Die in Plain Sight

Written by Elizabeth Lowell

Narrated by Maria Tucci

The incomparable New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell explores the fine art of murder.

Lacey Quinn is determined to prove that the striking landscapes she inherited, done by her late, much-loved grandfather, are as good as anything hanging in museums of California Impressionism today. But the paintings now in her possession are more than the works of a talented master; they are anguished voices from the grave . . . crying murder!

Suddenly Lacey’s investigation into the life and death of the enigmatic artist is leading her down an ever-darkening road paved with lies, blood, and devastating secrets. It also leads her to Ian Lapstrake, a security specialist employed by the appraisal house Rarities Unlimited, who has taken an interest in Lacey’s inheritance . . . and in her safety. Because someone wants to prevent Lacey Quinn from examining her grandfather’s work too closely, by any means necessary. And clues to a series of horrific, unexplained killings may be hidden in the brushstrokes—clues that have now indelibly marked Lacey and Ian for death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Aug 3, 2004
• ISBN: 9780060783259

Elizabeth Lowell

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell has more than eighty titles published to date with over twenty-four million copies of her books in print. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband, with whom she writes novels under a pseudonym. Her favorite activity is exploring the Western United States to find the landscapes that speak to her soul and inspire her writing.

Reviews for Die in Plain Sight

[dudes22_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this 3rd book in Elizabeth Lowell’s Rarities series the best so far. Lacey Quinn believes that her grandfather was a magnificent painter after she inherits a number of landscapes he painted and some others that are very disturbing which she calls the Death Series. When a prominent artist comes to town and offers to appraise paintings that people in the community bring her (rather like an “Antiques Roadshow”), Lacey decides to bring 3 of her grandfather’s paintings. Susa (the artist) loves the paintings which are very similar to the style of an artist who died many years ago and wants to know more. She also has a bodyguard Ian who would like to get to know Lacey. The mystery of the paintings (and what they are about) develops gradually in the book. There is some cute repartee between Ian and Lacey which had me smiling. If I had a disappointment in the book, it was in how fast the author seemed to wrap things up at the end. I thought it could have had a few more details – almost like there was a page quota and she ran out of room and had to jam everything in.

[ftbooklover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Die in Plain Sight is the story of landscape artist Lacey Quinn who decides to show famous artist, Susa Donovan three of her dead grandfather's paintings in hopes that she will confirm Lacey's opinion that her grandfather had impressive talent. Not only does Susa agree with Lacey, but she also thinks they were painted by a famous artist named Lewis Marten. One of the paintings depicts a murder, and Lacey begins to suspect that her grandfather might not have just been a forger but also a murderer. When someone sets fire to Lacey's studio/store and the paintings are stolen, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery. In steps Ian Lapstrake, who has been assigned the job of protecting Susa Donovan. Ian finds himself attracted to Lacey, and helps her investigate the history of not only her grandfather, but also the mysterious paintings.
Die in Plain Sight is an extremely good suspense story with an interesting mystery. The beginning of the book is a little hard to follow because there are so many characters, but after it becomes clear how each one fits into the story, it is much easier to track them as they become suspects or participants in this mystery. Intertwined clues and action scenes make it easy to remain interested in the book from beginning to end. A very enjoyable read.

[jessmahler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not as engaging or re-readable as some of Lowell's work, but a solid read with a nice mix of romance and thrills. The main bad guy was obvious from the beginning, but I liked how the book kept you guessing how involved his family and associates were.