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Claire Reynier #1
The Stolen Blue
The death of an old friend and mentor turns fifty-year-old divorce Claire Reynier loose on a murder investigation at a New Mexico university.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2000
14 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Judith Van Gieson
22 books17 followersJudith Van Gieson is the author of a children’s book, a collection of poetry and short stories, and thirteen mysteries. Her short stories have appeared in several mystery anthologies. In the first mystery series eight books, featuring female Albuquerque attorney/sleuth Neil Hamel, were published by HarperCollins. Neil’s work often involved environmental issues including endangered species and wildfires. Books in this series were published in England, Japan and Germany. It was optioned by CBS. The Lies That Bind was a finalist for the Shamus Award for best detective novel. The series won the Spirit of Magnifico Literary Award.
There were five books in the second series with heroine Claire Reynier published in paperback by Signet, in hardcover by University of New Mexico Press and in a large print edition by Thorndike. Claire works as an archivist and librarian at the Center for Southwest Research at UNM. This series involved rare artifacts and New Mexico history. The Stolen Blue was a finalist for the Reviewer’s Choice Award. The Shadow of Venus was a finalist for the Barry Award and won the Zia Award given by New Mexico Press Women for Best Work of Fiction by a New Mexico woman.
Series:
* Neil Hamel
* Claire Reynier
There were five books in the second series with heroine Claire Reynier published in paperback by Signet, in hardcover by University of New Mexico Press and in a large print edition by Thorndike. Claire works as an archivist and librarian at the Center for Southwest Research at UNM. This series involved rare artifacts and New Mexico history. The Stolen Blue was a finalist for the Reviewer’s Choice Award. The Shadow of Venus was a finalist for the Barry Award and won the Zia Award given by New Mexico Press Women for Best Work of Fiction by a New Mexico woman.
Series:
* Neil Hamel
* Claire Reynier
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 25, 2019
3.5 Stars for The Stolen Blue: A Claire Reynier Series Book 1 (audiobook) by Judith Van Gieson read by Meredith Mitchell. This is interesting cozy. My wife recommend it to me manly because it takes place in New Mexico. We live in Arizona and we have driven through several of the cities that are mentioned in the book. It nice when you’re familiar with the setting. That said, the narrator miss pronounced the word javelina early in the story. Doing that really pulls me out of the story. But it still is nice hearing a story take place close to home.
October 24, 2014
I quite enjoyed this, the first Claire Reynier mystery. It was certainly an easy read, and interestingly, was really a mystery, not a murder story, as one might expect. I did find it a little dated; it's from 2000 (I'm reading it in 2014), and the author was, I think, trying to be very up-to-date in her sleuth, who spent time on AOL, explained how emails could be sent anonymously , and bemoaned the coming day when book texts would be available via the Internet.
Claire is the curator of rare books / librarian for the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, feeling a little under siege at the University, feeling that she is not held in the esteem that her predecessor was, and having to prove her worth to the administrator, who seems to be interested only in cutting costs and acquiring prestige. An opportunity to prove her worth arises when an old mentor, in ill health, calls to ask her to visit, as he is planning to donate his large collection of rare South-Western-related books to the University. He lives in a old ranch in a secluded area called "the Blue", where attitudes are firmly Western. Claire goes out to visit - it's a 200-mile drive - to collect the books, and is asked to be the executor of his will, which is then witnessed and signed in front of her. Well, it's a mystery story, so of course he winds up dead in the snow the next morning.
But, unusually for a mystery story, there is no real doubt about the cause of death. The old mentor (Burke) was dying and had decided to go out his own way, and crawled off into the snow to die of exposure overnight. He was assisted by his recently discovered daughter Mariah, who turns out to be the main beneficiary of Burke's will.
And this is where the story really starts. Two of the other three children sue to have the will overturned, as the ranch is worth $2M, and they are getting a "paltry" @200K each. The case will turn on whether Mariah really is Burke's daughter, or an imposter and whether Burke was in his right mind when the will was made. Claire, as the executor and a witness to the signing, is landed right in the middle of this case.
