The Appraisal

by Anna Porter

In the vein of Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie novels comes this year’s smart new thriller with literary chops

When wealthy octogenarian Geza Marton hires art expert Helena Marsh to buy back his family’s Titian painting, Helena flies to Budapest to close what she expects will be a reasonably simple sale. But nothing is ever simple in this beautiful, flawed city where corruption abounds. Helena discovers that there are multiple bidders for the painting, including some dangerous Slavs. Soon there are also dead bodies, and a complicated history that leads her to men Marton knew in Vorkuta, one of Stalin’s notorious gulags.

As she works to unravel the truth of the painting’s ownership and dodges her tail, the dogged ex-detective Attila Feher, Helena is forced to call on all her considerable skills to stay alive and out of jail. Smart, fast-paced, and wildly entertaining, The Appraisal is a terrific thriller set against Budapest’s corruption and lost promise.

Genres: Mystery, Art, Audiobook, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

300 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2017

About the author

Anna (Szigethy) Porter began her Canadian publishing career in 1969 at McClelland & Stewart (M&S) as editorial coordinator, under Jack McClelland’s directorship. Porter eventually rose to become VP and editor-in-chief at M&S. She worked with, among others, Margaret Laurence, Matt Cohen, Al Purdy, Irving Layton, Peter C Newman and Margaret Atwood.
Porter started her publishing company, Key Porter Books, in partnership with Key Publishers' Michael de Pencier in 1982. They published, among others, Allan Fotheringham, Jean Chretien, Joe Clark, Margaret Atwood, Peter Lougheed, Fred Bruemmer and Conrad Black.
Anna Porter is an Officer of the Order of Canada and the recipient of the Order of Ontario.
Anna Porter retired from publishing in April 2005. She is the author of, so far, 12 books.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 3 out of 5]

”It could be a late work, perhaps as late as 1570, when Titian was well into his eighties. There was a hurried, sketchy quality to some of the figures. It was reminiscent of The Death of Actaeon, but the stormy sky may have been finished by one of his workshop students, perhaps Polidoro da Lanciano, although she doubted Polidoro would have completed any of the late works. Titian hadn’t finished putting on the varnish, but in his final years he often left the varnish off parts of his paintings.

Alternatively, it could be a study for an early work, a mere sketch, something intended for Philip II, who liked both religious paintings and detailed nudes posing as naiads or some other mythological women who cavort about naked.

There was no signature.

Without the right equipment, it was hard for her to tell whether it was a Titian or a good forgery.”

I’ve read enough about the art world to know there are fakes hanging in the finest museums. There have been forgers throughout history who were better painters than their more famous counterparts whose art brings millions of dollars at auction. Telling a fake from the real thing? Well, experts can disagree, and it is ultimately up to the wealthy collectors or museum curators to decide if they believe the painting in question to be real. With the millions of dollars trading hands for paintings, you would think that whether a painting is real would be of the utmost importance, but really, to see a return on the investment, an owner only has to convince another buyer to believe that it is real, and a buyer only has to find an “expert” to confirm that it is real.

So this is the world that Helena Marsh works in. The wealthy, octogenarian Geza Marton has hired her to buy a Titian painting in Budapest that left the family’s possession during the war. The migration of art during World War II is a fascinating one, with many paintings still residing in the hands of the wrong owners. The Nazis and the Russians carted off as much European art as they could lay their hands on. Provenance is a term that plays a prominent role in the art world.

Marton isn’t contesting ownership; money is no object, and he wants to buy it back.

He doesn’t even care if it is real.

This should be a very straight forward transaction. After all, the owners want to sell, but soon Helena learns that there are multiple bidders for the painting, and some of them are willing to do anything to get what they want. As she tries to unravel the past so she can understand the present, she learns that Marton’s history is putting some very dangerous men in her path. As if she doesn’t have enough problems, she also has an ex-detective hot on her tail who is trying to understand what exactly she’s doing in Budapest.

Helena has a Bondesque skill set, with the ability to handle herself when situations get rough, and as people become more desperate, she has opportunities to showcase those skills. To keep herself safe and be able to move around the country freely, she assumes multiple identities as she investigates the nuances of this convoluted job. It is hard to hide the way we walk, and this observation by the detective is interesting: ”Close up, she seemed older than yesterday and older than the photo in his breast pocket. But the blond hair, the slim hips, the confident way she carried herself all added up to fortyish and foreign. Women in Hungary hadn’t walked like that for years, not since the economy tanked.” What I really like about that description is that it shows that Budapest is not just a setting for the author Anna Porter. She was born there, and that is an observation that can only come from someone who is intimately familiar with the inhabitants of the city.

