Death on the Grand Canal

Interpol, art-theft, blogger, international-crime-and-mystery, interpersonal-problems, murder, secrets, second-career, lies, Italy, wealthy, intrigue, jewelry-artist, historical-research, historical-jewelry/artifact*****

Stefanie Adams is a former private banker, frustrated archaeologist, has no law enforcement training, recently became a travel blogger, and is on her first official job alongside the multilingual Interpol agent, Thomas Burkhardt, with whom she became involved both romantically and in an investigation while on vacation on Crete. While it is a stretch for me that Interpol would involve her without any training, it does work well in this story (second in series) and is reminiscent of the much older Mrs. Pollifax of the CIA in the 1960s. The other thing that predisposes me to a better review is the kindness the author shows in details like the unaided visual differences in man made vs natural gemstones as well as the differences in sparkle vs glow in the cutting process, and even the little travel blogger tips like noting that the Vaparetto is a bus as opposed to the Water Taxis in Venice.
The Borgia Peacock was originally stolen in 1906 at the Milan International Expo and has only recently emerged for sale on the clandestine market. Stefanie and Thomas have been authorized to purchase it but there is also the option of stealing it. An informant dies in a suspicious manner and that intensifies matters! The investigation is well done, the travelogue makes things even better, the characters are all so realistic and engaging, the plot twists are inventive, and the herrings are decidedly red (teeheehee). Loved it!
I requested and received an EARC from Level Best Books/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)/Members' Titles via NetGalley. Thank you!