Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Flanders Panel (HarperCollins, 1994)

I recently discovered this Spanish writer of devilishly clever literary mysteries.  The characters are well-drawn, and the mystery revolves around a Flemish painting and the intricacies of chess.  Wonderfully paced, and urgently compelling, this is a great read on a long plane ride, or at the cabin.