In 1473, a brotherhood hides a secret within the work
of the visionary Hieronymus Bosch. In modern day England Nicholas Laverne, a
disgraced priest, returns with an artefact that could destroy the Church and
the art world. However, secrets like that could kill.
Art, murder and the Catholic Church. No,
it isn’t the Da Vinci Code. The Bosch Deception by Alex Connor has a
lot of potential to be interesting; however I wished I didn’t have to read
through to the end of this book.
The Bosch Deception
spends the first third explaining the back story prior to the book’s events and
the next third catching other characters up with what’s happened so far. The
final sliver of the book stumbles towards the ending like a runner who
remembered they were in a race and bolts for the finishing line. It is so stuck
in explaining and re-explaining the past that at times it becomes unclear if
the story is talking about the past or if the present is just passing by very
quickly.
The book is overwritten, borderlining
melodramatic. It continuously points out the obvious without allowing the
reader to make their own deductions as to how this character is feeling or what
the atmosphere is. Points are laboured over; for this character, this action
might be worth it, but it might not, BUT
it might. Adverbs are overused, along with clumsy description. For example; "as
comfortable as an onion in its skin, Philip Preston strode into the gallery".
Remembering most of the characters is
difficult as they are dull and serve little to no purpose. For example, Honor
does nothing except tell the reader about what it was like to grow up with
Nicholas. A fairly simple expository role, yet she stays throughout the story
and offers little to the actual plot. Also, the pun that a woman who practises
law and is the good girl in the Laverne family has the name Honor is immensely
cringeworthy. Some of the characters are interesting – a personal favourite is
Sabine Monette. She is older than the
rest with a past and motivation that had the potential to create a fascinating
character. Sadly, she is underused.
One of the story’s main hooks is that this
secret would destroy the Catholic Church’s reputation. However, it is difficult
to imagine anything is more shocking than the child abuse cases that made the
news. The cases are briefly mentioned in the latter half of the story, but it
feels like a clumsy acknowledgement.
The Bosch Deception explores
the theme of religion well, comparing its purpose in the old world to a modern
day business corporation. However, despite being a murder-mystery with plenty
of dead bodies and an unknown threat, little tension is created. Ultimately, a
frustrating and disappointing reading, not something I would buy, recommend or
reread in my own time.
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