The Flanders Panel

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Title The Flanders Panel
Author Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Original title La tabla de Flandes
Country Spain
Language Spanish
Genre(s) Crime
Publisher Alfaguara
Released 1990
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 416
ISBN ISBN 84-204-8079-7

The Flanders Panel (originally La tabla de Flandes) is a novel written by Spanish author Arturo Perez-Reverte in 1990, telling of a mystery hidden in an art masterpiece spanning from the 15th century to the present day.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Julia, an art restorer living in Madrid, discovers a painted-over message on a 1471 Flemish masterpiece — appearing as the cover of the book —called La partida de ajedrez (The Chess Game) reading "Qvis Necavit Eqvinus", written in Latin (English: "Who killed the knight?").

With the help of her old friend and father-figure, the flamboyantly homosexual Cesar, and Muñoz, a quiet local chess master, Julia works to uncover the mystery of a 500-year-old murder. At the same time, however, Julia faces danger of her own, as several people helping her along her search are also murdered.

Spoilers end here.

The British film Uncovered is a cinematic adaptation of the novel starring Kate Beckinsale and John Wood.

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