Brush With Death: An Art Lover's Mystery [Kindle Edition]

Hailey Lind (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Former-forger turned faux-finisher Annie Kincaid hopes that if she can help return an alleged masterpiece to Italy, her sketchy reputation will finally be redeemed. But when a sexy art thief-and murder-enter the picture, Annie realizes that it won't be so easy to put things to rest.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 540 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publisher: Signet (July 3, 2007)
• Sold by: Penguin Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001ILBEBY
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,892 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great characters and art history thrown in for good measure, July 19, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brush With Death: An Art Lover's Mystery (Paperback)

(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.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best yet!, July 20, 2007

By 

Anthony Marino "Tony" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brush With Death: An Art Lover's Mystery (Paperback)

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!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Felt like I was reading an art history book, August 10, 2007

By 

Jody B. Mills "Book Lover in Texas" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brush With Death: An Art Lover's Mystery (Paperback)

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.