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

I hate to admit that I haven’t been reading many “fun” books as of late.  In 2020, I read 30 books and most of them were research oriented or books I was considering for inclusion in The Wandering Art Historian book club. Don’t get me wrong, it was still fun to read all those books, but it was also kind of for my work.

That said, this Christmas I was gifted with a mystery novel involving an international art heist and was instructed to “have a little fun every once in a while.” The book I was gifted was Jeffrey Archer’s False Impression and I really did have fun reading it! Thanks, Russell!

It kind of felt like the movie “Ocean’s 11” in which there are quite a few characters, a few double-crosses, a couple of vendettas and a near-priceless prize to be won.  However, this story centers around a Van Gogh painting and the lengths to which a corrupt (and obsessed) financier would go to acquire it.  Thankfully, the villain’s foil is a courageous art historian who is not only bright and determined, but has a photographic memory and a compelling desire to do the right thing… even if it means doing the wrong thing… like stealing a priceless Van Gogh.

Sadly, the author includes a wildly unnecessary romantic entanglement that evolves near the end of the story that distracts from the plot a bit. Plus, I didn’t care for this authors dialogue between the two characters supposedly becoming romantically interested in each other. The language absolutely pre-dates the #MeToo movement and doesn’t feel that realistic anyway. Besides all that, it was a pretty fun read!

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.