Review Detail

Reader reviewed by GirlwiththeBraids

Have you ever been to an art museum and seen aspiring artists trying to copy their favorite paintings? Thats exactly what best friends Kari and Lucas (shes a girl, yes) witness on their trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts except this guy is really good at it. Hes suspicious too, shooing people away from his secluded spot in the corner where he paints. A year later when the girls visit an art museum in London, the same mysterious man is working on the same painting & but while wearing a disguise. What is he trying to hide? Though Kari and Lucas are both ready to start the adventure, they arent completely sure of what to do. When things become life-threatening, neither of them know if its worth the trouble.

The Mystery of the Third Lucretia was realistic while still being unbelievable. I felt  my excitement rise with the characters as everything was starting to come together. There were times when I could just picture the girls and them saying Omigosh, omigosh as the mystery began to unfold. Though I didnt realize it when reading, I learned a lot about art history and traveling. And it was amusing! In the beginning, the timeline was somewhat confusing so I cant place all the Before events in order in my mind. Thats why I think this book would be great as a movie, so I can see all the scenes sorted out. The emotions the characters experience throughout the book is completely convincing and I applaud the author for her character-making skills. I look forward to the next books in this series!

278 pages, published by Sleuth Puffin division of Penguin in 2008
Contains: mention of murders (not graphic), feminism, and made-up profanity
RECOMMENDED (for ages 12+)