Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 is a work of fiction with mystery and suspense themes and was penned by author Rich DiSilvio. We return to the adventures of the titular character Armand Arnolfini as he delves into the art world once more for another series of cases. In these new adventures, Armand has his wife Andrea in tow and the pair is keen to explore the mysteries of lost and forgotten works, whilst also picking up trouble along the way. Between the killers and the forgers, readers will discover an amazing world of mastery from artists they know of and artists they should know of even more so.

Author Rich DiSilvio knows his art, and that is evident on every page of this beautifully crafted feast of a work. The included images, those of the masters and those of the author himself, combine with the richness and choice of imagery in DiSilvio’s words to give a rich appreciation of art, beauty, and craftsmanship that is sure to inspire readers to look into the art world further after the reading experience. This is combined with a well-told series of events that unfold with good pacing, and a truly loveable pair of protagonists in the brilliant Armand Arnolfini and the lovely, astute Andrea. I particularly loved the inclusion and celebration of Artemisia Gentileschi, which was an eye-opening move. Overall, Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 is a high-quality read which is sure to capture the attention of all readers with artistic tastes and a passion for mystery and intrigue.

Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 by Rich DiSilvio is a collection of five individual cases undertaken by the famous art-world private investigator, Armand Arnolfini, and his new bride, Andrea. The cases will take Arnolfini all over the world to track down missing masterpieces or expose cheap and nasty fakes and the art forgers who participate in that shady trade. Arnolfini is a world-renowned expert in the art world and is especially competent in the Baroque period. Operating in such a narrow field of expertise, he is one of the few investigators able to perform successfully in this field and is therefore never short of a case or two. These five cases are as varied as the artwork they involve. In Leonardo’s Leda, he is in search of a previously unknown completed work by the acknowledged master himself, Leonardo da Vinci. In a slight change of pace and focus, Arnolfini also becomes involved in a strange double-murder at the Poe Museum and some odd psychic goings-on involving the original blueprints of what was once the tallest building in the world. In his two other cases covered in this collection, Arnolfini searches for a set of Carpeaux plans for a sculpture and becomes involved in an art fraud over the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi, the daughter of the more well-renowned painter, Orazio Gentileschi.

What I particularly enjoyed about Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 was that the narrative exposed me to a whole world I was previously blissfully unaware of - the rarefied and incredibly wealthy, art world. Like most people, I had a passing knowledge of the masters and their works but what resonated here was author Rich DiSilvio’s clear passion for all forms of artistic creativity, be it painting, sculpture, architecture, or music. The author’s knowledge, understanding, and empathy for the characters and the plot were evident in every line he wrote. It makes a refreshing change to read a mystery-style novel with such a unique subject matter. When one reads a novel and one learns something about the real world, especially a subject one is fairly ignorant in, it is an absolute win-win for everyone. The author’s style is relaxed and easy to read, with the stories flowing seamlessly from one into another. Not a particularly long book, I was able to read it in one session and it would be perfect for a wet, cold afternoon, curled up in front of the fire. I was impressed by and enjoyed the read and can highly recommend it.

Terrific Whodunit Mysteries
This is Arnolfini #2 from DiSilvio and just like the first, it presents terrific short stories/mysteries involving the art world. I avoided the Art History elective in college because I had no experience in the subject but DiSilvio presents art in a very likable, friendly way and that makes his stories that much more intriguing. The stories keep and hold your interest and make you want more of them, more detail, more history. And that's the beauty of all of DiSilvio's books, they invite you into worlds previously heard of, but still unknown for the most part, worlds waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

Literary & Visual Enlightenment in Fine Mysteries

Rich has created a charismatic character, private eye Armand Arnolfini, whose forte is investigating art crimes, uncovering a variety of forgers and thieves and the outer zone of criminals. He is now accompanied by his wife Andrea. Each story is accompanied by the author/artist’s illustrations that enhance the credibility of each adventure.

Not only are the mysteries well written and involving, but Rich ads enough actual historical information (as is his style) to make each story as educational about the arts as well as pure entertainment for mystery buffs.

Impressive as his credentials are there is no comparison to becoming immersed in his brilliant stories – tales that transports into other worlds – whether in timeframe or intrigue. Rich is a gifted artist on many levels and his talent continues to grow. -- Highly recommended!

Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 by Rich DiSilvio is a sophisticated series of short stories that involve a master sleuth, his co-partner and recent bride, the quest to recover lost works of art and surrounding plots that will engage and captivate the reader.

