Lone Star Book Blog Tour: For the Minds and Wills of Men by Jeff Lanier (review & giveaway)

FOR THE MINDS

MANHATTAN, 1953. Fear of communist subversion and espionage are tearing America apart. Abstract expressionism is on the verge of exploding, making New York the cultural epicenter of the world. While recovering a stolen Jackson Pollock for a wealthy client, art insurer Will Oxley falls for the client’s daughter, Liz Bower, who leads him deep into the rebellious and seductive world of the abstract expressionist painters, their Village bar haunts and East Hampton binges. But when Will learns the painting-and Liz-may be hiding communist secrets better left hidden, he finds himself torn between exposing the girl he loves or risking his life by trusting her instead. Realizing nothing is as it seems, Will is caught between communist espionage, secret government programs, and the grip of cold war fear, suspicion, and betrayal where trust is all he has left…

With post-World War II New York, 1950s avant-garde art world, and the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings as background, the novel tells the story of abstract expressionism and mid-century American politics- through the thrilling search for a stolen Jackson Pollock.

PRAISE FOR FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN

*2023 INDIEREADER AWARD WINNER: 1^ST PLACE FICTION*

“Lanier brilliantly evokes the energy and excitement of the New York art world in this Cold War thriller with an artistic twist. Along the way, he gives us fascinating insights into Abstract Expressionism and the power of art to communicate values and ideas.”

–Ross King, Acclaimed art historian and New York Times bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and Michelangelo and The Pope’s Ceiling.

“Thieves can come in all shapes and sizes.”

For the Minds and Wills of Men by Jeff Lanier is a historical art fiction and cold war thriller that will both entertain and electrify the imagination. With a fair bit of noir, significant intrigue, and plenty of fact and fiction expertly intertwined, this story will rank high on the to-read meter and then even higher on the recommend-to-friends-and-family meter. In short, it’s fabulous.

It is 1953 in New York City, and Will Oxley is the only employee in the newly created art division at All American Insurance. Will finds solace in specific paintings following his war-time experience, and protecting paintings is a personal endeavor, insuring them and helping owners recover their stolen art. Will s not a typical detective, but that does not stop him from donning the gumshoe hat when the need arises. And that need arises spectacularly when an early Jackson Pollock painting is stolen from an art gallery’s storage room. Discovering who stole it and why sends Will down clue-ridden rabbit holes, into seedy areas, and strait into the sensual orbit of Liz Bower, daughter of Frank Bower and owner and manager of the Bower Foundation, which promotes and financially supports the arts. As if that is not gripping enough, it is the post-WWII era, and the House Unamerican Activities Committee is in full swing, on the prowl, and out for blood.

Ira Fenton works at ALERT, in tandem with the FBI, to root out communists and supporters in New York City. Abstract expressionism is now considered suspicious, and many artists are on the communist suspect list. Ira is feral in his quest to nail anyone associated with the Kremlin and will stop at nothing to prove his suspicions.

For the Minds and Wills of Men is a dark reminder of the frightening Cold War ethos and tension, with frayed nerves and fiery conjectures marking the post-WWII years. The threat of communist spies and infiltration across the country is sending everyone into a paranoid tailspin, struggling to stay under the radar, innocent or not. No one is safe from suspicion. No one is safe from propaganda and distrust. No one is safe from friends and neighbors. No one is safe from Herbert Hoover and the FBI. Heavy fear and mistrust are palpable and exude across every chapter.

This story is an amalgamation of fact and fiction, providing readers with an amazing story and instilling plenty of curiosity to research several salient points. I found myself Googling Jackson Pollock and was immediately drawn into his paintings of chaos, darkness, and intense passion. In addition, the story touches on the Rosenbergs, an American couple and known communist spies for the Soviet Union, all factual and completely terrifying, lending another layer of believability to this amazing fiction.

Jeff Lanier’s writing is next-level literary, with multi-dimensional characterization and skilled plot development. The overall story is engrossing and fast paced, with the reader moving through each scene at the same clip as Will Oxley. As the story unfolds, the machinations, danger, and fear ratchet up to an alarming and purely entertaining level. Putting aside the book is nearly impossible because you must know what is around the next corner. How will this caper play out? Who can be trusted? What will become of Will and Liz? Will the mystery of Jackson Pollock’s stolen painting ever be solved? What exactly is the real threat here?

The answers may surprise you, and you will no doubt add Jeff Lanier to your list of new favorite authors.

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Enter the giveaway below on or before August 4, 2023, for a chance to win an autographed hardcover copy of For the Minds and Wills of Men by Jeff Lanier.

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.

Jeff Lanier is an award-winning author. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and art History at the University of Texas, Austin, with a focus on the History of American Culture through Art and Literature. He has a master’s from Rice University, is a member of the American Society of Aesthetics, and currently lives in Houston with his wife and three children.

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