A young reporter is caught up in a deadly centuries-long treasure hunt in this puppyish but brainy debut, a thriller steeped in arcane lore and exotic history. When Paul Tomm, a reporter for the Lincoln Carrier
, a small Connecticut newspaper, looks into the demise of Jaan Pühapäev, an elderly academic found dead in his cluttered house, nothing seems out of the ordinary—until the pathologist performing the autopsy is himself killed in a freak car accident. Various locals and acquaintances offer reminiscences of the late professor that suggest Pühapäev was an extremely complicated (and perhaps dangerous) character. Tomm's discoveries lead him to a lovely young woman, a network of international smugglers and hidden alchemical libraries. Appealing more to the intellect than to the emotions, the book is slowed by the catalogue-like descriptions of precious objects that close many chapters, while the protagonist, however likable, is often too naïve to be entirely credible. Still, some deft plotting and lively writing bode well for the author's future literary endeavors. Agent, James V. Rutman at Sterling Lord Literistic. (Feb. 7)
Forecast:
Fasman's novel may ride the coattails of
The Da Vinci Code, though it has more in comm0n with Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason's
Rule of Four or Carlos Ruiz Zafón's
Shadow of the Wind.
Seven-city author tour.
