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| Author | Christopher Bollen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Harper |
Publication date | January 28, 2020 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-285388-2 (1st ed. Hardcover) |
| OCLC | 1090282704 |
| 813/.6 | |
| LC Class | PS3602.O6545 B43 2020 |
A Beautiful Crime is a 2020 crime fiction novel by the American writer and editor Christopher Bollen. It is Bollen's fourth novel and was written in 2018 during a residency in Paris. The novel was first published in the United States by Harper on January 28, 2020.
The story, which is set in Venice, centers on boyfriends Nick Brink and Clay Guillory, who sell an inherited collection of forged silver antiques to a wealthy acquaintance from Clay's past. Their deception quickly leads to more serious crimes, as Clay attempts to sell an expensive property that he does not fully own and Nick murders a silver appraiser who threatened to expose their initial scheme. Bollen described A Beautiful Crime as his most personal novel to date, and elements of the plot and character backgrounds are inspired by his own life. The novel explores the overtourism and depopulation of Venice, and the intersection of greed, morality, and social class.
A Beautiful Crime was a finalist for the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the mystery/thriller category. It received a mixed critical reception; reviewers generally praised Bollen's depictions of Venice and the relationships between the characters but disagreed on the effectiveness of the narrative's pace. The book has drawn comparisons to novels by Patricia Highsmith, particularly The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955).