I've been reading the Lovejoy books since the first one in the series and that is probably why I'm disappointed with this one. The first ones were so great that this one doesn't compare. Also, because Lovejoy got shanghaied, Tinker wasn't in this book and I do love Tink.

As I was reading this book I kept thinking about the reviews I've seen for Lee Child's last book [b:A Wanted Man|13359067|A Wanted Man (Jack Reacher, #17)|Lee Child|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333623254s/13359067.jpg|18587348] with readers complaining that Reacher spent 3/4 of the book riding in a car. Well, that's how I felt about this book. The first 3/4 of the book was kind of filler. We were tossed some crumbs of antique trivia to keep us around but basically it was nothing. The story that comes out in the last 1/4 of the book has enough depth and breadth to have given us a whole book's worth but, instead, we are given a short story.

Lovejoy says something interesting on p. 238: "Is there anything more useless than a prologue, a preface, a foreword, or an introduction? If they've anything to say, I always think, get on with it and stop annoying us." Couldn't have said it better myself. ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2043954.html

Another Lovejoy book, from the later end of the series, and operating very much to the formula of richly realised foreign setting (in this case a cruise ship going round the Baltic, with special attention to St Petersburg), with Lovejoy mixed p in a heist most of whose details are incomprehensible (and remain so) and his supernatural sense of detecting genuine antiques a key plot point. The harder edges of the character from the earlier books are considerably toned down, no doubt under the influence of the TV series, and he doesn't actually manage to have sex with anyone until more than half way through (though then vigorously makes up for the delay). ( )