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Framed
When art conservator JJ Jego spots a long-lost masterpiece through the window of a luxury apartment, she’s drawn into a dark web of intrigue, deception and murder.
JJ spies what she believes is a priceless Van Gogh. Except it can’t be … that painting, Six Sunflowers, was destroyed during World War II. She also glimpses what looks like a Rembrandt, one stolen in the infamous 1990 robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston.
JJ sets out on a mission to discover if these works are fakes or genuine. But when she gets in too deep, she is forced to seek help from her estranged father, a Sydney detective.
From the pubs of Belfast to the boardrooms of Monte Carlo and the shores of Sydney Harbour, this gripping art heist thriller exposes a shadowy underworld where JJ crosses paths with a global organised crime empire in her pursuit to solve some of art history’s biggest mysteries.
JJ spies what she believes is a priceless Van Gogh. Except it can’t be … that painting, Six Sunflowers, was destroyed during World War II. She also glimpses what looks like a Rembrandt, one stolen in the infamous 1990 robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston.
JJ sets out on a mission to discover if these works are fakes or genuine. But when she gets in too deep, she is forced to seek help from her estranged father, a Sydney detective.
From the pubs of Belfast to the boardrooms of Monte Carlo and the shores of Sydney Harbour, this gripping art heist thriller exposes a shadowy underworld where JJ crosses paths with a global organised crime empire in her pursuit to solve some of art history’s biggest mysteries.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
11 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
John M. Green
15 books29 followersWhen it dawned on John that what got him up in the morning was writing, not his day job, he quit the job. That was after 30 years in executive life. He was then an executive director in a leading investment bank. Earlier, he’d been a partner in 2 major law firms, and a director of a publishing house. ABC Radio says John's thriller-writing has "the sophistication of John le Carré and the pace of Jeffrey Archer."
His novels are: Nowhere Man, a financial thriller with a futuristic twist.
Born to Run, a political thriller about a US presidential election that gets derailed by murder, terror & treason.
The Trusted, an eco-cyber-thriller: When saving the planet means destroying it!
John's also a well-known business writer and commentator. His pieces have appeared in a variety of Australian and overseas publications including: ABC Drum Online, Company Director, Business Spectator, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Age, The Bulletin, and the UK’s Financial Times.
As well as writing, John's on the governing council of the National Library of Australia, is a board member of two stock-exchange-listed corporations and not-for-profits, as well as a co-founder of Pantera Press. He lives in Sydney with his wife, a sculptor.
John is currently working on his next thriller, due for release in 2016.
His novels are: Nowhere Man, a financial thriller with a futuristic twist.
Born to Run, a political thriller about a US presidential election that gets derailed by murder, terror & treason.
The Trusted, an eco-cyber-thriller: When saving the planet means destroying it!
John's also a well-known business writer and commentator. His pieces have appeared in a variety of Australian and overseas publications including: ABC Drum Online, Company Director, Business Spectator, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Age, The Bulletin, and the UK’s Financial Times.
As well as writing, John's on the governing council of the National Library of Australia, is a board member of two stock-exchange-listed corporations and not-for-profits, as well as a co-founder of Pantera Press. He lives in Sydney with his wife, a sculptor.
John is currently working on his next thriller, due for release in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 29, 2022
JJ was an art conservator with the Art Gallery of NSW, in Sydney. She'd been brought up knowing all about Vincent Van Gough through her father, Hugo, who was sure he was a descendant of the great artist. That was one of the reasons she'd shortened her name to JJ. When she was relaxing on a marina bound yacht belonging to her boss - she was sitting it and the boss' dog - JJ spotted a couple in an apartment across the harbour, fighting, so out came her trusty camera and she took photos and videos, thinking she could supply evidence to the police. But once the excitement had died down, and she checked her images, she was shocked to see a painting on the apartment wall which had supposedly been destroyed during WWII. "Six Sunflowers" was famous - she knew she had to find answers.
Across the ocean, Nessa Farrelly and her brother Niall had taken over the business from their father. Nessa was the brains, Niall the brawn. But their control of their "partners" was immense, and while those who partnered with Nessa and her brother didn't like it, they had no choice. It was an organised crime empire and their tentacles had wrapped tightly around those who wanted to escape and couldn't. What would happen if JJ crossed paths with these nefarious killers?
Framed by Aussie author John M. Green is based on a true story and is an art heist/crime novel which I enjoyed in part. Slow moving with a lot of description, I found it tedious in places. Other reviewers have commented on their love of art and especially Van Gough - as I'm not all that interested in the art world, I think that's why Framed didn't impact with me. But I'd suggest reading it for yourself as I'm in a minority!
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Across the ocean, Nessa Farrelly and her brother Niall had taken over the business from their father. Nessa was the brains, Niall the brawn. But their control of their "partners" was immense, and while those who partnered with Nessa and her brother didn't like it, they had no choice. It was an organised crime empire and their tentacles had wrapped tightly around those who wanted to escape and couldn't. What would happen if JJ crossed paths with these nefarious killers?
Framed by Aussie author John M. Green is based on a true story and is an art heist/crime novel which I enjoyed in part. Slow moving with a lot of description, I found it tedious in places. Other reviewers have commented on their love of art and especially Van Gough - as I'm not all that interested in the art world, I think that's why Framed didn't impact with me. But I'd suggest reading it for yourself as I'm in a minority!
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2022
Framed by John M Green was a fun, fast paced crime thriller that had me hooked. With a blub on the cover from Michael Connelly, I knew that I was in for a treat. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did.
This books spans the world - from Sydney to Monaco, from Ireland to Boston. JJ is art conservator at the Art Gallery of NSW. She has grown up with a love of the great works, thanks to her father, and she knows her stuff. Especially when it comes to Van Gough. She is house sitting for her boss when she spies some well know and famously stolen works of art on the walls of another harbour side apartment. She knows for a fact that these art works by the mikes of Rembrant and Picasso, were stolen in 1990 from a museum in Boston. She decides to go all Veronica Mars and find out what is happening. Are they real? Or very good fakes? And if they are real, how and why are they in Sydney?
There was an incredible amount of detail and real life facts in the story. The author has clearly done a great deal of research to get this book written. In 2005 I visited the Van Gogh museum on a trip to Amsterdam, and have been fascinated by his life and his art ever since. I loved all the references to him.
JJ was a great character. She made me laugh, her train of thought and hopes of bumping into a famous neighbour. I hope to read more of her story soon.
Thanks to Better Reading and Pantera Press for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes in Australia August 2nd.
This books spans the world - from Sydney to Monaco, from Ireland to Boston. JJ is art conservator at the Art Gallery of NSW. She has grown up with a love of the great works, thanks to her father, and she knows her stuff. Especially when it comes to Van Gough. She is house sitting for her boss when she spies some well know and famously stolen works of art on the walls of another harbour side apartment. She knows for a fact that these art works by the mikes of Rembrant and Picasso, were stolen in 1990 from a museum in Boston. She decides to go all Veronica Mars and find out what is happening. Are they real? Or very good fakes? And if they are real, how and why are they in Sydney?
There was an incredible amount of detail and real life facts in the story. The author has clearly done a great deal of research to get this book written. In 2005 I visited the Van Gogh museum on a trip to Amsterdam, and have been fascinated by his life and his art ever since. I loved all the references to him.
JJ was a great character. She made me laugh, her train of thought and hopes of bumping into a famous neighbour. I hope to read more of her story soon.
Thanks to Better Reading and Pantera Press for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes in Australia August 2nd.
June 3, 2022
An enjoyable art heist/crime novel with a likeable lead character and written in an engaging style with pop culture references and of course, brilliant artworks. JJ is an art conservator at the Art Gallery of NSW and is housesitting her boss’s harbourside apartment when she spies a couple of impossible paintings on the wall of another apartment. Impossible because one, a Rembrandt was stolen and never seen again and the other, a Van Gogh was destroyed in Japan during the war. JJ goes all detective trying to find out if they’re real. In another strand of the novel Niall and Nessa Farrelly are Northern Irish ‘business people’ or a crime family and their lawyers are Fontaine & Fontaine in Monaco. The crime aspects of the novel work really well and the latter part of the novel (when the art has been recovered and is undergoing tests at the gallery to prove authenticity) reads slower, there’s lots of explanation of techniques etc. And then the end! So frustrating, I assume there will be a sequel….
August 24, 2022
Framed is a fun art-heist thriller that is both a tribute to the genius of Vincent van Gogh and a homage to the plucky perceptiveness of Veronica Mars.
JJ is a meek art conservator and van Gogh superfan from Sydney that finds herself swept into a sprawling international crime syndicate of stolen art, fake identities, and missing appendages.
When JJ takes a photo of her neighbour’s apartment and she spies what she thinks may be a priceless artwork or two, she begins an investigation that will ultimately lead her to reconnect with her estranged father, a detective with a deep knowledge of Sydney’s criminal underground. The plot is therefore a delightful mix of Rear Window meets The Da Vinci Code meets Underbelly, with a sprinkling of Antiques Roadshow on top.
John M Green writes with a fast pace that captivates and intrigues - even when describing tedious art restoration techniques.
Not all the characters are a delight. Some are actually quite repugnant in their villainy and I dreaded every time we returned to them. However, the protagonist JJ makes up for all that with her unique mix of charisma, neuroses, and pop culture references.
Judging from the bombshell last line of this book, I suspect this will not be the last time we hear from JJ. If that’s the case, I can’t wait.
JJ is a meek art conservator and van Gogh superfan from Sydney that finds herself swept into a sprawling international crime syndicate of stolen art, fake identities, and missing appendages.
When JJ takes a photo of her neighbour’s apartment and she spies what she thinks may be a priceless artwork or two, she begins an investigation that will ultimately lead her to reconnect with her estranged father, a detective with a deep knowledge of Sydney’s criminal underground. The plot is therefore a delightful mix of Rear Window meets The Da Vinci Code meets Underbelly, with a sprinkling of Antiques Roadshow on top.
