Fool and His Monet

A Fool and His Monet is a wonderful read. The FBI is presented in a slightly softer manner than you regularly see on television, which is what makes it great. There is more humanity and the story is just as exciting as what you see on television. This is where the beauty of Christian fiction shines. The action, tension, and the mystery are never compromised and you don’t have to worry about unnecessary language and violence entering your mind and heart.

My favorite character in A Fool and His Monet is definitely Mr. Sutton. He always has a new word to share with his fellow tenants. Each day a word and it’s definition is given followed by a reminder to use it three times in a sentence right away to help with retention. Pusillanimous was one of his words. Mr. Sutton is just one of the interesting characters that Sandra Orchard brings to life. Several of which, such as Mr. Sutton, live in the same brownstone as our protagonist Serena Jones. In fact, Orchard has surrounded Serena with quite a number of fascinating people. Characters that you will enjoy getting to know.

All in all, Orchard has written a witty and delightful mystery with a wee bit of romance thrown in along with a whole lot of people watching each others backs. Pick it up.

I received a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. My thanks to the author and publisher.

For all of my reviews visit my blog at www (dot) blessedandbewildered (dot) com

A Fool and His Monet
Sandra Orchard

Book Summary: Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about the art thief who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's learning how to go undercover to catch thieves and black market traders. When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Jones leaps into action. The clues point in different directions, and her boss orders her to cease investigating her most promising suspect. But determined to solve the case and perhaps discover another clue in her grandfather's murder, she pushes ahead, regardless of the danger. With spunk, humor, and plenty of heart-stopping moments, Sandra Orchard gives readers an exciting string of cases to crack and a character they'll love to watch solve them.

Review : I loved this book!!! It starts off with a bang and flows from there. Serena is every woman: strong, secure, insecure, attractive, a daughter and a friend! It was a great introduction to a new series. The secondary story to bring the read up to date on who Serena was and the history she had with many of the secondary characters were well written and just enough to leave me wanting more. Serena was complex and had great depth. The story ends with the major current case resolved, but the case involving her grandfather is just starting. This is a double story line and I loved it!!! I want to see more of Tanner, Billy, Zoe, Jax and Nate. I love the picture painted of Serena’s apartment. It is an apartment, yet a home with History! Once her aunt’s place and yet a home. It seems so real I want to visit it!!! This is a must read book in my opinion!

I would like to thank Net Galley and Revell for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

This book was a wonderful mixture of mystery, romantic interest, and comedic moments. I absolutely love Serena Jones. She is a wonderful FBI agent who also has some hang-ups that she has to deal with. She is surrounded by a whole cast of supporting characters. Some of them are very straight forward but others can only be described as quirky. Among the quirky ones my favorites are Aunt Martha and Harold. They gave me a lot to laugh about.

The plot is a current case Serena is trying to solve with mention made of a cold case that weighs heavy on her mind. By the end of this book the current case is dealt with. I have a feeling that the cold case will be continued in future books in this series.

There were a lot of well-crafted twists and turns in the story that really kept me guessing. Sandra did a marvelous job of throwing out different possibilities to confuse the reader. It was fun to try and unravel the mystery along with Serena.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.