"The Man who stole the Mona Lisa" by Robert Noah

Who would want to own a stolen painting, knowing that no one could ever know you own it? Or that you alone would be the only person who ever get to see it? This is the perpetual quandry in the theft of fine and famous art pieces and the background of this mystery. Based upon the famous thief of the "Mona Lisa" in 1911, Noah develops a personal story around the characters of the time and the ingenious way that the art was stolen. It is a fascinating story of Paris and also Italy during that period and how many artists made a living copying master works. Marquis Eduardo de Valfierno was a charismatic con man. As you read, you will see the mastery of the plot develop and you realize how easily an underworld can be tapped with the right connections and a little bit of money. This book while fiction is one of many written about this masterful crime. Ironically, it took 20 years before the painting was restored. You can Google for many articles on the real theft. The link about will take you to a Time Magazine article about it. I got this book out of the Thompson Public Library and it can be found in most larger library system catalogs. I highly recommend this book for the combination of great writing on a real life mystery that was ultimately solved and documented.

PS: Check the comment below for an outstanding blog and documentary on the theft. I was thrilled to have Mr. Medeiros comment and contribute. Check his blog. There are copies of original pictures and news articles from that time. The link needs to include the 'blogspot' part of the link or it will not work. Again thanks to Mr. Medeiros for adding richness to my humble effort.

Killer Instincts by Martina Navratilova and Liz Nickles

Finally, I found a sports related mystery that was also intriguing right from the cover. Truthfully, I didn't expect much and was pleasantly surprised. This book is the third in a series featuring former tennis great Jordan Myles. Myles is a former champion tennis player and current part owner of a sports spa type place and host of a women's sport tv show. Lots of opportunities for dastardly deeds on this one.
Details about tennis injuries, competition, and various tournaments were very realistic. The competition of tennis players and endorsements is interwoven with marketing of sports related products. In this case, a new sports drink is in the spotlight. A new topic comes forward in the possibility of toxic vitamin levels and unknown conditions even in the obviously healthy athletes.
Jordan's secretary, very likeable friends, rather unpleasant (controlling) boyfriend/partner all combine to create an enjoyable read. Even more important, the mystery of the deaths taking place ended up not having much in common with the ultimate downfall of the villain.
I found this at the Thompson Public Library at the suggestion of the research librarian, therefore it is available at any Connecticut library.

"The Oxford Murders" by Guillermo Martinez

Took me a while to post this book. To our faithful readers, I've been on a binge to read all summer and not necesarily reading books in order. This book is one of the most cerebral and scholarly mystery stories I have read in a while and another from a country other than the US. The main character is an Argentine mathematical scholar attending Oxford University. The plot begins with the murder of his elderly landlady who helped decipher the 'Enigma Code.' You meet a cast of intellectual characters from the world of mathematics and learn the background of many theories and suppositions. Don't let this keep you from reading this book. It is truly different and the author manages to weave an interesting who-dun-it with some amazing back stories of the mysteries of math. You will find as the story unwinds that the word 'calculated' has both literal and figurative meanings. I have a terrible habit of reading the ending and I didn't with this one and enjoyed the plot twists which kept me guessing who committed the crime to the end. I enjoy reading the works of authors from different countries and this did not disappoint. Are you a fan of the CBS series NUMB3RS? You will appreciate this book.

I recommend this book very much and it is available from most area libraries.

Organize your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini

This was an absolutely perfect beach or curl up in a lounge chair book. It was fun and without a terribly difficult plot. The heroine has real life problems and two adorable yet loyal little dogs. I was drawn to the idea of an organizer solving crimes since organization would seem to be a prime quality for a sleuth. In theory, I understand the importance of being organized but it is certainly not my most dominant quality. The setting is the upper Hudson River Valley which was also a draw for me since I am familiar with the area. Charlotte Adams, just starting a business of professional organizing in her home town, runs into all kinds of situations trying to solve the murder of a former and quite unpopular teacher. Suspects and helpers for Charlotte are certainly not lacking and, in fact, some overlap. Red herrings are numerous but even when it seems obvious who the culprit is, more surprises await. "Organize Your Corpses" was an enjoyable read. I would definitely try another. Perfect for stashing in a suitcase, the book is available in easy travel paperback. Maffini is a Canadian native with three crime series with heroines including Charlotte Adams, as well as Camilla McPhee, a detective, and Fiona Silk, a failed romance writer.Both sound lie fun. Maffini is a former president of Crime Fighters of Canada. Her books have been nominated for a number of mystery awards.

