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The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found #1
The Carpet Cipher
Can a painting hold a secret safe in plain sight across seven centuries? The murder of the last member of an old Venetian family peels back the rug on a shocking truth that draws art historian and textile expert Phoebe McCabe into the fray.
What she sees in the missing Renaissance symbology will shake the foundations of religious and cultural assumptions across two continents and point the way to a priceless hoard. It’s a secret potent enough to pitch rival factions against Phoebe and her team while destroying history as collateral damage along the way.
By the time Phoebe tracks down the truth to its final destination, she’ll need to face her greatest enemy armed with nothing but wry wit, an indomitable spirit, and what’s left of a broken heart. But nothing will stop this warrior of the ancient lost and found.
From the dark misty canals of Venice to the vivid souks of Marrakech, Phoebe and her friends are pitched against the desperate and the entitled. Who owns a treasure buried on foreign soil? Can the poor ever win against the rich? And most importantly, can love conquer religious persecution and even time itself?
If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you’ll love this first book in the "Ancient Lost & Found" series, the first spin-off book of the "Crime by Design" series.
What she sees in the missing Renaissance symbology will shake the foundations of religious and cultural assumptions across two continents and point the way to a priceless hoard. It’s a secret potent enough to pitch rival factions against Phoebe and her team while destroying history as collateral damage along the way.
By the time Phoebe tracks down the truth to its final destination, she’ll need to face her greatest enemy armed with nothing but wry wit, an indomitable spirit, and what’s left of a broken heart. But nothing will stop this warrior of the ancient lost and found.
From the dark misty canals of Venice to the vivid souks of Marrakech, Phoebe and her friends are pitched against the desperate and the entitled. Who owns a treasure buried on foreign soil? Can the poor ever win against the rich? And most importantly, can love conquer religious persecution and even time itself?
If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you’ll love this first book in the "Ancient Lost & Found" series, the first spin-off book of the "Crime by Design" series.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2020
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801 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 3, 2020
First book in the series or FIFTH book in the series? With so many references to previous adventures (yes, really, "that time when...") , and after a quick check on the author's works so far, I'm leaning towards fifth book.
The past adventures references didn't help the story. They made me wonder what I had missed, and whether the actual first adventure was much more interesting.
What was hailed as Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft made me hope for a fast paced mystery/thriller, which this book, unfortunately, wasn't.
The past adventures references didn't help the story. They made me wonder what I had missed, and whether the actual first adventure was much more interesting.
What was hailed as Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft made me hope for a fast paced mystery/thriller, which this book, unfortunately, wasn't.
May 6, 2020
Why Did I Want To Read This Book?
“Think Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft with a side of textiles.” Are you kidding me? To me, this would be one of the greatest pairings since Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers sang Islands in the Stream! This is the bit that made me hit that ‘read now’ button! I was expecting BIG things from this pairing/strapline and reader… I was fooled.
To start with, there’s the usual murder in the prologue. This I can cope with - it happens. Except here, we get told exactly what time and place the murder happens, then all of a sudden in chapter one, we are left wondering whether we are still in the same time and place of the aforementioned murder. Turns out…we weren’t – cue: head scratching.
We are also introduced to a whole bank of characters (including the protagonist Phoebe McCabe) and what feels like an entire spider web of backstories and events at how all of these people seem to know each other. For what is supposedly the first book in this new Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found Series, I feel like I’ve stumbled in halfway through. As it turns out, I actually did – cue: more head scratching.
Going back to do a quick Goodreads search and it turns out that Phoebe McCabe & Co. have been in 5-book series before which is why I felt like there was a bit of reliance on my prior knowledge of these characters’ escapades and a lot of info-dumping in the first few chapters. Whilst this awareness of the characters’ histories is not essential to the plot of The Carpet Cipher, the continuous references to past events from a different time/series made my reading experience feel a little disjointed, as if I couldn’t fully invest myself in all of the characters.
Phoebe herself, has a remarkable passion for textiles which bounces off the page. The references to carpets and clothing throughout the book is well-researched and clearly evident of the writer’s enthusiasm for this subject. When I was still trying to work out what nationality Phoebe is (she works at a gallery in the UK), some of the vocabulary she used only sought to make me think she was American. Phrases like, “stuck in my craw”, “Crud, Phoebe, stop it.” and talk of ‘phyllo’ instead of filo didn’t marry up with what I would expect a British person to be saying, so is she British or is she American? Cue: even more head scratching!!!
She also has an over-reliance on calling the bad-guys ‘bastards’ which did grate on me towards the end. This very male-bashing attitude that radiates through her narration felt quite passive aggressive as if she has a chip on her shoulder and I found it difficult to warm to her as a character overall [from further text deduction, previous boyfriend from previous series ‘Noel’ definitely has something to do with this].
