A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard

I really liked this mystery. I liked Serena, a relatively new FBI agent. I liked the plot revolving around stolen masterpieces of fine art. I liked Serena's quirky aunt too.

Serena is on the FBI Art Crime Team. This put a bit of a twist on the regular FBI kind of novel. Two pieces of art are found missing from a local museum. Serena's friend Zoe works there so Serena is first on the scene.

The plot is complex as Serena investigates a number of leads and suspects. I was happy to learn some things about art in this novel. Serena feels passionate about recovering stolen art because she sees the loss of a painting as a loss of part of our common heritage. I liked this thought about art, “Art shows us ways of seeing the world that science can't.”

As the novel progresses and we get to know Serena more, we find that her grandfather had been murdered and the murderer never apprehended. Serena hopes that joining the FBI will help her find the killer.

Serena is a fun character. She really has a heart for her work. She also gets into odd situations that made me laugh. And I loved her aunt! She is a pistol packing woman who has more courage than fear. She added some laughs too. There are other great characters in the novel as well. I really like the snappy dialog between them. I can tell the author has put some thought into the character conversations.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I look forward to seeing how Serena matures in her job. She is a heroine that has captured my attention so I'll be looking for the sequel.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a good and complex mystery with a strong female heroine. You'll be entertained, you'll laugh, and you'll learn some interesting facts about fine art.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Sandra Orchard is a winner of the RT Reviewers' Choice Award, the National Readers' Choice Award and the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. She and her husband make their home in Niagara, Canada.

Revell, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.