The Portrait of Doreene Gray

Gigi Chihuahua Mystery #2

by Esri Allbritten

"A little bit X-Files, a little bit Agatha Christie and a whole lotta charming. If you like your mysteries baffling, bizarre and, above all, fun, you're going to love it." --Steve Hockensmith, author of Holmes on the Range In this laugh-out-loud-funny mystery, Angus MacGregor and the zany staff of Tripping Magazine, a travel magazine that covers paranormal destinations, investigate a bizarre story in a town brimming with secrets. Forty years ago, Maureene Pinter painted a portrait of her twin sister, Doreene. In an eerie turn of events, Doreene hasn't aged, although her portrait has. When Doreene decides to sell the portrait, the Tripping team travel to Doreene's mansion in Port Townsend, Washington, a Victorian town wreathed in mists and mysteries, to get the scoop on this intriguing story. When strange strips of paper appear in her soup, Doreene invites Tripping to stay and solve the town's many puzzles. Why does a man named Enrico Russo sit in a white Impala outside the mansion? And what does Lupita, the housekeeper, fear? Soon, it becomes clear that while Doreene has kept her youthful looks, the past is catching up with her. Packed with laughs and featuring a mystery with a delightful literary twist, Esri Allbritten's The Portrait of Doreene Gray is a fabulously entertaining tale.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Dogs, Humor, Fiction

306 pages, Hardcover

First published July 3, 2012

About the author

ESRI ALLBRITTEN lives in Boulder, Colorado. She is the author of Chihuahua of the Baskervilles, which was also published by Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books. In addition to her writing, she enjoys sushi, bowling and madrigals.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a First Reads winner for this book.

I had a blast reading this. I didn't get to read Chihuahua of the Baskervilles but having just finished this, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

The crew at Tripping magazine head out to Port Townsend, Washington to pursue a story about a painting that ages while the subject, Doreene Gray, does not. After finagling their way into the press conference for the upcoming sale of the portrait, Angus, Michael and Suki are invited to stay to figure out the source of strange events, starting with pieces of paper with ominous words written on them turning up in some noodle soup. What follows is the story of a very bizarre family.

The three main characters are hilarious. Angus is obsessed with putting a supernatural spin on anything just to get the story. Michael is his exact opposite, wanting to find only the facts and debunk any mysteries. Suki is in a class by herself with her eccentric wardrobe.

Allbritten has managed to tie together so many different story lines from dead husbands returning after almost 30 years to secrets of parentage to a complex attempt at art theft (just to name a few) and come out with a truly entertaining story that leaves no questions unanswered. I like the way she's managed to keep the mysteries coming throughout the entire story. It was a very fast read for me and very entertaining.

I look forward to the next installment in the Tripping crew's adventures!

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute mystery from the Tripping Magazine crew although this time there seems to be some turbulence in the waters of their partnership and work compatibility.

Investigating a mysterious portrait - a la Dorian Grey - whose owner is prepared to sell it without letting anyone get close enough to photograph it. There is literally a crush of characters: Doreene - owner of the "Portrait". Maureene her twin sister and painter who lives in another residence on the property. Reynaldo, Doreene's Brazilian boy toy or later discovered to be second husband. Lyndsay, Maureene's estranged daughter. Lupita, the housekeeper. Enrico Russo, the man in the parked Impala who seems to be part of Maureene's past. And the lawyer and doctor and art dealer agent and polic detectives and officers and. . . Along with Suki, Mike and Angus - our intrepid investigators.

And the delightful Gigi the chihuahua.

There are enough mysteries, secrets, surprises, attacks and deaths to satisfy just about any ready of non-horror or true crime stories. Again, the three investigators manage to get invited to stay in the home at the focus of the mystery and again, they are providing assistance to the police investigators.

By the end, the only character I was concerned with was the dog since it's owner was dead and just about everyone else was not interested in providing any care for this slightly-used pup. I mean, forgetting to provide food, water and being let out to deal with bodily functions. Although, it seems like Suki may have a new companion in Colorado now.

