Spiral

by Joseph Geary

Nicholas Greer is broke and on the verge of divorce. The life of Frank Spira, the controversial British painter he’s been researching for six years, has become more real to him than his own. But the book is finished now—a nine-hundred-page monument and the definitive biography. At least it looks that way until Nick gets a
call telling him that one of Spira’s ex-lovers, Jacob Grossman, a man who went missing twenty-six years ago, has been spotted in Manhattan, eighty-four years old and homeless.

Nick tracks Grossman to a hostel, hoping to find answers to the few niggling questions that remain. Instead he gets news of a picture, a work created by Spira in Tangier in the fall of 1957, which the artist supposedly destroyed. If it existed, Incarnation, Spira’s only religious work, would now be worth a small fortune.
An hour after the interview, Jacob Grossman is brutally murdered, and Nick finds himself drawn into a search for explanations. Going back to his sources, he uncovers a series of lies, secrets, and disturbing behavior, and begins to make out a flaw running through Spira’s life, a dark seam that leads all the way back to Tangier. Only as Nick comes to understand the significance of what Spira achieved with Incarnation does he realize that he too is the object of someone’s scrutiny, a collector for whom the missing work is Spira’s crowning achievement.
Moving between London, New York, and Tangier, Spiral unfolds in the bizarre and sinister underbelly of the art world. Intricately plotted and deeply atmospheric, it is a relentlessly suspenseful story of art and obsession.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2003

Reviews

[Claire Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago on holliday and its concepts and storyline often pops into confersations, a great mystery that develops with a theme about the artworld that i found tantalising as an artist myself. I highly recommend to and artists as a different story to get your ideas flowing and its highly entertaining if you stick with it to the end. A great few twists in the last few chapters :)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling all you Horror / Crime lovers. These are my top 3 books this year that have really gripped me by the throat and have stuck with me. All read in one day. 👀

1. “Ninth House,” by Leigh Bardugo. -“What do you want?" Belbalm had asked her. Safety, comfort, to feel unafraid. I want to live to grow old, Alex thought as she pulled the curtains closed. I want to sit on my porch and drink foul-smelling tea and yell at passersby. I want to survive this world that keeps trying to destroy me.” - Alex Stern ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2. “Heart Shaped Box,” by Joe Hill. -“The mad sometimes drilled holes in their own heads to let the demons out. To relieve the pressure of thoughts they could no longer bear. Jude understood the impulse. Each beat of his heart was a fresh and staggering blow felt in the nerves behind his eyes and in his temples. Punishing evidence of life.” - Judas Coyne ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3. “Spiral,” by Joseph Geary. -“This is New York, remember. This is Sodom and Gomorrah, plus crack cocaine and crystal meth." - Nicholas Greer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago & I was trying to describe the story to a friend of mine & as there were a lot of it I couldn't remember I decided to read it again.
I was not disappointed, even though I knew the 'twist in the tale' it didn't spoil the story for me. This is a great thriller & I have now bought 'Mirror' by the same author.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Creates a kind of madness that draws you down into it too. For weeks my thoughts were aslant over this book. I still think of tattoos differently, more reverently.

[Marcy Skala · Rating 1 out of 5]

hated this book. Sordid, warped sex. I can see why it's called spiral -- it's nothin but a downward spiral.

[Andrea Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad story, bit to much about art for my liking , but the chapter error made me chuckle , 2 chapter 16s ...
Overall a decent read

[Mar Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not necessarily an easy read if that's what you like. The nature of that kind of obsession which sacrifices almost everything the character prizes to learn the truth of a story about a piece of art baffles me. I did enjoy reading about the art world, what happened in Tangier, and the colourful characters along the way. An unusual mystery.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I choose to read this book because the cover looked interesting. I thought it was kind of stressful at times (mainly because of the obssesive behavior of Nick Greer, though it was kind of awesome how persistent he was at getting the whole story), but it was a good mistery novel and I enjoyed reading it.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this twisted journey. Does the painting exist? What the hell happened in Tangier? Who has the keys to this? Why does Nicholas just keep going at the expense of his marriage, his health, his life???

[Caitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't bad, took a while to get interested though

[Clizia · Rating 2 out of 5]

La trama sarebbe stata anche intrigante, peccato che la narrazione l'ho trovata molto confusa. Troppi personaggi, troppi "colpi di scena" non riusciti, troppo di troppo.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this only three stars because it was hard for me to get into...that said, once I did I couldn't put it down. I literally read the last 3/4 of the book in two days. Great mystery and I usually don't like mysteries. Gets bogged down here and there with art jumbo jumbo but well developed story and characters.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at a $2-for-all-the-books-you-can-fit-in-a-grocery-bag sale at my library just because the cover looked interesting. I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining this story was, even if it was a little sketchy at times. I probably won't read it again but it was a good summer read.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc copy. Fairly disturbing fiction of warped art world.

[Willem Van Doorn]

Good book.