I’m a big fan of caper novels so Scott Von Doviak’s Charlesgate Confidential, loosely based on the heist of paintings worth millions from the Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum, intrigued me from the first page. The plot of Charlesgate Confidential runs on three tracks. The first track is set in 1946 where the heist takes place. The second track is set in 1986 when the Charlesgate–once an elite Boston hotel–serves a college dormitory. The third track, in 2014, finds the Charlesgate transformed again as an up-scale condominium complex.
Charlesgate Confidential resembles a screwball comedy with wacky–but dangerous!–characters either pulling off the heist in 1946, or trying to find the missing million dollar artwork in 1986 and 2014. Shuffling back and forth between the time-lines is tricky, but Scott Von Doviak manages to juggle all the characters and schemes brilliantly.
It’s impressive that Von Doviak captures the tenor of the times from the criminal milieu of 1946, to the drug and alcohol fueled students living in the Charlesgate dorm in 1986, to the swanky Charlesgate condo residents in 2014. If you’re looking for an entertaining caper novel, I highly recommend Charlesgate Confidential. GRADE: A-
Glad you liked it. I’ve have this on my hold list at the library. ,Just waiting for it to come in.
Steve, you’ll enjoy many of the wacky touches Von Doviak includes in this caper novel.
That’s funny. I’m reading a mystery where the actual Gardner Museum theft of 1990 is a key component. I like most of the Hard Case Crime books I read, and will put this one on the list.
Jeff, the plot is a little tricky, but you’ll enjoy the story arc.
I see my local branch of the library has one on the shelf.
Jeff, you’ll find a lot to like in CHARLESGATE CONFIDENTIAL.
i was thinking of the Gardner theft in 1990 when I began this review. Sounds goodl
Patti, the Gardner heist “inspired” CHARLESGATE CONFIDENTIAL.
George, I don’t often come across Hard Case Crime paperbacks but when I do, I buy them promptly. The covers are attractive and the books are printed well with excellent font and typeface.
Prashant, I’ve bought HARD CASE CRIME paperbacks for over a decade. Usually, HARD CASE CRIME reprints classic crime novels, but they’ve been branching out with original novels like CHARLESGATE CONFIDENTIAL.
Yeah, this was on The Rap Sheet yesterday too.
What, no Steely Dan post ???????????
Rick, my STEELY DAN post will be up on Saturday. I’m still processing the experience.
What was the name of that book?
Bob, I bought the first HARD CASE CRIME book, GRIFTER’S GAME by Lawrence Block, back in 2004.