Having a group of people — some strangers, some acquaintances — thrown together in a remote area is a plot trope that’s withstood the test of time. It’s how the author uses this plot device that makes the difference.
Jonathan Santlofer, an artist and mystery writer best known for his art-based novels, puts his own spin by making “Ten Perfect Guests” a character study in greed, entitlement and plain nastiness. None of the 10 guests is likable, let alone perfect. But Santlofer makes the reader want to know what happens to each.
Naturally, “Ten Perfect Guests” includes art as expected of Santlofer, whose work has been exhibited in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Art Institute of Chicago, among other galleries.
No one mourns celebrated artist Victor D’Arcangelo, who has unexpectedly died. A vain, bitter man, Victor inspired those qualities in others. His one saving grace was his brilliance as an artist. Normally, none of these 10 people would show up at a memorial service. But none can resist the invitation that states only those who attend will receive a sizable inheritance. No show, no money.
So Victor’s ex-wife, his current wife, estranged brother, his son, a gallerist, a collector, a dealer, a former critic, a pharmaceutical heiress and her musician-husband board a yacht in Fort Lauderdale to take them to a remote island. Adding to the suspense is a young woman who seems to have no connection to anyone.
The island is breathtaking, the hotel gorgeous. But there is no staff, no outside communication, and the area is riddled with hidden dangers. Still, the guests are promised that the yacht will return in a couple of days, if they survive. And the lure of an inheritance is irresistible.
True to form, people start dying with artworks providing a backdrop. While the deaths are predictable, Santlofer keeps the suspense high as the reasons and secrets tumble out.
Santlofer excels in bold strokes with both art and storytelling.