A review by ahsimlibrarian
Waking Raphael, by Leslie Forbes

4.0

BookList: Forbes' latest departs from India, the setting of her previous literary thrillers--Bombay Ice (1998) and Fish, Blood and Bone (2001)--and moves to idyllic Urbino, Italy, birthplace of Renaissance painter Raphael. Deftly exploring connections between art, religion, and politics, Forbes layers her mystery with lush imagery and palpable human drama. When the Raphael painting that she is commissioned to work on is attacked, Charlotte Penton, a prim English divorcee and art restorer, finds herself embroiled in a plot involving deadly secrets and betrayals from the past. As Charlotte and her rival, the sexy Canadian Donna, look for answers in the painting, they become entangled in the mystery of San Rocco, a village whose destruction during World War II hides another sordid secret protected by powerful men. Numerous digressions on such matters as the mechanics of hoax miracles and Italian cuisine add flavor and depth to the novel but also diminish the suspense. A good choice for fans of Arturo Perez-Reverte and Iain Pears or for the Italy-bound. -- MishaStone (BookList, 05-01-2004, p1506)