At the same time, when Claire transports the books back to the University, she leaves them in her truck, and naturally the carton containing the most valuable ones (marked "valuable") is stolen. Now we have two mysteries to solve - are they related? Well, of course they are, but to tell you how would be to spoil the story!
The book was quite good, and was easy to read. I enjoyed the whole book collector vibe, and the location in New Mexico. Claire did a lot of driving about the state, describing it to us, the audience. But I did find the dated technology distracting, rather than charming period detail.
Claire is the curator of rare books / librarian for the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, feeling a little under siege at the University, feeling that she is not held in the esteem that her predecessor was, and having to prove her worth to the administrator, who seems to be interested only in cutting costs and acquiring prestige. An opportunity to prove her worth arises when an old mentor, in ill health, calls to ask her to visit, as he is planning to donate his large collection of rare South-Western-related books to the University. He lives in a old ranch in a secluded area called "the Blue", where attitudes are firmly Western. Claire goes out to visit - it's a 200-mile drive - to collect the books, and is asked to be the executor of his will, which is then witnessed and signed in front of her. Well, it's a mystery story, so of course he winds up dead in the snow the next morning.
But, unusually for a mystery story, there is no real doubt about the cause of death. The old mentor (Burke) was dying and had decided to go out his own way, and crawled off into the snow to die of exposure overnight. He was assisted by his recently discovered daughter Mariah, who turns out to be the main beneficiary of Burke's will.
And this is where the story really starts. Two of the other three children sue to have the will overturned, as the ranch is worth $2M, and they are getting a "paltry" @200K each. The case will turn on whether Mariah really is Burke's daughter, or an imposter and whether Burke was in his right mind when the will was made. Claire, as the executor and a witness to the signing, is landed right in the middle of this case.
At the same time, when Claire transports the books back to the University, she leaves them in her truck, and naturally the carton containing the most valuable ones (marked "valuable") is stolen. Now we have two mysteries to solve - are they related? Well, of course they are, but to tell you how would be to spoil the story!
The book was quite good, and was easy to read. I enjoyed the whole book collector vibe, and the location in New Mexico. Claire did a lot of driving about the state, describing it to us, the audience. But I did find the dated technology distracting, rather than charming period detail.
December 19, 2015
Didn't finish this book--though plot started well for me, got bogged down in a lot of extra descriptions about the Southwest, and even though I live in this area, for me the plot kept getting lost in all the background information.
June 6, 2010
Western setting, librarian protag, generally had good bones. However, the writing was rather pedestrian and I didn’t find the characters very sympathetic. Somewhat bland, but a good diversion.
March 11, 2013
This was not complicated. The plot was simple, character development a little bland, but surprisingly I enjoyed the Sunday aft. diversion and read it cover to cover
October 31, 2015
I especially loved the great sense of place. It made me want to go back to New Mexico! An interesting plot and subplots, dealing with rare book collectors.
March 11, 2023
"MISSING BOOKS. FOUND HEIRS.
"Claire is thrilled when her old friend Burke Lovell donates his collection of valuable books to the university where she works. But the morning after she arrives at his ranch in the remote region known as 'the Blue' to collect the bequest, Burke is found dead. His daughter Mariah -- recently discovered -- admits to helping the ailing man commit suicide. Mariah has also been named his principal heir, much to the shock of his other children.
"Upon Claire's return to work. a box of valuable titles from Burke's collection is stolen, and Claire realizes that the theft may hold clues to a much more sinister mystery."
~~back flap
A nice little mystery: books and New Mexico. Lovely descriptions of the landscape. Not as harrowing as many mysterys, still the plot holds the reader's interest throughout.