I traveled to Budapest a few years ago, and as Porter moved me about the city, I kept having flashbacks to my time there. It is a city with a vibe, and Porter does an excellent job of putting the reader right in the middle of the geography.

This is not your typical thriller that relies only on a plot twist or a series of twists to keep the reader enthralled. You’ll be tasting the gulyás and the Halászlé and washing your hearty meal down with a bottle of Egri Bikavér. You’ll walk across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and maybe have a moment of reflection while watching the rustling movement of the Danube. You’ll be looking over your shoulder for suspicious characters as you walk down Váci Street. You’ll be contemplating the hunched form of that snooping ex-detective as you sip your coffee at the Madal Cafe. You might even duck in the bathroom and emerge a different person.

Ahh yes...Budapest.

I also have a copy of the second Helena Marsh adventure titled Deceptions, and I can’t wait to see where Anna Porter takes me next.

ECW Press provided a copy to me in exchange for an honest review.

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/

[Maureen Carden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew the art appraisal business could call for James Bond like skills? Or that art ownership could be a very good way of washing criminal cash, or passing on funds to criminals and terrorists. Who knew that being on stolen art retrieval commissions could be so heartbreaking when you learn the stories behind the stolen paintings?
Helena Marsh was raised in the art appreciation, then appraisal business. Her father and mother both insisted she learn some very strong survival skills. They evidently foresaw the time when appraisals, sales and retrievals would no longer be accomplished over a glass of sherry in a paneled library.
Helena is sent to Budapest to buy a Titian for a old Hungarian man now living in Canada. He claims he was forced to sell it after being sent to a Soviet Labor Camp. When word of this Titian gets out, suddenly there are other bidders and Helena must use her considerable skills to protect herself and to discourage the other bidders.
This was a surprisingly exciting story set mostly in Hungary. It sets several tropes about the art world on its ear. This thriller also did a great job of painting a grim picture of life under the Soviets. It's a period of history little known to the west. I did have a problem with names and place names, but that’s always going to be a bit of a problem for me with any book set in Eastern Europe. Well written, fast paced, with characters you become invested in, I am hoping this might become a series.
My thanks to NetGAlley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Viva · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars = it was ok by GR's rating system.

When I first started reading, I wondered if it had been written in a foreign language (like Hungarian where the story is set) and then translated into English because the writing was so awkward but no, it was written in English.

The story is told from 2 POV: Helena Marsh, art expert and Attila Feher, ex-dectective. Both characters are well drawn and interesting. The setting of modern day Hungary is also interesting and informative from a cultural, political and historical point of view with many references dating back to the post WW2 days. I enjoyed the characters as they were full of life as was the setting. The story is that Marsh is completing the sale of a valuable Titian painting for a buyer and Feher putting obstacles in her way.

So far so good. The issue that I had was that I thought the writing was disjointed and didn't flow smoothly. There were a lot of supporting cast and it took an effort to figure out who was who and how they fit into the story. They seemed to be randomly introduced and in fact I had to check the back of the book to make sure that this wasn't one book in a series and I had missed out on the back story of all these people from previous books.

So I liked the backdrop of Hungary. I liked Marsh and Feher, only that they were seemingly thrown into a story that was not adequately explained. In the end, I ended up not enjoying the book but just reading faster and faster just to get to the end.

I got this book as a free ARC.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a bit overly dramatically cloak and dagger in parts but gosh, it's an interesting read. Helena is an art appraiser and she's in Hungary trying to buy back a Titian. Big bucks. Porter clearly has a strong understanding of the art world, which is in fact used to launder money and where corruption abounds, especially in the netherworld in post War Europe and Eastern Europe. I was most intrigued by the details. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is different from many of the "woman goes back to Europe to find something" novels because it's not a family romance except with art. You'll learn something while reading it which makes it all the more worthy.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Appraisal" is a novel that just feels stuck. Clunky. Part mystery, part thriller, part historical, part cop, part art hommage it's biggest flaw is that it tries to wear too many hats. There are segments that are lovely. There are good ideas. The art lover in me adored early descriptions of painting processes, styles, and bought into our lead's expertise and passion. But I spent more time trying to figure out what the true plot or point of the novel was.

What I think I got caught up on in was that Feher felt for the most part disposable. Most of the leads he went through he was actually echoing HElena's steps. As far as I can see his primary purpose was to be a potential future love interest.

While at first I thought it might be interesting to see a commentary on the underbelly of the art world and maybe how thievery could also be a service, everything just ended up being jumbled. What things all seemed to come down to was a mystery only loosely related to the piece of art with the goals of both parties just being up in the air. Perhaps there was a social-international thread that would have made me understand the stakes more. But I don't think you should need a degree in modern central and eastern Europe to have a solid plot.