There are a whole host of other characters who feature in this story (Max, Evan, Serena, Noel, Nicolina, Seraphina, Zara, Agent Walker, Foxy, the ‘bastards’, June & Joe) but a special mention must go to Peaches. Her comedic quips and zesty attitude breathed some much-needed humour into the dialogue towards the end of the novel. I loved her Jamaicanese speech and all-around eccentricity. “Muscle Man’s coming here with Hottie on the roof?” was one of her defining moments.
The plot behind this story is based around two real-life pieces of artwork; the main piece by Bartolo becoming a painting for the purposes of this story, rather than the fresco that it really is. Having looked into the real representations of these pieces of art, the author admits to taking artistic liberties with some of the elements and symbology within the pictures. The passionate historian in me was left slightly longing. Nevertheless, the conspiracy and mystery at the heart of The Carpet Cipher and the puzzle which needed to be unlocked was engaging enough to just about keep my attention span going to the end.
Lastly, my e-book notes are crammed with 39(!) highlights containing grammatical/spelling errors, alongside my own utterances of questions, queries and all of the head-scratching moments that made me shout ‘huh?’ or ‘why would you do that?’. Here are some of my favourites:
• “That alone was enough to induce conniptions.” – I had to use a dictionary for the word conniptions.
• At 37% of the book it’s finally carpet time!
• “I changed into my only non-jeans pants – leather,” - Why does everyone wear leather ‘pant-suits’ in this book?
• “Let’s assume that everybody is innocent until proven guilty and discuss what we know together.” – Phoebe McCabe channels her inner Poirot.
• “Seemed like a bad time to mention my mold allergy so I just coughed for effect.” – Are you kidding me, someone who works with mouldy old textiles is allergic to mould?!
And my personal favourite:
"I've been your lead to the next heist all along, you (insert colourful expletive) butt-licking bastard!"
Overall, it is abundantly clear through the writing that The Carpet Cipher is a work of fiction. References to real historical facts and attitudes are minimally skimmed across the surface of the text. If you’re looking for a thrill-ride full of the common tropes found in historical mystery/thrillers then this could very well be the book for you; however, if you’re looking for a narrative that is so deeply entrenched with historical accuracy that you could genuinely believe that the conspiracy is real, then perhaps this may not quite capture your imagination for long enough.
“Think Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft with a side of textiles.” Are you kidding me? To me, this would be one of the greatest pairings since Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers sang Islands in the Stream! This is the bit that made me hit that ‘read now’ button! I was expecting BIG things from this pairing/strapline and reader… I was fooled.
To start with, there’s the usual murder in the prologue. This I can cope with - it happens. Except here, we get told exactly what time and place the murder happens, then all of a sudden in chapter one, we are left wondering whether we are still in the same time and place of the aforementioned murder. Turns out…we weren’t – cue: head scratching.
We are also introduced to a whole bank of characters (including the protagonist Phoebe McCabe) and what feels like an entire spider web of backstories and events at how all of these people seem to know each other. For what is supposedly the first book in this new Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found Series, I feel like I’ve stumbled in halfway through. As it turns out, I actually did – cue: more head scratching.
Going back to do a quick Goodreads search and it turns out that Phoebe McCabe & Co. have been in 5-book series before which is why I felt like there was a bit of reliance on my prior knowledge of these characters’ escapades and a lot of info-dumping in the first few chapters. Whilst this awareness of the characters’ histories is not essential to the plot of The Carpet Cipher, the continuous references to past events from a different time/series made my reading experience feel a little disjointed, as if I couldn’t fully invest myself in all of the characters.
Phoebe herself, has a remarkable passion for textiles which bounces off the page. The references to carpets and clothing throughout the book is well-researched and clearly evident of the writer’s enthusiasm for this subject. When I was still trying to work out what nationality Phoebe is (she works at a gallery in the UK), some of the vocabulary she used only sought to make me think she was American. Phrases like, “stuck in my craw”, “Crud, Phoebe, stop it.” and talk of ‘phyllo’ instead of filo didn’t marry up with what I would expect a British person to be saying, so is she British or is she American? Cue: even more head scratching!!!
She also has an over-reliance on calling the bad-guys ‘bastards’ which did grate on me towards the end. This very male-bashing attitude that radiates through her narration felt quite passive aggressive as if she has a chip on her shoulder and I found it difficult to warm to her as a character overall [from further text deduction, previous boyfriend from previous series ‘Noel’ definitely has something to do with this].
There are a whole host of other characters who feature in this story (Max, Evan, Serena, Noel, Nicolina, Seraphina, Zara, Agent Walker, Foxy, the ‘bastards’, June & Joe) but a special mention must go to Peaches. Her comedic quips and zesty attitude breathed some much-needed humour into the dialogue towards the end of the novel. I loved her Jamaicanese speech and all-around eccentricity. “Muscle Man’s coming here with Hottie on the roof?” was one of her defining moments.