"Claire is thrilled when her old friend Burke Lovell donates his collection of valuable books to the university where she works. But the morning after she arrives at his ranch in the remote region known as 'the Blue' to collect the bequest, Burke is found dead. His daughter Mariah -- recently discovered -- admits to helping the ailing man commit suicide. Mariah has also been named his principal heir, much to the shock of his other children.
"Upon Claire's return to work. a box of valuable titles from Burke's collection is stolen, and Claire realizes that the theft may hold clues to a much more sinister mystery."
~~back flap
A nice little mystery: books and New Mexico. Lovely descriptions of the landscape. Not as harrowing as many mysterys, still the plot holds the reader's interest throughout.
January 24, 2019
I enjoyed the book, but the dated feel -- which has been commented on by other reviewers -- didn't have to be. Sometimes you want details to firmly anchor a book, sometimes not. This book would have benefited from "not".
My only other quibble about this book is the location of The Blue. It isn't in Catron County, New Mexico -- it's across the border in Greenlee County, Arizona. Possibly this could just be passed off as poetic license, so to speak, but given such detail in the book about access and distances (I've been down that twisty road many times!) this translocation seems odd. Personally, I think the author just seized an opportunity to take cheap shots at Catron County, which, at the time she wrote The Stolen Blue, was a popular thing to do in certain circles.
My only other quibble about this book is the location of The Blue. It isn't in Catron County, New Mexico -- it's across the border in Greenlee County, Arizona. Possibly this could just be passed off as poetic license, so to speak, but given such detail in the book about access and distances (I've been down that twisty road many times!) this translocation seems odd. Personally, I think the author just seized an opportunity to take cheap shots at Catron County, which, at the time she wrote The Stolen Blue, was a popular thing to do in certain circles.
June 21, 2019
Claire Reynier series, book #1. I like to play a game when reading where if a book is mentioned in the book I'm reading, I'll add it to my to-read list if I haven't read it already. That would be pretty difficult with this book, since the plot revolves around a box of first edition novels of the southwest that are stolen. All of the Tony Hillermans, Edward Abbey, Bless Me, Ultima, Death Comes for the Archbishop, Red Sky at Morning, etc. I loved that the story took place in Blue and parts of New Mexico. I have been to Blue and can imagine the settings very well. It was refreshing to read a light cozy with no rapes, no gore, and actually no murder.
October 23, 2025
I discovered a new author via Libby and it was a different, easy and enjoyable read. I didn't guess 'who did it'. Annoyingly, as is so often the case, Libby does not have book 2 of the series so I've started book 3. Please Libby, if you have a series let readers have access to every book.
July 13, 2017
Might be an interesting series
September 7, 2017
A most excellent 5 star read! loved the book and Claire
July 6, 2019
had higher hopes for this series as claire is a rare books librarian in albuquerque. the writing isn't very careful and the plot not particularly compelling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2020
It was OK, will try another hoping it improves
March 12, 2022
A book about books. That's always a hook for me.
June 14, 2024
The book is genial and fantastic
July 24, 2020
Sometimes you just want an easy going, unchallenging cosy mystery which doesn't tax you too much but which is still enjoyable. This series, featuring Claire Reynier, a librarian in New Mexico who has recently gone through divorce, is tasked with being executor for the will of her old colleague. Like many wills, it is very soon contested by the unhappy, disgruntled children, but when a particular book starts to go missing from all of the nearby libraries and some people even start turning up dead, it seems that the secrets behind the will go a lot deeper.
I was reasonably invested in the characters - not so much that I would be keen to keep going with the series, but enough that I was keen to find out what happened in the book. I did feel a bit detached from it all as I am totally unfamiliar with the location and the culture within it - conservative, right-wing middle America is like an alien world to me! But it was a good story with a good ending.
I was reasonably invested in the characters - not so much that I would be keen to keep going with the series, but enough that I was keen to find out what happened in the book. I did feel a bit detached from it all as I am totally unfamiliar with the location and the culture within it - conservative, right-wing middle America is like an alien world to me! But it was a good story with a good ending.
