The Incomplete Artist: Novel Review

Welcome back, dear reader!

The temperatures are rising, the sun is bright and brutal, it’s summer! One thing I have been trying to do more is eat healthier. If you follow my Twitter or Instagram, you may have noticed a rise in food pictures! If you have any good recipes, let me know (you can @ me on Twitter or send me a message through my Contact page!)

This is another Blackthorn Book Tours review, so I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I do need to warn you, this review contains some serious spoilers, only because I needed to explain some things in-depth.

So don’t read my review if you don’t want anything spoiled!

The Author

So I looked and looked and Philip Wyeth does not seem to have an author photo anywhere. Not on his website, Instagram, or Facebook.

Inspired by such unique writers as Heinrich von Kleist, Ambrose Bierce, Joseph Conrad, and Len Deighton, Wyeth’s explosive novels will resonate with fans of Philip K. Dick, Harry Harrison, Robert Sheckley, George Orwell, Michel Houellebecq, and Neal Stephenson. — Wyeth’s website

Wyeth is a mystery author whose works include Hot Ash and the Oasis Defect, Reparations Mind, and Reparations USA.

The Novel

In the hi-tech world of 2045, where even artists are threatened by the encroaching tide of automation, a self-proclaimed anachronistic group called Movement 24 both asserts and defends the value of human creativity. But along with popular acclaim come the temptations of greed, and now M-24's idealistic quirks risk crossing over into fanaticism. Or... have they already gone too far?

While Ash explores this peculiar niche of society to track down a killer, she is also forced to confront some of her own worst flaws. Her heart, her mind, and her instincts all vie for center stage in a battle of conflicting priorities—but can the pursuit of truth and justice coexist with personal ambition and the quest for contentment? An intense, complex, and enigmatic heroine, Ashley Westgard is well on her way to earning a place in the pantheon of famous female sleuths.

— The Incomplete Artist Amazon landing page

The second book in a series of mysteries, The Incomplete Artist is a standalone story following Detective Ash as her date to an art auction goes wrong. One interesting thing about the world this is set in is the fact that it’s in a sci-fi future where technology is pretty advanced.

The Review

Just your reminder that there are spoilers beyond this point. You’ve been warned!

I was really excited for this mystery because I love futuristic settings and worlds. I also love a good mystery. Unfortunately The Incomplete Artist fell flat.

To start, the sci-fi elements are rather lacking. There was a lot of potential in this story as Ash meets with some artists who have formed a group to protest robots interfering with the art industry. They argue that robots may paint the perfect painting, but it’s not art because a robot doesn’t suffer doubt or inspiration. It can only execute a task. As a statement, these artists always leave a blank spot in a painting or a part of a sculpture unfinished, because a robot couldn’t do that. I found that fascinating. I had hoped that maybe the murder would somehow link to that theme. But not so. I won’t spoil the final reveal, but the motive ended up being rather mundane.

Next, not a lot happens in this book. The pacing is completely off and there is no sense of suspense or danger. Ash doesn’t really do much in the way of investigating either. First off, the murder didn’t happen until about 30% of the way into the book. After that, Ash’s efforts to find the murderer is to have three conversations (about art and the world of art, rather than suspects, motives etc), then she asks someone for help, and he tells her to review the film footage she has of the event and look for someone with suspicious facial expressions. Then she finds the killer and goes to the killer’s apartment to find another body, then gets the murderer. Who then confesses everything without so much a lawyer or any sign of defense.

On top of that, Ash is presented as one thirsty cop. She comes on strong with her date, who seems barely interested in her, and at one point, even collapses in lust against him with a gasp when he shows the slightest interest.

She can barely concentrate on her work because she is upset that the guy doesn’t return her calls, and then — at the end — it’s just more flirting and nothing to show for it.

Overall, I was disappointed. The lack of suspense, tension, and initiative from the main character made for a bland read. The story had a lot of potential with the world Wyeth established and the technology, but never leverages it. You only see a single robotic bartender at the beginning and that’s it.

I do want to call out that there were a lot of puns in the beginning, which I loved. So call out to Wyeth for also being a lover of puns!

1/10

x PLM