Review of “The Mystery of the Third Lucretia,” by Susan Runholt
“The Mystery of the Third Lucretia,” by Susan Runholt is an enjoyable mystery about two daring teenage girls who uncover a multi-million dollar international art crime.
Fourteen-year-old Kari and her best friend Lucas have been friends for years. When Kari and Lucas get a chance to go to London with Kari’s mom, who is an international writer and photographer for The Scene magazine, the two girls don’t realize that their trip is going to turn into a full scale mystery.
It begins at the London National Gallery when Kari and Lucas see a strange artist who is copying one of the paintings. There is nothing wrong with copying a painting, in fact the museum grants just about anyone permission to do so. The strange thing about this man, though, is that he is obviously hiding something, because every time someone tries to look at his painting he snarls “Go A-way!”
There is something else about this particular man, though. Kari and Lucas have seen him before, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, back in the United States. Both times he was copying one of Rembrandt’s famous Lucretia paintings. But, Lucas and Kari can see that this time the man is wearing a disguise so that he will look different. The disguise, the irritated snarl, the secretive painting, and the Rembrandt connection are all that Kari and Lucas have to work with but they are sure that there is something going on.
Lucas and Kari and intrigued by this strange man, and they wonder what he is trying to hide. The first step, they feel is finding out what is one his canvas. Using a serious of innovative costumes, disguises, and even a real snake, the girls find out what the painter has on his canvas, but they are rather disappointed. It is just a pair of clasped hands.
The mystery becomes clearer weeks later when Kari and Lucas see a news report about a new Rembrandt painting that has been found. Apparently it is a lost painting from Rembrandt’s Lucretia series, but when the girls see a picture of it they recognize Lucretia clasped hands. They saw those same hands on the strange painters’ canvas back in London.
Soon the girls discover that the new Lucretia painting is a forgery painted by a museum director who is supposedly an expert on the paintings of Rembrandt. The museum director’s scheme even involves three suspicious deaths. Can Kari and Lucas find a way to reveal the forgery without putting themselves in danger?
I feel that “The Mystery of the Third Lucretia” is a well-balanced mystery. I especially liked the way author Susan Runholt showed how dangerous it was for Kari and Lucas to do their “detective work.” Runholt shows the consequences of the girl’s actions, both the good and the bad. For example when Kari disregards the fact that her Mom specifically told the girls not to endanger themselves by trying to follow the “bad guy,” both girls end up grounded for a couple weeks. In the story the girls themselves have a very balanced attitude about the punishment, accepting the fact that they shouldn’t have disobeyed. This is part of what makes the mystery very realistic. One aspect of “The Mystery of the Third Lucretia” is that it comes together quite slowly, but the plot picks up speed once Kari and Lucas finally uncover the truth.
I would definitely recommend “The Mystery of the Third Lucretia” for its well-written mystery plot and strong main characters.
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