The plot behind this story is based around two real-life pieces of artwork; the main piece by Bartolo becoming a painting for the purposes of this story, rather than the fresco that it really is. Having looked into the real representations of these pieces of art, the author admits to taking artistic liberties with some of the elements and symbology within the pictures. The passionate historian in me was left slightly longing. Nevertheless, the conspiracy and mystery at the heart of The Carpet Cipher and the puzzle which needed to be unlocked was engaging enough to just about keep my attention span going to the end.
Lastly, my e-book notes are crammed with 39(!) highlights containing grammatical/spelling errors, alongside my own utterances of questions, queries and all of the head-scratching moments that made me shout ‘huh?’ or ‘why would you do that?’. Here are some of my favourites:
• “That alone was enough to induce conniptions.” – I had to use a dictionary for the word conniptions.
• At 37% of the book it’s finally carpet time!
• “I changed into my only non-jeans pants – leather,” - Why does everyone wear leather ‘pant-suits’ in this book?
• “Let’s assume that everybody is innocent until proven guilty and discuss what we know together.” – Phoebe McCabe channels her inner Poirot.
• “Seemed like a bad time to mention my mold allergy so I just coughed for effect.” – Are you kidding me, someone who works with mouldy old textiles is allergic to mould?!
And my personal favourite:
"I've been your lead to the next heist all along, you (insert colourful expletive) butt-licking bastard!"
Overall, it is abundantly clear through the writing that The Carpet Cipher is a work of fiction. References to real historical facts and attitudes are minimally skimmed across the surface of the text. If you’re looking for a thrill-ride full of the common tropes found in historical mystery/thrillers then this could very well be the book for you; however, if you’re looking for a narrative that is so deeply entrenched with historical accuracy that you could genuinely believe that the conspiracy is real, then perhaps this may not quite capture your imagination for long enough.
April 29, 2020
308 pages
4 and 1 / 2 stars
The beautiful city of Venice is the setting for this story.
Action, adventure, intrigue and a hint of romance are the hallmarks of this great story.
Phoebe McCabe and her team work with Interpol, among other things, to track and capture art thieves. When she gets a phone call about a friend in Venice who badly needs her help, she goes there.
A murder has been committed, a priceless painting has been stolen. Phoebe is on the case. Looking at a photograph of the missing painting, she notices something very special is illustrated in the painting.
So begins a rollicking chase around Venice and Marrakech. Aided by friends and with a remarkable sense of timing, Phoebe manages to outwit and (mostly) evade the nasty group chasing her. Will Phoebe track down the mysterious clue? Will she be alright? Will she reconnect with her long lost love?
Very good book. I truly enjoyed Phoebe's adventures and will read her again. The book is well written and plotted. The book is engaging and reads quickly. Phoebe is a character for sure. There are a couple of spots where the plot goes a little awry, but all in all Ms. Thornley does a remarkable job in telling the story.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this very nice book for me to read, enjoy and review.
4 and 1 / 2 stars
The beautiful city of Venice is the setting for this story.
Action, adventure, intrigue and a hint of romance are the hallmarks of this great story.
Phoebe McCabe and her team work with Interpol, among other things, to track and capture art thieves. When she gets a phone call about a friend in Venice who badly needs her help, she goes there.
A murder has been committed, a priceless painting has been stolen. Phoebe is on the case. Looking at a photograph of the missing painting, she notices something very special is illustrated in the painting.
So begins a rollicking chase around Venice and Marrakech. Aided by friends and with a remarkable sense of timing, Phoebe manages to outwit and (mostly) evade the nasty group chasing her. Will Phoebe track down the mysterious clue? Will she be alright? Will she reconnect with her long lost love?
Very good book. I truly enjoyed Phoebe's adventures and will read her again. The book is well written and plotted. The book is engaging and reads quickly. Phoebe is a character for sure. There are a couple of spots where the plot goes a little awry, but all in all Ms. Thornley does a remarkable job in telling the story.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this very nice book for me to read, enjoy and review.
September 13, 2024
This was my first Jane Thornley book. I'd even forgot I had this book. It's in the vein of The Librarians or Indiana Jones. The employees of The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found locate missing, stolen, or lost works of art and other antiquities. They work closely with Interpol and travel world wide in their pursuit of what's been lost. Phoebe, our main character, is well versed in history; her main area od expertise is in ancient textiles. This particular story took us from London to Venice to Marrakech and back. It involved unlocking the mystery of a stolen painting, a murder, and a mystery buried centuries before. I liked this book more than I thought I would and I learned quite a bit about textiles as an art form. I look forward to reading another.
