(reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
Readers will be invited into the world of art forgeries in the light crime novel, Fakists. Specifically, we learn a fascinating manner of who can benefit and how.
Tom Landsaw has just been released from prison, and subsequently we learn about the events that led him there. We also discover how talent used for revenge can land one into a lot of trouble.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I found the supporting characters to be more fascinating than the protagonist. From the eccentric visiting art professor from Ireland to the independently wealthy movie theater owner, these quirky characters add such charm and delight to the story. The character that particularly intrigued me was the forensics specialist Sunny Shimura, the surfer originally from Tokyo who was contracted by both the Los Angeles Museum of Fine Art and the FBI to detect art forgeries. I would love to read a novel featuring him and his cases and travels. In fact, a separate novel could be written by any one of these characters.
That aside, Fakists cleverly blends crime and creativity into an interesting story. It is a quick read and will add to your summer reading pleasure.
