I like the first book in this series and liked this one.
This is an enjoyable and gripping story with a complex and interesting plot.
As in the previous installment the author mixes historical facts and fiction. The mix works and is entertaining.
Even though I enjoyed I felt that some parts were a bit rushed.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Art of the assassin is set in Glasgow around 1899. Juan Camarón, a genial Spanish photographer is called upon by the police to take pictures of a murder scene because of his pioneering skills in forensic photography. Camarón, who was previously introduced to us in Sullivan's novel "The figure in the photograph", is also in Scotland wrapping up personal business and woeing is fiancee Jane.

But it's 1899 and unfortunately in 1899 Europe is anything but peaceful, so pretty soon Juan has the misfortune to stumble upon & get embroiled with a vast and nebulous political & military conspiracy that will keep him running for his life all over Glasgow during the entire novel, fending off German villains, Central European anarchists, disguised spies & the usual shenanigans from the usual suspect, the Balkans and their operatic and idiotic princlings.

I really enjoyed this novel even if I found it a bit rushed & confusing at times as if Tintin in the Castafiore Emerald and Joseph Cotten in the Third Man were desperately trying to locate Doris Day in The Man who knew too much in order to prevent something too dangerous and too blurry for the reader to grasp.....But times were also very confusing in Europe at the end of the 19th century....

The plot and some of its characters could have benefited from further development, even if the final chapters had somehow a definite cinematic quality to them, an palpable hitchcockian touch. Kevin Sullivan knows how to build & keep the tension going. The scenes inside the Scottish Royal Theater were highly entertaining and left me a bit breathless...

The descriptions of "fin de siècle" Glasgow are wonderful & I found Juan's musings on photography and its philosophy quite compelling. Overall it was a lot of fun & I'm looking forward to another encounter with Juan Camarón!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison&Busby for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date

1899 Glasgow Juan Camaron, serial photographer is instructed by Captain Smith, of Special Branch, London to take photographs of a murder scene in a tenement. Anomalies in the photographs lead him to investigate. But this will not be the last murder, and what is the motive.
An enjoyable historical mystery told from Camaron's point of view.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Is this book ever enjoyable! The writing and descriptions are beautiful and the story itself kept me glued from the first to the last pages. The perspective of a photographer at the murder scene is intriguing and it's obvious the author did his research into photography. Mystery layers, romance, twists, secrets and deception are what this book is about. Such fun!

A man is found murdered in Glasgow, 1899. Photographer/sleuth Juan Camarón shows his stuff as he uses his own techniques to photograph the body and the environment in which he was found. Juan had established his reputation with the previous mystery he solved but his techniques are still new to the police so not yet trusted. But that is not where the crimes end, nor the investigations. Juan also sets out to right a past wrong. He is besotted with his independent fiance and has pinch-me moments when with her.

This book will appeal to Historical Fiction readers. I really liked it a lot and finished it in one sitting. Already anticipating the next and am wondering what will happen as there are many possibilities, at least in my mind.

My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this enthralling book!

I have to say that I did not read the first novel, but I don't think it would have made much of a difference, since the plot was easy to follow either way. The only aspects for which reading the former book would have been helpful, were some backstory parts, especially when it comes to the relationship between Juan and Jane. It also took some time to get used to the writing style, but the setting in Glasgow was really interesting and overall I enjoyed the book.

The overwhelming feeling I had when reading this book was how traditional it felt. This was nothing to do with the historical setting of the book, but more to do with the plot construction and the characters, who, for me, seemed a little dull. I felt that the prequel was referred to more than it needed to be and although this book could be read as a stand alone story, after about the third or fourth reference to the previous adventure I did start to wonder whether there were things about Juan and Jane that reading the prequel would have given me more insight into. The final chapter indicated that this will be a series and I suspect that this book might be something of a bridge between the two stories. The description of Glasgow and the world of the theatre and its characters were vivid and well drawn but overall the book was not as compelling as I would have liked. Thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy.

I had hoped for more sleuthing via the photographs, that was described in the description of the book as I thought that sounded really interesting. The main plot of "The Art of the Assassin" by Kevin Sullivan was satisfactory but I do wonder if I would be in a better position if I had read the prequel first. Lovely descriptions of Glasgow, the theatre and the characters that inhabit the city and the theatre..

I was into chapter two before I realised "The Art of the Assassin" was Kevin Sullivan's second novel about Juan Camarón, the Spanish-born photographer. But thanks to some timely and brief background scenes, I was soon up to speed and ready to carry on.

"The Art of the Assassin" picks up not long after the end of "The Figure in the Photograph" and Juan is still in 1899 Glasgow. With a new fiancée and his father's affairs to tie up, he isn't really happy when an Inspector from the newly-formed Special Branch asks him to view the scene of a recent murder. Apparently the process of photographing crime scenes he developed in book one has earned him some fame, and his expertise is already being called on. However once he visits the scene, and takes some intriguing photos, he is overwhelmed with the need to make his own investigations, especially when it turns out his new fiancée and her family could be involved.

What follows is a marvelous romp across late nineteenth century Glasgow (with a trip to Edinburgh). For those who know Glasgow, there's lots of lovely name-dropping and scene-setting, enough even, for me, who does know the City, to reach for the street map and follow along. Some light-hearted jokes at the expense of the broad Glaswegian accent also made me chuckle. Insights into the early days of photography and how it was viewed as an artform are welcome too. There's a definite nod to The 39 Steps in here, with action in music halls, an opera singer, spies and assassins and heroes on the run. Lovely stuff.

Readers of Ambrose Parry, Oscar De Muriel and ES Thomson will love this book, and like me will probably track down the first in the series. I was lucky to received a Netgalley ARC, but will definitely be investing in a print copy.