The Bernini bust - Iain Pears

Witty art-history mystery from the author of the best-selling literary masterpiece, An Instance of the Fingerpost.

British art historian Jonathan Argyll has just sold a minor Titian to an American museum for a highly inflated price. But as he complacently awaits his cheque in the Californian sunshine, trouble erupts: the museum's billionaire owner is murdered, a dubious art dealer disappears, and a Bernini bust, apparently smuggled out of Italy, is missing.

Things could hardly be worse, and the situation calls for assistance from his friends General Bottando and Flavia di Stefano of the Italian National Art Theft Squad.especially as things do get worse - the killer's attention turns to Jonathan himself.

Cleverly mixing murder with art, The Bernini Bust is a witty and intriguing mystery from the bestselling author of An Instance of the Fingerpost.