That being said, I would not be opposed to giving this series or author another shot. THis was still a decent story. It just wasn't the type of caper I thought I was getting. An average read isn't an entirely bad read.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

officially one of the worst books I've ever read.

*Full review in progress*

[Darlene Karalash · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I purchased this book secondhand among many others at a community rummage sale, I had pretty low expectations. Also, since crime novels are not my preferred genre, I really can’t comment on the quality of the plot structure—I made no effort whatsoever in mentally trying to solve the “who dunnit” before the big reveal in the final chapter. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised, enjoying the book for these story elements: the characterization (What’s not to like about an earnest, overweight, retired police officer trying to outwit a martial arts trained femme fatale?), the setting (I learned a lot about how former Soviet bloc countries may be independent and “free” today, but their people are still trapped in a punitive communist mindset) and the exploration of the main subject (I find WWII art crimes, forgeries of Old Master paintings, art restitution, etc. all intriguing topics). Plus, it didn’t hurt that the book was written by a Canadian author with Eastern European ancestry— this lent authenticity to the narrative.

[Josue Lagos · Rating 1 out of 5]

RESEÑA PRONTO EN MI CANAL!!!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRTB...

En este libro vemos a Helena, una mujer que trabaja con arte, y fue empleada por un hombre que quiere recuperar un pintura carísima que pertenecía a su familia y les fue robada durante el período Nazi. Por otro lado, tenemos a Attila, un hombre que trabaja para el gobierno, y le han asignado vigilar a Helena a toda costa.

Todo se resume en saber el pasado de varios personajes, saber quién está mintiendo, pues aquí nada es lo que parece, y sobre todo, ¿con quién terminará la pintura?

El libro no me gustó para nada, la verdad que le faltó mucho porque yo creía que iba a ser muy distinto. Pensé que sería tipo "La pantera rosa" pero sin la parte cómica, osea, el robo de la pieza de arte, saber dónde está, pues el libro dicen que es un genial libro de suspenso, y todo el libro solo era historia, RELLENO INNECESARIO POR TODAS PATES, nada de acción, y todo era puro negocio.

El libro me dejó con muchas ganas de más, de algo impactante, y el gran misterio se resolvió solo en 2 páginas.

Con decirles que terminé el libro y todavía no me quedó claro si la pintura era real o una réplica.

[Liz Mc2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never got fully engaged with this, but I think that's me, not the book. I enjoyed the change of pace from my usual mystery. This is set in Hungary (with some Slovakian side trips), and revolves around art expert Helena Marsh's efforts to purchase a painting that may be a Titian for a client whose family "sold" it after WWII (under pressure). Various shady Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs are also interested, and some of them have henchmen. But Helena has her own skills--disguise, martial arts--that she deploys in outsmarting and sometimes outfighting them. Then there's Attila, the retired cop turned private investigator who has been tasked with following Helena and figuring out what she's up to. He's slow off the mark, but eventually catches up to her. The story isn't quite as fast-paced as the summary might suggest, but I enjoyed the characters (especially Attila; Helena was a bit superhuman).

[Koozebane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I'm always eager to read an art heist story, and the descriptions of Budapest are very evocative. There is a lot of exposition of every character, which tends to bog down the story. Since I expected it all to factor into the conclusion, the ending felt a little anticlimactic.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did—the world of international art sales intersecting with war crimes and post-Communist Hungary—but it was a bit flat. I don’t know that I found either of the main characters interesting enough to follow their adventures.

[Liette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea behind the story but there was just too much beating around the bush which made the pace too slow for my liking. Overall, I could not make up my mind whether Helena is the good one or the crois in the story.

[Linda Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this very confusing. Between Helen Marsh's many disguises and different personas and the Hungarian names, I found myself at a loss. The twist at the end was interesting.

[Cybercrone · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just seemed to drag on for an eternity. It should have been a good read, but it was just not very well written.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time keeping track of the characters; I was reading too many books simultaneously.

[Jim Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim. It was at the library and available for download. So, I said...what the heck? Yes...I used the word heck. Well, maybe not.

Anyway, this book is very well written. Porter wrote a very good thriller/mystery. It is prodigiously researched with wonderful minutiae about Eastern Europe. She digs into culture, history and where the best coffee shops are. I felt like I had walked around Budapest myself. The protagonist is well crafted and very believable. Okay, perhaps being an expert in martial arts and being a world expert on renaissance paintings are not a likely combination, but I enjoyed it.

This reminded me of Martin Cruz Smith at his best. The author delves into the post-communist psyche and helps you understand how people survive such a difficult past. She points out that countries like Hungary, Romania and Slovakia suffered not just from the Cold War and all the terrible political strife this created, but the Second World War. It was like two tidal waves coming back to back. You begin to understand the devastation to their culture and mental health. You also appreciate their resilience.