March 30, 2020
Loved this book, non-stop action
May 8, 2020
This is a great read. The humour is fresh and fun. The descriptions of people, places and things are clear and the plot line exciting. I was so caught up in this that, at a critical point in the story which involves a fire, I felt deep grief at the losses resulting. (I am a history and fabric and design buff). This story is delicious. It is a totally satisfying read. Loved it.
May 3, 2020
This IS a modern, female Indiana Jones in a well written story with great characters and a very good plot. Mystery and lots of action in a very entertaining book.
May 12, 2020
Exciting page turning read
Enjoyed this book throughly. Lots of adventure and in the edge of your seat action. I enjoyed the art history and the histories it presents.
Enjoyed this book throughly. Lots of adventure and in the edge of your seat action. I enjoyed the art history and the histories it presents.
December 8, 2020
History Revealed
Well written. Plot moves quickly. Surprise ending. I Couldn’t put the book down. I am looking forward to book two.
Well written. Plot moves quickly. Surprise ending. I Couldn’t put the book down. I am looking forward to book two.
May 4, 2020
The Carpet Cipher takes us from the UK to Venice to Morocco as Phoebe McCabe pursues answers after the death of family friend. Phoebe is an art & textiles expert who recognizes some oddities in a painting that was stolen in the events surrounding the mysterious death.
This book had a lot going on. There were a lot of characters with a lot of back story and a lot of twists and turns. It was almost bit too much for me. This reads like a book that is in the middle of the series, but the listing indicates it is the first in a series.
I requested this book because I saw the plot involved carpets and our family has a carpet business so I have my own in-house carpet expert. :) This book would appeal to people who liked The Da Vinci Code as it is a similar idea of hidden secrets with clues provided in works of art.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a lot going on. There were a lot of characters with a lot of back story and a lot of twists and turns. It was almost bit too much for me. This reads like a book that is in the middle of the series, but the listing indicates it is the first in a series.
I requested this book because I saw the plot involved carpets and our family has a carpet business so I have my own in-house carpet expert. :) This book would appeal to people who liked The Da Vinci Code as it is a similar idea of hidden secrets with clues provided in works of art.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2021
I am always a little hesitant when starting a new series but this one has art, history, archaeology and action. Who could want for more??? A painting with hidden secrets leads Phoebe to Venice and Morocco on a quest to hunt for something that has been kept secret for 500 plus years. I look forward to more of these stories.
March 21, 2020
I was only a few chapters in this book when I put it down, went to look at its Amazon page, saw that it really said A Phoebe McCabe Mystery Thriller Book 1 there (as I had remembered) and had a laughing fit. Because about every other page there was some reference to one of Phoebe's past adventures. There were several art-heists she stopped/participated in/both, she'd been kidnapped more than once, been hunted by assassins, there was a very complicated situation with her brother (now in prison) and her ex-boyfriend (now on the run from Interpol) and a quasi-aunt once wanted to ship her off to the Baltic sex trade (should I point out how ridiculous these Taken-esque stories about white middle-class women abducted to become sex-slaves are?). I really cannot stress enough just how fucking many of those allusions to past adventures were. In the first half of the book, there really was at least one in every chapter. In the second half it did calm down, there were still mentions but fewer and mostly to stuff that had already been brought up. At least as far as I could tell from painstakingly piecing together all the throwaway comments while also following the actual plot of the book.
Now I thought I knew what the author was trying to do with this; the book is advertised as "Dan Brown but with textile arts" so we have a historian hero(ine) who gets caught up in something big, makes some people very angry, has to escape them, gets shot at etc. standard thriller fare. And I thought the author wanted to avoid a story of "Here's an average Jane. Her life has been perfectly unexciting so far but somehow she doesn't have a nervous breakdown even after people have tried to kill her for the third time in the span of a week." I thought she was trying to throw these tidbits in to show "Yeah. Phoebe has seen stuff and is no longer scared easily." And that would have been a nice idea badly executed. Because, as I said above, it was just too much trying to keep track of her backstory and the actual story.
Dear reader, you might have noticed that I used the phrase "I thought" a couple of times and that is because...it seems that is not the first book staring Phoebe McCabe. There's a five-book Crime by Design series that stars her and where apparently all/most of the stuff happens that has been alluded to in this book. And yet the book description says at this moment If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you’ll love this first book in the Ancient Lost and Found series.
I...have no idea what is going on. Or why. And I still stand by my criticism. If I'd known that I was reading the sixth book in a series I'd still be annoyed by all the We had been friends since he and his driver had saved me from a kidnapping in Istanbul. No, I won't tell you more about it because most of those stories are absolutely irrelevant to the plot of this book. To follow that I would have only needed a few paragraphs about her ex. All the rest is...unnecessary, stupid and confusing. It would have been enough to tell me that Phoebe already got a few bad guys behind bars. If I had wanted to know more I could have picked up the earlier books. Provided I had found out about their existence.
