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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Promising start for a new author, November 29, 2004
Chicagoan Julie Hyzy's debut novel Artistic License is a book of a different sort, more of a slice-of-life romance than a mystery; it is nevertheless an engaging story, made especially interesting by its complex, realistic heroine, Annie Callaghan.
Annie is an artist living in Chicago, a struggling painter trying to build a career and rebuild her life after kicking out her ne'er-do-well husband. Things become even more complicated for her when she discovers that her last, ill-advised fling with her husband has resulted in an unexpected pregnancy.
Were it not for the tender relationship she forms with Sam Morgan, her new friend and employer, Annie would probably fall apart. This is especially true once the mystery of the plot unfolds. It involves her ex-husband, a shady lawyer and a missing masterpiece of art.
Hyzy's work is tentative at points and the suspense of her story is never as tightly wound as it might be, but the real draw here is the finely crafted characters and the interactions between them. This first-time author has begun her career with a promising start.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A New Star Emerges, December 10, 2004
Artistic License is an important books for several reasons. First and foremost, it's a really great read. I don't read a lot of cozies or romances, but this one blends the genres of mystery and suspense so well, that it goes down as smooth as a cool drink on a hot day. Hyzy's handling of the grittier aspects of crime fiction also deserve high praise.
Which brings me to reason number two. It's rare when a book succeeds on so many levels, but Artistic License does just that. Fans of romantic suspense will be thrilled by Anne Callahan's exploits, while lovers of police porcedurals will be hoping to see more of the adroitly depicted cops and unsavory characters. I was sorry to finish this one because I wanted it to go on and on.
Which brings up reason number three. As a first-time novelist, Hyzy avoids many of the mistakes and pitfalls that usually plague first books. She shows a fine grasp of plotting and pacing, and knows that sometimes giving your reader just enough, keeps him turning those pages. Her writing style is polished and full of grace (She must have been born on a Monday!), and the characters are so real that I felt I was leaving some old friends when I closed the cover the final time. What we're witnessing with Artistic License is the first work of an emerging star.
I can't wait for her next novel. Bring it on!
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
delightful fine arts mystery, February 7, 2004
In Tinsley Park, near Chicago, after almost five years of marriage to her loser of a spouse Gary, Annie Callaghan files for divorce. However, Gary persuades her to come out for lunch to talk. A few drinks later, Gary charms his way into her bedroom. Two months later, Annie is pregnant, but decides to finalize the divorce anyway. Sam Morgan hires Annie to paint a mural on the wall of Millie's Ice Cream Parlour. Her preliminary work looks great until two young boys slop paint all over the wall. Their parents hire Annie to paint murals on the bedroom walls of their children. However, unbeknownst to Annie, that initial act of childhood vandalism has left her knowing about a stolen masterpiece, a Durer painting from the fifteenth century worth ten million dollars. Only Sam, who she now loves, tries to keep Annie safe. Though readers will wonder why DeChristopher even allowed Annie into his home, fans will appreciate this delightful fine arts mystery. Annie is a charming soul who captures readers' hearts and, as important, their attention as she jumps from the frying pan of Gary into a fire of art theft and murder. The support cast enhances the audience's insight into the beleaguered heroine as Julie A. Hyzt provides a delightful inadvertent (on Annie's part) amateur sleuth tale. Harriet Klausner
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