Scavenger Reef

"Scavenger Reef" by Laurence Shames, published by SKLA. Key West artist Augie Silver's paintings are worth a fortune, if he is dead, but he may be still alive and ready to paint again; and there are those who want to make sure that he is dead. Reprint. NYT. PW. From Publishers WeeklyThe value of a supposedly deceased Key West artist's work skyrockets, though some suspect him of being alive. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistAugie Silver is a successful Key West artist whose work brings a decent, if not extraordinary, price at the finer New York galleries. Then Augie, an avid sailor, disappears into the Carribean. His wife, Nina, grieves, and his friends hoist a few to his memory. Meanwhile, Augie's agent organizes a retrospective exhibit of the Silver collection; the show is a huge success, and the value of Augie's art goes through the roof, prompting the painter's friends to realize that the pictures hanging on their walls, largely gifts from their pal Augie, are now worth a fortune. Hold everything! Here's Augie, alive again. His boat broke apart in a storm, but he floated ashore and, after a bout of amnesia, has finally returned to his beloved Nina. She's overjoyed, but Augie's friends--seeing their anticipated pile of lucre shrink--aren't so sure. Soon Arnie's life is in danger again--this time from someone trying to protect his or her investment. Carefully drawn characters--Key West eccentrics, mostly--and a languid, poetic style combine with a clever plot for an unusual and very entertaining mystery. Wes Lukowsky Book details: published 1994. Order now on BookShops.in with fast, reliable delivery across India.