And apart from all that...yeah I made the choice to purchase a book advertised as "Dan Brown with textile arts" and I can't say that I am shocked by what I got. Admittedly, for large parts of the book, Phoebe is even a lot more reasonable than many thriller protagonists. She is careful, she talks to people. But my joy about that got dampened by the fact that the finale was the most cliched thriller-finale, including massive amounts of plot-induced stupidity.
Oh and..editors are your friend. They stop you from stuff like this:
Now I thought I knew what the author was trying to do with this; the book is advertised as "Dan Brown but with textile arts" so we have a historian hero(ine) who gets caught up in something big, makes some people very angry, has to escape them, gets shot at etc. standard thriller fare. And I thought the author wanted to avoid a story of "Here's an average Jane. Her life has been perfectly unexciting so far but somehow she doesn't have a nervous breakdown even after people have tried to kill her for the third time in the span of a week." I thought she was trying to throw these tidbits in to show "Yeah. Phoebe has seen stuff and is no longer scared easily." And that would have been a nice idea badly executed. Because, as I said above, it was just too much trying to keep track of her backstory and the actual story.
Dear reader, you might have noticed that I used the phrase "I thought" a couple of times and that is because...it seems that is not the first book staring Phoebe McCabe. There's a five-book Crime by Design series that stars her and where apparently all/most of the stuff happens that has been alluded to in this book. And yet the book description says at this moment If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you’ll love this first book in the Ancient Lost and Found series.
I...have no idea what is going on. Or why. And I still stand by my criticism. If I'd known that I was reading the sixth book in a series I'd still be annoyed by all the We had been friends since he and his driver had saved me from a kidnapping in Istanbul. No, I won't tell you more about it because most of those stories are absolutely irrelevant to the plot of this book. To follow that I would have only needed a few paragraphs about her ex. All the rest is...unnecessary, stupid and confusing. It would have been enough to tell me that Phoebe already got a few bad guys behind bars. If I had wanted to know more I could have picked up the earlier books. Provided I had found out about their existence.
And apart from all that...yeah I made the choice to purchase a book advertised as "Dan Brown with textile arts" and I can't say that I am shocked by what I got. Admittedly, for large parts of the book, Phoebe is even a lot more reasonable than many thriller protagonists. She is careful, she talks to people. But my joy about that got dampened by the fact that the finale was the most cliched thriller-finale, including massive amounts of plot-induced stupidity.
Oh and..editors are your friend. They stop you from stuff like this:
July 3, 2021
In this first book in the Ancient Lost and Found series, and first spin-off book of the Crime by Design Series, Phoebe McCabe and her team work to solve the mystery of an ancient carpet.
Will Phoebe be able to face her greatest enemy?
Did anyone say adventure?
This is an all-around book with great descriptive narrative that will take you from Venice to Morocco, and make you feel as if you were right there with the characters.
The main character, Phoebe McCabe is strong, witty, and clever with a great sense of humour. Her interaction with Evan gives enough hint of a romance story without taking away from the mystery. And what a mystery this is!
An action-packed novel full of adventures that will keep you wanting to read the whole Crime by Design Series. I can’t wait for the next book in the Ancient Lost and Found series!
Disclosure: I would like to thank BooksGoSocial Group for a copy of The Carpet Cipher. This is my honest review.
Will Phoebe be able to face her greatest enemy?
Did anyone say adventure?
This is an all-around book with great descriptive narrative that will take you from Venice to Morocco, and make you feel as if you were right there with the characters.
The main character, Phoebe McCabe is strong, witty, and clever with a great sense of humour. Her interaction with Evan gives enough hint of a romance story without taking away from the mystery. And what a mystery this is!
An action-packed novel full of adventures that will keep you wanting to read the whole Crime by Design Series. I can’t wait for the next book in the Ancient Lost and Found series!
Disclosure: I would like to thank BooksGoSocial Group for a copy of The Carpet Cipher. This is my honest review.
March 13, 2020
Another winner from Jane Thornley!
Phoebe is back and stronger than ever! What a gutsy lady Jane Thornley has created. Is there nothing she won’t do? Again, her settings are perfect. From the mystery and majesty of Venice to the ancient and shadowy markets of Morocco, she takes you there and keeps your heart racing. Solving the mystery of the ancient carpet is fascinating. Can’t wait to read more about the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found.
Phoebe is back and stronger than ever! What a gutsy lady Jane Thornley has created. Is there nothing she won’t do? Again, her settings are perfect. From the mystery and majesty of Venice to the ancient and shadowy markets of Morocco, she takes you there and keeps your heart racing. Solving the mystery of the ancient carpet is fascinating. Can’t wait to read more about the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found.
Read
May 9, 2024This review will be two-fold: One on the book/writing/story, and the other, a short opinion on the audio version of this book.
