The Death of Art

By Michele Stapley

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974555320
• ISBN13: 9780974555324
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Greenwood Steet Pub
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Entrancing mystery

I'm not a big reader of novels but I couldn't put this one down. The characters are so well developed that you feel you know them. The plot is complete, no loose pieces or stray leads, and it keeps you on your toes figuring out whodunit. A very satisfying read!

Great characters and entertaining

Stapley blends both real and fictional characters into a delightful story. She has created people you love and love to hate. Her writing is tight and a good ending. I loved it all.

The Death of Art

I was asked initially to review this book. However the reading of it propelled me at such pace that I found myself much more interested in the story and its backdrop than in my critique of it. It is a shame that the cover of this book, a painting by the author herself, is not depicted on this site, for the cover surpasses anything I've seen in a mystery novel. If you must judge a book by it's cover, you will not go wrong here.As an established painter, the author has a naturalness for description. Every scene is painted with a balance of subject matter and detail, totally avoiding the excessiveness in which so many authors seem to indulge. Stapley leaves her readers free to flow with the story, use their own imaginations, and bury themselves in a most enjoyable read.A few of her characters might have been more fully fleshed out, but this is minor criticism. It is difficult in a novel of this size to show complexity in all the characters. As far her main characters are concerned, they are very well developed, and I look forward to seeing them again another mystery.I recommend this this as a great read!

Art Lives!

Mixing the high-culture art scene of Scottsdale, Arizona with the gristly hard-boiled detective genre, this book gives a reader the best of both worlds. The result is a great read that offers insights into art and life.The book's punning title is the first tipoff that you'll be alternating mentally between the sculptures of "Art" Russo and the delightful family-centered style of Detective Tony Brannigan--when you get Tony you also get his family. Author Michele Stapley -- a noted Arizona artist in her own right, and whose painting adorns the cover -- wastes no time with flowery descriptions of Arizona sunsets. She likes to get right into the action, then captivates the reader with crisp dialogue and well-placed clues. Where 'The Da Vinci Codes' spins a fanciful historical/theological background to the real time mystery, Stapely's action is firmly embedded in the present tense, but is no less fascinating.While mystery lovers in general will find it hard to put down, anyone with even the slightest interest in the modern art world or in Arizona, for that matter, would be crazy not to pick this gem up.