The Art of Death by David Fennell

Art just got very grim! I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw the blurb and am thrilled today to share my review of The Art of Death by David Fennell today as part of the blog tour. Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb:

London's latest art installation is a real killer . . .

An underground artist leaves three glass cabinets in Trafalgar Square that contain a gruesome installation: the corpses of three homeless men.

With the artist promising more to follow, newly-promoted Detective Inspector Grace Archer and her caustic DS, Harry Quinn, must race against time to follow what few clues have been left by a savvy killer.

As more bodies are exhibited at London landmarks and live streamed on social media, Archer and Quinn's pursuit of the elusive killer becomes a desperate search.

But when Archer discovers that the killer might be closer than she originally thought - she realises that he has his sights set firmly on her . . .

He is creating a masterpiece. 

And she will be the star of his show.

The Art of Death was published by Zaffre on 4th February 2021 and is available from Bookshop, Hive, Waterstones, Amazon and all good booksellers. 

 

My Review:

Well this was quite a ride! If I could have read this in one sitting I would have. I resented stopping for food, work, general adulting and, you know, a bit of sleep. What I'm trying to say is The Art of Death grabbed me from the get go and kept me turning the pages. 

DI Grace Archer is starting a new job at Charing Cross Police Station. She has a bit of history with the station which means she is greeted generally with wariness, suspicion and, in some cases, downright hostility. But her partner DS Harry Quinn is an exception and welcomes the new DI. He's just caught a case - members of the public are complaining that a new art installation, commissioned for the Lord Mayor's Show, in a nearby square is indecent and offensive. On arrival, Archer and Quinn discover the horrific true nature of the artwork... and set about trying to find the artist,  who is only known as @nonymous. 

Grace Archer is an interesting character. Efficient and effective, she is 'a straight down to business kind of girl, and much of the time we don't see much in the way of warmth from her. Fennell has painted a full portrait of a woman who has learned not to let her feelings show, not at work in front of colleagues anyway. And she has her reasons to do that, not only to fit in with her male peers but to keep some of her own memories locked away. What happens when they get out is vividly described by the author. And we see her armour crack open in her dealings with her grandfather, with whom she is staying. You can feel the genuine love and warmth between the two of them and the concern Grace has for his health. Something any of us with ageing parents or grandparents can relate to. And the professional relationship that develops between her and Quinn shows a growing trust and respect whilst never crossing boundaries. 

I adored Harry. He's the perfect partner for Archer. Straight up, solid, the kind of guy you know has got your back. I reckon he'd be great company in the pub too! He also has his secrets, but they don't stop him doing his job properly and being a reliable ally and back up for Grace. Beautifully drawn. Other characters that particularly stood out were Klara and Jordan - the latter brought tears to my eyes.  

The first chapter of this book is creepy as anything, and should serve as a warning to us all. A man sits in a café watching a possible target whilst searching her social media presence to flesh out the details and maybe point him towards further useful information such as her address. Whilst sitting there he also checks in on other possible victims and checks out people coming into the café with the same purpose in mind. It makes you stop and think about your own social media usage and how much you share - it did me anyway. And later @nonymous showcases his art on the same social media platforms, knowing it's the best way to obtain fame and notoriety. Although, I don't think that was his ultimate aim. I think he just wanted people to see his art and be shocked. 

The book follows the frantic race to stop @nonymous before he can display any more of his gruesome art. Before he even begins to make it. It's so well written that I was totally invested in it. There were moments when I held my breath as I turned the page, moments when my heart missed a beat, and at least one moment when I actually shouted out in shock. 

The Art of Death is an original, gripping and exciting crime thriller full of tension with two cracking leads. It's current and relevant, and should make us all think more carefully about the information we share publicly online. 

Before I go I just have to mention a couple of lighter moments that made me chuckle - an exchange between Grace and the new squeeze of a former boyfriend and the name of a takeaway that features in the investigation - genius. 

The Author:

David Fennell was born and raised in Belfast before leaving for London at the age of eighteen with £50 in one pocket and a dog-eared copy of Stephen King's The Stand in the other. He jobbed as a chef, waiter and bartender for several years before starting a career in writing for the software industry. He has been working in CyberSecurity for fourteen years and is a fierce advocate for information privacy.

To find out more, visit his website: www.davidfennell.co.uk and follow him on Twitter: @davyfennell