First, this is a well-written book, full of quirky historical facts, witty banter and enough intrigue to keep me interested. As several other reviews noted, this is not the 1st book in this story - there is an entire previous series of books that truthfully should be read before you dive into this one. Too many references to the previous books cause the reader to miss things within the story. Overall I have no truly negative things to say about this book.
Second, I also listened to the audio version of this book and I was not impressed. The narrator obviously has either dentures or another mouth issue that causes her words to sound like she's talking through a full mouth. I found it very distracting and off-putting. I kept picturing her drooling while she was speaking and spitting all over the place. It was that bad. Also, her pronunciations of words are often either over-emphasized or mispronounced altogether. She used "ed" at the end of more than one word that DID NOT pronounce it! It sounded like she didn't know how to pronounce words so would sound out every syllable whether it was the appropriate pronunciation or not.
Final notes: I suggest starting this series AFTER you've read the previous series (Crimes by Design - Rogue Way, The Rope in the Weave, Beautiful Survivor, The Greater of Two Evils, The Plunge) and avoid the audio version of this book series.
First, this is a well-written book, full of quirky historical facts, witty banter and enough intrigue to keep me interested. As several other reviews noted, this is not the 1st book in this story - there is an entire previous series of books that truthfully should be read before you dive into this one. Too many references to the previous books cause the reader to miss things within the story. Overall I have no truly negative things to say about this book.
Second, I also listened to the audio version of this book and I was not impressed. The narrator obviously has either dentures or another mouth issue that causes her words to sound like she's talking through a full mouth. I found it very distracting and off-putting. I kept picturing her drooling while she was speaking and spitting all over the place. It was that bad. Also, her pronunciations of words are often either over-emphasized or mispronounced altogether. She used "ed" at the end of more than one word that DID NOT pronounce it! It sounded like she didn't know how to pronounce words so would sound out every syllable whether it was the appropriate pronunciation or not.
Final notes: I suggest starting this series AFTER you've read the previous series (Crimes by Design - Rogue Way, The Rope in the Weave, Beautiful Survivor, The Greater of Two Evils, The Plunge) and avoid the audio version of this book series.
Read
June 23, 2023Did Thornley ever heard of the expression "less is more," I think not. Specifically, the need to name 30 or so people (12 by page 18), cite the name of a deceased (when no further mention of this person occurs in the book), as well as that of cat (that could have so easily been left out or unnamed). It was not at all necessary to name to each of these, even if some of them appeared in previous Phoebe McCabe books. Did we have to be presented with the name of the pilot; the steward on the plane; the pharmacist in Marrakesh and his assistant; the driver who picked up Phoebe at the airport in Morocco; the driver she hitched a ride with when trying to get back to Marrakesh? These are just a few who didn't need to have names attached. So many names distracted from the overall progression of the story. An editor or good proofreader most likely would have suggested the same to Thornley (and probably would have picked up on the typo in her "Join My Newsletter" paragraph, where one wonders if she's trying to say 'share' or 'have' not 'hare' as appears in the copy I read) and would not have let her make up words (markswomanship).
The premise is a good one and descriptions of Phoebe's surroundings in Venice and Marrakesh gave life to the story.
The premise is a good one and descriptions of Phoebe's surroundings in Venice and Marrakesh gave life to the story.
July 28, 2022
My kingdom for an editor! I actually found the plot snd suspense factors pretty good, but why are there so many unedited books around now? Anyone can throw an ebook up on the internet and see if it sticks.
This book suffers from references to characters and events that somehow we are supposed to know about from previous adventures , yet it is labeled as the first book in a series. The author throws in malapropisms instead of figuring out the right words—she used “hurl” instead of “hurtle” several times. She uses lay instead of lie (I know it is everywhere in the vernacular, but I especially hate seeing it in the written word).
And unfortunately, I really didn’t like the main character and her constant commentary about men. I didn’t like the humor that wasn’t humorous.
It’s really too bad—I thought there was a good germ of a plot, and I was intrigued by the art angle. But most of it was entirely unbelievable.
This book suffers from references to characters and events that somehow we are supposed to know about from previous adventures , yet it is labeled as the first book in a series. The author throws in malapropisms instead of figuring out the right words—she used “hurl” instead of “hurtle” several times. She uses lay instead of lie (I know it is everywhere in the vernacular, but I especially hate seeing it in the written word).
And unfortunately, I really didn’t like the main character and her constant commentary about men. I didn’t like the humor that wasn’t humorous.
It’s really too bad—I thought there was a good germ of a plot, and I was intrigued by the art angle. But most of it was entirely unbelievable.
May 28, 2025
Phoebe McCabe and her team work with Interpol, among other things, to track and capture art thieves. When she gets a phone call about a friend in Venice who badly needs her help, she goes there. A murder has been committed; a priceless painting has been stolen. Phoebe is on the case: thus begins “The Carpet Cipher,” the first entry in The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found Series.