John M Green writes with a fast pace that captivates and intrigues - even when describing tedious art restoration techniques.
Not all the characters are a delight. Some are actually quite repugnant in their villainy and I dreaded every time we returned to them. However, the protagonist JJ makes up for all that with her unique mix of charisma, neuroses, and pop culture references.
Judging from the bombshell last line of this book, I suspect this will not be the last time we hear from JJ. If that’s the case, I can’t wait.
December 15, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book.
It has a good premise, and an even better midway plot twist.
However, like so many first person narratives, it reads clumsily and quite amateur… I was almost expecting “I woke up and it was all a dream” as the closing line.
It has a good premise, and an even better midway plot twist.
However, like so many first person narratives, it reads clumsily and quite amateur… I was almost expecting “I woke up and it was all a dream” as the closing line.
June 25, 2022
‘From start to finish, the biggest art heist in modern history lasted just 81 minutes.’
Thirteen treasured artworks were stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 and, as reported in the Smithsonian Magazine in 2021, had never been recovered.
In Sydney, art conservator JJ Jego is housesitting her boss’s luxury harbourside apartment, when she spots a long-lost masterpiece though the window of another apartment. The painting looks like Van Gogh’s ‘Six Sunflowers’: a painting destroyed during World War II. JJ also catches glimpses of a Rembrandt, one of the paintings stolen in 1990.
Can these paintings be genuine? How, and why, are these paintings in Sydney? JJ befriends the mysterious woman who lives in the apartment, and circumstances provide her with an opportunity to investigate. But JJ is not the only person interested in these paintings and she finds herself in a dangerous situation.
Mr Green has penned a fast-moving novel which takes us to Belfast, Monte Carlo and Sydney, while introducing us to the shadowy world of organised crime, to priceless art, and to family intrigue and dysfunction. I learned more about Van Gogh and his art.
And the ending? You’ll need to read it for yourself. Suffice to say that the story ends well for some characters but not for others.
Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Pantera Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Thirteen treasured artworks were stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 and, as reported in the Smithsonian Magazine in 2021, had never been recovered.
In Sydney, art conservator JJ Jego is housesitting her boss’s luxury harbourside apartment, when she spots a long-lost masterpiece though the window of another apartment. The painting looks like Van Gogh’s ‘Six Sunflowers’: a painting destroyed during World War II. JJ also catches glimpses of a Rembrandt, one of the paintings stolen in 1990.
Can these paintings be genuine? How, and why, are these paintings in Sydney? JJ befriends the mysterious woman who lives in the apartment, and circumstances provide her with an opportunity to investigate. But JJ is not the only person interested in these paintings and she finds herself in a dangerous situation.
Mr Green has penned a fast-moving novel which takes us to Belfast, Monte Carlo and Sydney, while introducing us to the shadowy world of organised crime, to priceless art, and to family intrigue and dysfunction. I learned more about Van Gogh and his art.
And the ending? You’ll need to read it for yourself. Suffice to say that the story ends well for some characters but not for others.
Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Pantera Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 3, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this novel from Better Reading in advance of its August 2022 release.
From Belfast to Monte Carlo to Sydney Harbour, this crime thriller takes inspiration from the 1990 theft of 13 major art works from the Gardner Museum in Boston. When the paintings are spotted, along with a long lost Van Gogh, in a Sydney apartment 30 years later by Justine Jerome (JJ), she begins her undercover quest to befriend the apartment owner and determine if what she’s seeing is real.
This was a fun, fast paced read. I’m now off the watch the Netflix documentary about the real life unsolved crime.
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this novel from Better Reading in advance of its August 2022 release.
From Belfast to Monte Carlo to Sydney Harbour, this crime thriller takes inspiration from the 1990 theft of 13 major art works from the Gardner Museum in Boston. When the paintings are spotted, along with a long lost Van Gogh, in a Sydney apartment 30 years later by Justine Jerome (JJ), she begins her undercover quest to befriend the apartment owner and determine if what she’s seeing is real.
This was a fun, fast paced read. I’m now off the watch the Netflix documentary about the real life unsolved crime.
August 10, 2024
This book got better the more of it I read. I enjoyed that I was familiar with the location and the artists. It was interesting to see how the two separate stories that the book begun with fit together.
September 19, 2025
To refer to Emily in Paris show...in a book, which is not a cult classic was an ick for sure
It took to long to establish the characters and then the story unfolded too fast
It took to long to establish the characters and then the story unfolded too fast
November 26, 2022
Could have been 4 stars if it wasn’t for the laziest fucking last page ever. Did the author run out of ideas, time or ink?
May 27, 2022
Now I am an avid Vincent van Gogh fan and have been since high school art class so I was so excited to see a book based around an artwork of his, add in shadowy underworld figures and a crime to solve and I am in.
John M. Green has developed an amazing storyline in Framed, yet while I enjoyed this book and the storyline, I think I found myself just left wanting something more. It wasn't that I didn't like the characters or the setting, it was more that I found parts of it and situations very cliché. Everything seemed to fall into place so easily and wrapped up to nicely for my liking. But all in all it was a good read and I can visualise this playing out on screen. In fact, in may even play out better on screen.
