jasmyn9's review against another edition
4.0
Alix London is making a reputation for herself as the "Art Whisperer," capable of telling if a painting is authentic or not by just looking at it. And her intuition is never wrong, it might just take her a little while to prove it. This reputation is getting her in trouble this time. She's being targeted online by a smear campaign, and it's strangely tied to her new job at a small museum.
She's determined to save her reputation and find out who is behind the attacks. But she'll end up needing some help on this one, and she's not sure exactly what her relationship with FBI Agen Ted Ellesworth is anymore. Which is another minefield that she will need to navigate.
I really enjoy how the mysteries in the series build off each other. The characters are dynamic from book to book, and their growth and development adds to the storyline and enhances the mystery and sleuthing as we go on. I'm also learning a bit about art, and I love how the authors tie it all together is such great stories.
She's determined to save her reputation and find out who is behind the attacks. But she'll end up needing some help on this one, and she's not sure exactly what her relationship with FBI Agen Ted Ellesworth is anymore. Which is another minefield that she will need to navigate.
I really enjoy how the mysteries in the series build off each other. The characters are dynamic from book to book, and their growth and development adds to the storyline and enhances the mystery and sleuthing as we go on. I'm also learning a bit about art, and I love how the authors tie it all together is such great stories.
nogenreleftbehind's review against another edition
4.0
Alix London is making a reputation for herself as the "Art Whisperer," capable of telling if a painting is authentic or not by just looking at it. And her intuition is never wrong, it might just take her a little while to prove it. This reputation is getting her in trouble this time. She's being targeted online by a smear campaign, and it's strangely tied to her new job at a small museum.
She's determined to save her reputation and find out who is behind the attacks. But she'll end up needing some help on this one, and she's not sure exactly what her relationship with FBI Agen Ted Ellesworth is anymore. Which is another minefield that she will need to navigate.
I really enjoy how the mysteries in the series build off each other. The characters are dynamic from book to book, and their growth and development adds to the storyline and enhances the mystery and sleuthing as we go on. I'm also learning a bit about art, and I love how the authors tie it all together is such great stories.
She's determined to save her reputation and find out who is behind the attacks. But she'll end up needing some help on this one, and she's not sure exactly what her relationship with FBI Agen Ted Ellesworth is anymore. Which is another minefield that she will need to navigate.
I really enjoy how the mysteries in the series build off each other. The characters are dynamic from book to book, and their growth and development adds to the storyline and enhances the mystery and sleuthing as we go on. I'm also learning a bit about art, and I love how the authors tie it all together is such great stories.
hahibbard's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Loved the details about art conservation and a good mystery . I wish Ted had come in earlier but loved the ending!
alliepeduto's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t love this, but there were elements I definitely enjoyed! I love art, and museums, so the overarching theme was why I picked up the novel. But the writing was only so-so and the characters were very flat. Still, since I recently traveled to Palm Springs, I loved the references throughout the book to the place!
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
3.0
The Art Whisperer is my second Alix London mystery, although I think it would work fine as a stand-alone. Recurring characters are introduced with enough background so you know who they are but not so much that it bogs down the story. Alix is doing some restoration work for a small museum in Palm Springs, but, of course, it can't be that simple. The Pollock is probably a fake, someone's trying to kill her, and the head curator at the museum is just a bit sleazy.
First, a disclaimer - I like art mysteries. The combo of art and the people who surround it, collectors, experts, forgers with murder, theft, mayhem tends to draw me in. Add a smart female amateur sleuth, very light bit of romance and I'm hooked.
The mystery this time around comes down to who's blacklist is Alix on and why? Between the smear campaign and the threat to her life, she's obviously in somebody's line of fire, but who. We've got a nice list of suspects, folks who work at the museum mostly, each with their own quirks and possible motives. And of course, it's not surprise that I guessed wrong. The FBI Agent/love interest shows up near the end, but he doesn't save the day. Actually he doesn't do much for the plot itself, but I like him. Although I admit the scene at the end where they declare their feelings seemed a little cheesy and awkward.
This is one of those mysteries where there's nothing really outstanding, but it's a fun read.
First, a disclaimer - I like art mysteries. The combo of art and the people who surround it, collectors, experts, forgers with murder, theft, mayhem tends to draw me in. Add a smart female amateur sleuth, very light bit of romance and I'm hooked.
The mystery this time around comes down to who's blacklist is Alix on and why? Between the smear campaign and the threat to her life, she's obviously in somebody's line of fire, but who. We've got a nice list of suspects, folks who work at the museum mostly, each with their own quirks and possible motives. And of course, it's not surprise that I guessed wrong. The FBI Agent/love interest shows up near the end, but he doesn't save the day. Actually he doesn't do much for the plot itself, but I like him. Although I admit the scene at the end where they declare their feelings seemed a little cheesy and awkward.
This is one of those mysteries where there's nothing really outstanding, but it's a fun read.
fallonwilloughby's review against another edition
3.0
First off, I received this book via a win from the First Reads program on Goodreads.
There are two books that preceed this, and while I understood what was going on in the novel just fine, there were moments when it just would have been better to read the others: "A Cruise to Die For" and "A Dangerous Talent."
In the beginning, I thought the writing was off to a really good start. It opened uniquely, and I enjoyed it. Plus they turned a good phrase - "Talk about moth and flames." Then, however, the writing just seemed odd at times. There would be these long sentences with many commas (sometimes run-ons) that were really unnecessary and totally broke up the flow for the reader. Some of it felt disjointed. These sentences seemed to disappear as the novel continued. It was just odd. I'd be really enjoying it one moment, and put off the next. I will mention that I am a slight grammar nerd, and long sentences are just hard to pull off.
The characters are well done. I like Alix, though she does manage to be very good at many things. Her friends and family are entertaining, and the museum the story centers around is great. The art tips and facts that are part of this story (and I'm assuming are researched or known, but for all I know could be false), are really great and add to the story itself.
The plot did seem slow at first, and without spoilers, the overall pace was iffy. One moment it would be great, another it seemed a little too slow. Though I enjoyed the story, the overall climax was until nearly the very end, and it swiftly was solved and fixed after that.
The point of view switched several times, and this again was iffy for me. We see from several characters only once, and then suddenly from the murderer in italics, a few times. I think it may have been better if it had just centered on Alix, and possibly Ted, as he seems to play a major role. Overall, it works, but I could have done without the murderers thoughts - it is more suspenseful otherwise.
There is a part where the author says that Alix never turns on her phone if she can help it, but before this she has assigned ringtones to three important people so that she always answers them (why bother if her phone is never on?), and also has answered and used her cell phone several times already within the story. So this didn't add up.
My last little detail with the writing is that sometimes the authors go into way too much detail. While it's interesting - these certain scenes could have been pulled off way quicker and seemed less contrived, as they were.
And my own little pet peeve includes a major SPOILER ALERT! The end bothers me. They haven't known each other for very long it seems, and have not spoken for a year. Couldn't they at least date first?
And so that is it. I give three stars. For the most part I enjoyed the story itself, but the little things were too much to ignore for me.
What do you think about Alix and Ted?
There are two books that preceed this, and while I understood what was going on in the novel just fine, there were moments when it just would have been better to read the others: "A Cruise to Die For" and "A Dangerous Talent."
In the beginning, I thought the writing was off to a really good start. It opened uniquely, and I enjoyed it. Plus they turned a good phrase - "Talk about moth and flames." Then, however, the writing just seemed odd at times. There would be these long sentences with many commas (sometimes run-ons) that were really unnecessary and totally broke up the flow for the reader. Some of it felt disjointed. These sentences seemed to disappear as the novel continued. It was just odd. I'd be really enjoying it one moment, and put off the next. I will mention that I am a slight grammar nerd, and long sentences are just hard to pull off.
The characters are well done. I like Alix, though she does manage to be very good at many things. Her friends and family are entertaining, and the museum the story centers around is great. The art tips and facts that are part of this story (and I'm assuming are researched or known, but for all I know could be false), are really great and add to the story itself.
The plot did seem slow at first, and without spoilers, the overall pace was iffy. One moment it would be great, another it seemed a little too slow. Though I enjoyed the story, the overall climax was until nearly the very end, and it swiftly was solved and fixed after that.
The point of view switched several times, and this again was iffy for me. We see from several characters only once, and then suddenly from the murderer in italics, a few times. I think it may have been better if it had just centered on Alix, and possibly Ted, as he seems to play a major role. Overall, it works, but I could have done without the murderers thoughts - it is more suspenseful otherwise.
There is a part where the author says that Alix never turns on her phone if she can help it, but before this she has assigned ringtones to three important people so that she always answers them (why bother if her phone is never on?), and also has answered and used her cell phone several times already within the story. So this didn't add up.
My last little detail with the writing is that sometimes the authors go into way too much detail. While it's interesting - these certain scenes could have been pulled off way quicker and seemed less contrived, as they were.
And my own little pet peeve includes a major SPOILER ALERT! The end bothers me. They haven't known each other for very long it seems, and have not spoken for a year. Couldn't they at least date first?
And so that is it. I give three stars. For the most part I enjoyed the story itself, but the little things were too much to ignore for me.
What do you think about Alix and Ted?
mousehouse1897's review against another edition
5.0
For never was there a sweeter or more romantically expressive line:
“Because I love you, dimwit!”
“Because I love you, dimwit!”
debwendler's review against another edition
3.0
This was a light read, I liked the art discussions better than the story itself. This is the third in a series, I gave it a try when it was a Kindle daily deal. I don't plan to catch up in the series any time soon, but might at some point.
prpltrtl946's review against another edition
3.0
Museums, forgeries and murder
I can't help trying to love these books, but I still slog through like knee deep mud. Parts of the story were fun and easy to read, but Art snobbery just doesn't work for me.
I can't help trying to love these books, but I still slog through like knee deep mud. Parts of the story were fun and easy to read, but Art snobbery just doesn't work for me.
tomasthanes's review
5.0
This is the third book in the Alix London series (of 4 books - I wish the series was longer).
There is a lot to like about this series and about this book specifically. I felt that this book was stronger than the previous two.
The authors had done a LOT of research for this book.
The first area was about the geographic location of the story: Palm Springs, California. The geography was detailed enough (and fascinating enough) that I now want to visit Palm Springs and explore (including going up the tram to Mt. San Jacinto). I want to tour the old star's homes in Palm Springs. I want to visit that one block that is the heart of the heart of Palm Springs.
The second area was about Pollack's paintings and his signatures specifically and about miniatures.
The third area was about the brake lines on Subarus.
I really enjoyed this story and am moving onto the fourth book in the series.
There is a lot to like about this series and about this book specifically. I felt that this book was stronger than the previous two.
The authors had done a LOT of research for this book.
The first area was about the geographic location of the story: Palm Springs, California. The geography was detailed enough (and fascinating enough) that I now want to visit Palm Springs and explore (including going up the tram to Mt. San Jacinto). I want to tour the old star's homes in Palm Springs. I want to visit that one block that is the heart of the heart of Palm Springs.
The second area was about Pollack's paintings and his signatures specifically and about miniatures.
The third area was about the brake lines on Subarus.
I really enjoyed this story and am moving onto the fourth book in the series.
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