Amazon #1 International Bestseller Curiosity can be a killer After a long week lobbying on Capitol Hill, all Karina Cardinal wants to do is chill with Netflix and her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne. Instead, she's slipping her aching feet into red stilettos for his parents' annual holiday bash. When she accidentally interrupts Patrick's father in his study, her embarrassment is tempered by suspicion that Martin Dunne and his dapper, secretive guest are hiding something. Maybe the painting she barely glimpses right before it ...
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Amazon #1 International Bestseller Curiosity can be a killer After a long week lobbying on Capitol Hill, all Karina Cardinal wants to do is chill with Netflix and her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne. Instead, she's slipping her aching feet into red stilettos for his parents' annual holiday bash. When she accidentally interrupts Patrick's father in his study, her embarrassment is tempered by suspicion that Martin Dunne and his dapper, secretive guest are hiding something. Maybe the painting she barely glimpses right before it disappears behind a secret panel. An internet search raises her curiosity to full-blown alarm. If she's right, Martin is in possession of a stolen masterpiece. Infamous because everyone close to it has turned up dead. As in Mafia-style-execution dead. As she's chewing over which instinct to follow-back off while she still can, or dig deeper for the truth-she crosses paths with FBI agent Mike Finnegan. An old friend and not-quite flame from her college days. When she looks into his warm, mocha eyes, she's tempted to tell him everything. Trouble is, she's already being watched. And the next move she makes could destroy innocent lives...including her own.
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Isabella's Painting: A Notorious Art Heist (Karina Cardinal Mysteries #1) by Ellen Butler
This was the first book I've read by Butler, but it is not going to be my last. This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat wanting more. I couldn't put the book down until I was done. I still want more.
Karina is a lawyer and self made mystery solver. She is dating someone who has family money. What happens when she finds something she wasn't supposed to see? Will her and the boyfriend survive? The quote I choose for Karina is: "No. I'm sure it wasn't like that. As a matter of fact, I'm positive you put it on to make sure I wasn't cheating on you. Like your past girlfriends. Is that what it was like?"
Patrick is a boy from money. He doesn't follow in daddy's footsteps, but past relationships mess with him. He wants to believe that Karina isn't cheating, but does the unthinkable. The quote I choose for Patrick is: "I know. Our plans changed, but now that we're here amidst your family, I simply can't wait any longer. Karina, my love, will you marry me?"
I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good crime, mystery, and romance all rolled together. Butler had really brought these characters to life and I can't wait for more.
Michelle
Dec 3, 2018
Great read
Isabella's Painting was a great 5 star read and the first book in the Karina Cardinal Mystery series.
Karina is a lawyer who discovers something mysterious when she is attending a party with her boyfriend at his parents home. Of course her curiosity peaks and she does some investigating, could she have seen a piece of artwork that was part of a historical unsolved robbery?
I'd gotten it into my head that I would crack a case that neither the FBI, nor highly skilled art detectives, nor investigative reporters had done in the past twenty-eight years. How silly of me
Will Karina's curiosity bring danger to her doorstep? Will she be able to solve the mystery?
We meet several great secondary characters that added a great element to the story, my favorite was Molly. I really liked Karina, she had me LOL so many times, she was very smart and independent. I really like a book that has me guessing throughout the story, I was thrown off when it twisted in a completely different direction on me. This is my first read from Ellen and I was pulled right in by her writing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.