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Art History Mystery #3
Knight Light
The latest suspense novel set in the art world, “Knight Light,” continues the exploits of amateur sleuths Erika Shawn, art magazine editor and Harrison Wheatley, professor of Art History, as they attempt to track down a cache of art works looted during Germany’s occupation of Paris and solve present-day murders related to their search.
“Riess uses words as an artist uses a paint brush; the pages come to life.” –Joseph Epstein, Ph.D
“Mystery. Passion. Crime. What more could a book-lover want!”
–Elizabeth Cooke, author of the Hotel Marcel Series
“Riess uses words as an artist uses a paint brush; the pages come to life.” –Joseph Epstein, Ph.D
“Mystery. Passion. Crime. What more could a book-lover want!”
–Elizabeth Cooke, author of the Hotel Marcel Series
- GenresMystery
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2021
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1106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 29, 2021
Way back in the “Dark Ages” (the early 1960s) when I was in college, I majored in European History and had an unofficial minor in Art Appreciation. When I read a review of KNIGHT LIGHT by CLAUDIA RIESS, I thought that it would be a book that I might enjoy. It met and exceeded my expectations. It turns out it is book 3 of a series entitled An Art History Mystery. As I read the book, I felt I was missing information because stuff had happened in the previous two books of which I was not aware. I plan to remedy that as soon as feasible.
Erika Shawn Wheatley is the lead character. Her age is around 28; she is married and has a three-week-old son (Lucas) as the story opens. Erika is on maternity leave from her job as an editor/writer for an art magazine. Erika’s husband is Harrison Wheatley is a professor of Renaissance Art at New York University (a real university in New York City). He is a few years older than Erika. They have a housekeeper Grace Jones who has been employed by Harrison’s family for 50 years or so. Kate Mendelsohn is their 24-year-old nanny who is in graduate school at Fordham University (in the Bronx, also a part of New York City).
Charles Bloom is a former student of Harrison and had become a friend. His murder sets the couple off on a case of stolen art. It is well known that the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s stole a lot of art from all over Europe, some of which had been owned by Jewish collectors and art dealers. There are still pieces that have not yet been recovered.
Bloom told Harrison via an email that he had information about some art stolen from the Jules Eisenberg Gallery that he wants to make public at an event. Harrison has an interest in a gallery and helps to arrange the disclosure event. Bloom is murdered on the way to the public disclosure.
The Wheatley’s call their team together to find out what it was that Bloom knew. Greg Smith is a Board member of the Art Loss Register (a real agency based in London and New York City) and an investigator of missing art. John Mitchell is a former New York City detective turned private investigator.
Alexander Alekhine, an international chess master from the 1930s and 1940s, is a key figure in the mystery. He was a real person and died under mysterious circumstances (unsolved to this day) in Estoril, Portugal in February 1946.
Harrison goes to France to interview people that were around at the time of the looting of the Eisenberg Gallery (not real). Erika collaborates with a Mossad agent (from Israel) and goes to Brazil to find a relative of the man suspected of the theft.
The story fast paced. The action is nonstop. Erika and Harrison have some personal issues that complicate their relationship. The Paris art gallery owned by Georges Wildenstein and Paul Rosenberg is also featured and did exist in Paris and currently exists in New York City. It was looted by the Nazis.
Readers of WWII history (fiction and nonfiction), art theft/history, Nazi atrocities and mysteries should enjoy this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
Erika Shawn Wheatley is the lead character. Her age is around 28; she is married and has a three-week-old son (Lucas) as the story opens. Erika is on maternity leave from her job as an editor/writer for an art magazine. Erika’s husband is Harrison Wheatley is a professor of Renaissance Art at New York University (a real university in New York City). He is a few years older than Erika. They have a housekeeper Grace Jones who has been employed by Harrison’s family for 50 years or so. Kate Mendelsohn is their 24-year-old nanny who is in graduate school at Fordham University (in the Bronx, also a part of New York City).
Charles Bloom is a former student of Harrison and had become a friend. His murder sets the couple off on a case of stolen art. It is well known that the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s stole a lot of art from all over Europe, some of which had been owned by Jewish collectors and art dealers. There are still pieces that have not yet been recovered.
Bloom told Harrison via an email that he had information about some art stolen from the Jules Eisenberg Gallery that he wants to make public at an event. Harrison has an interest in a gallery and helps to arrange the disclosure event. Bloom is murdered on the way to the public disclosure.
The Wheatley’s call their team together to find out what it was that Bloom knew. Greg Smith is a Board member of the Art Loss Register (a real agency based in London and New York City) and an investigator of missing art. John Mitchell is a former New York City detective turned private investigator.
Alexander Alekhine, an international chess master from the 1930s and 1940s, is a key figure in the mystery. He was a real person and died under mysterious circumstances (unsolved to this day) in Estoril, Portugal in February 1946.
Harrison goes to France to interview people that were around at the time of the looting of the Eisenberg Gallery (not real). Erika collaborates with a Mossad agent (from Israel) and goes to Brazil to find a relative of the man suspected of the theft.
The story fast paced. The action is nonstop. Erika and Harrison have some personal issues that complicate their relationship. The Paris art gallery owned by Georges Wildenstein and Paul Rosenberg is also featured and did exist in Paris and currently exists in New York City. It was looted by the Nazis.
