Don’t Blink by Vanessa Robertson
A stolen painting. A gangster intent on revenge. And nothing is what it seems.
Art consultant Kate Carpenter has an off-the-books sideline in art recovery, dealing with thieves, gangsters and the occasional war criminal to reunite priceless artworks with their owners. But when she refuses a request from the owner of one missing painting, Yuri Sokolov isn’t prepared to take no for an answer.
Her knowledge has cost him millions, he wants revenge, and he isn’t planning to show any mercy. The only way that Kate can get Yuri Sokolov to keep his distance is to find out exactly what happened to his painting, but when she starts scraping away at the surface, she finds that nothing is exactly as it appears.
Don’t Blink is the first book in the Kate Carpenter series.
Vanessa Robertson has lived in Scotland for over twenty years. A former publisher and bookseller, she won the Pitch Perfect event for unpublished writers at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in Stirling in 2015.
Death Will Find Me, a crime novel set in 1920s Edinburgh featuring former spy, Tessa Kilpatrick, was her first novel, and Don't Blink, the first in a series set in the world of art crime investigator Kate Carpenter was published in May 2020, with the second, Trace Evidence, scheduled for later in the year. Vanessa has also published a short novella, Vanishing Point, introducing the character of Kate, which is available on Amazon and free via her website at www.vanessarobertson.co.uk.
Vanessa lives in a cottage in the middle of a Scottish wood with her family and ridiculously large dog. Currently, she's editing the third Kate Carpenter thriller, researching the next Tessa Kilpatrick 1920s novel, and trying not to be distracted by new plot ideas. Vanessa loves windswept beaches, the coffee-scented fug of Venetian cafes and wandering around art galleries.
Review
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I loved this book! First of all the heroine is feisty, intelligent, knowledgable, loving and very good at her job! Plus she wears Stella McCartney whilst doing it. I just want to dive into her world and stay there! I’m fascinated by the high stakes art world and the stories behind it. It’s probably why I also loved Jeffrey Archer’s last book (never in my life did I think I would say that 🙈) but it’s just the thrill of it all that intrigues me. Yes, I also loved Riveria on TV. But Vanessa has come out on top - give me an independent woman, mystery and intrigue and I’m sucked right in.
I loved the narrative of the book. Opening in Russia was a great opening and carried on from the high octave situation of the novella that I have previously reviewed on my blog. Then there is an all powerful Russian oligarch, a Russian ballet dancer boyfriend, lots of twists and turns and you have a great thriller on your hands!
Now let’s talk about Pete! I picked this book up thinking Pete and Kate would be in that relationship which was hinted at in the novella. Alas, in the opening chapter it’s clear they are no longer together. I was heartbroken! But was that the case as the book progresses…..well I’m not going to spoil it so you will have to read the book now won’t you!
In short I urge you to go buy, steal or borrow this book. We need to highlight great debuts like this as the traditional means of marketing an author is just not possible at the moment. It means that tours like this are even more important than ever at highlighting gems like this one.
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