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The Art of Violence: A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novel (Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Mysteries) Hardcover – December 1, 2020

by S. J. Rozan (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 276 ratings
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In the latest mystery from S. J. Rozan, Bill Smith and Lydia Chin must track down a serial killer stalking women in New York's contemporary art scene.

Former client Sam Tabor, just out of Greenhaven after a five-year homicide stint, comes to Bill Smith with a strange request. A colossally talented painter whose parole was orchestrated by art world movers and shakers, Sam's convinced that since he's been out he's killed two women. He doesn't remember the killings but he wants Smith, one of the few people he trusts, to investigate and prove him either innocent or guilty.

NYPD detective Angela Grimaldi thinks Sam's "a weirdo." Smith has no argument with that: diagnosed with a number of mental disorders over the years, Sam self-medicates with alcohol, loses focus (except when he's painting), and has few friends. But Smith doesn't think that adds up to serial killer. He enlists Lydia Chin to help prove it.

Smith and Chin delve into the world surrounding Sam Tabor, including his brother, two NYPD detectives, and various other artists, dealers, collectors, curators, and art connoisseurs. No answers appear. Evidence is found and lost again. And more bodies turn up.

Sam Tabor might be just a crazy artist. But someone is killing people in his orbit. If not Sam, who? Why? And who will be next?
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Previous page
  1. Book 13 of 15
    Lydia Chin and Bill Smith
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Pegasus Crime
  5. Publication date
    December 1, 2020
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1643135317
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1643135311
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"As always, Rozan’s intelligent, witty prose is a treat . . . Newcomers as well as devotees will be enthralled." ― Publishers Weekly (starred)

"In addition to her formidable writing skills, Rozan’s own endeavors as an architect of 20 years undoubtedly contribute to the novel's excellent structure." ― Booklist (starred)

"A rewardingly savvy tour of Manhattan’s demented art scene with maybe one climax too many." ― Kirkus Reviews

"The Art of Violence is the latest in S.J. Rozan’s excellent series featuring PI Bill Smith and his partner, Lydia Chin." ― BookPage

“Outstanding. Lydia and Bill were last seen in 2011's Ghost Hero, but Rozan's intricate plotting and affinity for characterization is seamless, making the reader remember how much we missed spending time with these private detectives. Rozan uses the historical footnote of Chinese grocers as a springboard for a rich, deeply satisfying mystery.” -- Oline Cogdill ― Associated Press [praise for PAPER SON]

“Rozan elegantly weaves the web of old secrets, the complexities of race, family loyalties and family history, ancient tangled roots that can turn out to have deadly consequences generations later, into a dazzling narrative. Paper Son is as compelling as it is entertaining. This is the triumphant return of a consummate pro.” ― Open Letters Review [praise for PAPER SON]

“Stellar. As usual, Rozan is adept at devising a plausible but intricate mystery for her leads. She also presents a nuanced look at the experiences of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. Her superior prose and characterizations will make even newcomers hope for a shorter wait for the next book in the series.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred) [praise for PAPER SON]

“Blood and the blues are cooking down on the Delta in the triumphant return of Lydia Chin and Bill Smith. Rozan’s Paper Son is crawfish pie full of surprises served up by this master of the PI genre.” -- Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of What You Break [praise for PAPER SON]

“Once again, S. J. Rozan proves why she is the consummate pro. Not only is Paper Son one hell of a detective book, the story also takes on a hidden gem of Southern culture—Chinese history in the Mississippi Delta. Rozan continues to entertain with this wonderful series by taking us deep into the most unexpected and fascinating worlds. I have no doubt she’s walked these Mississippi backroads.” -- Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Sinners and Robert B. Parker’s Old Black Magic [praise for PAPER SON]

About the Author

S. J. Rozan is the author of Family Business, The Art of Violence, Paper Son, and many other crime novels. She has won multiple awards for her fiction, including the Edgar, Shamus, Anthony, Nero, Macavity, the Japanese Maltese Falcon, and the Private Eye Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award. S. J. was born and raised in the Bronx and now lives in lower Manhattan.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Crime (December 1, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1643135317
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1643135311
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 276 ratings

About the author

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S. J. Rozan

S. J. Rozan

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SJ Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx and is proud of it. She spent over twenty years as an architect in New York City and is kind of proud of that, too. Now she writes and teaches. She's done 15 books in the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series, two standalones, and two paranormals co-written with Carlos Dews under the name Sam Cabot. She's also published eight dozen short stories and edited or co-edited three anthologies.

In 2024, with THE MURDER OF MR. MA, SJ is launching a new series co-written with John Shen Yen Nee.

