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Rating:  Summary: Lovejoy (and Gash) Improve with Age Review: I hope Jonathan Gash is not peaking, because this is certainly his best Lovejoy novel. As a fan, I have read all of them and although the progression has been doubtful at times, I believe this auther has indeed come into his own with this effort. Lovejoy remains the loveable scallywag antiques divy. The combination of love of antiques, women, scams, money and nosh present this wonderful character at his best. Yes, most of the time, Lovejoy is on the wrong side of the law and may be scamming his friends; however, this story reaffirms the "heart of gold" we know is lurking within. He sets out to save a woman (with whom he made "smiles") and her son, taken to the cleaners by an antiques dealer even more unscrupulous than Lovejoy. He accomplishes his goals with usual bungling and remains somewhat confused to the end, but the reader is on Lovejoy's side the whole time. And, of course, there is the question, "Is Mortimer Lovejoy's love child?" You decide. Gash presents a unique view of England, the antiques trade and a delightful read from every angle.
Rating:  Summary: Lovejoy (and Gash) Improve with Age Review: I hope Jonathan Gash is not peaking, because this is certainly his best Lovejoy novel. As a fan, I have read all of them and although the progression has been doubtful at times, I believe this auther has indeed come into his own with this effort. Lovejoy remains the loveable scallywag antiques divy. The combination of love of antiques, women, scams, money and nosh present this wonderful character at his best. Yes, most of the time, Lovejoy is on the wrong side of the law and may be scamming his friends; however, this story reaffirms the "heart of gold" we know is lurking within. He sets out to save a woman (with whom he made "smiles") and her son, taken to the cleaners by an antiques dealer even more unscrupulous than Lovejoy. He accomplishes his goals with usual bungling and remains somewhat confused to the end, but the reader is on Lovejoy's side the whole time. And, of course, there is the question, "Is Mortimer Lovejoy's love child?" You decide. Gash presents a unique view of England, the antiques trade and a delightful read from every angle.
Rating:  Summary: An interesting mystery Review: If Lovejoy had to choose between an antique and a beautiful caring woman, he would choose the former, as he loves to collect old-fashion items. Legalities or a cash shortfall fail to stop Lovejoy from the pleasure of obtaining an antique.Dosh Callaghan hires Lovejoy to find out who substituted a shipment of padpas (precious gems) for tsavorite (a semi-precious but worthless stone). Lovejoy travels to London where he goes to visit his cronies Colette and Arthur Goldhorn, owners of a King's Road antique store. However, he learns that Arthur died and Dieter Gluck owns the store and the Goldhorn ancestral home. Colette lives on the streets as a bag lady working for her former lover Gluck. Lovejoy decides to right the wrong perpetrated by Gluck. He assembles a squad of eccentric charcaters to help him with his crazy scheme to sting a con artist. However, a joker appears when Lovejoy meets Colette's son Mortimer who bears a resemblance to Lovejoy and has the same gift of knowing a fake from a genuine article. The twenty-first Lovejoy mystery remains as droll, witty, and entertaining as the previous score of novels. Although the street slang spoken by some of the charcaters initially distracts from the story line, the audience quickly adjusts and feels they are wandering along the back streets of London. The hero knows his antiques and educates the reader even if it is from the wrong side of the law. Lovejoy remains a likable chap who still schemes and plots in a Sergeant Bilko (TV show not the movie) sort of amiable way. Harriet Klausner
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