I know there is another book in the series but I don't know if or when I will take the jump to read it. Less chihuahua, more feral hog from what was mentioned as the team's next assignment. Maybe not. Or at least, not at this time.

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[D.L. Morrese · Rating 4 out of 5]

The team from Tripping Magazine is investing another (possibly) weird occurrence, this time involving a pair of twins—one who appears not to be aging (much) and her sister who is. Oddly, the portrait of the younger looking one, which she keeps in a locked room, appears to be tolling the years in her stead. Her sister, who painted the thing years ago, claims not to understand why.

This is a Scooby-Doo kind of mystery, with a team of investigators looking at clues to figure out what's really going on. Their leader (editor of the magazine) is biased toward finding the most woo-woo version of events possible. The chief writer is far more practical, and the sexy photographer is mainly in it for the fun. I wish there were more books in this series. I find them quite enjoyable.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book and read it in a 24 hour period.
Angus, Suki and Michael make up a weird trio of co-workers who try to track down the best places to travel that have a "out-worldly or ghostly connection". This particular adventure took them to a town I know well on the West Coast in Washington state.
I have fallen in love with the main characters, especial Suki....Angus and Michael frustrate me sometimes, but that just means that Esri Allbritten has written them to connect with the reader on some level.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I have read in this series. It is written almost like a stand alone novel, so I didn't miss anything by not reading the first book, and I appreciate that. It was a fun mystery and I enjoyed the idea that a group of people from a paranormal travel magazine are the main characters. Their skepticism around what they are suppose to be writing about is fun, their personalities are interesting, and the mystery was clever.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this in the library and had to check it out (being a dog fan). What a clever story! It was amusing (not laugh-out-loud funny as the blurb said) and I enjoyed it very much. It kept me guessing until the end with interesting twists and turns. I've already checked out the first book in this series to read soon.

[Greg Giles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, silly, fluffy read. This is shaping up to be a quirky series of oddball mysteries. Interesting characters, unusual situations, and a lot of fun. A couple editing errors mar this book, but it delivers on what it promises - a cute escape.

[Irene]

This is a fun read. You gotta love Gigi. I liked that the sleuthing was done by a team for a change. Each member is likable and relatable as they make their contributions step by step to uncover the truth.

[Arishba · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Not that great, though. Why there's a chihuahua on the book cover, I'll never know.

[Jessica Pritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An okay book

[BRT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun mystery in this cozy series about a group of journalists who write for a supernatural magazine Every mystery includes a chihuahua.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Line: Outside the darkened windows of Doreene Gray's second floor bedroom, a squall buffeted the house and whistled across the gingerbread trimming.

After dealing with the Chihuahua of the Baskervilles, the next stop on the Tripping Magazine staff's itinerary is Port Townsend, Washington. Their low-budget travel magazine is geared for believers in the paranormal, and they've gotten word that Doreene Gray is about to put her famous portrait on the auction block. What's paranormal about a portrait? It seems that Doreene, who's in her fifties, doesn't look a day over twenty-five, while the portrait of her that was painted by her twin sister, Maureene, looks a bit... weathered. Shades of Oscar Wilde? That's exactly what the Tripping staff wants to find out.

After inveigling their way into the Victorian mansion, they manage to impress the difficult woman and her Brazilian toy boy enough for Doreene to ask them to look into the strange things that have been happening. What's up with the strange slips of paper appearing in the soup, and why is some guy spending a lot of time sitting in a white Impala outside the house? Is Doreene's past catching up with her?

Although the two books in this series are called Chihuahua mysteries, the little dogs aren't the investigators, and neither are they paranormal elements. (You have to admit that the book cover for Doreene Gray gives the impression that the dog is deceased when all that's really happened is that the little guy got into some trouble and is trying to look angelic.) The resident Chihuahua in this book is Gigi, whose human is Doreene Gray herself. Suki the Tripping photographer finds herself involved with Gigi throughout the course of the book.