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson

It's been a while since I have reached for a book and read continuously until I finished. This book is one of them. I purchased last summer when it came out in paperback and it sat on the TBR pile until a bookgroup decided to tackle it. The character of Blomkvist as the disgraced journalist and Salander as the edgy troubled genius was just a dynamic combination for an explosive story. The underground story with international finance, a trip back in time with White Supremacy and Nazism was riveting. It's a fast-paced story that I found easy to follow and could imagine as a movie. What I liked the most was the character development of Salander. She was so hard edged and reflected the terrible experiences such as her guardians who always took physical, emotional, and financial advantage of her. But while you wanted to feel sorry for her lot in life, you saw that those experiences made her who she had become and you found yourself wanting to cheer for her successes when she has them. When I saw that a movie had been made of the book, I was fortunate with timing that I was able to see at an art cinema. Filmed by a Swedish film company and shown in America with subtitles, I was unsure if I would enjoy the film, but I wholeheartedly did. The film was extraordinary and because of the pace of the film, the subtitles were not a problem. The casting of Salander was genius and now I cannot imagine an American version of this story. While the movie couldn;t possible include everything in the book, most was told in impecible detail. I have saved reading the other two books in the series for a treat for later in the summer. This book is still in high demand at area libraries so either get yourself on a waiting list or go to an area bookseller and buy a copy. This is a book worth your time.

"Wed and Buried" by Toni L. P. Kelner

This book is the 8th in the Laura Fleming mystery series. I have not read any in the series and picked this one up at a library "friends" sale earlier this year. I am sure there is a back story that I did not know jumping into the middle of the series, but it didn't hinder me from enjoying the novel. This is a cozy type mystery and one of many that portray a super mommy with not only amazing mothering skills, an attentive and supportive husband, and the ability to be super sleuth all rolled into one. This isn't exactly great literature compared to some that I have read so far. Laura arrives with hubbie and baby in tow to visit an older relative who has recently gotten married. The new groom claims someone is trying to kill him. Laura sets out to find out what is happening and of course finds out that the man had a past that would make many people in the town likely to want him dead. Predictable of course not long after arriving in town for the visit a body is found. Laura is able to solve the crime with pretty much one arm tied behind her back and with the help of many neighbors and aunties that help with the baby just at the most important times. This is a cute series and I would probably read more. I wanted something light to read and this book delivered. So if you are a fan of the cozy, mommy super sleuth this is your book.

*Note the post from the author.

I wanted to clarify a point that Toni Kelner graciously made to my posting. I jumped into a series and made a sweeping generality about the series that was incorrect. I am thrilled Toni posted and I hope now to go back to my 'roots' and read the beginning of the series to see how the characters are developed and see where the plots twists take the character.

Thanks for setting us straight and please read Toni's series!!

Under Suspicion by Rachel Lee

In this quest to read 26 novels in a year, in alpha order by author, I am also trying to include a number of different types of mysteries. "Under Suspicion" by Rachel Lee falls in the romantic fiction category. In spite of the "romantic" description it is far from the stereotypical bodice burner one usually associates with that category. The setting is a university museum, the antagonist an anonymous and difficult to locate person, the police involved have lives and characteristics that are quite human. The protagonist is also well drawn. I did not figure out who the villain was before the chase was on. The technical details were realistic and up to date. Of course, there was a "curse". Who really knows if the curse came true? Rachel Lee has written an unbelievable total of over 50 books in various themes. I did enjoy this one being something of a sap for museum stories. I got the book in paperback at the Thompson Public Library and it is available at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble online.