27 MARCH 1959, Page 28

The Oldest Confession. By R. Condon. (Long- mans, 15s.) Very

classy crime—the forging of a Velazquez and the pinching of a Goya from the Prado, no less—in a double-crossing world of duchesses and Daimlers, with a bullfighter centre stage, and noises off from Bernard Berenson, Art Buchwald and such. Stylishly written and subtly plotted; quite unbelievable; utterly enjoy- able; and so sophisticated as to make Ian Flem- ing look like a comic-strip author.