Reviewer: Connie Payne
Title: Shooting Gallery - 2nd in the Art Lover's mystery series
Author: Hailey Lind
Publisher: Signet Mystery (Penguin Group)
ISBN: 0-4512-1973-2
Release Date: October 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Mystery/Chicklit
Year/Setting: Present Day - San Franscisco and Bay area
Overall rating: 5.0
Sexual Content Rating: None (alluded to)
Language (Profanity) Content Rating: Mild/Moderate
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Hailey's Website:
www.haileylind.com
Hailey Lind gave us a taste of the seamy side of the art world in Feint of Art, but now she’s taken us even deeper in Shooting Gallery.
Ethical (for the most part--she’s trying really hard) faux artist, Annie Kincaid, granddaughter (and former protégé) to the famous art forger Georges LeFleur, discovers a dead body, which is doubling as art. Yes, you read right. Art. Add to that, right next door at the Brock Museum a thief makes off with a Chagall painting with one of the suspects being her friend, Bryan.
The theft has all the ear markings of sneaky art thief Michael Collins (if that’s his real name). But before Annie can find "Michael" her mother arrives acting strange and being followed. It’s not hard to figure out her mother is involved, somehow, with the dead art(ist). It appears something else is going on than just a simple murder and supposed unrelated theft. And if her mother won’t spill it, then Annie’s going to have to figure things on her own. If that means a sort of wide-open spaces stake out, so be it. If that means she asks questions from the mean and strange only to be threatened, then that’s what she’ll do. If it means finding answers by helping "Michael" with his questionable schemes, then all right.
However, the more she finds out, the faster the questions accumulate. The faster the questions accumulate, the more trouble she lands herself in. Until finally she has some answers, which unfortunately don’t all fit together. But, someone thinks she’s getting too close to the truth and decides to try and eliminate her.
Annie on the other hand has an aversion to being eliminated and though is hung out to dry lands on her feet only to be chased and shot at until it all comes to a shooting gallery end. One can only hope.
I really enjoyed reading and being a part of Annie’s adventures. It seemed as if she broke out of her shell now that she’s gotten to know the reader. Almost as if we’re friends instead of company, which is great.
A visit with characters (Frank, Mary, Peter, Sam, Bryan) from Feint of Art was welcome as they were just as sharp and interesting and off the wall in Shooting Gallery. Though some were featured more this time than in Annie’s previous foray into suspicion and intrigue, it was a pleasure to be reacquainted with them. Hopefully we’ll see them again in the next book of the series, and maybe more of a new one, Evangeline. She’s a hoot right along with the rest of them!
I found the writing to be both detailed and fast paced, the dialogue snappy, the action intermingled with bits of humor. Packed with clues, the reader will not want to read quickly or skim through places here and there. Most assuredly something important will be missed.
While Annie’s adventures have a serious side you’ll find yourself laughing out loud. You may find yourself egging--oops! make that cheering--Annie on or even commiserating with her.
This is one mystery series not to be missed, but one to keep and savor.
Connie
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Connie know.
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