I have to admit that as soon as I found out that the setting of the book was Port Townsend, Washington, I was sold. I love that old Victorian town, and Allbritten takes us through its streets and even out to Fort Worden and Point Wilson Lighthouse. With just enough allusions to Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray to keep me guessing, the plot was fast-paced and fun.

Speaking of fun, I love the staff of Tripping! Michael Abernathy (main writer), Angus MacGregor (editor and cofounder) and Suki Oota (photographer) have all the sarcasm, skill and subterfuge born of familiarity with each other's working styles, although Suki is still able to surprise the two men on a regular basis. Just listening to them banter back and forth is worth the price of admission.

If you're looking for something light and funny, pick up a Chihuahua mystery and let the staff of Tripping take you on a search for the paranormal. You may not find any otherworldly elements, but you're going to have a blast while you're looking!

[Veronica Noechel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I adopted a chihuahua in July and I'm a big fan of theme mysteries, so it made sense to give this novel a try.

Now, one would think that with a chihuahua both on the cover and in the subtitle, that a chihuahua would be an integral part of the story. I dared hope that the dog might even be a central character, perhaps even a recurring character who helps to solve crimes or better yet, that the chihuahua could be the series' Moriarty, though I'd be willing to accept him as the sidekick thereof. I'd have even been satisfied if the dog played the victim of the crime or witnessed it and somehow the protagonist has to overcome the language barrier to find out what happened.

Nope. Not even close to any of those scenarios. The chihuahua does little more than show up once in a while to be taken out to pee or to walk into a room, then back out again. Essentially he's there to give one of the human characters an excuse to go outside or into another room so that they can find a clue or witness something. That's pretty much it, and the fact that everyone in the book including the narrator refers to the dog as "it" vs. "he" or "she" just makes it all the more obvious that, in this book the dog doesn't merit being treated like an actual character. He's given about as much depth as any random object. In fact, there's a hat in the story that gets more star treatment.

This may have been forgivable if the human characters carried the show on their own. Instead I found them unsympathetic and so very stereotypical. The female journalist in particular felt highly contrived. Her stiff, trying-too-hard attempt at a tough-yet-whimsical demeanor made me bristle. She could stand still in a grocery line and seem like she was faking.

On the other hand, to be fair, there were some page turning scenes when the action carried the story on its own with great timing and momentum. Plus, the male journalist characters were at their best when the conflict between them was at its most extreme. Unfortunately, it cut off all too soon, just when we almost find out something genuinely interesting about their relationship. I know it's important to tease the reader and that cliffhangers sell books, but we also need details about their lives to make the characters feel...fleshy and substantial. I do understand this is the first book in the series so there has to be more exposition than in subsequent books, but if you can't make me want to come back to hang out with the people you created and the world they live in then that first book is the end of the series as far as that reader is concerned. I hope the other books in the series are a lot more fun, but I just can't bring myself to bother finding out.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cast of the very paranormal magazine (perhaps embellished a bit,) "Tripping" are back on a location interview for their next edition. This time they travel to Port Townsend, Washington. This is a real location but the case file is not.

The Tripping team is drawn to an art sale of a portrait of Doreene Gray. Why? Because it is said to have the same properties of Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Gray." Meaning as the portrait ages, the owner remains youthful.

There is definitely something going on. The press release goes awry and Ms. Gray, herself, invites the Tripping Team to stay at the house and investigate for themselves.

After receiving a nourishing bowl of chicken soup with paper notes appearing...the team is hooked.

This book is witty, humorous, logical in the most illogical manner and does indeed solve the mysteries. The team, themselves being mismatched, rise to the occasion and deal with slug infestations, glowing bones, portraits that are altered, and persons returning from the dead, or have they?

I do love this series. And, in case you are wondering? Yes, there is a Chihuahua named Gigi.

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, quirky mystery that follows the editor, writer and photographer of Tripping Magazine as they chase stories of the paranormal - or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

The Portrait... centres around the dysfunctional relationship between twin sisters. It's fast paced, although from about half way through the book there are several times that it seems as though the story is over, although clearly it isn't. Nothing wrong with this, but I found that it felt like the story lasted longer as a result.

