Burnt Siena: A Flora Garibaldi Art History Mystery (The Flora Garibaldi Art History Mysteries) Paperback – 1 Feb 2017

Th author clearly knows a lot about the illicit antiquities trade which drives the plot, but since she tries to give a sense of Siena, it would have been better if the geographical and art history details had been more accurate. It shouldn't have been that hard to find an English-speaker in Siena who could have read the manuscript and corrected the spelling and location of some streets and told her that Simone Martini did not paint on canvas, etc. This is not a serious flaw, but it's irritating. I also recognized details of the plot that she borrowed from an actual case of illicit antiquities that was cracked several years ago. That said, the book held my attention to the end, and I think other readers, especially those with an interest in Italy, would like it.

I really enjoyed this book and am hoping that the author will be making this a series. The characters were well developed and the mystery was intriguing. I loved the setting as well. I've never been to Italy, but after reading this, I think I'd enjoy visiting.

Another archeological mystery from Sarah Wisseman, herself a professional archeologist. She has a new detective and the book is set in the Italian city of Siena. The mystery is well done; I didn't guess the villain until h/she was revealed. Also the writer gives lift to the city of Siena and you can almost believe you are sitting in one of its coffee shops.

BEST OF THE 2 BOOKS IN THIS SERIES.

Flora Garibaldi is a delightful character. The story held my interest. Now, I'm curious about whether she will find romance in her next adventure.