Title: The Case of the Missing Botticelli (A Massimo Domingo Mystery Book 1)
Author: Marilyn Baron
Genre: Cozy Mystery (Romantic Suspense)
Book Blurb:
In this cozy mystery, American art history major Hadley Evans joins an art detective agency in Florence, Italy, working for Massimo Domingo, once a major player, now the Inspector Clouseau of the art world.
Determined to save the flailing agency and prove her worth, Hadley and her sexy carabiniere boyfriend, Luca Ferrari, take on a mysterious client behind her boss's back. While hot on the trail of a missing masterpiece, they discover a hidden cache of stolen Nazi art in a Venetian villa and encounter a dangerous enemy with a link to an evil past.
Excerpt:
Hadley wrote down the phone number and her jaw went slack when she heard and inscribed the rest of the message. “Tell him it’s about a missing Botticelli. It’s urgent.”
A shot of adrenaline coursed through Hadley’s veins. Sandro Botticelli. Her favorite artist in the whole world. Creator of the Italian masterpiece, Nascita di Venere, The Birth of Venus, the ancient Goddess of Love, dated circa 1484. She wasn’t aware a Botticelli painting was missing.
“Is there any additional information you can give me? The name of the painting? The provenance? Capito. I understand the need for utmost secrecy. We can set up a meeting and I’ll make sure Signore Domingo will be there.”
She jotted down some more notes. “Piazzale Michelangelo? At sunset?”
Hadley tilted her head and chewed on her bottom lip. That was a strange destination for a business meeting. Although it offered the most scenic view of the city, perched atop a hillside overlooking Florence, meeting at a park after dark was reminiscent of a murder scene in a film noir. Where the heroine, Hadley, would later be found, dead, her virtue compromised and her throat slit.
Was the female caller from a museum? A high-end gallery? An auction house? Was she an art or antiquities dealer or a wealthy private individual or was she representing a government agency? And, if so, which government? Enemy or ally? She would soon find out.
Buy Links:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-case-of-the-missing-botticelli-marilyn-baron/1140380667?ean=9781509239702
BookBub:
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Tracking stolen art in gorgeous Italian villas…secrets and danger.
The Case of the Missing Botticelli, a humorous and suspenseful cozy mystery, whisks you away to exciting locations—Florence, Venice and Lake Como, Italy. The author studied art history in Florence, Italy, for six months in college and has visited the settings in the book numerous times. Whether you’ve been to Italy before or Italy is on your bucket list, you can experience the beauty, romance and excitement of the country in the comfort of your own home. This series features three of the author’s favorite artists—Botticelli, Vermeer and Fragonard.
Two for One: There are two Massimo Domingo Mysteries within this book: The Case of the Missing Botticelli and The Case of the Vanishing Vermeer. Book 3, The Case of the Forgotten Fragonard, set in Rome and Florence, was published in 2023.
The Case of the Missing Botticelli was a finalist in the Romantic Suspense Category of the Orange County Romance Writers Book Buyers Best 2023 contest.
The book is available in print, Kindle and Audiobook formats.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card:
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Runs February 21 – February 28, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on February 29, 2024.
Author Biography:
Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to cozy mysteries. She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Romantic Suspense, Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. She was also The Finalist in the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) in the Romance Category for her novel, Stumble Stones, and The Finalist for the 2018 GAYA Awards in the Romance category for her novel, The Alibi. Her latest, and 30th work of fiction, is a short story, Blame it on the Moon. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn is past co-chair and current member of Roswell Reads (a one-city, one-read program) and serves on the Atlanta Authors Series Committee. To find out more about what Marilyn writes, visit her website at: www.marilynbaron.com/.
Social Media Links:
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