This is a story (and a series) that I'd feel reasonable comfortable recommending to any cozy enthusiast - no foul language, no sexual situations, but lots of wit, good dialogue and endearing characters.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim, because of the title. I'll be honest, part of the reason it's getting the stars it is is because I wasn't expecting much. Better than anticipated. Great characters, decent (acceptably convoluted, like something from old Hollywood) plot, and enough silliness to keep me happy. There were a couple errors that I feel the author and publisher should have caught before going to press (calling a character by the wrong name more than once in a scene), but they're minimally distracting. I'd recommend this for the mystery fan who appreciates a story that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you like the grim and serious (and realistic) mysteries....mmm...probably gonna wanna skip this one ;).

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a sucker for mysteries with cats and dogs. The Chi in this book was not an active character. I felt sorry for the poor thing. This book is a mystery. It is advertised on the cover as being funny. Personally I did not find the story that funny. The characters, members of a paranormal magazine and their targets(a very dysfunctional family in Washington) were in my opinion rather boring. There is an interesting twist on the original Potrait of Dorian Gray, but I could put this book down very easily. I would rate it as a fluffy mystery. Not the worst book I have read, but not the best either.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again the staff of Tripping, a struggling magazine on paranormal travel, is trying to solve a problem without debunking the mysterious element. Actually, writer Michael would love to debunk the story of a portrait that ages while its owner stays young (cosmetic surgery, no doubt), even though the artist was the subject's twin sister. Editor Angus is sure that they can write a great story on the painting, now that it's up for sale, over the artist's objections. There's a chihuahua involved too, of course, and a variety of other eccentric characters. Lots of fun.

[Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't recall precisely what it was about Allbritten's first "Tripping" mystery that had me waiting to read the next, but I was reminded on page 1. Hilarious situations and characters combined with a reasonably good mystery insure I'll be taking another trip with the staff of Tripping.

[Caryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was given to me because I love Chihuahuas. I don't understand the cover image - the Chihuahua in the book is a female and this one looks male. And there wasn't enough Chihuahua in the book! And Gigi the Chihuahua didn't have hardly anything to do with the story, either! So an okay read but I "gotta have more Chihuahua!" to paraphrase Christopher Walken.

[Maggi Shelbourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute chihuahua and another fun read! I enjoy these books because the characters are quirky and likable, the plots have substance and chihuahuas are worked into the stories! What's not to like? What's next Esri?

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had just read The Portrait of Dorian Gray, so when I saw this book, I thought it would be good to be able to pick up the references. It was a cute read, but I didn't realize that this was the second in a series, so I will have to go back and read the first one. But I liked it.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous, fun and quirky this great book was a delightful read. One of the best mystery books I've read in a long while. I loved Angus, Michael and Suki and I can't wait to read more. I have 'Chihuahua of the Baskervilles' (the first in the series) on order and I can't wait.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are just plain fun. I like the characters and the plots have just the right amount of bizarre. I've yet to figure out if Angus really does believe in the paranormal or if it's just an act. Definitely a good light read!

[Debra Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Good! Only the second of this series, but the characters are well drawn and likeable. Something different. The characters are from a paranormal magazine and what they can't make into a story they make up. Very funny.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining book with touches of the supernatural, humor, and a chihuahua. An intrepid staff of Tripping magazine venture to a small town to investigate a picture with a mysterious past. I found it to be an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading The Chihuahua of the Baskervilles.

[Renie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Slated as "hilarious"....Really? I was filled with ennui and skimmed the last 50 pages just to get it over with. Some mystery this was!

[Jennifer Beltrame · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was clever.

[Diana Petty-stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the Chihuahua Mystery series. Lots of ghostly apparitions and paranormal activity. Hilarious magazine crew. Interesting characters and of course a chihuahua.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

An "OK" cozy mystery. Slow to get into. Not really a paranormal type story.