Readers of WWII history (fiction and nonfiction), art theft/history, Nazi atrocities and mysteries should enjoy this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
March 21, 2021
Harrison and Erika Wheatley are intrigued when Harrison’s former student and friend, Charles Bloom, uncovers a letter from former chess champion Alexander Alekhine stating he had information on art stolen from a Jewish art gallery in Paris during the war. When Charles dies as a result of revealing the contents of this letter to Harrison, the couple make it their mission to not only discover the identity of the murderer, but also help see that the art is recovered and returned to its rightful owners.
If you love a good mystery, or have a love for art, you will want to read this book. The story moves at a good pace and has lots of plot twists. In addition, it has scenes in Paris and in Brazil. I found the Paris section to be very realistic. There is quite a bit of space given to domestic scenes between Erika and Harrison. I found these scenes to be a bit overdone and somewhat of a distraction to the main story.
This is the third book in a series; however, I have not read the previous two books and I felt this one to be a good stand alone novel. I would recommend this book to the adult reader (due to profanity and mildly graphic sex scenes) who enjoys mystery novels.
If you love a good mystery, or have a love for art, you will want to read this book. The story moves at a good pace and has lots of plot twists. In addition, it has scenes in Paris and in Brazil. I found the Paris section to be very realistic. There is quite a bit of space given to domestic scenes between Erika and Harrison. I found these scenes to be a bit overdone and somewhat of a distraction to the main story.
This is the third book in a series; however, I have not read the previous two books and I felt this one to be a good stand alone novel. I would recommend this book to the adult reader (due to profanity and mildly graphic sex scenes) who enjoys mystery novels.
June 2, 2022
Reverberations from World War II have continued throughout the decades, but, when novelists deal with these echoes, they often focus on very different aspects. Take, for example, two recent novels: Joss Weiss offers a dystopian version of the United States in the 1950s – with Joseph McCarthy as its president – in “Beat the Devils” (Grand Central Publishing), while Claudia Riess focuses on art thefts that occurred during the war in “Knight Light: An Art History Mystery (Level Best Books), which takes place in contemporary times. Both works are mysteries, the former with a Jewish main character who survived the Holocaust and the latter with non-Jewish characters attempting to discover what happened to a Jewish-owned art gallery during the war.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
April 8, 2021
Closing my eyes to visualize a well developed character is one of my greatest pleasures when reading. Feeling as if I've made a new friend is a testament to the skill of an author. With the novel Knight Light, author Claudia Riess has bestowed upon my imagination a cadre of new friends, and I am delighted to make their acquaintance!
The Wheatleys, art history professor Harrison, and art magazine writer Erika, are passionate about their work, their newborn son and each other. They also have a history as art crime investigators. When a new mystery lands in their laps, they are drawn into a crime that traces back to the Third Reich. What follows is a tale well worth reading.
Peripheral characters make this book extra enjoyable. I would love to meet a real life Denise!
I received a very welcome advance copy of this book. The honest review is my own.
The Wheatleys, art history professor Harrison, and art magazine writer Erika, are passionate about their work, their newborn son and each other. They also have a history as art crime investigators. When a new mystery lands in their laps, they are drawn into a crime that traces back to the Third Reich. What follows is a tale well worth reading.
Peripheral characters make this book extra enjoyable. I would love to meet a real life Denise!
I received a very welcome advance copy of this book. The honest review is my own.
March 27, 2021
I really enjoyed the story and I thought the plot was very interesting. I enjoyed stories of the characters the main characters met during their investigation. I particularly liked Denise!! The resolution was a bit rushed but I could believe it.
My only negative comment was about the main characters -- I was a bit put off by their personalities. I thought the constant commentary about Erika being a nursing mom was a bit overdone but that's a minor complaint really in the grand scheme of things. What I loved though was the encouragement to learn more about art and to also understand more about the robbery of Jewish art by the Nazis. That's a very valuable story to tell.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My only negative comment was about the main characters -- I was a bit put off by their personalities. I thought the constant commentary about Erika being a nursing mom was a bit overdone but that's a minor complaint really in the grand scheme of things. What I loved though was the encouragement to learn more about art and to also understand more about the robbery of Jewish art by the Nazis. That's a very valuable story to tell.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 17, 2021
The premise of this book sounded great and promised lots of excitement and a quick pace. However, while the storyline was interesting, it moved too slow for my liking. I guess I was expecting more dashing here and there, following up clues, and some resulting excitement and action. There was some of that but really only at the end.
I couldn't connect with the 2 main characters either which disappointed me as I found it harder to read as a result. That said, I did enjoy the historical aspect of the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I couldn't connect with the 2 main characters either which disappointed me as I found it harder to read as a result. That said, I did enjoy the historical aspect of the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 20, 2022
Knight Light by Claudia Riess is a fantastic read. It is the third book in a series but even though I haven't read the previous two I had no problem understanding the story. The characters were well developed and interesting, the plot has many twists and turns. I enjoyed the international setting, especially the Paris part. Overall, a good art/mystery that I certainly enjoyed and will the other books in the series. I recommend.
March 25, 2021
What a wonderful, well written book with exciting characters and plot. The story is full of intrigue, mystery and even some romance. The author knows how to tell a great story!!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews