Assessment:
Plot/Idea: This art-centered political thriller intrigues from page one, as specialists Julian Peale and Grace Ho race across the globe to track stolen cultural treasures, in the process stumbling onto a greater conspiracy that threatens not only their own lives but international relations as a whole.
Prose: Witham weaves many moving parts into a seamless adventure, interlacing a modern China with its imperial history while delivering nail-biting tension, international art collecting, and plenty of boots-on-the-ground action.
Originality: Witham's deep dive into the global agencies that track the heists of art and antiquities provides an entertaining backdrop for this thriller.
Character/Execution: Witham is adept at revealing characters and their development, driving the story with the easy camaraderie between the engaging Peale and Ho. Their mission is definitely high stakes, but Witham never sacrifices character for plot tension.
Date Submitted: May 31, 2024
Witham does a masterful job covering the dirty dealing in artwork through the eyes of Quang and Soong, and even better is his deft portrayal of modern China. He navigates readers through a China still reflecting on its imperial era, even after communism and recent forays into capitalism, where soldiers can sing Bee Gees songs, but to Quang, the last imperial ruler, Empress Cixi, is "still present." Even the Cultural Revolution seemingly didn't erase all vestiges of the royal family, at least in spirit, and Witham’s lovingly penned descriptions of the country hold attention, even when the plot meanders.
Though the focus is mostly on China itself, Witham capably develops agents Ho and Peale as well; they’re an engaging pair, and their sleuthing in China is buoyed by their comfortable rapport. For action fans, there's plenty of martial arts fighting and a particularly well-staged army helicopter extraction scene, and Witham deserves full marks for the offbeat but exciting wind-up. The novel delves into the concept of cultural property, a background against which Witham weaves a plausible and gripping denouement centered on artwork, museum building contractors, and a mysterious drink called Gold Tea. This lands well for fans of impassioned political thrillers.
Takeaway: America and China engage in complex—and deadly—espionage over art.
Comparable Titles: Dan Brown, Sam Christer.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-
