A Caper in the Canvas: The Modigliani Scandal Review

The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett is an early art-world thriller that reveals the foundations of a master storyteller.

Synopsis: The Modigliani Scandal

In this fast-paced, sharply satirical thriller, Ken Follett peels back the polished veneer of the art world to reveal a chaotic tangle of ambition, greed, and deceit. When rumors surface about a missing Modigliani masterpiece, a cast of scheming, desperate characters begins a frenzied hunt—not for the sake of beauty or history, but for power, revenge, and survival.

At the center is Dee Sleign, an ambitious art historian willing to risk everything for her career. Her investigation into the lost painting ignites a cascade of opportunistic schemes: a young artist plotting an act of revenge, a struggling gallery owner with debts and secrets, and various art world players willing to cross any line for a taste of fortune or redemption.

Set across London and Italy, the novel moves with heist-like momentum, blending sharp wit with a cynical lens on how value and authenticity are often manufactured as easily as forged brushstrokes. Follett crafts a tale that’s both light on the surface and sharply observant beneath, critiquing the very institutions that claim to uphold artistic integrity.

Review: The Modigliani Scandal

An early art-world thriller that reveals the foundations of a master storyteller.

The Modigliani Scandal is an early novel by Ken Follett, written and set in the 1970s, that delves into the murky and sometimes absurd world of the international art scene. With a cast that includes gallery owners, struggling artists, historians, critics, and shady investors, the book paints a layered (and often satirical) picture of a world driven as much by reputation and deception as it is by creativity.

Unlike Follett’s sprawling historical epics or tightly wound espionage thrillers, this novel is much shorter and lighter in tone—more of a caper than a conspiracy. Still, his signature strength in plot construction is on full display. The way the different threads of the art world are pulled together into a single, interwoven narrative hints at the storytelling Ken Follett would become renowned for in his later novels.

That said, the emotional depth that marks Follett’s later work—his ability to make readers invest deeply in the characters and their journeys—is somewhat lacking here. The characters feel more like archetypes or vehicles for the plot rather than fully fleshed-out individuals, which keeps the story from achieving the impact it might have with amore emotional resonance.

It’s also worth noting that this is not a typical Follett thriller. If you’re expecting the intensity of Eye of the Needle or the sweeping drama of Pillars of the Earth, this won’t scratch that itch. Instead, it’s a clever, occasionally humorous look at fraud, ambition, and forgery in the fine art world—complete with a few twists and double-crosses.

Conclusions:

While The Modigliani Scandal doesn’t rank among Ken Follett’s best, it’s still a readable and tightly plotted novel that offers insight into his early development as a writer. It’s especially interesting for fans of his later work who want to see where it all began. Just go in with the expectation that this is Follett finding his feet—not yet the powerhouse author he would become.

Recommended for: Readers interested in art world thrillers, fans of light literary capers, or Ken Follett completists or just curious about his early work.

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