An Affinity for Murder (A Lake George Mystery) [Paperback]

Anne White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

Two dead art experts and a secret cache of paintings which may have been the work of Lake George's most famous summer resident, Georgia O'Keeffe, set writer Ellen Davies on a collision course with danger. Ellen thinks she's stumbled on a multi-million dollar find which will send her career in journalism soaring. But, as with other recently discovered O'Keeffe paintings, nothing is one hundred percent certain...and Ellen may not live long enough to uncover the truth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...stylishly written mystery...tale of art theft, murder, evokes the grandeur of Lake George. A marvelous debut. -- Matt Witten, author of Strange Bedfellows

About the Author

Anne White was the reipient of the Malice Domestic Grant in 1999, An Affinity for Murder, her first novel, won the 2000 Dark Oak Mystery Contest, and was a finalist for BEST FIRST NOVEL Agatha Award.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Oak Tree Press (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892343169
• ISBN-13: 978-1892343161
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After Anne White's first Lake George Mystery, An Affinity For Murder, was awarded a Malice Domestic Unpublished Writers' Grant in 1999 and a Malice Domestic Best First Mystery nomination in 2002, she continued the series with Beneath The Surface (2005), Best Laid Plans (2006), Secrets Dark and Deep (2007), and Cold Winter Nights (December 2009). White's protagonist, Loren Graham, a former New Yorker, now mayor of the sleepy lakeside town of Emerald Point, can't seem to help getting involved in sheriff's department business, especially when murder is involved. Anne White is a member of MWA and Sisters in Crime, the National, New York and New England chapters, and the New York State Retired Teachers Association. Check her out at www.annewhitemysteries.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Affinity for Murder, an affinity for Georgia O'Keefe, January 7, 2008

By 

D. Merrimon Crawford (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Affinity for Murder (A Lake George Mystery) (Paperback)

Anne White's cozy small town mystery AN AFFINITY FOR MURDER delights by continuing her Lake George mystery series with a different sleuth, a journalist pursuing a story. Georgia O'Keefe's painting take center stage in this mystery.

Ellen Davies plans a feature story on the artist Georgia O'Keefe who spent her summers at Lake George. When she goes to visit an art critic Edward Maranville for background material, she discovers a fire and a body burned beyond recognition and a knife stuck in his back. As Ellen pursues the story, a group of paintings hidden in a locked closet vanish. Only the painting of the black iris remains behind but even that painting might become a dangerous possession. As Ellen researches her Georgia O'Keefe story, danger lurks in unexpected places as a murderer follows her path.

Anne White's AN AFFINITY FOR MURDER is a wonderful mystery read with a small town atmosphere. The reader sees another dimension to Lake George itself with her historical research as Anne White turns her focus on new characters as they explore part of the town's history and small town rumors. With the exploration of Georgia O'Keefe's work and her history in Lake George, Anne White adds a richness to this mystery through her sensuous descriptions of Georgia O'Keefe's flower paintings as well as discussions of the artist's technique, her relationship with the famous photographer Alfred Steiglitz and other corners of the art world. AN AFFINITY FOR MURDER is unforgettable --- a delight for mystery and art fans! As Anne White turns her vision to the art history of the Lake George town, the series grows organically, giving both newness and familiarity as the reader re-enters the wonderful community of Lake George.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Georgia O'Keeffe would have been friends with Anne White, October 10, 2001

By 

Mary W. Gaylord (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Affinity for Murder (A Lake George Mystery) (Paperback)

This mystery put all five of my senses right back in the beautiful Adirondacks where I was born and raised and lived untill I was 19. I could smell the wet leaves on the tall trees alongside Bolton Road and see their beautiful array of colors cluster after cluster. I could hear the wakes of the lake smashing against the docks at times and feel the smack of the cold Lake George air on my exposed face on a late October night. I could taste that freezing rain on my tongue during one of the most thrilling nights of the story. I am still thinking about all the characters, weeks after finishing the book,and hoping that Ellen and her friends return in a sequel. And yes, I have this feeling that if Georgia O'Keeffe and Anne White had had the opportunity to meet one another, they would have been best of friends.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great characterization, action, & eloquent writing, September 10, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Affinity for Murder (A Lake George Mystery) (Paperback)

Anne White has spent her life as a writer, editor and librarian. She has had short stories published in several magazines, including McCall's, Career World, Lake George Arts Project Literary Review, and Glen Falls Post Star. She holds degrees in English and Library and Information Studies. Affinity for Murder is her first novel. She lives in Glen Falls, NY.

Ellen Davies is occupying her uncle's old house in Lake George. Georgia O'Keeffe is one of Lake George's most notable figures, during the summers she spent in Lake George with her husband. Ellen is set to interview an art expert acquaintance of her new friend Diane's who is staying at her and her estranged husband's bungalow when they discover smoke, a fire in the bungalow...and a dead body:

"The partially burned body of a man lay on his side facing away from me. The handle of a long, thin knife or letter opener protruded from his back. Blood had puddled up around the wound and formed a grotesque strawberry mark on the man's tweed sport coat. The smell coming from the body and from the singed hair was sickening enough but it was the face, when I leaned sideways to look at it, that really started my stomach churning."

Anne White has written a thorough entertaining tale with punch lines galore, masterful description, and a plot intricate enough to pull the reader along until the final exciting denouement. Using Georgia O'Keeffe as a backdrop, her story has a "what if" and "it could happen" air about it that is compelling. Ms. White knows her O'Keeffe, and the stories and descriptions of her painting and life alone are enough to make this a great mystery. But, not content to rest on her laurels, Ms. White proceeds to write just about the perfect mystery.

An Affinity for Murder has it all...great characterization, action, eloquent writing, a heroine who is fun to follow, and a crackerjack plot line. She hides the culprit until the very end, and adds a witty twist just for fun. Excellently done, Ms. White! We would all love to keep following Ellen Davies! She is devilishly independent, intelligent, and savvy.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer