★★★☆☆

The Mermaid Murders

First in the Art of Murder series. The murder mystery is fine but the real money here is in the will-they-will-they steam and posturing.

The Monet Murders

Less unique mystery than the first one but this idea of an art detective stands out among the genre and there's a satisfying amount of role-reversal within the main romance that keeps it interesting. Angst is applied with a suitably light hand.

Fair Game

(Different series.) DNF. Couldn't enjoy the angsty, steamy romance because each scene out of the bedroom jarred with my personal politics more than the last. I've read other detective romances, I can take the copaganda, and holier-than-thou liberal academics are ripe for mocking, but at least make politics a plot point if it's going to come up so many times. Maybe the end would have saved it but the romance wasn't worth enduring another few hundred pages to find out.

On Storygraph