False Impression

Art historian Anna Petrescu's dramatic escape from the damaged North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11 provides the most memorable and harrowing moments in this novel of international intrigue, expertly rendered by reader Byron Jennings. The story focuses on the world of the titled class and the super-rich, specifically on the question of who will own Van Gogh's masterpiece SELF-PORTRAIT WITH BANDAGED EAR. As the story moves from country to country--New York to Britain to Romania--Petrescu must stay ahead of multiple competitors determined to acquire the painting, including a female assassin. Jennings handles myriad accents and tongue-twisting phrases with professionalism. The international chase is filled with believable characters, interesting locales, and multiple plot twists. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine


A no-holds-barred New York banker, a former Sotheby's art expert, a Japanese mogul, an FBI agent, the KGB, and a titled English lady all fight for a Van Gogh painting worth millions. The action ricochets from New York to Britain to Romania, where a copy is made, to Tokyo and back through Europe as the expert tries to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, who include an ultra-evil female assassin. Byron Jennings's reading complements the exciting pace, and he gets all the accents right, no small task. The plot pushes credibility, but the abridgment makes sense, so come along for the chase. J.B.G. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine