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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780684862958
ISBN: 0684862956
Label: Scribner
Manufacturer: Scribner
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 272
Publication Date: 1999-10-06
Publisher: Scribner
Studio: Scribner

Mrs. Pargeter feels passionately about points of honor. Where there's an obligation, you do your part to make it right -- especially if the obligation has to do with your departed and much loved husband!

The late Mr. Pargeter earned his magnificent living in somewhat dubious -- some might even say criminal -- ways, but when it came to Mrs. Pargeter and his duty to friends, he was a paragon of virtue. Nothing was too good for them. If they needed help, he was there.

Mrs. Pargeter doesn't know Veronica Chastaigne, widow of one of Mr. Pargeter's colleagues in crime, but when the terminally ill woman summons her to her stately home to ask for help, Mrs. Pargeter is more than ready to carry on in Mr. Pargeter's tradition. The task will not be easy.

If ever anyone required assistance, it's Veronica, whose husband had once promised to keep her in style. Keep her he did; in a mansion surrounded by master works of art -- a Rembrandt, a da Vinci, a Van Gogh, she has them all. The only problem is that they were "borrowed" from galleries and collectors around the world. Veronica had never sought such illicit treasures and, before she dies, she wants to make things right.

Can Mrs. Pargeter and her late husband's associates, Truffler Mason, Hedgeclipper Clinton, Hamish Ramon Henriques, and Palings Price, return the paintings? It's like stealing in reverse -- returning the works of art so that the owners never know where they have been and how they have reappeared.

There are, of course, a few troubling details, such as customs inspectors and security systems. There is also the fact that somebody else is after the paintings. And there is the minor problem of two policemen who are in pursuit.

Detective Inspector Craig Wilkinson ineptly investigated Mr. Pargeter to the grave. Unless Wilkinson has a lucky day, he's of little threat, but his eager young associate, Detective Sergeant Hughes, is far less dense and far more dangerous.

In a caper worthy of her much lamented husband, Mrs. Pargeter leads a merry chase that is so audacious that it just might work. Acclaimed author Simon Brett has outdone himself in a novel that is poignant, witty, and full of surprises.

Customer Rating:
Review Summary: From a series on Mrs. Pargeter
Review: This novel is really not a mystery as the facts of the case are fairly clear. The only mystery is a side issue of identifying an informer. It is a cops and robbers novel where the author takes the side of the robbers. Most of the characters are either reformed villains who somehow avoided prison, or police who have been trying to make a case against them.

It took some time for the story to develop while various characters were being introduced and relationships were established. The first portion of the novel was somewhat dull. Once the story was sufficiently developed, and the action picked up, it was harder to set the book aside.

The main plot concerns restitution, i.e., trying to return stolen paintings to the rightful owners. This is not as simple as it sounds. A police inspector wants to catch people with the goods and make a case for his own career advancement. A band of thieves wants to steal the paintings from the original thieves. There is also the problem of trying to transport the paintings through customs without getting caught.

This is an average length novel of 265 pages broken up into 48 short chapters. It is a good novel for commuters who want a book to read in installments. It is a fun book if you don't get offended by being on the side of the villains.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Mrs.Pargeter is absolutely delightful!
Review: However, there is one character in the book that could have had his air time shortened. He was borrrrring... About 1/2 way through the book, the story really picks up and becomes very intriguing; like "Mission Impossible" with Mrs.Pargeter in charge of the gang. The author really kept me guessing until the end. So Mr.Brett, keep the CW character, but get him to the point, or give him less air time... Looking forward to the next...

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