May 13, 2010
#1 Claire Reynier mystery. Claire is the collections librarian for a university in New Mexico, fairly recently divorced and loving her newfound freedom. She heads into the Blue, an isolated area a couple of hundred miles from Santa Fe to see an old mentor of hers who is in ill health and is donating his private collection to her university's library. While she is there to collect the books, Burke tells her he's made her the executor of his will, which he's just changed and has witnessed in front of her, talks about what he wants done--and the next morning he ends up dead.
His newly discovered daughter Mariah says she followed his wishes and helped him commit suicide the way he wanted. No one thinks much of it, Claire included, because it sounds exactly as though it's how he would have wanted to go. But then his other children raise a stink because his isolated ranch is worth a lot of money. When a single carton of the rarest of Burke's donated books is stolen from Claire's truck before it can even be catalogued into the library, she seeks to find out who stole them and why--and then more questions are raised about Burke's death when the heirs are set to contest the will. Did he die of his own hand, or did someone else help him along in a way he did NOT want?
This was an okay book, but I wasn't enthralled. While I thought some of Claire's antics were interesting, the author wrote about her almost dispassionately and I found it hard to feel much of anything about her, her situations, etc. It was just sort of blah. I did finish it, but I'm really not eager to get on with the series, at least not at this time. I just didn't much care one way or another who did what to whom.
His newly discovered daughter Mariah says she followed his wishes and helped him commit suicide the way he wanted. No one thinks much of it, Claire included, because it sounds exactly as though it's how he would have wanted to go. But then his other children raise a stink because his isolated ranch is worth a lot of money. When a single carton of the rarest of Burke's donated books is stolen from Claire's truck before it can even be catalogued into the library, she seeks to find out who stole them and why--and then more questions are raised about Burke's death when the heirs are set to contest the will. Did he die of his own hand, or did someone else help him along in a way he did NOT want?
This was an okay book, but I wasn't enthralled. While I thought some of Claire's antics were interesting, the author wrote about her almost dispassionately and I found it hard to feel much of anything about her, her situations, etc. It was just sort of blah. I did finish it, but I'm really not eager to get on with the series, at least not at this time. I just didn't much care one way or another who did what to whom.
August 28, 2015
What I liked:
1) Claire was a martial arts practicing university librarian--I could identify with her.
2) There was no love interest in sight. Claire was comfortable with being single--she even embraced it.
3) This was set in the southwest. Lovely, lovely country.
What I didn't like:
1) This was clearly written in the 1990s, so it was a little dated, especially where computer jargon was concerned.
2) A little slow moving at times.
3) A character who is a cutter. Why is that particular affliction so popular in books now?
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I especially enjoyed that Claire was not a stereotypical librarian, which made her much more three-dimensional and real to me. The book was a decent time-killer. It's not particularly memorable, but it wasn't bad, either. A nice middle-of-the road mystery.
1) Claire was a martial arts practicing university librarian--I could identify with her.
2) There was no love interest in sight. Claire was comfortable with being single--she even embraced it.
3) This was set in the southwest. Lovely, lovely country.
What I didn't like:
1) This was clearly written in the 1990s, so it was a little dated, especially where computer jargon was concerned.
2) A little slow moving at times.
3) A character who is a cutter. Why is that particular affliction so popular in books now?
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I especially enjoyed that Claire was not a stereotypical librarian, which made her much more three-dimensional and real to me. The book was a decent time-killer. It's not particularly memorable, but it wasn't bad, either. A nice middle-of-the road mystery.
