Watching Over You

(Hardback)

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Description

An art crime thriller for the ages

Alternating between London and Paris in the 1940s, the 1960s, and the present, Watching Over Youexplores the provenance of a collection of paintings hidden from the plundering Nazis during World War II and the fate of the families entangled in the search for the lost artworks.

The novel touches on the themes of greed and heroism inspired by the stolen works, tracing the web of collaborators, opportunists, and art dealers who exploited the Third Reichs lust for prestigious trophies. The hero, restaurateur Michel de la Rue, walks a financial tightrope while his spendthrift head chef and brother, Antoine, depletes their strained resources. The narrative switches between Michel and Antoine's foodie tour of France (which is being filmed by a documentary TV crew), the machinations of art dealer Alain Deschamps, and his pursuersInterpols Lorenzo Pieters and the Le Monde journalist, Fabian Ritzier.

The battle between Michel trying to protect his familys precious heirloom and Alains brutal hunt for the missing paintings results in a relentless chase across the continent.

Reviews

"This gripping, evocative, and well-researched debut from a first-rate storyteller compellingly blends historical art crime thriller with an intimate portrait of family life and betrayal."

Anthony J. Quinn, author of Turncoat and Disappear

Author Bio

Simon Delaney has been working as an actor, director and writer for over twenty years in Ireland,the UK and the US. He is currently starring in The Woman in the Wall alongside Ruth Wilson(BBC/SHOWTIME).