Giotto's Hand

General Bottando of Rome's Art Theft Squad is in trouble: his theory that a single master criminal, dubbed 'Giotto', is behind a string of major art thefts has aroused the scorn of his arch enemy and rival, the bureaucrat Corrado Argan. He needs a result, and the confession of a dying woman may just provide the vital clue. In pursuit of the elusive Giotto, Bottando's colleague, Flavia di Stefano, sets off hotfoot for Florence, and English art dealer Jonathan Argyll is dispatched to London and then on to rural Norfolk...only to discover a body and a mystery which could lead to the greatest art find of his career... (Fantastic Fiction)

Book descriptions

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0425173585, Paperback)

General Bottando of Rome's Art Theft Squad believes a lone criminal mastermind-dubbed "Giotto"-has been stealing priceless Renaissance art for over 30 years. But his theory is scorned by archrival Corrado Argan, a bureaucrat more interested in politics than policing.

Bottando's right hand, the beautiful Flavia di Stefano, quickly locates a possible culprit-but he's in England. Since the conniving Argan considers even a trip across town an unnecessary expense for Bottando's squad, Flavia must rely on her fiancé, Jonathan Argyll. In England on business, he finds the suspect suspiciously dead. That's a pity-especially for Jonathan. Were he not on the scene-raving about art thefts and coincidences-the police may have ruled that the deceased had a few too many and tripped on a loose stair. Now, Jonathan's passport has been lifted until Her Majesty's magistrate is satisfied that he has told all he knows...

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:12 -0400)