In this 38th book in the series, Spenser investigates the murder of an art expert. The mystery can be read as a standalone.
*****
When a painting called 'Lady With a Finch' by 17th century Dutch artist Franz Hermenszoon is stolen from Boston's Hammond Museum, the thieves offer to return it for a ransom.
The museum asks art professor Ashton Prince, PhD - a renowned expert on Renaissance low-country art - to make the exchange. Prince is wary of dealing with the crooks, so he hires private investigator/bodyguard Spencer to protect him.
Spenser accompanies Prince to the exchange, and as the professor is returning to the car after the swap, the rolled canvas in his hand explodes - killing Prince and (presumably) destroying the artwork.
Spencer is chagrined at his failure to safeguard the art expert, and is determined to find the miscreants who killed him.
Spenser starts his inquiries by speaking to the director of the Hammond Museum and the investigator at the museum's insurance company - both of whom seem reluctant to talk to him. Meanwhile, the police are looking for the bombers and Spencer cooperates with Captain Quirk and Sergeant Belson from the Boston Police Department and Captain Healy from the Massachusetts State Police.
Spencer also asks his friend - sexy, well-connected attorney Rita Fiore - to wheedle information out of the museum's attorney.
Spenser learns that Prince was a married skirt-chaser who harbored secrets about his past, and that Nazi art thefts during World War II may be related to the Hammond Museum burglary. The Nazi angle is especially troubling because killers with replicas of concentration camp tattoos make numerous attempts on Spencer's life.
Moreover, Hawk - who normally watches Spenser's back- is out of the country.
During Spenser's downtime, he hangs out with his girlfriend Susan Silverman and their dog Pearl. Spenser and Susan spend a lot of time chatting, flirting, dining, and warming the sheets - and readers irritated by their excessive banter will roll their eyes. 🙄
Less annoyingly, Pearl romps with her canine boyfriend Otto - whom she met in the dog park. 🐶💕
As always, Spencer's conversations are laced with witty repartee and clever barbed comments, which has always been a fun aspect of the series. 😊
I enjoyed the novel's engaging plot and diverse characters, and recommend the book to mystery readers, especially Spenser fans.
'Painted Ladies' is Parker's penultimate Spenser novel, written a year before his death in 2010. The series has continued, however, with other authors.
Rating: 3 stars
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