The beautiful city of Venice is the setting for this story. Phoebe McCabe pursues the bad guys from Venice to Morocco as the action builds. Action, adventure, intrigue, and a hint of romance are the hallmarks of this (could have been great) story. This book was touted as Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft; this certainly made me hope for a fast-paced mystery/thriller - which unfortunately, “The Carpet Cipher” was not. A middle of the road read. Regardless, I especially like a strong female protagonist and supporting set of strong females. It holds promise, so I will read the sequel.
The beautiful city of Venice is the setting for this story. Phoebe McCabe pursues the bad guys from Venice to Morocco as the action builds. Action, adventure, intrigue, and a hint of romance are the hallmarks of this (could have been great) story. This book was touted as Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft; this certainly made me hope for a fast-paced mystery/thriller - which unfortunately, “The Carpet Cipher” was not. A middle of the road read. Regardless, I especially like a strong female protagonist and supporting set of strong females. It holds promise, so I will read the sequel.
March 24, 2020
The Carpet Cipher is a very interesting book about art thieves and art experts who work to help recover stolen treasures and preserve and return them to their rightful owners. The fact that the cipher for finding this treasure was hidden in a painting that showed a marriage with the couple on a Berber carpet with multiple symbols made it even more interesting when Phoebe McCabe began to unravel the mystery of a union in the 1500's that would have been very unconventional and also very dangerous and that the painting was not only about a union between differing religions, but the key to the expansive dowry that had been hidden for centuries. Phoebe's insights though come at a steep price when the man she had loved turns out to be even more base and greedy than she could have imagined and when others that she somewhat trusted are not who they seem to be.
June 3, 2020
This is the first book I've read from this author. It appears that it is part of a series, as the book alludes to previous adventures with the characters.
I love art history, and this sounded like an intriguing Dan Brown- type book. I enjoyed the imagery of the fabrics, the Venetian scenes, and Morocco. It did have a slow start, though and I was confused about Phoebe's nationality, living and working in London, yet her vernacular was American. I was also put off by the details, the practical ones, like having no apparent financial constraints when it comes to travelling short notice and impromptu buying sprees. What annoyed me most was the typos, and there were quite a lot in the chapters around the fire. I had to wonder if autocorrect had invaded the book industry?
That being said, I loved the intrigue and the colors of this book. It makes me want to visit Morocco someday.
I love art history, and this sounded like an intriguing Dan Brown- type book. I enjoyed the imagery of the fabrics, the Venetian scenes, and Morocco. It did have a slow start, though and I was confused about Phoebe's nationality, living and working in London, yet her vernacular was American. I was also put off by the details, the practical ones, like having no apparent financial constraints when it comes to travelling short notice and impromptu buying sprees. What annoyed me most was the typos, and there were quite a lot in the chapters around the fire. I had to wonder if autocorrect had invaded the book industry?
That being said, I loved the intrigue and the colors of this book. It makes me want to visit Morocco someday.
May 10, 2020
At the beginning of The Capet Cipher we are introduced quickly to a whole range of characters and previous adventures that I almost found it hard to keep up. It is a lot of information to take in within the first few chapters and I felt it took away from the main story a little bit.
The references to textiles in this book are amazing and very well-researched.
It is enriched with detailed description throughout that engages the reader immediately. The way Jane Thornley illustrates the story so vividly makes it an easy read (once you get up-to-date with past events).
Apart from the confusing, it is a great read with plenty of action and I will definitely be trying to keep up with Phoebe & friends.
The references to textiles in this book are amazing and very well-researched.
It is enriched with detailed description throughout that engages the reader immediately. The way Jane Thornley illustrates the story so vividly makes it an easy read (once you get up-to-date with past events).
Apart from the confusing, it is a great read with plenty of action and I will definitely be trying to keep up with Phoebe & friends.
May 14, 2020
While the story of this book originally intrigued and did at some level capture my imagination, I'm afraid the execution and writing style wasn't to my taste. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be someone else's cup of tea, it just didn't really have me tearing up the carpet in excitement (pun wholly intended). I'm not one for spoiling the story in a review so I'll just say I found the book a bit predictable, similar in general format to other thrillers (which given the sheer volume of them these days, can't really be avoided I suppose) and I'd guessed the ending by the middle of the book. But I give 3 stars for the idea. it genuinely was interesting.
September 15, 2021
This action type of adventure and intrigue novel is a new genre for me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Carpet Cipher. Book does refer to other stories and adventures that Phoebe has been on but this is shown as book number 1.
Phoebe McCabe is an art and textiles expert and her team work with different police forces to track and capture art thieves. A murder has been committed in Venice and a priceless painting has been stolen. Phoebe travel to Venice to assist. When Phoebe examines a photograph of the missing painting, she notices something very special is illustrated in the painting. So begins the adventure around Venice and Marrakech.
