Mickey Friedman (1) (1944–)

Really enjoyed this book. Beautiful setting in Provence in the south of France. The characters were deeply flawed and therefore very interesting. The mystery was intricate and difficult to solve. Highly recommended. Loved it!

Georgia Lee Maxwell had some "issues" with her job as a journalist in Florida, so she decides to move to Paris and write fluff articles about daily life in France. Something like that. She gets a hint that a famous British art appraiser, Clive Overton, will be going to a private gallery, Musée Bellefroide, to check some things out. So she figures to get a two-fer, an interview with the famous appraiser and a gander at the workings of private art galleries.

But, when they visit the site of show more the most famous painting in the gallery, a gunman shows up. Overton and Georgia Lee are tied up and the museum guard, Pierre Legrand, is shot dead. Once they are released from their bonds, they discover that the only thing missing from the collection is something rather obscure, the mirror of Nostradamus. It has virtually no value.

Allegedly, Nostradamus would look into the interior of this mirror, something shiny and black, and he would see ghostly images appear, images forecasting the future. Is there reality to these ancient myths, or are they just speculation? Is the stolen object actually the real object that belonged to Nostradamus, or just something similar? The provenance is sketchy, so no one knows.

Along the way, we learn of a shadowy group known as the Speculatori. They are true believers in the magic of the mirror and appear to be desperate to obtain it.

Well, that's enough. I believe another body or two show up, and, of course, Georgia Lee's life is in danger a time or two. It's a decent yarn and worth one's time if one has a few idle hours to spare. show less

This was one of the titles in a box set of four on kindle, all set in Europe. The others were more cozy mystery than thriller, all good. This one had a darker feel and the plot was more involved. It was set in Venice during Festivale, when everyone goes about in masks and costumes. A group of acquaintances - one really couldn’t call them friends - try to identify one another in their costumes. Murder, based on a wrong identity, is the result. It was an enjoyable read, but went on for too show more long, with events becoming convoluted and beginning to feel repetitive. show less

I thought twice before downloading this book. Then I read the first couple of pages and thought about deleting it. However after the next few pages I was into it. It was amusing, the characters were not realistic but they were fun. Glad I read it.

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