A big thank you to Better Reading and Pantera Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
John M. Green has developed an amazing storyline in Framed, yet while I enjoyed this book and the storyline, I think I found myself just left wanting something more. It wasn't that I didn't like the characters or the setting, it was more that I found parts of it and situations very cliché. Everything seemed to fall into place so easily and wrapped up to nicely for my liking. But all in all it was a good read and I can visualise this playing out on screen. In fact, in may even play out better on screen.
A big thank you to Better Reading and Pantera Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 20, 2022
Inspired by a real heist, Framed explores an imagined future for the revered Gardner artworks. JJ Jego is a quiet conservator who gets embroiled in uncovering the mystery of a selection of stolen art. Green is a talented story teller who sets a consistent cracking pace. His wry humour and considered insight make for a beautifully balanced thriller.
September 14, 2022
Good research couldn't save this art heist book for me. With everything related to quotes from movies and an increasingly ridiculous plot this was a disappointment.
January 26, 2023
Total waste of time. Poorly researched and poorly written.
August 10, 2023
Prepare to be swept away by an artful masterpiece of a novel that immerses you in intrigue from the first page to the last.
In a seamless blend of history and fiction, the author brings to life the daring theft of thirteen treasured artworks from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 – a mystery that remains unsolved even today, as revealed by the Smithsonian Magazine in 2021. Set against the backdrop of Sydney, this novel introduces us to the remarkable art conservator JJ Jego, who embarks on a thrilling journey that transcends time and borders.
As JJ Jego finds herself housesitting her boss's luxurious harbourside apartment, her eyes are drawn to a captivating sight – a long-lost masterpiece glimpsed through a neighboring window. The painting appears to be the vanquished "Six Sunflowers" by Van Gogh, a canvas obliterated during the tumult of World War II. What follows is a mesmerizing exploration into the authenticity of these paintings and their inexplicable presence in Sydney. Rembrandt's stolen masterpiece from 1990 further adds to the enigma.
With finesse, the narrative unfurls a web of curiosity, propelling JJ into a unique alliance with the mysterious woman occupying the apartment. As JJ's investigation unfolds, the reader is treated to an exhilarating journey that spans continents, from the streets of Belfast to the opulence of Monte Carlo. The author masterfully navigates the shadowy realm of organized crime, offering glimpses into the secretive world that intersects with priceless art and family secrets.
Mr. Green's storytelling prowess shines through in this high-speed thriller, enriched with familial intricacies and dysfunction that add depth to the characters. Notably, the novel is a trove of insights into the life and artistry of Van Gogh, leaving the reader with a newfound appreciation for his work.
The climax tantalizingly beckons, promising a resolution that is as riveting as it is unexpected. As the threads of fate intertwine, some characters find solace while others face their reckoning. The conclusion is a true testament to the author's narrative prowess, leaving you both satisfied and yearning for more.
In "The Artful Heist," Mr. Green wields his pen like a maestro, orchestrating a symphony of suspense, art, and human complexity that resonates long after the final page. This is a literary escapade not to be missed; a tale that lingers, provokes, and enchants – a five-star masterpiece in its own right.
In a seamless blend of history and fiction, the author brings to life the daring theft of thirteen treasured artworks from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 – a mystery that remains unsolved even today, as revealed by the Smithsonian Magazine in 2021. Set against the backdrop of Sydney, this novel introduces us to the remarkable art conservator JJ Jego, who embarks on a thrilling journey that transcends time and borders.
As JJ Jego finds herself housesitting her boss's luxurious harbourside apartment, her eyes are drawn to a captivating sight – a long-lost masterpiece glimpsed through a neighboring window. The painting appears to be the vanquished "Six Sunflowers" by Van Gogh, a canvas obliterated during the tumult of World War II. What follows is a mesmerizing exploration into the authenticity of these paintings and their inexplicable presence in Sydney. Rembrandt's stolen masterpiece from 1990 further adds to the enigma.
With finesse, the narrative unfurls a web of curiosity, propelling JJ into a unique alliance with the mysterious woman occupying the apartment. As JJ's investigation unfolds, the reader is treated to an exhilarating journey that spans continents, from the streets of Belfast to the opulence of Monte Carlo. The author masterfully navigates the shadowy realm of organized crime, offering glimpses into the secretive world that intersects with priceless art and family secrets.
Mr. Green's storytelling prowess shines through in this high-speed thriller, enriched with familial intricacies and dysfunction that add depth to the characters. Notably, the novel is a trove of insights into the life and artistry of Van Gogh, leaving the reader with a newfound appreciation for his work.
The climax tantalizingly beckons, promising a resolution that is as riveting as it is unexpected. As the threads of fate intertwine, some characters find solace while others face their reckoning. The conclusion is a true testament to the author's narrative prowess, leaving you both satisfied and yearning for more.
In "The Artful Heist," Mr. Green wields his pen like a maestro, orchestrating a symphony of suspense, art, and human complexity that resonates long after the final page. This is a literary escapade not to be missed; a tale that lingers, provokes, and enchants – a five-star masterpiece in its own right.
