False Impression

Starts Strong - Runs out of Gas

This story hits the ground running with a good deal of excitement and international mystery. The ending becomes clear about 3/4 of the way in, and I found myself scanning to the end. But - an enjoyable read on a cross country flight - or for the beach.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A quick read if you like easy- to mid-level thrillers. Organized into short and relatively self-contained segments to permit easy stop-and-start reading as time allows. Good enough, though, to read straight through on some rainy day or night.

A fast-paced thriller which doesn't require specific knowledge of the artists mentioned. The main 'bad guy' is pretty weakly presented, with many of his lines and actions being more cliche than original, but the author holds your interest, and in the end you can like the tale and its spinning well enough to forgive him both that weak character and his own apparent need to show his knowledge of some the less famous artists of the periods he references via the various characters' verbal and mental dialogues.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

It doesn't get better than that!

One of the most exciting,amazing,thrilling books i have ever read!Genious story!Nothing less,nothing more!

Another Thriller by Jeffrey Archer

A great leisure time read.....grabs your attention at the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end! Inateresting plot has lots of twists and turns. Interesting characters....from the power-hungry financier, to the administrative assistant with a dark past and a hidden agenda, to the FBI agent, and the English countess. All combine to make this a very enjoyable reading experience.

Keeps you on your toes! -similar to Dan Brown's DaVinci Code (but without the religion)

Great book, I learn a lot from Jeffrey Archer's books. This thriller reminded me of DaVinci Code. Good book to start wtih Jeffrey Archer, and also try Eleventh Commandment.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Another plus in the story telling of Jeffrey Archer.

Jeffrey Archer has done it again. This book is full of cunning plots and keeps the reader entertained. You just want to keep reading the book to the end.
The intrigue of the art world, a smug self righteous New York banker, a FBI agent bent on solving the crime, the English Countess ready to commit murder to avenge her sister's death, the Japanese steel magnate ready to purchase a Van Gogh painting, a secretary working as a temp to what end, an Olympic gymnast being paid for services rendered, and finally the beautiful, Anna Petrescu, who steals a priceless painting to add to this great read.
The reader is taken through the twists and turns running around New York, London, Bucharest, and Tokyo. You are also taken to the day of the terrorist's attack on the World Trade Center. Anna Petrescu is one of the survivors of this terrible act of terrorism. The attack is vividly told and one feels like they are indeed there at the scene.
The journey of all the characters in this story culminate with a hint of romance.

Cherry Blossom

FALSE IMPRESSION, Jeffery Archer

First and foremost I am an addicted as well as devoted fan of Jeffery Archer. I am an avid Reader and maintain a Books I Have Read journal which is in its 6th volume at this time, and Jeffery Archer occupies many pages in each volume.
As I read his latest work FALSE IMPRESSION I could only shake my head and wonder " How Does He Do It " ? I was as thrilled and as entertained by this book as any of the previous works by Jeffery.
I purchased FALSE IMPRESSION the evening before leaving on an auto trip for the Christmas holiday as I wanted a good book handy to occupy me over the holiday. I left on my trip the following morning and was eventually caught in a paralyzing Ice Storm that struck throughout the Midwestern United States and thus a trip with a 10 hour drive ended up a nearly 2 day trip of 21 hours. On 3 seperate ocassions all traffic was stopped dead for approximately 3 hours each time, and fortunate for me FALSE IMPRESSION was right at hand. Upon arriving at my destination 21 hours later I had finished this book, and was thrilled and wondering how long before Mr Archers next creation ?
As I previously stated I am an avid Reader of many topics, and areas but probably my favorite area is American History with World History a very close second. I most usually have 3 different books going at one time and all of differnt topics and areas of interest, and thus pick the book that fits my mind saet at that moment. If I want an entertaining, riveting fast read with a tantalizing plot I will choose Jeffery Archer, or possibly Jack Higgins. If I want a fascinating historically factual read I will choose none other than Edward Rutherfurd. While I am reading any work of the 3 mentioned authors who incidentally are of Celtic Heritage to my knowledge and all from the United Kingdom I will conjure up in my minds eye a dark rainy night with a Clan, or Tribe of people sitting around a Camp Fire, in a cave, a hut, or a deep dark forest listening to the Tribal Story Teller spin tales, and the I see Jeffery Archer, or Jack Higgins entertaining the Clan with fascinating Tales, and then enter Edward Rutherfurd and he will treat the clan with a Tale of how it actually was.
I would highly recommend to any Reader who enjoys an entertaining story with a fantastic plot, and a cast of characters you will never forget, to read any of Jeffery Archers works, and especially one of my favorites " Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less ". I could mention several others but once you've read your first Archer work you in all likelihood will be HOOKED.
In closing I wish to thank Jeff and all of the other Writer's who have filled my life with excitement, entertainment, and who have provoked my imagination. There has been no greater thrill in my life other than my first and only love, MY WIFE, and three wonderful children.
I also wish to express my profound thanks to the Barnes & Noble Book Sellers, and most especially those of the staff at Springfield, Missouri for providing a GREAT VENUE and giving me the feeling of entering a friends home each time I enter their store.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I enjoyed this one!

