From award-winning author Aaron Paul Lazar:
The last place Gus LeGarde expects to find his old friend Byron Cunningham is in a plane that crashes in a field near his farmhouse. But that’s just the first surprise in a series of shocking events beginning with the discovery of a Monet painting crammed into the plane’s fuselage. Is it real? Or fake? The trail leads Gus into a twisting trio of … trio of dangerous art world conspiracies.
Gus fends off some very pushy collectors and soon realizes he may have crossed paths with treacherous criminals, putting his family at risk. As if that isn’t enough, he must also contend with a problem that’s close to his heart: his daughter, Shelby, is growing up too fast. She’s determined to sing professionally and is now under the spell of a wolf in tenor’s clothing, handsome Greek student, Dmitri. When she vanishes with the family car, her frantic parents desperately chase the fading trail.
A slew of Facebook messages on Shelby’s computer lead them to The Eastman School of Music, where both Shelby’s new flame and Gus’s old friend have been hiding secrets linked to the art scandal. There’s a real Monet out there somewhere, and nothing—including murder—will stop the desperate man who wants it.
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Note: all books in this series can be read as “standalones” in any order. You do not have to read books #1, 2, 3, in order, etc. to enjoy the characters and mysteries.
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LEGARDE MYSTERIES – in order of chronology (Gus LeGarde’s age) for those who have asked!
TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON
DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU
SPIRIT ME AWAY
DOUBLE FORTÉ
UPSTAGED
MAZURKA
FIRESONG
THE LIAR’S GALLERY
UNDER THE ICE
LADY BLUES
Read excerpts for free at http://www.lazarbooks.com and also discover more series written by Aaron Paul Lazar.
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This was, quite simply, wonderful book. I love a good mystery and having been an art appraiser at one time, I’m always looking for books that combine mystery and art. Music was an added bonus.
Anyone who has children can certainly identify with Gus and his feelings regarding his daughter, Shelby’s, fascinating with Dmitri.
I am so glad this book was recommended to me and I highly recommend it. You’re in for a treat.
Aaron Paul Lazar is fast becoming one of my favorite go-to authors. His skill at weaving intriguing mysteries is so dependable, I have no doubt I’m in for a treat when I pick up one of his books… or in this case an audiobook.
The Liar’s Gallery, a Gus LeGarde Mystery, did not disappoint, and even though this was book 7 in the series, I had no trouble with the storyline as the book is easily a stand-alone. Yanked into the mystery on the first page, I had a hard time putting the book down and snatched it up again every free moment I found.
Gus, his family, and all the characters in Lazar’s story are so well-developed I feel like I know them. The plot line in The Liar’s Gallery is fresh, and the intrigue takes off in the first few paragraphs when Gus sees a small plane crash right in front of him. I was immediately drawn into the mystery and was intrigued further when Gus discovers the pilot, Byron Cunningham, was a childhood friend.
Twists and turns abound as Gus an Byron discover a tube containing a rolled-up painting in the plane wreckage. I’m not one to reveal the secrets of the mystery, so I will end my review here. Suffice to say I award five gold stars to The Liar’s Gallery and highly recommend the story.
A fantastic intriguing mystery with drama & humor, and a touch of romance.
Although I have enjoyed other books from the author, The Liar’s Gallery: A Gus LeGarde Mystery (LeGarde Mysteries Book 7) is the first book in this series that I’ve had the privilege of reading.
As in his other books, the author is great at introducing well-developed believable characters and setting the scene for the evolving story with the skillful use of both drama and humor.
We’re thrown into the story immediately when Gus is horseback riding. Gus’ former best friend, Byron had been flying his own plane when it was apparently having mechanical trouble. Luckily, it was near where Gus was riding with some of his family, so Gus rushes to the rescue, not knowing that the pilot’s his old friend. Gus manages to pull Byron out from the plane before the gas tank is set on fire, and the plane’s destroyed, although not completely.
Byron recuperates for a day at Gus’s family farm, before they return the next day to the site of the crash to meet authorities and see what’s salvageable. Not only is sabotage suspected, but they discover a long tube amidst the wreckage which has a painting rolled inside that Byron knows nothing about. After an accidental spill at Gus’ farm, they discover that the painting was an original work of art that had been painted over.
The police art experts get involved, and meanwhile, Byron coincidentally spots a famous painting in Gus’ house, that had been handed down in the family, and urges Gus to have it appraised and insured.
Gus and Byron connect the artwork discovered on the plane to a ring of thieves working in Rochester. Millions of dollars’ worth of artwork had already been taken, so Byron stays with Gus, not only because he’s under suspicion since the painting found on his plane is a Monet, but because his life could be in danger for unknown reasons.
Besides the mystery, there’s some deeply fascinating backstory relating to the family he dearly loves, along with the typical turmoil associated with Gus, an overprotective father, who has suspicions about his daughter Shelby’s new older boyfriend.
Gus’s friends and family are all relatable characters, who feel like people you could actually know and love, and it’s an intriguing mystery with clues that will keep you guessing until the very end.
I give it five starsAaron Paul Lazar and recommend you begin with the first book in the series. (That’s what I’m going to do!!)