The Masks of Rome

by Caroline Llewellyn

Kate Ray flees marital unhappiness to work for a famous Roman art restorer and must examine her feelings and her ideas about art, when she is exposed to corruption, murder and a new love

Genres: Mystery, Italy, Romance, Fiction, Suspense

313 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[LeahBethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caroline Llewellyn was recommended to me as an author who writes in the same vein as Mary Stewart and that is true of her novel The Masks of Rome. The hallmarks of a good Mary Stewart novel are all there: an exotic location, an attractive female, a mystery, and a handsome love interest. Does Ms. Lewellyn write as well as Mary Stewart? No, but this novel was still good and had some moments that were very intense.

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the tradition of Mary Stewart, this novel depicts Rome during Carnevale. Kate is an art restorer, originally from Canada, but now working for a prominent Italian family. When she suspects one of the paintings she is working with is a fake, she wonders which of those around her can actually be trusted?

[Sewingdervish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly engaging book. Pretty complicated, I have no ideas how the author kept all those balls in the air while writing. It was good but I did not like it as The Lady of the Labyrinth. As I am constantly in search of books that make me feel like I am reading a Mary Stewart book TLotL gave me high hopes for this author. Ticked the travel box, the peril box and somewhat the rash decision-making box. It wasn't super clean there was a trip to Brighton and some implied trips as well.

[The Little Black Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book disappointed me. I had just read The Lady of the Labyrinth and absolutely LOVED it so I had high expectations coming in. The romance in The Lady of the Labyrinth just doesn't show up here. The main characters are both older, divorced, and kinda jaded about it. There's a love triangle which is something I always find extremely irritating even though I know it's a pretty popular trope. The suspense scenes didn't seem all that suspenseful, however the mystery of the forged paintings was engaging enough. I don't know, this book just didn't quite do it for me. I haven't decided yet if I will read more of the author's works.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE MASKS OF ROME - G
Caroline Llewellyn – 1st mystery – standalone
Canadian art restorer, Kate Roy, is in Rome at Carnival time to work on the paintings of aristocratic Torreleone family, when she realizes one of the most valuable paintings is a fake. She is mugged, rescued by a secretive American, attracted to the aristocrats son, and overhears a plot to steal. Who can she trust?

I was introduced to this author through the DorothyL discussion on gothics. This ain’t no vapid heroine. I very much enjoyed this book and have ordered more by her.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good read by Caroline Llewellyn is about Kate Roy, who works in Rome restoring paintings for the wealthy Torreleone family, rumored to be having financial problems. She becomes involved in discovering art forgeries, and the climax comes during the Roman celebration of Carnevale.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery/intrigue set in Rome. A light read, pleasant, but nothing special

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, pulpy novel from the 1970s about Kate Roy, a young Canadian art conservator working in Rome who stumbles onto a dangerous conspiracy.