July 20, 2022
Art conservator JJ Jego is happily house-sitting in her boss’s swanky luxury apartment on Sydney’s foreshores when she glimpses a few paintings through a neighbour’s parted curtains. Given her expertise, she recognises the image of Van Gogh’s masterpiece, Six Sunflowers, known to have been destroyed during World War II. Then she spies what looks like a Rembrandt, infamously stolen from a Boston gallery in 1990. Surely they must be fakes?....but what if they’re not? Can she somehow finagle meeting the neighbour to get a closer look?
So begins one of this season’s best crime thrillers - an art heist mystery that will simultaneously grip readers while it entertains and educates, its action moving from Sydney to Belfast, Paris and Monte Carlo.
JJ reluctantly finds herself in the firing line of a ruthless global organised crime empire as she doggedly pursues the answers to some of art history’s biggest mysteries. Bestselling thriller writer John Green, with this, his sixth novel, clearly has put in the research hard yards. The latest techniques and equipment used in art detection are meticulously explained along with the real-life history of the multiple masterpieces that feature in the story. Beneath the surface of Framed, however, is a lot more than paint pigments and canvas wefts and warps. Without labouring extraneously or detracting from the action-filled narrative, Green also sheds light on issues beyond the world of art. Social anxiety, divorce, bipolar disorder, coercive control and dyslexia all make their way into the story, ensuring a novel which offers far more sophistication and cerebral food for reflection than your average thriller.
This book will, no doubt, have readers rushing to the Art Gallery of NSW and other galleries around the world to appreciate priceless art treasures through new eyes. At its very end, happily, Framed leaves the door well and truly open for a sequel - one which readers will eagerly anticipate.
So begins one of this season’s best crime thrillers - an art heist mystery that will simultaneously grip readers while it entertains and educates, its action moving from Sydney to Belfast, Paris and Monte Carlo.
JJ reluctantly finds herself in the firing line of a ruthless global organised crime empire as she doggedly pursues the answers to some of art history’s biggest mysteries. Bestselling thriller writer John Green, with this, his sixth novel, clearly has put in the research hard yards. The latest techniques and equipment used in art detection are meticulously explained along with the real-life history of the multiple masterpieces that feature in the story. Beneath the surface of Framed, however, is a lot more than paint pigments and canvas wefts and warps. Without labouring extraneously or detracting from the action-filled narrative, Green also sheds light on issues beyond the world of art. Social anxiety, divorce, bipolar disorder, coercive control and dyslexia all make their way into the story, ensuring a novel which offers far more sophistication and cerebral food for reflection than your average thriller.
This book will, no doubt, have readers rushing to the Art Gallery of NSW and other galleries around the world to appreciate priceless art treasures through new eyes. At its very end, happily, Framed leaves the door well and truly open for a sequel - one which readers will eagerly anticipate.
September 8, 2022
Justine ‘JJ’ Jego, a junior conservator with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, is testing the zoom lens of her new camera from her balcony. By chance, she catches the image of 'Six Sunflowers' by Vincent Van Gogh on the lounge wall of a wealthy neighbour. She’s intrigued as this painting was thought to have been destroyed during World War II. Her decision to check whether it’s a print, a copy, or the original – that has miraculously survived the war - leads to frightening consequences.
'Framed' is a rollicking adventure involving the good, the bad and the ugly. In Belfast, psychopathic twins Nessa and Niall Farrelly lead an international crime syndicate; In Monaco, newly appointed senior partner Justine Fontaine is aghast to find the crime syndicate is the law firm’s most lucrative client; and in Sydney, JJ Jego will soon have her gentle, calm lifestyle rudely interrupted when she insists on pursuing the provenance of the Van Gogh and other amazing masterpieces on her neighbour’s walls.
Fortunately, innocent JJ soon realises she’s out of her depth and involves her estranged father, an undercover cop with the NSW police. The situation escalates; kidnapping, violence and murders in Sydney and in Monaco is the result. In addition, there's a late bi-polar diagnosis, non-physical domestic violence and a smidgen of humour.
I predict television producers will be queuing-up to adapt this exciting page-turner for the small screen, every episode ending with a cliff-hanger. Green’s latest thriller is intense, absorbing and a terrific read.
August 24, 2022
Framed is a fun art-heist thriller that is both a tribute to the genius of Vincent van Gogh and a homage to the plucky perceptiveness of Veronica Mars.
JJ is a meek art conservator and van Gogh superfan from Sydney that finds herself swept into a sprawling international crime syndicate of stolen art, fake identities, and missing appendages.
When JJ takes a photo of her neighbour’s apartment and she spies what she thinks may be a priceless artwork or two, she begins an investigation that will ultimately lead her to reconnect with her estranged father, a detective with a deep knowledge of Sydney’s criminal underground. The plot is therefore a delightful mix of Rear Window meets The Da Vinci Code meets Underbelly, with a sprinkling of Antiques Roadshow on top.
John M Green writes with a fast pace that captivates and intrigues - even when describing tedious art restoration techniques.
