Mystery/Thriller -- 3 stars
As children, Beth and Kate Lathrop were tied in the basement of their art gallery with their mother during a robbery. Their mother died, and their father went to prison for orchestrating the heist. Growing up, Beth moved on with her life, marrying and continuing to run the gallery with her husband. When Beth is found murdered in her bedroom, and the same painting that was stolen in the first robbery is found to be missing, Kate immediately suspects Beth's husband is copying their famous case. ----- This is a really good story marred by some irritating writing. Yes, the story revolves around the art world; but why, oh why, was it necessary to name every art gallery they ever visited along with a description of at least one famous painting they saw ("Whenever they stopped at the Atheneum, they had visited Andrew Wyeth's Chambered Nautilus, a painting of...") or their tangential connection to famous people ("When Kate got to Monte Crisco Cottage, boyhood home of Eugene O'Neill...")? None, and I mean, absolutely none, of the references added anything to the story. The Eugene O'Neill reference started with Kate taking a walk and ended with her turning back at the cottage--it was never mentioned again. I suppose they were supposed to add color, and that might have worked if Ms. Rice hadn't used them so heavy-handedly. In the end the namedropping simply became irritating. Good characters, surprises, and twists could not overcome the in-your-face-look-what-I-know indulgence.
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