The stories revolve around art treasures that have been stolen, forged or otherwise missing. Also woven into the tapestries of these exhilarating stories are shady characters that frequent the black market as well as racketeers and killers. What is most interesting are the backstories associated with the exquisite creations that are being pursued by this sophisticated couple.

The beauty of these stories as captured Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 by Rich DiSilvio is not only that they are engaging, creative and exciting, but they are very smartly written. This exceptional writing is demonstrated with the development of the characters and the sophistication of their interaction with people of wealth as they seek to recover lost treasures and masterpieces created by talented renowned artists.

This is my second book from the author and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first. I love art so the stories really spoke to me, but I’m sure almost all mysteries fans will get a kick out of these stories. Each one is well written and has a unique touch to it that will leave you looking at the piece of art mentioned differently.

The author’s writing style is truly a treat and makes it very easy to quickly pass through each story in record time. I picked a great time to read this book, because it has also inspired me to look up art during quarantine times. Of course, the book isn’t all about art, the mysteries are wonderful too and will leave you scratching your head at time. I’d definitely recommend this book.

A Perfect Book For Lovers of Art, History and the Detective Genre

Rich DiSilvio gives us another round of unique art mysteries for his reliable private eye Armand Arnolfini to solve in “The Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2.” In the previous book, the private eye worked mostly alone. In part two, however, Armand is joined by his wife Andrea, reminiscent of “The Thin Man” series with Nick and Nora Charles, played by William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Rich DiSilvio is a celebrated commercial artist and an expert in history with books to his credit on both subjects. He is surely in his element with “The Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2.” The book is ideal for fans of the detective genre and those who love art and history.

The first of five stories is titled “Leonardo’s Leda,” in reference to the masterpiece “Leda and the Swan,” by Leonardo da Vinci. Armand and Andrea are hired by a wealthy Frenchman to find the painting that has been missing for some years. They discover the Bugatti automobile company in France had stored the painting in one of their factory vaults for safekeeping in World War II. Armand believes the culprit may be someone who once worked for Bugatti.

Armand has an uncanny eye for artistic detail. No matter the setting, be it an ornate office or modest gallery, he is able to recognize the creator of an obscure painting, statue or even office furniture. In “The Carpeaux Caper,” the title of the second story, Armand and Andrea are asked by Interpol to uncover potential fakes of the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. They investigate an old shop in France that unwittingly sells priceless originals of Carpeaux.

Sometimes, it is another crime that involves Armand’s sleuthing abilities. “The Poe-Pourri Mystery,” the third story, is about a double murder for the duo to solve at the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage Museum in the Bronx. Not just paintings and sculpture, but architecture, specifically the drawings of New York’s historic Woolworth building becomes the heart of the fourth story, “The Five and Dime Mystery.”

References to great masters are frequent in the “Arnolfini Art Mysteries” as styles and techniques are noted to uncover clues. The last story in the book comes with the catchy title, “Amnesia of Artemsia.” Armand and Andrea visit the Cloisters in New York to find the true identity of an artist for one painting. Armand believes it to be none other than Artemsia Gentileschi, arguably the greatest female artist in history.

Art, mystery and a good dose of suspense makes “The Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2,” a most wonderful joy to read. A superb book by DiSilvio.

This great novel is the second book in the Arnolfini Art Mysteries series written by Rich DiSilvio. The book portrays Armand Arnolfini, a private investigator, who specializes in recovering lost pieces of art and solving mysteries while chasing art forgers and murderers. The plots are gripping and full of suspense, mystery and action. The excellent characterizations and the creative narrative are complemented by pictures of famous works of art, which I really appreciated. I strongly recommend it.

Art and fascinating mysteries are entangled in this book called “Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2”. This is the second book of the series where detective Armand Arnolfini and his wife go back in action to solve the most unimaginable cases.

The text is accompanied by gorgeous illustrations and real pictures which helped me visualize the works of art. I am not an art follower and I consider myself as an outsider of the art movement and industry. However, this book awakened my curiosity and I learnt a lot.

What is even better, I was able to understand the story despite the fact that I am not an art expert.
I recommend this to all readers because it is entertaining and rich.

Another amazing masterpiece from Rich DiSilvio. Arnolfini Art Mysteries 2 takes on another adventure for Armand and Andrea as they struggle to retrieve great works of art in the black market and solving the mysteries surrounding it.

I loved learning a lot about art at the same time. The whole book is absolutely amazing and I couldn't put it down. Truly a great work! Looking forward to future installments!