The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. Kostova broke on the scene in 2005 with her huge bestseller,
The Historian. Her new book,
The Swan Thieves, is another example of her complex, well-researched style. Written from the viewpoint of several characters, it holds your interest while providing a bit of mystery to keep you wondering. Andrew Marlow, a psychiatrist and part-time painter, is asked to take on the case of a famous artist, Robert Oliver, after he tries to damage a painting at the National Gallery of Art. We hear not only from Marlow, but also from Oliver's wife, his lover, and even the long dead Impressionist painters with whom he appears to be obsessed. The story takes us from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina, Maine, New York City, Acapulco, and finally to Paris. Anyone with an interest in painting, whether as an artist or as a viewer of art, will find this novel fascinating. Look for it at your library.