Jacqueline Jacques

5*****

A Vibrant Picture

I enjoyed The Colours of Corruption from the first page to the last. A beautifully-written Victorian thriller set in the London suburbs of the late 19th century, with human and convincing characters struggling against greed and corruption.

Here are emigrants fighting for survival, being conned by fear and poverty into slavery – and ordinary locals trying to walk a straight path in the midst of it all – very modern themes. But what made it special for me was the way the story unfolded, the truth about the artist’s model peeling away like layers of clothing. The artist, Archie Price, is not the stuff of which heroes are made – and yet he proves a hero in the end.

The author very cleverly left us guessing until the final page – and throughout showed a true appreciation of what motivates artists, and – of course – the art of the period. Wonderful stuff and a real page-turner – I loved it! Now looking forward to her next book…