Harvard Book Store welcomes Jonathan Santlofer—acclaimed artist and author of The Last Mona Lisa and The Lost Van Gogh—for a discussion of his new novel, Ten Perfect Guests. He will be joined in conversation by Joseph Finder—the New York Times bestselling author of 17 suspense novels.
About Ten Perfect Guests
From acclaimed artist and author of The Last Mona Lisa and The Lost Van Gogh Jonathan Santlofer, Ten Perfect Guests is a sinister thriller marrying the best of Agatha Christie with the atmospheric and lush settings of The White Lotus and Knives Out.
A lush tropical island, ten guests, and an offer they can’t refuse: attend a weekend memorial for celebrated artist Victor D’Arcangelo or… forfeit your inheritance.
The guests: D’Arcangelo’s bitter current wife, his even more bitter former wife, his estranged brother, his gallerist loaded with gambling debts, a shady European art dealer, an art collector and scandal-waiting-to-happen pharma heiress, a failed British musician, a disgruntled art critic, a degenerate son and an illegitimate daughter. Each desperate for the inheritance dangled before their hungry eyes.
When they arrive, D’Arcangelo’s assistant is there to ask them the question on which their fortunes hinge: “How did you help or harm Victor D’Arcangelo?”
Well-known as a world-class, world-famous artist, a genius but a cad, no one knows exactly what his motive was. Is he manipulating them from the grave? Or is there someone even more sinister pulling the strings?
And the biggest question of all: Who, if anyone, will survive the weekend?
Praise for Ten Perfect Guests
“A beautiful blend of golden-age charm and modern-day edge – delightful from first word to last.” —Lee Child
“Smart and amazing. A hallmark of Santlofer’s writing is that the reader learns so much. Not to mention the drawings! All of which makes the novel something special.” —Joyce Carol Oates
“Devilishly dry, dark and deadly – this gripping mystery will keep you avidly turning the pages.” —Sophie Hannah
Bios
Jonathan Santlofer is a writer and artist. His debut novel, The Death Artist was an international bestseller translated into 17 languages, and his most recent novel is The Lost Van Gogh. Jonathan created the Crime Fiction Academy as The Center for Fiction. As an artist, Jonathan has been making replications of famous paintings for wealthy clients for more than 20 years. Photo Credit: Douglas Lyle Thompson
Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of 17 suspense novels, most recently the forthcoming The Oligarch’s Daughter. His most recently published novel House On Fire is the fourth featuring “private spy” Nick Heller. His books have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics Award for Best Novel for Buried Secrets (2011), the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Novel for Killer Instinct (2006) and the Barry Award for Best Thriller for Company Man (2005). The Boston Globe has called him a “master of the modern thriller.” Two of his novels have been made into major motion pictures, including High Crimes, adapted into the hit 2002 movie starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman; and Paranoia, the 2013 film starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Liam Hemsworth. A founding member of the International Thriller Writers, as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. Joe is a graduate of Yale and the Harvard Russian Research Center. He lives in Boston.