The Death Artist is about the art world. It tells how art, pornography and murder can become entangled when a sadistic killer uses human flesh and blood to produce his grisly versions of famous painting.

The story is set in Manhattan and the chief protagonist is a rags to riches art expert called Kate. Kate spent ten years as a tough, foul mouthed woman police officer. Tired of finding dead, lost children she left the NYPD and went to college. She earned a PhD in art history,wrote a bestselling art book, and married a millionairelawyer.
Kate, together with her husband, has also set up a foundation for underprivileged youngsters, two of whom, after ten years, have become Kate's surrogate son and daughter.

The story opens with an horrific killing. The victim is Kate's surrogate daughter, Elena. More killings follow, and in her search for Elena's murderer Kate is in the sights of this psychotic killer. Who plans to add her to his list of victims.

Santlofer writes well, if rather graphically at times. The book is well paced and this, along with Kate's well drawn character, is what kept me reading. Jonathon Santlofer is an artist and this is his first novel.