Renowned portrait painter Charles Honeybath receives a request from a man who wants him to paint someone about whom he will give no information. Calling him Mr. X, the man says only that the person in mind is a bit insane, and that Mr. X's famous family (how they are famous he won't say) would like to have their relative's portrait made. He tells Honeybath that he has exactly two weeks to paint the picture, and that it must be done at Mr. X's place of residence. Honeybath is somewhat intrigued, and then he is taken away in the dark of night to his new temporary lodgings, where for the next two weeks he remains under some rather bizarre conditions. When he is dismissed, he finds himself under suspicion from the police -- it seems that during his absence, the bank next door to Honeybath's studio had been robbed. Honeybath must not only clear his name, but he wants to get to retrieve the portrait he'd painted, which he considers one of his best works.
This book is quite good. The writing is excellent and the story is strange enough to hold the reader's attention throughout. I read it in one sitting -- it gripped me from the beginning and never let up. Honeybath is an interesting character, well executed and believable. The end is a little rushed but otherwise this was a really good read. Definitely recommendable to readers of British mystery.
This book is quite good. The writing is excellent and the story is strange enough to hold the reader's attention throughout. I read it in one sitting -- it gripped me from the beginning and never let up. Honeybath is an interesting character, well executed and believable. The end is a little rushed but otherwise this was a really good read. Definitely recommendable to readers of British mystery.