She also points out something that I did not realize. Despite the similar experiences in the 20th century, most of these small Eastern European countries hate each other. They have centuries of bitter feelings and no-longer repressed antipathy for each other.

A good read. I highly recommend if you like travel, art history, occasional violence and espresso. A wonderful surprise from the shelves of the library.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

Helena Marsh, international art appraiser, is in Budapest trying to authenticate a perhaps Titian which has a checkered past. There are Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians, Bulgarians and Americans in the mix, each with a separate opinion and agenda regarding the painting – which is huge and beyond difficult to transport discreetly. Fortunately Helena is a master of both disguise and martial arts so she is able to overcome significant obstacles, a variety of hostile forces, a handful of dead bodies, and the ever evolving landscape of the other folks who are after the same object. The connections and disconnects go back to WWII, the Soviet gulags and the chaotic kaleidoscope of politics since the end of the USSR. It is a bit of a head turner, but very clever and very entertaining.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

this had the potential to be a 4-5 star read, but the writing fell flat for me for a few reasons, but mainly the fact that some of the places and people were brought up in such a way that made me constantly think i was reading the second book in the series.
and we lost the plot a few times, i fear.

wouldnt call it a thriller, but it is a good mystery. also kind of a cop novel. also kind of a history lesson. you get a little bit of everything (im assuming even romance in the second book 👀) i enjoyed it enough and will definitely continue the series!

i think if you enjoyed The Art Forger (BA Shapiro), White Collar, and art museums you'll enjoy this as well

[Margaret Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fabulous thriller is set in contemporary Budapest and has layer upon layer of seriously interesting history regarding German and Communist rivalries during and after WW2, whilst not ever losing a beat in the storyline: a Christies art restorer who specializes in restitution of stolen art goes from Toronto to Budapest in search of her client's original painting by Renaissance painter, Titian. As I said, lots of history to absorb here, not to mention the Slavic names of people and places. An eye-opener of a read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book by Anna Porter, and I will certainly read more. I’m a big fan of mysteries and this did not disappoint. I like to read about the art world and learned a bit about the world of fake art passing for the real thing which not only fools art lovers but the galleries and museums where they hang. I’m of Hungarian ancestry and I enjoyed ready about Budapest which I was lucky enough to have visited.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather fun romp in Eastern Europe — mainly Budapest — with some interesting characters, mostly shady, contending for a possibly fake painting by Titian with suspect provenance. Helena Marsh is a talented art expert skilled in disguise and martial arts. Everyone’s history comes into play, including that of Helena’s family.

[Barbara Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, fast paced and entertaining. Takes you away to a whole other world, from romantic but corrupt Hungary to the streets of Paris and even the money soaked neighborhood of Rosedale, Toronto. Plus, this book is a Staunch Award winner - an award that goes to thrillers in which no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered. A breath of fresh air!

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like books that involve art and the nefarious aspects related to authenticity, forgery, etc. This also takes place mainly in Budapest which makes for an interesting setting. It also has a powerful main character, who is not only an art expert, but trained in martial arts, disguises, etc.

[Heather Pentland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it had many twist and turns. The author developed terrific characters. There may be a sequel which I would look forward to . A friend lent me this book as it was based in Budapest Hungary a place we visited 2 years ago. This added to the interest.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a real rating as DNF after about a quarter in. I tried to read on my phone (I usually depend on audio) but my eyes can't handle it and eventually it went back to the library. I hope to listen to it some day or maybe I'll be able to read again another day.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of details on street names and landmarks, weak on character development and plot. I was hoping for a thriller about an art appraisal with special skills, but instead it’s just this woman traveling from city to city and musing about her father. Would not recommend.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helena Marsh #1 is a literary thriller with much violence featuring Helena Marsh, an art authenticator with street smarts and many disguises, set in Budapest. Had a hard time following some of the action, but Marsh is definitely street savvy in 1950s Europe.

[Cassie Permenter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t stay interested, honestly can’t even really tell you what the book was about because it was so hard for me to decipher what was going on and what the book was supposed to be about. Oh well, can’t love them all.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Hungarian history and culture parts of this book, it’s a part of the world with which I am completely unfamiliar. Otherwise, it felt like it wound on forever and needlessly just over a painting. I also found parts hard to follow due to the similarity in names.

[Emily D · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a thriller, a solid 3, more of a procedural and obviously setting up for a series. Learning about the Eastern Bloc countries, the Ukrainians, the Russians, Hungarians, Slovaks etc rates a 5. Fascinating.