Connect with The Gauguin Connection

I admit, I have become a bit of a jaded reader.  It really takes a lot for me to run around telling everyone "READ THIS BOOK", but "READ THIS BOOK!!!"

I came across it on one of the ereader mailing lists I subscribe to.  It was free (and still is) on Amazon and I thought, why not.  The title and the premise of the book caught my attention.  I had it on there for several days and started reading it when none of the other dozen books were close at hand (baby was sleeping and didn't want to wake her).  From the very start I was hooked and resented any interruption (go away Texter and your ovarian cyst and crying grand daughter).

Genevieve Lenard, the main character, is a high functioning autistic who 'reads people' for a high dollar insurance company in Europe.  Dr. Lenard has her routine and her space and does quite well being left alone to go about her business.  Her boss, Phillipe, needs a favor for an old friend investigating the theft of guns from an European agency.  Soon there are Russians, murdered artists, an art thief and assorted others impinging on her well ordered routine.

Genevieve is delightful in her bluntness (who at one point hasn't wanted to talk to people the way she does) and you cringe at times at her lack of social skills and misunderstanding of euphemisms.  But she has a champion on her side who wants her help in solving the murders of the artists and is a calming influence in this otherwise chaotic mess which has become her life.  Besides, who wouldn't want a handsome, sexy art thief breaking into their house all the time?  Besides Genevieve?  All this mess is unsettling.  So today, when I go to work, I am going to have to write up my recommendation to order these books for the library.  We have several patrons who I know will love this book as much as I do.

Estelle Ryan has created some great characters who seem very real.  I know there is a Dr. Lenard running around out there and Colin has my permission to come through any entrance into my apartment he wishes, as long as Vinnie comes too.  I could use some help with cooking and cleaning. However, I do have two big problems with the book.  One, it ended.  Two, I'm going to have to wait until my next paycheck in order to get the other three books in the series.