Not all the characters are a delight. Some are actually quite repugnant in their villainy and I dreaded every time we returned to them. However, the protagonist JJ makes up for all that with her unique mix of charisma, neuroses, and pop culture references.
Judging from the bombshell last line of this book, I suspect this will not be the last time we hear from JJ. If that’s the case, I can’t wait.
JJ is a meek art conservator and van Gogh superfan from Sydney that finds herself swept into a sprawling international crime syndicate of stolen art, fake identities, and missing appendages.
When JJ takes a photo of her neighbour’s apartment and she spies what she thinks may be a priceless artwork or two, she begins an investigation that will ultimately lead her to reconnect with her estranged father, a detective with a deep knowledge of Sydney’s criminal underground. The plot is therefore a delightful mix of Rear Window meets The Da Vinci Code meets Underbelly, with a sprinkling of Antiques Roadshow on top.
John M Green writes with a fast pace that captivates and intrigues - even when describing tedious art restoration techniques.
Not all the characters are a delight. Some are actually quite repugnant in their villainy and I dreaded every time we returned to them. However, the protagonist JJ makes up for all that with her unique mix of charisma, neuroses, and pop culture references.
Judging from the bombshell last line of this book, I suspect this will not be the last time we hear from JJ. If that’s the case, I can’t wait.
June 5, 2022
Reading Framed; a crime and thriller themed novel by John M. Green was a breath of fresh air. It was refreshing to be immersed into an imagination of mystery about missing artwork pieces on a global scale. I believe the main character, Justine Jego (JJ), is a strong protagonist. I loved the background information we get to read about her regarding her childhood and living with a difficult detective father. This provides a perfect understanding of the life JJ is leading; her solitude, career and passion for art throughout the novel. I was absorbed in the amount of research that has been written in this novel about the missing artwork pieces, especially the ones stolen in the infamous 1990 robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The analyses of the paintings were very well described and made me feel like I was in an art gallery viewing the priceless pieces. The shadowy underworld of organised crime that JJ falls into provides the thrilling backdrop to this novel too. It pulls you in with suspense and a loathing for the two villains; Nessa and Niall Farrelly, the heirs of CCN Group in Northern Ireland. This is a fantastic, gripping novel if you love reading about art and the criminal underworld.
June 19, 2022
Framed is Australian author John M Green’s sixth novel, set mainly in Sydney and Belfast.
It follows the life of JJ Jego, a seemingly lonely art conservator content in the company of
animals but always seeking a deeper connection with people, particularly given her
traumatic upbringing.
House sitting in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo JJ sees something in a neighbouring apartment
nobody has laid eyes on for decades. While questioning how this can be, JJ takes steps to
investigate and this is when trouble begins.
Most authors know by now that when reading people have their phones handy. I couldn’t
help but search for the artworks referred to in this novel given their description. I had to
see with my own eyes what JJ believed she had seen.
I can visualise John M Green’s characters and hear them speaking in their thick Irish
accents. I am always invested in a character’s journey, be it fortuitous or well deserved,
when I can relate to them or sympathise with them for their actions.
I spent many a late night reading with chapters short, the book fast paced and the need to
know what happens next. It is a triller to the very end.
It follows the life of JJ Jego, a seemingly lonely art conservator content in the company of
animals but always seeking a deeper connection with people, particularly given her
traumatic upbringing.
House sitting in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo JJ sees something in a neighbouring apartment
nobody has laid eyes on for decades. While questioning how this can be, JJ takes steps to
investigate and this is when trouble begins.
Most authors know by now that when reading people have their phones handy. I couldn’t
help but search for the artworks referred to in this novel given their description. I had to
see with my own eyes what JJ believed she had seen.
I can visualise John M Green’s characters and hear them speaking in their thick Irish
accents. I am always invested in a character’s journey, be it fortuitous or well deserved,
when I can relate to them or sympathise with them for their actions.
I spent many a late night reading with chapters short, the book fast paced and the need to
know what happens next. It is a triller to the very end.
June 22, 2022
In March 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston. To this day, they have never been recovered. “Framed” takes its inspiration from this true crime and reimagines an alternative storyline.
Art conservator JJ, spies what she believes are a couple of famous paintings through the window of a luxury Sydney apartment. One of these is “Six Sunflowers” - the Van Gogh masterpiece that was destroyed during World War 2…or was it? Befriending the apartment’s owner, JJ attempts to discover more about the painting, which leads her into a dark and treacherous underworld of International Art fraud, spanning the world, from Belfast to Monte Carlo to Sydney Harbour. Nothing is as it seems in this gripping art heist thriller, and the characters are as much of an enigma as a forged painting. Who can JJ trust, if anyone?
I love an art heist story, and this was is perfect for lovers of The Thomas Crown Affair and Ocean’s Eleven. As a bonus there is both a Netflix documentary and a podcast to delve into once you’ve finished reading? Thanks to Better Reading for sending me an advanced reading copy.
