The Mystery of the Third Lucretia

An exciting mystery, featuring two smart 9th-grade girls and their travel to Paris, Amsterdam, and London. Lucretia is the Roman wife Rembrandt and other painters featured in their art. Two famous paintings by Rembrandt are of Lucretia, and the third Lucretia of the title is in fact a forgery. Kari and Lucas (a girl) are given the chance to follow Kari’s mother as she travels as a reporter/editor for The Scene, which covers European fashions. But their mystery starts right at home, at the Art Institute of Minneapolis. Both girls are artists themselves, and are gifted, to say the least. They notice a man they call Gallery Guy copying one of the two Lucretias; nothing wrong with that, except this fellow is especially secretive. As the girls travel to Europe, they see this same Gallery Guy in London and Lucas is nearly run down by a speeding car. The girls unfortunately have to tell a pack of lies to Kari’s mother in order to get the freedom to investigate their suspicions. When they get word that a third Lucretia has been discovered in Amsterdam, they are almost certain this is a forgery, somehow related to Gallery Guy. They then tell Kari’s mother and get her help as they change their plans and go to Amsterdam to see this third Lucretia for themselves. Kari’s mother is kidnapped and the girls have to do all kinds of brave things before this story is finished. By the way, it looks like we will see more mysteries featuring Kari and Lucas. Lots of action, authentic emotions, friendship strains, mother-daughter conflicts…Runholt gets it all just right in this novel. Reviewer: Claire Rosser
March 2008 (Vol. 42, No.2)

The Mystery of the Third Lucretia is a fun and educational mystery for adolescent readers. Although the plot is original and absorbing, the novel's greatest spark is in its female protagonists, Kari Sundgren (whose spry narration keeps the story amusing) and Lucas Stickney. The prose is sometimes childish-Kari seems to get side-tracked when conveying information-but generally rich, while remaining steady enough easily to follow. It is a refreshing and ultimately rewarding read. Reviewer: Emily Petit, Teen Reviewer
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)

Gr 4-7- At the opening of this art mystery reminiscent of Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer (Scholastic, 2004), teen art enthusiasts Kari and Lucas encounter a foul-tempered man painting secretively at an exhibit of Rembrandt's famous Lucretia at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The strange episode proves significant when the best friends embark on a trip to London with Kari's mother and bump into the same unsociable painter in the Rembrandt room of the National Gallery. They realize the man is more than what he seems and make it their mission to discover what he is painting with such intense secrecy. Disguise and hilarity ensue, but before they know it, Kari and Lucas find themselves in real danger. The situation spirals when a new Lucretia painting surfaces unexpectedly, and the two sleuths must piece together the clues before the painter catches up with them-or before Kari's mom discovers that they have been spending their sightseeing time spying on a criminal. Kari narrates in a believable, contemporary voice, straightforward and humorous, reflecting the foibles and fears of an average 14-year-old. The story is carried by its continuous action and likable characters, not by the mystery, which remains a bit flat, without many twists. Nevertheless, the clarity of the plot, as well as the relative lack of violence, makes this a worthwhile choice for readers newly acquiring a taste for the mystery genre.-Emma Runyan, The Winsor School, Boston, MA