4 out of 4 stars
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Isabella's Painting is a story about a painting stolen during an art gallery heist in 1990. This painting shows up in the home of Katrina Cardinal's father in law during a holiday party. Katrina catches a glimpse of it as he and a guest hurriedly put it away behind a false wall. At this point Katrina is not quite sure what to do, she is tempted to alert the authorities but decides to conduct her own investigation first.
Her investigation on the painting uncovers the people who have come into contact with it since it disappeared from the art gallery. As it turns out, this painting attracts a lot of bad luck. There is a string of deaths left behind wherever the painting has been. Katrina will not allow this fate to befall her family. She must decide on a course of action that will leave her family unharmed.
This is the best mystery novel I have read this year. Katrina the protagonist is a lawyer by profession, while I am not a lawyer myself I can relate to some of the struggles she faces at her workplace. She radiates a charm that is hard to find, her interactions with her family and friends reveal a kind and caring character.
As a first time detective she makes many rookie mistakes. I found this refreshing; reading about a detective who outwits everyone through and through can be a bit monotonous. Luckily, Katrina has the help of Mike, a close acquaintance who works for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He and Katrina are a formidable pair. I hope to see them solve other mysteries together in subsequent novels.
The dialogue in this book was truly a pleasure to read. It was funny and witty and helped me see the characters as well rounded people. I was sad to see this book come to an end, it was captivating and intriguing. I hope they turn it into a movie or a detective series.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There are no grammatical errors and it is very well edited. The author is a masterful storyteller; I suffered no impulse to skip over any parts of the story. All parts of the narrative tie in together perfectly. I marveled at Katrina’s growth. She started out helping people as a lawyer and took it a step further by becoming a detective. Being a vocal advocate for social justice makes her even more suitable for the job.
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Isabella's Painting
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