Art conservator JJ, spies what she believes are a couple of famous paintings through the window of a luxury Sydney apartment. One of these is “Six Sunflowers” - the Van Gogh masterpiece that was destroyed during World War 2…or was it? Befriending the apartment’s owner, JJ attempts to discover more about the painting, which leads her into a dark and treacherous underworld of International Art fraud, spanning the world, from Belfast to Monte Carlo to Sydney Harbour. Nothing is as it seems in this gripping art heist thriller, and the characters are as much of an enigma as a forged painting. Who can JJ trust, if anyone?
I love an art heist story, and this was is perfect for lovers of The Thomas Crown Affair and Ocean’s Eleven. As a bonus there is both a Netflix documentary and a podcast to delve into once you’ve finished reading? Thanks to Better Reading for sending me an advanced reading copy.
June 21, 2022
Thank you to Better Reading for an advanced free copy in exchange for a review. The art heist of Vincent van Gogh's Six Sunflowers painting got me hooked on this novel. I love plots based on a true story. JJ is an art conservator in Sydney and she is house-sitting for her boss in Finger Wharf apartments in Woolloomooloo where Russell Crowe lives. Accidentally she saw the glimpse of Six Sunflowers that was destroyed in Japan in 1945 when she was taking a picture. She is then trying to uncover the mystery and is involved with the crime family who is trying to locate their missing artworks.
With the help of her estranged father, JJ reconnected with her father to find a way if the artworks were genuine or fake. The story runs from Belfast, Monaco, and Sydney, this is a fast-paced thriller based on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Theft. The Author must have done intensive research to come up with this crime story. A great read for the love of crime, thriller, and mystery stories and maybe there will be a sequel to this?
With the help of her estranged father, JJ reconnected with her father to find a way if the artworks were genuine or fake. The story runs from Belfast, Monaco, and Sydney, this is a fast-paced thriller based on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Theft. The Author must have done intensive research to come up with this crime story. A great read for the love of crime, thriller, and mystery stories and maybe there will be a sequel to this?
June 29, 2022
Framed by John M Green is a well written crime thriller taking place in the art world.
From Sydney to Monte Carlo to Belfast we are given a great crime story. Justine Jego aka JJ is an art conservator and she befriends CEO Brandy Edmunds. Brandy asks JJ to house sit for her while she is away for a few weeks. This is when JJ discovers stolen artwork in a home close by. Very famous artwork you couldn't miss if you knew what you were looking for. Justine gets her detective cap on and tries to get to the bottom of this mystery - are they real or fake? She tries to befriend the neighbour to get a closer look. The book takes inspiration from the art heist back in 1990 in Boston.
John M Green definitely did his research when it came to the art world. I found this book easy to devour and quite interesting. This is one I fully enjoyed.
Thank you Better Reading and Pantera Press for my advanced copy. This book will be published in Australia in August 2022. Definitely keep a lookout for this one.
From Sydney to Monte Carlo to Belfast we are given a great crime story. Justine Jego aka JJ is an art conservator and she befriends CEO Brandy Edmunds. Brandy asks JJ to house sit for her while she is away for a few weeks. This is when JJ discovers stolen artwork in a home close by. Very famous artwork you couldn't miss if you knew what you were looking for. Justine gets her detective cap on and tries to get to the bottom of this mystery - are they real or fake? She tries to befriend the neighbour to get a closer look. The book takes inspiration from the art heist back in 1990 in Boston.
John M Green definitely did his research when it came to the art world. I found this book easy to devour and quite interesting. This is one I fully enjoyed.
Thank you Better Reading and Pantera Press for my advanced copy. This book will be published in Australia in August 2022. Definitely keep a lookout for this one.
July 10, 2022
This was such an unexpected delight! Using the real stories behind some important missing paintings, like the 1990 heist of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum where 13 paintings were stolen, Framed asks what would happen if they were found. I found this to be an enjoyable & gripping page turner, and you can tell that it has been well researched. I liked the way that the three storylines were woven together - there were some reveals that had my jaw on the floor! I thought JJ was fantastic, and even when I was reading about her past with her father or her day to day life, there was something there that had me eagerly turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. This mix of the art world, shady criminal activities, and family drama & dysfunction was fantastic, and I can’t wait to read more by John M. Green.
Thanks to Pantera Press & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Pantera Press & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2022
Art Conservator, JJ, likes to keep a low profile. Just as everything seems to be going smoothly for her, she finds herself embroiled in a world of underground figures, drug cartels, international art thieves and murder. Curiosity gets the better of her when she spies a Van Gogh masterpiece thought to be destroyed during the Second World War, and before long she finds herself needing to approach her estranged detective father to get to the bottom of the mystery.
In a tale that takes us from Sydney Harbour to Monte Carlo, “Framed” by John M. Green, is full of detailed information and vibrant characters. The missing art works are real and the events of the book, while fictional, are entirely plausible. This is a great read - 4 stars. Thanks to Better Reading for the advance copy and chance to review.
In a tale that takes us from Sydney Harbour to Monte Carlo, “Framed” by John M. Green, is full of detailed information and vibrant characters. The missing art works are real and the events of the book, while fictional, are entirely plausible. This is a great read - 4 stars. Thanks to Better Reading for the advance copy and chance to review.
