The Ten Word Game — Jonathan Gash

A mystery in the long-running series featuring the well-known antiques "divvy" and general bad boy, Lovejoy.

Lovejoy cannot be said to have clean hands and a pure heart, flitting bee-like as he does from one flower of womanhood to the next, and straining the truth when necessary. But when it comes to the relics of history, be it a silver tea service or the gold buttons from Lord Nelson's second-best uniform coat, he cannot be topped.

In Jonathans Gash's The Ten Word Game, Lovejoy is hiding out from the law in a port city far from London. By a ruse, he is shanghaied aboard a luxurious cruise ship on its way to Russia. There a group of schemers feed him well, but hold him prisoner because they need his talents for their daring plan. They intend to steal Russia's legendary "amber room," wall panels and all, and sell it for ransom back in the U.K.