This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Keith Julius for Readers' Favorite
A valuable painting stolen from a gallery nearly thirty years ago. A young woman, fiercely independent and not afraid to speak her mind, searching for love and coming to grips with a relationship gone bad. A millionaire collector, caught in a trap of his own devising with seemingly no way out. Isabella's Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery by Ellen Butler has all this and more. The story follows Karina Cardinal, a lobbyist in Washington D.C., and is told primarily from her point of view. When she accompanies her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne, to a party at his parents' house, Karina stumbles upon a secret hidden by his father, Martin. Curiosity gets the better of her and, much to her regret, she investigates the secret and manages to insinuate herself into what becomes a life-threatening struggle.
Ellen Butler does a masterful job with Isabella's Painting, presenting a truly believable heroine who not only has spunk and daring, but also has her share of human frailties. The novel moves at a rapid pace, not so much because of the action within the story, but rather due to the mesmerizing way the author presents details and snippets of information to keep the reader wondering just what's going to happen next. Surprises abound, to the point where you're never quite sure what to expect. The people are realistic, suffering believable consequences due to their actions, and knowing the story is based on an actual art theft from 1990 makes things seem that much more real. An enjoyable read from start to finish and highly recommended.
