Art Theft and Chick Lit

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro, 2012

I picked up this book mainly because it is set in Boston.  Shapiro is a Boston-based writer who teaches at nearby Tufts University, where my sister and brother-in-law attended university.

The novel mentions real Boston streets and neighborhoods such as the South End, where the protagonist Clare Roth, an artist, lives.  The story unfolds through flashbacks of Roth's infamous reputation with the art community, as well as the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner through a series of imagined letters.

The lives are intertwined when Roth is presented with an imagined stolen Edgar Degas painting from the actual 1990 heist from the Gardner museum resulting in thirteen lost masterpieces that yet to be recovered.

Roth has been hired to forge the stolen Degar painting and while doing so, uncovers a decades old mystery and clever twist at the end.  Being a fan of both Stewart and Degas, I enjoyed learning more about Stewart's passion for art and brass personality and Degar's techniques in creating his works.

Although the plot was clever, I found the book tough to get through.  The story was weighed down by the details on counterfeit techniques used to forge the Degas masterpiece.  The techniques are incredibly well-researched and fascinating, but I found myself skiming over the pages of details.

Similar to Tom Clancy novels where he produced six pages to describe a gun, I found myself losing interest during the detailed overview of the art forging process.

If it were not for the Boston connection, I'm not sure if I would have completed the book.  The fun acronym that I learned while reading the novel is OTC, which stands for Over The Couch and is a derogatory term artists use to describe people who are looking to purchase artwork that matches their decor.

Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie, 2012

This novel is like a romantic comedy movie.  It has all the elements of a fast-paced RoCo with quips, improbable situations and unique free spirits as the supporting cast.

I found myself tearing up a bit when the Girl, Emma Tupper, finally gets together with the Boy, Dominic, only to be forced apart by some misunderstanding, but of course, end up together in the end.

It's a pleasant story and perfect beach read of a woman who travels to Africa, where an earthquake strikes and she is unable to contact loved ones at home.

She finally returns home months later and realizes that life, and her loved ones, have moved on without her.  She now finds herself lost and needing to rebuild her life.  And of course, her new life will end up including the dream job and Boy that she has already wanted.

(At least the dream job is also getting some attention and part of the Hollywood ending for women.  Sheryl Sandberg would be proud.)

Coincidentally, one of the central plots in the novel involves an art heist as well.  Considering that i had just ready The Art Forger before this novel, must be something in the pages.

A Canadian attorney, McKenzie is a enjoyable writer and I would bring her other novels with me on my next beach vacation, which I consider high praise.