Amazon #1 International BestsellerIn 1990 a Boston museum was robbed of $500 million worth of artwork. To this day, the art remains at large … until now. Peeling back layers of lies could save a masterpiece or reveal a killer.After a long week lobbying on Capitol Hill, all Karina Cardinal wants to do is chill with Netflix and her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne. Instead, she’s slipping her aching feet … Instead, she’s slipping her aching feet into red stilettos for his parents’ annual holiday bash. When she accidentally interrupts Patrick’s father in his study, her embarrassment is tempered by suspicion that Martin Dunne and his dapper, secretive guest are hiding something. Maybe the painting she barely glimpses right before it disappears behind a secret panel.
˃˃˃ An internet search raises her curiosity to full-blown alarm.
If she’s right, Martin is in possession of a stolen masterpiece. Infamous because everyone close to it has turned up dead. As in Mafia-style-execution dead.
As she’s chewing over which instinct to follow; back off while she still can, or dig deeper for the truth; she crosses paths with FBI agent Mike Finnegan. An old friend and not-quite flame from her college days. When she looks into his warm, mocha eyes, she’s tempted to tell him everything.
˃˃˃ Trouble is, she’s already being watched.
And the next move she makes could destroy innocent lives including her own.
˃˃˃ Fans of Denise Grover Swank, Melinda Leigh, J.D. Robb will adore this gripping mystery thriller by Award-Winning Bestselling Author Ellen Butler.
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Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery by Ellen Butler is the first book in the Karina Cardinal Mystery series. This is one well written mystery that has humor, DC political scene, romance, and mystery. I was first intrigued as an art history student because the Gardner Heist still has so many unanswered questions. Ms. Butler did a great job of a “what if” scenario that is well thought out and logical. I loved the main character Karina Cardinal and how she went about trying to weave her way through the twists and turns. I also appreciated that the mystery was interesting and had lots of different characters to wonder about their intentions. I will be definitely looking for more from this author in the future and look forward to more of the Karina Cardinal series.
Isabella’s Painting by Ellen Butler is the first in her Karina Cardinal Mystery series. We are introduced to Karina, the hero of the series, as she gets caught up in solving the mystery of a strange painting she suspects may link her potential father-in-law with a major art theft.
Karina is a great character! She reminds me of Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey in the ways that she snoops around to uncover the secrets of her too-perfect boyfriend and his family. Unlike Catherine, though, Karina’s suspicions are more the product of her observant and analytical mind than novel-fuelled fantasies. Karina is a lobbyist for a medical organisation and so has a law degree and strong morals which make her a perfect lead for this series!
It’s a really enjoyable book! The mystery is enthralling and the romance enticing. The story is well fleshed out with supporting characters and various events giving the main characters time and space to develop. The story is told from Karina’s point of view, which works well as we find out her suspicions but can’t find out if she’s right or not until she does.
For me, this is a five star book and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I’d recommend it to art fans and people who like a bit of mystery with their romance!
I enjoyed this series starter and book two as well. I can’t wait for number three!
Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery (Karina Cardinal Mystery Book 1)
By Ellen Butler
5+++++++ OMG stars
My first thought after being totally worthless for the 3 or so hours it took me to read this book was…This is one of the best books I have EVER read. I know nothing about art and truly went into this book thinking it sounds interesting and a break from what I have been reading would be awesome. Well… WOW…..Not really sure how to word this review so that this author gets the justice deserved for her talent in putting together words and having me so hung over right now I cant even hardly think.
She seriously grabbed me at page 1 and when I say I could not put this down I mean I was walking around with my kindle practically stuck to my nose and I couldn’t read it fast enough which angered me because I loved it so much I wanted to slow down and I couldn’t. Karina…what can I say about her…she was so different than most leading ladies and is seriously one of my new favorites. Besides the serious nature of what was going on she had me absolutely laughing out loud in some parts. I love how her story played out and what I loved also was how the relationships all seemed so real and as far as twists and turns, there were a few but I think the biggest twists were that everything played out totally opposite of what I thought they would and I wish I could explain that but I can’t because it would give too much away…Let me also say that my next favorite character in this book was Molly and you will see why when you read it, and you must read it!
I was so excited to see that Book 2 is coming soon and trust me I will be one of the first in line to have this book and I already have this authors page up so I can check out everything else she has written…
I already want to read this again!! Simply perfect!!
Being from Boston, the art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has always intrigued me. The who, why, where is a mystery that I don’t believe will ever be solved.
ISABELLA’S PAINTING is fiction based in truth. All of the aspects that surround the theft really happened. The rest is fiction and was fun to read.
This is a story filled with a bit of mystery, suspense, murder and very civilized mayhem. I really enjoyed the layers of the story. The complexity of the relationships and the roller coaster ride we were taken on.
I would recommend this story and I look forward to reading the next installment of this new series
I give Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery (Karina Cardinal Mystery Book 1) by Ellen Butler, 5 stars.
Karina has a life she loves. She works in Washington DC, her job keeps her busy, but she loves it. Her boyfriend is wonderful. He understands her love of her job and how it keeps her working log hours at times. But he is there for her. So when he parents, who happen to be very well-known in Washington society, throw their annual holiday party and she is asked to attend, she accepts. She knows this is a big deal to both her boyfriend and his parents. While attending the party at their house, she happens across a hidden painting his dad has. Her curiosity get the better of her and she decided to do some research. This looks just like a painting from an infamous museum heist! Is it real? Why does he have it? Should she tell anyone? Can she live with herself of she doesn’t?
This is the first book I have read by this author and I now have a new author to follow! I absolutely loved it! There is so much going on that you will quickly be wrapped up in the suspense and will not be able to put it down until it is done. Karina is a great main character, she is very real and quite human. She struggles with her problems just like any of us would do. That is what helps make this book so great. But let us not forget the story itself. I believe it is based off a real heist, but either way the story is is fantastic. There are so many twists and turns, you will never guess what will happen next.
If you are a fan of suspense and thrillers, with a strong female lead, this book is for you!
Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery (Karina Cardinal Mystery Book 1) Ellen Butler is a great start to the series. It is a fun read for the most part, I loved the humor, there is mystery abound and lets not forget the little bit of romance thrown in to boot. Throw in the FBI, the Mob, a mysterious painting and some secrets and you have one suspenseful mystery that will keep you engrossed from start to finish. Karina is one sassy and strong, witty and headstrong individual and oh did I mention nosey; woman who has stumbled upon something that change the course of her life. The story was based upon a true story that Ellen shared and based on that she did a great job with writing this story and adding her own spin to things.If you like a good mystery Isabella’s Painting is the one for you.
Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery (Karina Cardinal Mystery Book 1)
By: Ellen Butler
5 out of 5 stars
The story Isabella’s Painting: A Notorious Art Heist Mystery (Karina Cardinal Mystery Book 1) by Ellen Butler is a book that I loved reading. It hooks you in from the very beginning and I didn’t want to put it down until I had read the final page. It is a story that includes suspense and mystery. It had me turning pages in order to find out what was going to happen next in both the plot and to the characters. I loved reading about the character of Karina Cardinal. She is a lawyer who is independent and intelligent. Some would also call her a lobbyist on Capitol Hill, however, she would cringe at such a label. She runs into a mystery when at her boyfriend’s parent’s home for a holiday party. What happens next has Karina’s investigative skills and a bit of paranoia working overtime. Is the painting that she has seen one that was stolen so many years ago? Why does her boyfriend’s father have the stolen masterpiece? Now that she has started an investigation into the painting how much danger is she in? Read this book to find out. There are times when this story had me on the edge of my seat. Trying to put together the clues that Karina uncovers is like trying to put together a puzzle to find the truth. The other character that I enjoyed reading about in this story is Mike Finnegan. He is an old friend of Karina’s and works for the FBI. This is a wonderfully written story with some amazing characters. Highly recommended.
This is a story of suspense, mystery and some romance. There are even some twists and turns that left me turning pages just to see what was going to happen next. This is a story Karina and how she accidently overhears a conversation that wasn’t meant for her ears. She thinks that she sees the stolen painting that has been missing since 1990. When she is trying to figure out what to do she runs into an old friend. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next.
What a solid story. I loved that it has direct correlation to real life events! I found the plot fascinating and the characters to be well developed. The book kept me guessing every page. I found the author to have a distinct voice that I felt a connection to. Overall, this book was very well written and is one I will recommend to others.
This book is for that Nancy Drew in all of us. Enjoyable mystery following Karina Cardinal, known as KC to her friends, into the world of stolen art, the mob and the FBI. Isabella’s Painting is the first in an a new series by Butler featuring Karina Cardinal, a D.C. not-for-profit organization lobbyist. In this book, KC stumbles upon a potential famous stolen painting at a suburban Virginia house (home of her fiancé) and her inner Nancy Drew comes out.
There were a few “don’t do it” moments when the protagonist lets her curiosity get the better of her that had me shaking my head but it was all in the name of a good mystery romp. Basing the mystery on a famous unsolved art heist added to the fun for me. I also enjoyed the insider view into the world of non-profit advocacy and legislative work with a good gal as the lobbyist for a change.
Ellen Butler draws confident, no nonsense female leads in her novels full of spunk and snark. I am looking forward to reading about the next adventure that KC will fall into.
I was pleased to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of Isabella’s Painting for which I voluntarily provided an honest review.