And so begins my 2004 Christmas book glut. Of the dozen books I received as gifts (possibly a new personal best) I cracked this one first and began my traditional holiday reading binge (newly improved with two screaming kids!).

The Flanders Panel shares many themes (antiquities, old men selling off heirlooms to thwart financial oblivion, and baroquely twisted plots to name a few) with The Club Dumas, but overall it's a better novel. The characters are more engaging, the plot is more tightly orchestrated, and the conclusion, though still stretching the boundaries of plausibility, is more satisfying. I was thoroughly immersed, and even though I had severe doubts through much of the novel's middle that Perez-Reverte could pull off a convincing ending, I was satisfied by the way the loose ends were tied up. The Flanders Panel is a well-written and brainy mystery/thriller.