September 15, 2021
Claire Reynier is a Special Collections librarian at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She travels to a remote settlement in the mountains of western New Mexico called The Blue to meet with her mentor and retired boss, Burke Lovell, to take possession of a collection of rare books that Lovell is donating to her library. At their meeting, Lovell appoints Claire responsible for seeing that his will is followed upon his death. Then that night, he commits suicide. This sets in motion a series of events in which an intense competition emerges among his children and neighbors to control his estate. The Stolen Blue is an excellent mystery that is permeated with a sense of unease that builds to real tension as Claire attempts to follow Lovell’s final wishes. The plot is strong, characterization is especially strong, and the New Mexico setting is wonderful.
October 26, 2007
4/B -- 1st in Claire Reynier series. Claire works at the University in the Southwest Studies Dept. her mentor Burke Lowell leaves her his collection historical books on the SW & makes her executor of his estate. he had 3 children & then there is Mariah who has recently been recognized as his daughter. He wills the 3 children $ & leaves the house to Mariah to make into a conservancy. The children watn to fight this & deny Mariah is his daughter. Claire points out that the will states to Mriah, not to his daughter Mariah. Claire's box of valuable books are stolen from her truck. One book the History of the Blue was not valuable -- a self-published history is missifrom from all the libraries -- print run was only 30. The setting was the best part of the book.
July 3, 2013
A nice quote from the book...
Claire got into bed, and Nemesis curled up at her feet. It was time to read, but there was nothing on her bedside at the moment. She considered the books on her shelves. They resembled the old friends with whom she had late-night phone conversations and shared her deepest thoughts. Her joy in reading came from discovering there was someone out there who had the same feelings and ideas she did, but could express them better than she ever could. Books never turned cold and indifferent, didn’t grow up and move away, didn’t get married to someone you didn’t like, or trade you in for a newer model. Books were there when you needed them.
Claire got into bed, and Nemesis curled up at her feet. It was time to read, but there was nothing on her bedside at the moment. She considered the books on her shelves. They resembled the old friends with whom she had late-night phone conversations and shared her deepest thoughts. Her joy in reading came from discovering there was someone out there who had the same feelings and ideas she did, but could express them better than she ever could. Books never turned cold and indifferent, didn’t grow up and move away, didn’t get married to someone you didn’t like, or trade you in for a newer model. Books were there when you needed them.
October 23, 2014
I did enjoy this book, a cozy mystery set in America's SouthWest. Some nice twists and great exploration of books and libraries.
Unfortunately I cannot give it 4 stars as there is a major editorial error - a lost box is described as being put in a different place than where it is stolen from. I kept waiting for her to realize it hadn't been stolen but nope it was a mistake. Just irritating!
I would read more in this series.
Unfortunately I cannot give it 4 stars as there is a major editorial error - a lost box is described as being put in a different place than where it is stolen from. I kept waiting for her to realize it hadn't been stolen but nope it was a mistake. Just irritating!
I would read more in this series.
August 1, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. Claire Reynier is a librarian - who loves books, especially rare ones - what could be better? There is a lot of "who done its" in this book - it will keep you guessing and it's a quick read.
Published in 2000 it was a little dated, but still very interesting.
The last book published was in 2004, so I'm not sure if I will continue this series.
Published in 2000 it was a little dated, but still very interesting.
The last book published was in 2004, so I'm not sure if I will continue this series.
September 28, 2016
Claire Reynier # 1 is the second Claire Reynier mystery I have read and it is much better than # 3. This tale has an excellent plot and believable characters. An old scalawag dies and makes Claire the executor of his estate and donates his rare books to her library. The books are stolen and the kids are not happy with the will. Recommended.
January 22, 2009
Ok, but didn't keep my attention.
March 17, 2020
Sorry to say, but just not that good of a book.
April 27, 2015
An interesting book, at times a little slow. Kept me engaged didn't want to put down. Will listen to the rest of the books in the series. Good grade.
February 3, 2016
I liked the characters and the settings but the story itself didn't come together for me. I might read more in this series, just because I like Claire, and to see if the author improves.
November 1, 2015
I listened to this in audiobook form. It was a bit dated but it was a clean intriguing mystery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews