Stonebreakers

by Philip Hook

1945, an art historian leads a convoy towards Dresden. Fifty years later, Oswald Ginn is sent a photograph of a masterpiece presumed destroyed in the bombing of Dresden. As the art world speculates, three people are propelled on an international search, and someone sits back and watches.

Genres: Fiction

Audio Cassette

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Philip Hook joined Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Department as the senior specialist in 1994. Sotheby’s is the most prestigious Fine Art Auction House in the UK. He read History of Art at the University of Cambridge where he also won a soccer blue. In 1973 Philip joined Christie’s directly from University. He headed Christie’s 19th Century Paintings Department from 1980 to 1987. In between working at the two auction houses he founded a London art dealers, The St. James’s Art Group.

He has over 35 years of experience and expertise of the art market, he is the author of five successful novels set in the art world and his book Breakfast at Sotheby’s: An A-Z of The Art World was published by Penguin in November 2013. The latter discusses art’s value as an investment and its place in our society.

Philip has appeared regularly on The Antiques Roadshow (BBC) as a picture expert. He makes frequent public speaking appearances, covering a range of art-related subjects.

Philip’s latest book, Rogues’ Gallery: A History of Art and its Dealers (Feb 2017) exposes five centuries of history, scandals, big wins and horrifying losses in the international art world.

Reviews

[Margt · Rating 1 out of 5]

waste of time. Fortunately did as audio, so not prime time, but kept hoping it would improve and it didn't. Plot totally full of holes. Characters are unsympathetic. Interesting plot twist at the end but not worth it. There are so many better WWII art theft books out there (the nonfiction are even more compelling than the fictional ones), don't waste your time on this. Instead read The Rape of Europa by Lynn Nicholas, or The Lost Museum by Hector Feliciano.

[Mark Baines · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting construct, from the opening scenario through the different time periods; the story just dragged and didn't flow as easy reading should. There is some information pertaining to some classic painters as well as some paintings, but not really enough to hold the reader. I found myself skimming through prose in order to get to the key data, and to bring the book to a conclusion.

[Armand · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Stonebreakers has some good writing, but unfortunately the protagonist and the tone of the narrative didn't work for me. Pretty much all the main / POV characters were men with little understanding or empathy for others. They all looked down on women, and all of them were elitist art-snobs to boot.

The plot was fairly slow and ponderous, and that didn't help much either.

I got to page 140 before I finally gave up.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first review disappeared! I wanted to read a book by Philip Hook, an art expert on the British Antiques Roadshow. I ordered this online from Julie's Bookshop Ltd. in Consett, Co. Durham, England. It cost me less than $10 Canadian for the book plus shipping.

He is a good writer. The story is very suspenseful and keeps you interested right to the end. There is some good information on the bombing of Dresden during WWII.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

So intensely boring that I dropped it halfway. The author might have good knowledge on the subject but he is no storyteller, and it is certainly not a "masterful work of intrigue and deception" .. "or a new voice in suspense fiction" as the back cover claims. Good grief...wast as waste.

[Cyndie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is pointless. Its ending renders the rest of the book a complete waste of time.

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audio -- 2.5 -- a kind of international mystery of lost art in Dresden Germany during the Alied bombings and the present search for lost art.