A Fool & His Monet

GIVEAWAY

ORCHARD, SANDRA
A FOOL & HIS MONET

Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can't stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art.

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art -- one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about 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 the her mother's pleas to do something safer -- like get married -- Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action -- and a whole heap of trouble.

My Review:

Campy and fun and chock-full of mystery -- an incredible beginning to a new series. And I just love this retro-style cover. Fits the book's ambiance to a T.

Serena has enough quirks to keep a reader smiling in the midst of an intense art theft investigation. The perfect blend of action, suspense and the hint of romantic entanglement...only, oh dear, there seem to be a number of eligible candidates. Time...and a few more books should set us straight on that score.

And her family likes to stir things up a bit -- especially Aunt Martha who has an interesting past. Orchard hasn't shared it yet, but I'm betting on something knock-your-socks-off surprising. There's another character, Nate, who is much more than he seems -- I'm sure of it. Two subtle clues set my reader spidey senses on edge and I can't wait to see if I'm right. Another reason to anxiously await the next installment which comes out in September.

Like most cozy mysteries, A Fool & His Monet is written in first person point of view. We're in Serena's headspace all the way. I know a lot of people don't like this POV, but I think it worked really well in this case. It's kind of fun to see everything through Serena's eyes only, including some interesting men who just might be thinking of her as more than a friend.

And I could tell the author really did her research when it comes to police and FBI procedure and that results in a fascinating journey into the inner workings of an investigation. Honestly, I don't know how Orchard kept all the intricate nuances straight! Spectacularly done.

I have only one complaint and that is the lack of any kind of faith thread. I know this is becoming more commonplace among Christian publishers but it still makes my heart hurt. Especially from a big name publisher like Revell. It is clear that Serena is a Christian through simple things like blessing the food at a family meal but an actual inspirational thread just isn't there. :-(

Still, this is a splendid start to a promising new series -- witty, upbeat and full of the unexpected. Sweet perfection for the avid cozy mystery fan.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  A Fool & His Monet please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 13 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!