The Mytery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt

This book is the first in a series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. Kari and Lucas (a girl) are teenagers who stumble upon an international art crime. They observe a man in a Minnesota art museum who is secretly painting on an easel in front of a Rembrandt display. They later observe the same man doing the same thing in London, England, but he's now wearing a different disguise. As time goes on, the girls start to wonder about the situation and find out that a new Rembrandt painting of the Third Lucretia has been discovered and sold for twenty million dollars. They realize that the new painting is fake and try to figure out a way to catch the criminal.

The story is written in a casual, first-person point of view. Kari tells the story to the reader as though they are sitting together and chatting. The style makes the mystery un-intimidating, and the reader is able to see the clues unfold. The reader must still try to figure out how the girls will convince anyone to believe them even after they discover the culprit. This mystery is good for readers who are new to the mystery genre, because there aren't many confusing twists to the crime. It probably appeals more to female readers, because it's from Kari's point of view. She makes some comments about cute boys, clothing styles, and female things, so boys may be turned off by them. The comments aren't too bad though.