Phoebe McCabe is an art and textiles expert and her team work with different police forces to track and capture art thieves. A murder has been committed in Venice and a priceless painting has been stolen. Phoebe travel to Venice to assist. When Phoebe examines a photograph of the missing painting, she notices something very special is illustrated in the painting. So begins the adventure around Venice and Marrakech.
January 22, 2021
Maybe a 3.5...
I like reading art mysteries, and this book does qualify, although when you get down to it, it’s a treasure mystery. Good stuff about fabrics, though. So action-packed that sometimes I wished for a breather. Exotic settings, well handled. Carefully drawn major characters, believable within the setting. These are the reasons that I gave it a 4-star rating.
I’m always annoyed to find a lovelorn element in any mystery I’m reading, but that’s personal preference, and I try not to let it color my rating. Some people like that stuff.
I like reading art mysteries, and this book does qualify, although when you get down to it, it’s a treasure mystery. Good stuff about fabrics, though. So action-packed that sometimes I wished for a breather. Exotic settings, well handled. Carefully drawn major characters, believable within the setting. These are the reasons that I gave it a 4-star rating.
I’m always annoyed to find a lovelorn element in any mystery I’m reading, but that’s personal preference, and I try not to let it color my rating. Some people like that stuff.
June 12, 2021
I was a bit ambivalent about this novel
Due to the extremely bizarre backstory given for the protagonist little realizing that this was not exactly the first of a stand-alone trilogy but continued the outlandish adventures of the protagonist established in an earlier series.
It was a bit like someone had pitched it to be a strange mix of Indiana Jones and Dan Brown (of whom I must add I do not number myself among his admirers)
Haven't decided yet whether I will read further adventures of the improbable Phoebe.
Due to the extremely bizarre backstory given for the protagonist little realizing that this was not exactly the first of a stand-alone trilogy but continued the outlandish adventures of the protagonist established in an earlier series.
It was a bit like someone had pitched it to be a strange mix of Indiana Jones and Dan Brown (of whom I must add I do not number myself among his admirers)
Haven't decided yet whether I will read further adventures of the improbable Phoebe.
February 15, 2023
Although this is the first book in the series there were so many references to the past in regards to relationships and past occurrences along with whatever was happening as her new endeavor, it made me (the reader) feel lost at times. I too mourned the loss of the textiles and records in the book, albeit that they were fictional. The Meredith's were instantly recognizable as false. Venice seemed a cold, moldy, mildewy city. I have been there and it's not as bad as portrayed. The road in Marrakech was spot on.
May 24, 2023
one wild carpet ride
The book is a little confusing at first, as if you’re starting in the middle of a series and not at the beginning, but that information dump becomes very relevant when the narrative picks up about midway through.
Love the idea of the paintings telling a story, along with the mystical symbols. Usually it’s just the symbols, but this was much better. I only wish we’d have had more of the back story behind the paintings and why.
It’s a great read with a lot of rich detail and drama.
The book is a little confusing at first, as if you’re starting in the middle of a series and not at the beginning, but that information dump becomes very relevant when the narrative picks up about midway through.
Love the idea of the paintings telling a story, along with the mystical symbols. Usually it’s just the symbols, but this was much better. I only wish we’d have had more of the back story behind the paintings and why.
It’s a great read with a lot of rich detail and drama.
June 1, 2023
Excellent 1st Book in Series!
The Carpet Cipher, written by Jane Thornley, is the first mystery thriller in The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found series. This novel is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. From the detailed world building to the interesting characters, this story held me captive from beginning to end. This book is very well written with a fast pace, mystery, intrigue, adventure, danger, historical information, friendships, family, hope, redemption and love. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
The Carpet Cipher, written by Jane Thornley, is the first mystery thriller in The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found series. This novel is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. From the detailed world building to the interesting characters, this story held me captive from beginning to end. This book is very well written with a fast pace, mystery, intrigue, adventure, danger, historical information, friendships, family, hope, redemption and love. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
May 14, 2020
I started this book and I had to give up almost immediately as it just wasn't grabbing me. My daughter had also requested this book and we both found the writing style extremely frustrating. It was too flamboyant for a start and went on a bit which I tend to find a bit like ploughing through quicksand when reading. The idea was what drew me to the book but I never really made any headway on the story as I was put off so soon by the writing. I'm afraid it's two stars from me.
May 18, 2020
If you are looking to delve into some action and solve a mystery- then this could be right up your alley, and you cannot help but love Phoebe's resilience and when it seems like time is not her side, things fall into place with her quick thinking. I loved the first two chapters- and somewhere in between, I felt the pace slow down and this threw me off, however it did not deter me from finishing the story.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
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