SJ's work has won the Edgar, Anthony, Shamus, Nero and Macavity Awards, and she's a recipient of the Japanese Maltese Falcon. She's served on the National Boards of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and is a past President of the Private Eye Writers of America. She's received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both Private Eye Writers of America and the Short Mystery Fiction Society. SJ has been Guest of Honor at Left Coast Crime,Toastmaster at Bouchercon, an invited speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (2003) and as if that weren't enough, she has the key to the city of Fort Worth, Texas.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
276 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

B.G. Ritts
5.0 out of 5 stars Another solid installment in the Bill and Lydia series!
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is standard Rozan fare, which has nothing to do with average! Her favorite PIs are once again on the case — this time about murders and the world of ‘outsider’ art. The last sentence of Chapter 1 makes you pay attention — don’t read it first now that I said that, let the story take you to it! I was fully immersed by half-way through Chapter 2, and kept wanting to know what would happen next. The dialogue is believable and the characters fully realized. This is a ‘Bill’ story, so has a harder edge to it.

If you have not read Lydia and Bill before, you probably want to start at the beginning so you don’t miss all the by-play between them that has lead to the current state of their partnership. And that would include all the comments by Mrs. Chin, Lydia’s mother, about Bill — which can be priceless! One other thing to keep in mind as you read the series is that the point-of-view varies between Lydia and Bill in the books, so that one book will be telling you how Bill feels about Lydia, and the next will be how Lydia thinks about Bill. It makes for an interesting, overall picture of their P.I. partnership.

If you have read this series before, you will not be disappointed. I can in all sincerity recommend “The Art of Violence” to anyone who enjoys PI stories and awesome writing!
12 people found this helpful
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Jonathan Swift
4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best Chin/Smith novel, sags in the middle
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
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I've loved lots of the Chin/Smith series books. This is not one of Rozan's best, though. Sam is too "wacko," yet seems to turn around too quickly at the end. Other than the two detectives and Mrs. Chin, no one is likable or even normal. The descriptions of the violent pictures are sick and sickening. This is about some really insane characters who feast on viewing death and torture. The beginning and the end are interesting, but the middle drags and drags. I'm sorry, Ms. Rozan. I enjoyed the Mayors of New York and look forward to your next book.
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F. Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars Rozan keeps getting better!
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2021
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S.J. Rozan is everything a reader wants in an author: She plots meticulously, tells a story succinctly, and writes with a flair that is missing from 99 percent of modern mystery writers. "The Art of Violence" is a benchmark work that takes the reader into the darkest corners of New York's art world. But unlike most murder mysteries, this is no "who done it." It is more a "who didn't do it," namely an artist who keeps confessing to crimes. As in her previous books, Rozan keeps the banter going between detective partners Lydia Chin and Bill Smith as they lead the reader from doorway to doorway and block to block. "The Art of Violence" is every bit as good as the previous books in this excellent series.
8 people found this helpful
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JDV
5.0 out of 5 stars Book in great shape!
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
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Book in very good condition. Arrived earlier than expected. Good experience with this seller.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars How is it that SJ Rozan keeps getting better?
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bill Smith takes the lead in a compelling tale of art and its creators, of craziness and compassion. His partner Lydia Chin offers intuitive help and even her mother makes a surprising and endearing cameo. The dialogue snaps, the characters are complex and real, the aging overbearing cop desperate for a collar, the younger Grimaldi determined to get it right, and especially Sam, who insists he's a murderer. These are a few of the complex men and women who people this marvelous novel. Can't wait for the next one.
One person found this helpful
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Sharon Gurwitz
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Engaging
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020
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It's always fun to see what Bill Smith and Lydia Chin are up to, and this book introduces a number of other interesting and quirky characters. The plot evolves throughout the book in unpredictable and engaging ways. The writing is terrific, too -- many sentences made me smile or even laugh out loud.
8 people found this helpful
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joyce
4.0 out of 5 stars Good series but this one is not the best
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2021
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Too many characters and turns of action.good use of art but lack of apparent motive of perpetrators. Look forward to next.
3 people found this helpful
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Kit Egan
5.0 out of 5 stars S. J. Rozan's sixth Lydia Chin/Bill Smith mysteries is one bright spot in an otherwise gloomy year.
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
Each Lydia Chin/Bill Smith is a page turner. I love the characters, love the locations, love the intricate puzzle that never fails to lead to a satisfying conclusion. My eyes light up with excitement and gratitude when I learn the author has released a new tale.
8 people found this helpful
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