The Christmas Mystery

by James Patterson

First published 2016

Priceless artwork disappears from a Park Avenue crime scene during the Christmas season. French detective Luc Moncrief arrives to investigate what appears to be both murder and theft. The paintings vanished without explanation, leaving Moncrief to decode the connection between art and violence. He must learn the criminal art world fast as bodies pile up across Manhattan. The killer strikes with precision, targeting specific pieces while eliminating witnesses. Moncrief races through New York's elite galleries and private collections, following a trail that leads deeper into the city's hidden art trade. Each clue brings him closer to a murderer who treats killing like another form of artistic expression. The detective discovers that solving this case means understanding both the value of stolen masterpieces and the mind of someone willing to kill for them. Christmas in New York becomes a deadly game where art, money, and murder intersect in ways Moncrief never expected.

Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller

Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: art-crime, murder-investigation

Setting: Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York

Period: Christmas

160 pages · Kindle Edition · BookShots

Content warnings: violence

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