Shooting Gallery

by: Hailey Lind

Published by: Signet

Reviewed by Sara A. Baker

When the dead body of a famous sculptor is found hanging from a tree at his own show, Annie Kincaid ends up at the center of yet another investigation. Shooting Gallery, the second Art Lover's Mystery by the sister duo known as Hailey Lind, presents Annie Kincaid, a faux finisher who cannot escape her past in art forgery. For one thing, her grandfather, Georges LeFleur, is an art forger extraordinaire. Then there is her former colleague in crime, Michael, a talented--and irresistibly sexy--art thief, who shows up when she is least expecting him. Suffice it to say that trouble follows Annie Kincaid everywhere she goes.

Annie finds herself playing amateur sleuth in an attempt to discover who killed sculptor Seamus McGraw and why his old friend and fellow sculptor Robert Pascal refuses to return one of his own pieces to its rightful owner. Soon her mother adds another mystery to the mix when she suddenly shows up at Annie's apartment and hops into SUVs with strange men, refusing to answer Annie's questions about her unusual behavior. Along the way, Annie is charmed by numerous men, from the suave Michael to her classy landlord, Frank DeBenton. Of course, these men have their own secrets.

With Annie, Lind has created a solid, likeable, and fun character. She is down to earth and self-deprecating, despite the flawless forgeries of masterpieces that she created at age seventeen--and the many handsome men who long to get close to her. The other characters come alive as well, even Annie's faux-French grandfather, who only appears through letters.

The plot is entertaining, and Lind is good at keeping the reader guessing. In fact, wondering what Annie will do about her suitors is as fun as trying to figure out who killed Seamus.

Lind also makes the art world accessible to the average person and cleverly includes instructions for gold gilding at the end of the book. Overall, Shooting Gallery is an amusing romp through the glamorous and dangerous world of art forgery and thievery with a clever, creative, and sometimes clumsy guide.

Armchair Interviews says: Romance, mystery...and the art world together for a good read.