It may not be one of Archer's best books, but it was a fun read. I enjoyed it, the characters and the plot. In fact, I could not put it down for long.

Back on track

Although some might say it's nothing new, with goodies and baddies chasing each other through various countries, False Impression has sufficient convolutions to keep you reading, and the pace increases as you read. Typical Archer stuff, a good story

Not up to par for Archer

The ending was a predictable fizzle, almost as if the characters each had a boring script from which to read their next moves. Lacked the good plotting and rich characterization of A Dangerous Fortune, one of my favorite Archer yarns.

I've read much better ...

What a dreadful, disappointing book. I expected something better of Archer than this unbelieveable story. What a relief it was when I finally closed the cover. My last, I'm afraid, Jeffrey. Mike

Disappointing

I don't understand how anyone can think that this book was any good at all. I have read all of Jeffrey Archers' books and this one didn't even get close to the others. It was predictable and really embarrassing at times. The characters were flat and unconvincing and the repetitions endless. I feel cheated.

This is a great book!!

This book was very enjoyable. It is and exciting journey that never stops its pace. The way it is written reminds me a bit of Alexander Dumas: as soon as the action starts to slow down he switches to another character's point of view and you are off and running again.

It was excellent!

I loved this book and it was one of my favorites. It really does remind me of the Da Vinci Code.

Interesting

Though I am an avid reader of Jeffrey Archer I found the book not as thrilling as his other works. I felt that the assasin over did all the murders. I actually cringed at some of the story lines. Normally his books are fast paced and it takes me a week to read but this time it took me 3 weeks to get through the whole book

Wow, what a ride

Jeffrey Archer remains the consummate story teller. I was hooked from the very first pages of this book and had a hard time putting it down. A very enjoyable read for someone that likes to go along for the ride and simply enjoy an exciting story that is well done.

Great Book!!!

There is nothing more to say than that this was an excellent book. What a thrilling read.

Art + Mayhem= A Thrilling Read

A British aristocrat is viciously murdered on the eve of 9/11 and her priceless Van Gogh painting stolen. Art expert Anna Petrescu is in the North Tower when the palnes crash into it, but manages to exit the building without serious harm. She flies to London to try to determine what has become of the Van Gogh and why her client was murdered to obtain it. The story only 'tosses in' 9/11 as an interesting background prop for a bit of color, but the story itself is well paced, twisty without loss of cohesiveness and an exhilarating read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it late into the night.

GIFTED NARRATOR ADDS LUSTER TO WELL HONED PLOT

Bestselling British novelist Archer's life has seen many dramatic shifts. As his resume notes, he served five years in Britain's House of Commons, 14 years in the House of Lords, and two in Her Majesty's prisons. A stay behind bars dulled neither his imagination nor his pen. Known for precise plotting and tales with many twists and turns, he lives up to that reputation with False Impression. He often opens with a grabber and he does again - an older woman is murdered, her throat slit and her left ear cut off. It is the evening before 9/11. Now, this isn't just any woman of a certain age, it is Victoria Wentworth who had recently dined alone at the table 'where Wellington had dined with sixteen of his field officers the night before he set out for Waterloo.' She is downcast as a financial reversal has caused her to sell a treasured family heirloom, a Van Gogh painting. However, her worries are soon over - permanently. At about the same time in America Anna Petrescu is getting up and going out for the morning jog she usually takes before going to work at the World Trade Center. Another early riser, Bryce Fensten, has an 8:30 a.m. appointment on Wall Street. After the North Tower is hit Anna is presumed dead, and she takes advantage of what she considers to be a new lease on life by leaving New York, little knowing that she will soon be chased by the FBI and a killer. She is pursued across the world from Canada to Britain to the Orient and Europe. The question is what is the connection between Anna, the late Victoria Wentworth, wheeler-dealer Fensten, and the valuable Van Gogh? Leave it to Archer to seamlessly weave this story of art, suspense and adventure. And, leave it to actor Byron Jennings to deliver masterful readings on both the Abridged and Unabridged Editions. A veteran of stage, film and television, his trained voice adds luster to a well honed narrative. - Gail Cooke

One more on the band wagon

A famous painting on the cover of a murder mystery ¿ sound familiar? Throw in the most traumatic date in our lifetime - 9/11/01 ....although the story could have taken place any other time in the history. 9/11 is merely a plot-twist in the book ¿ a coincidence to what would otherwise be another run-of-the-mill, cat-and-mouse murder mystery. In the new ¿The Thomas Crown affair¿ towards the end, the police detective says that he does not care about an impressionistic painting that was stolen and returned while NYC is riddled with all the other crimes and miseries. That was in ordinary times. In backdrop of 9/11, as a reader I felt even less compelled to care about a Van Gogh and people who own, steal or care about it. To be fair, the actual descent and escape of Anna and others from the plane-hit North Tower is a riveting read. They are the only 6-8 pages that are `page-turners¿ in a 350 page novel.