To Lovejoy antiques is like a drug. He overdoses when he goes to the house of Pinder, an elderly wheelchair tycoon based on Jean Paul Getty. Pinder's house has a great rare art collection.
Pinder wants to save the art in Venice, a city that is sinking bit by bit each year. Pinder wants Lovejoy's help in liberating the art and substituting them with forgeries.
However Lovejoy is wary of Pinder's granddaughter as he suspects she was involved somehow in the robbery and death of a friend of his.
Lovejoy goes to Venice, he immediately suspects that people are keeping an eye on him such as a tour guide who seems to pop up everywhere, before long Lovejoy finds himself a target.
The episode loses momentum as it goes to Venice, it spends a bit of time showing off the venetian sights. I did like Lovejoy walking on the temporary platforms as the water floods the nearby streets, something that is common in winter and spring.
I did wonder how Lovejoy managed to find his hotel so easily in the narrow alleyways, he did not even seem to be carrying a map. These days people visiting Venice have Google maps on the phone and still get lost.
The episode is notable for Ian McShane's real life wife Gwen Humble having a role. This was the last role of Oscar nominee Alexander Knox who plays Pinder.