Review: A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about the art thief who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's learning how to go undercover to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Jones leaps into action. The clues point in different directions, and her boss orders her to cease investigating her most promising suspect. But determined to solve the case and perhaps discover another clue in her grandfather's murder, she pushes ahead, regardless of the danger.

My Review

I was in the mood for something light and quippy, not too much angst, and boy did this book deliver! I never would have thought I'd call a suspense novel "delightful" but the main character Serena sure makes it that way! She's the type that you'd love to have for a best friend. She's a perfect blend of intelligence and naivete. Even though she's an FBI special agent, you see the details of how she works the case and doesn't always get things right or perfect- which made it so much more realistic. It was fun to follow the clues with her, and even though I tend to prefer more romance, the plot held its own and the quick pace kept me reading. Interspersed are cute and fun moments with different men in her life that interact with her in ways where the reader can see that they like her, but she's rather oblivious to it... most of the time ;) Such a great dynamic between Serena and Tanner, and also Serena and Nate. But there's no love triangle drama here, which I was relieved to avoid. It may come to that in later books but this was a perfect introduction to characters that I'm happy to read more of! Serena's meddlesome great-aunt was another favorite that provided some more quirky humor... and you can see where Serena gets hers :)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
 

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Check out the other books in the Serena Jones Mystery series...

Synopsis

A Fast-Paced, Keep-You-Guessing Whodunit with a Dash of Romance 

When a valuable Salvador Dali painting belonging to her grandmother's friend is mysteriously replaced by a forgery, FBI Special Agent Serena Jones is called in to investigate. Serena hopes finding the thief will also mean finally measuring up to Nana's expectations. But when the evidence points to members of the owner's own household, it becomes increasingly clear that Serena won't be winning any popularity contests. 

The Dali isn't the only painting that's fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the specter of a sophisticated theft ring--one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena's grandfather. 

With plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, "Another Day, Another Dali" gives the plucky Serena Jones--and readers--a new high-stakes case to crack.
 

Coming July 2017! Available for pre-order.

Synopsis

FBI Special Agent Serena Jones arrives on Martha's Vineyard with her family, ready for a little bit of R&R and a whole lot of reminiscing as they celebrate the engagement of an old family friend. But crime doesn't take a vacation, and she's soon entangled in an investigation of a suspicious death tied to an antiquities smuggling ring. 

When her investigation propels her into danger, Serena must stay the course and solve this case before anyone else dies. But just how is she supposed to do that when the two men in her life arrive on the scene, bringing with them plenty of romantic complications--and even a secret or two?

Award-winning author Sandra Orchard keeps readers guessing with this fast-paced mystery laced with romance.