Customer Reviews

Brush With Death: An Art Lover's Mystery

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(Hailey Lind is a pseudonym for two sisters, Julie Goodson-Lawes and Carolyn Lawes)

Annie Kincade, proprietor of True/Faux Studios, a quirky, wise-cracking artist, is struggling to stay on the legal side of the art world. After midnight she takes a break from refurbishing a fresco in a San Francisco cemetery. It's dark, and she's a little wary of her surroundings when she meets Cindy Tamaka, on a path leading to a crypt.

Cindy is a graduate student, studying public displays of mourning. As they're standing talking, they're both knocked down by a mask-wearing thief, fleeing from a deceased child's crypt. Added to this shocking event is Cindy's idea that the cemetery's Raphael's LaFornirina , believed to be a copy, is the original. Annie takes a personal interest in the painting because Georges Francois LeFleur, her forger/grandfather, had been arrested many years ago for forging the masterpiece.

The LaFornarina mystery is compounded by the sudden appearance of Annie's former boyfriend, Michael X Johnson, a no-good thieving scoundrel-but a fine kisser.

The story takes a serious turn when a young woman's life ends. Did she commit suicide, or was she murdered?

This book is easy to read, and has a continuous parade of fascinating characters. As the story unfolds through Annie's eyes, she shares her knowledge of art history and the forgery business. Time flew as I followed Annie and her friends to a fascinating conclusion.

Armchair Interviews says: An interesting mystery that will draw the reader in.

This is a wonderful series, along the lines of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. But Annie Kincaid is a smarter, savvier, more multi-faceted protagonist, and I love watching her change and develop over time. The surrounding quirky characters are honestly captivating and endearing. Plus, I always learn something about art, history, and San Francisco.

The promise of new developments at the end made me salivate for book number four...more more more!

I loved the first book in this series. The relationship between Annie and Michael X Johnson was funny and wonderful. I liked the second book, but it seemed as if they were phasing Michael out. This third installment was good, but even less of Michael and way too much art history. I did like the way that it ended, making me think that the story will go back to the funny, entertaining relationship between those two. Very colorful, cute characters.

Annie Kincaid owns a faux-finishing business; her attempt to gain some respect from the art community. Her reputation does not allow her to work as an art restorer since she was arrested when she was seventeen and her grandfather is notoriously known as one of the great art forgers of all time. She presently works at the Chapel of Chimes, a columbarium, mausoleum and crematorium fixing faded art when she meets Cindy Tanaka at a nearby cemetery.

Cindy asks her if the reproduction of La Fornarina by Raphael could actually be the original. While they talk, two men dressed as goblins leave a package that they stole from the crypt that Cindy picks up just before leaving. Later Annie tracks down Cindy, but finds her dead. The police believe she committed suicide, but two people connected to La Fornarina end up hospitalized. Annie believes a killer is tying up loose ends so she starts snooping see if the link to Cindy is as strong as her gut feels it is. She almost becomes the next victim, but that does not stop prevent her from continuing her inquiries.

This is a humorous enjoyable amateur sleuth tale starring a roguish heroine who has larceny in her genes especially involving art forgeries. The puzzle of the painting leads curious Annie into some scary BRUSH WITH DEATH scenarios while the quirky support cast adds a sense of place to the plot. Hailey Lind provides a creative art of larceny thriller.

Harriet Klausner

I've enjoyed each of Ms. Lind's books; each is better than the last. I can't wait for the next one! A great blend of mystery and knowledge of art history and restoration. And of course the requisite sexy love interests.

It is always fun to find a new series that you really like. The Art Lover's series gives you more than a mystery; you learn about art, faux finishing, and landmarks and restaurants in the East Bay you never heard of (I am going to Lois the Pie Queen's next time I am in Oakland).

Annie Kincaid, the amateur detective, will remind you of Stephanie Plum, but she has more breadth of character and her side kicks are much more believable. I especially like Michael X. Johnson...

I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I found this book unusually entertaining. I enjoyed the way the authors included their views on the art world, history and the problems with authentication contrasted with more down to earth subjects like home decoration using faux painting. I'm going to be looking for their other books now that I have been introduced to their heroine. Her struggles to maintain her artistic sensibilities and support herself are a gentle reminder of what many artists face. The other characters were also pleasingly different from the usual suspects. I hope this series continues to flourish!

This is the third book in the series. I hope they continue, as these books are entertaining and a lot of fun to read! If you love mysteries, irresistable characters, and you like to laugh out loud and have a good time along with a good story, then this book is definitely for you.

Annie Kincaid returns in this latest installment in the "Art Lovers series", which proves every bit as entertaining as the first two books. Here, Kincaid is still grappling with romantic commitment to the various men in her life, in addition to tangling with evil developers, graveyard ghouls, and an Italian hell-bent on locking up her grandfather if she can't produce the original of a famous painting by Raphael. The familiar cast of characters appear to provide lots of humorous mishaps and support. A fun read.

For those of us whe have been waiting for Elizabeth Peters next installment of Vicky Bliss, this book and the previous couple by Hailey Lind, are for you! These cozies are very satisfactory reads. Annie Kincaid is the quirky heroine here, and of course Michael X. Johnson is the alter ego of Peters' lovable John Smythe.