August 9, 2022
John M Green has done it again and written another brilliant crime thriller. Locating the heroine, JJ, in Sydney and as a professional employee of the Art Gallery of NSW, it had a personal appeal for me.
With the focus of the plot being on stolen masterpieces of art, it is highly informative and a rivetting read for those who are interested in paintings. I loved the suspense and had to discipline myself to not burn the midnight oil and keep reading because of the need to know what was going to happen next. The incredible research that the author undertook to get much of the technical details right was very evident. I like that he ended the book with a "teaser".....obviously, we will hear more of the heroine, JJ.
With the focus of the plot being on stolen masterpieces of art, it is highly informative and a rivetting read for those who are interested in paintings. I loved the suspense and had to discipline myself to not burn the midnight oil and keep reading because of the need to know what was going to happen next. The incredible research that the author undertook to get much of the technical details right was very evident. I like that he ended the book with a "teaser".....obviously, we will hear more of the heroine, JJ.
August 13, 2022
An art heist mystery/thriller set in Sydney, Australia.
The opening page had me hooked, lifted directly from the Smithsonian magazine, an article about the great art robbery of 1990. None of the artworks were ever recovered.
Justine "JJ" Jego is an art conservator house & dog sitting for her boss in Wooloomooloo, when she spots something unusual one night in the apartments across the harbour.
Insert Veronica Mars plotline here, has JJ stumbled across a master forger or could the photos she took be of the real deal? Where are they now?
Dull in patches unless you're hugely into art, with a cliffhanger ending. The original heist is not a part of the plot except to be explained away by the novel's antagonists.
The opening page had me hooked, lifted directly from the Smithsonian magazine, an article about the great art robbery of 1990. None of the artworks were ever recovered.
Justine "JJ" Jego is an art conservator house & dog sitting for her boss in Wooloomooloo, when she spots something unusual one night in the apartments across the harbour.
Insert Veronica Mars plotline here, has JJ stumbled across a master forger or could the photos she took be of the real deal? Where are they now?
Dull in patches unless you're hugely into art, with a cliffhanger ending. The original heist is not a part of the plot except to be explained away by the novel's antagonists.
November 6, 2022
✍️When art conservator JJ spots a long lost Van Gogh and Rembrandt masterpiece through the window of an apartment, she is set out on a mission to find out if they are genuine or fake.
This book was STUNNING! I Relished it from start to finish. Upon reading the Synopsis alone I was won over by its intrigue and cleverness. Following that, as I commenced the first chapter I instantly fell in love with the elegant writing style full of erudition, cognisance and modernisation throughout.
I liked the many chapters in the story and the fact that they were short as well as the alternate character narratives. There was a multitude of worldly themes including suspense, heist, action, crime, murder. I was kept in captivation and guessing till the end.
Highly recommend!
This book was STUNNING! I Relished it from start to finish. Upon reading the Synopsis alone I was won over by its intrigue and cleverness. Following that, as I commenced the first chapter I instantly fell in love with the elegant writing style full of erudition, cognisance and modernisation throughout.
I liked the many chapters in the story and the fact that they were short as well as the alternate character narratives. There was a multitude of worldly themes including suspense, heist, action, crime, murder. I was kept in captivation and guessing till the end.
Highly recommend!
January 11, 2023
I really enjoyed the premise of the novel which was neatly pulled together despite taking place across the world in Monte Carlo, Belfast and Sydney.
My own art expertise is somewhat limited - I know what I like and recognise the more well known pieces - but I learned a lot about various aspects of the art world and Vincent van Goh's works in particular. The storyline suggests significant research by the author but there is no sense of the uninitiated being "hammered" with historical or technical information as this is cleverly woven into the story.
The book's surprise ending leaves me thinking there will be more to come.
My own art expertise is somewhat limited - I know what I like and recognise the more well known pieces - but I learned a lot about various aspects of the art world and Vincent van Goh's works in particular. The storyline suggests significant research by the author but there is no sense of the uninitiated being "hammered" with historical or technical information as this is cleverly woven into the story.
The book's surprise ending leaves me thinking there will be more to come.
April 2, 2023
A very good novel by an erudite author. This is a mystery for art lovers. Set in Sydney, it revolves around missing paintings surfacing. One, a Vincent Van Gogh, was thought to have been destroyed at the end of World War Two.
Our protagonist, JJ, is an art conservator at a Sydney gallery. She also happens to be, maybe, a descendant of said Van Gogh. The novel is well-constructed, if improbable at times, but reading these books often involves maintaining a sense of disbelief. The ending was a little disappointing for me, as it seems to require a sequel. I certainly learned a heck of a lot about art authentication, most of which I believe to be true.
Our protagonist, JJ, is an art conservator at a Sydney gallery. She also happens to be, maybe, a descendant of said Van Gogh. The novel is well-constructed, if improbable at times, but reading these books often involves maintaining a sense of disbelief. The ending was a little disappointing for me, as it seems to require a sequel. I certainly learned a heck of a lot about art authentication, most of which I believe to be true.
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