Death on a Starry Night

Nora Barnes & Toby Sandler Mystery #3

by Betsy Draine, Michael Hinden

When art historian Nora Barnes returns to France for a Van Gogh conference in the charming medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, she’s expecting a vigorous debate about whether the famed artist’s suicide was actually a homicide. But on the night before the conference, an elderly French woman who’d promised to reveal important evidence is found face down in the village fountain, and her Chanel briefcase is nowhere to be seen.
            During a week of academic squabbling, dining, romance, and suspense, the quirky conference members, one by one, fall under police suspicion and the amused gaze of Nora’s husband, Toby Sandler. But someone wants to stop Nora and Toby’s amateur sleuthing, and what happens next is no joke.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 23, 2021

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review appeared on Isthmus.com on March 31, 2016:

Relying on real-world research on the death of Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, two retired UW-Madison English professors have written a rich and colorful novel that sometimes seems almost as real as the history it’s based upon.

Death on a Starry Night — the title a twist on one of Van Gogh’s most famous works, “Starry Night” — is the third novel in the Nora Barnes and Toby Sandler mystery series by Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden. The book continues the University of Wisconsin Press’ recent run of publishing high-profile moody and memorable mysteries via its Terrace Books imprint, including last year’s Death at Gills Rock by Patricia Skalka and A Winsome Murder by James DeVita.

In Death on a Starry Night, narrator Nora Barnes is an art historian who returns to France (the site of the series’ first book, Murder in Lascaux) for a van Gogh conference in the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Nora’s husband, Toby Sandler, whose bemused sense of humor seems out of place among a gaggle of quirky van Gogh aficionados, is along for a vacation.

Also attending with the couple: Nora’s sexy younger sister, Angie, who is considering a life of celibacy in a convent, and her feisty travel companion Sister Glenda, who’s not immune to the temptation posed by a divine glass of wine.

But on the eve of the conference, one of the keynote speakers — an older Frenchwoman promising to unveil new evidence that proves van Gogh was killed rather than committed suicide in 1890 at age 37 — is found murdered. Nora boasts prior experience as an amateur sleuth, and she and her companions help local authorities track down the culprit.

Readers who cherish France, fine dining, classic art or simply a smart mystery will find plenty to enthrall them in Death on a Starry Night.

At least in the art world, though, Draine and Hinden know they’re courting controversy by daring to rewrite parts of van Gogh’s rich life and contentious demise.

A detailed afterword delves into the murder theory that made international headlines and is detailed in Van Gogh: The Life, the 1,000-page biography by renowned art authors Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, which came out in 2012. While Draine and Hinden dispute that book’s conclusion, they also admit that the idea van Gogh was shot at close range by someone other than himself more than 125 years ago “could be the stuff of fiction.”

This book is that stuff.

[A. Lieberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery revolves around a Van Gogh Conference in France where two mysteries become the topic -- did Van Gogh commit suicide or was he murdered, and, is there a lost Van Gogh painting. The murder occurs in the first chapter which really moves the plot ahead and good characters improve the story.

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death on a Starry Night by Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden is a delightful little mystery set at a Van Gogh conference in Saint-Paul-de-Venice where the scholars are presenting papers about another mystery, whether or not Van Gogh committed suicide or was murdered. Unfortunately, one of the presenters, Isabelle La Font, is murdered before she can present her paper in which she claims she has evidence that proves Van Gogh's death was not suicide but murder. Not only is she murdered, but the paper is obviously stolen as well. Some scholars take their viewpoints very seriously.
Among the attendees of the conference is narrator Nora and her husband Toby Sandler--apparently amateur sleuths in a series by husband and wife authors Draine and Hinden. The plot is entertaining, full of suspense for the other conference attendees who realize that probably one of themselves is the murderer. Mixed with the descriptions of delicious meals, travelogues of charming medieval villages and scenery, and discussions of Impressionistic art, the characters argue about both the past life of Van Gogh, his art, and the present dangers they are encountering. The setting is a rich, colorful tapestry in which to place the exciting, suspenseful events. The characters are easily identified with if you have ever attended a scholarly conference. Their discussions provide historical background to the Van Gogh controversy and to some of his paintings. The whole is a thoroughly enjoyable escape from mundane daily events.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book, which is actually the third book in the series, because of the Van Gogh theme. They weigh in on the controversy about Van Gogh's death and give some references for further reading. But I have my opinion on the subject. Suicide? Murder? Accident? The book is very good and I do so love Van Gogh's paintings!

[Wendy Hellwig · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not that I don't like art. I do. I just don't know that much about it. I have really liked all three of the books in this series. I like the protagonists (Nora and Toby), the settings are lovely, the mysteries well contrived, the characters realisticly drawn. I like that these are local authors and I like that I learn more about artists and art in these books.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot to like In this latest Nora and Toby adventure. In particular I enjoyed the world of art scholars and the gorgeous descriptions of Provence and it's food, culture, history and geography. The mystery kept me engaged right to the end.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to see if this would appeal to me and,and wow! Did it ever! Based on true events, the authors took this and made their own, reasonably deduced story about Van Gogh's death. It was so interesting; I have decided to try to read the series.

[Josephine Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did Vincent Van Gogh commit suicide or was he murdered? There are two questions this book is writing about. Van Gogh was a very troubled man, so many of his family members had mental problems. Who would want to kill Van Gogh?

A group of people were meeting in the French Riviera, the village of Saint-Paul de Vence for a Van Gogh conference. The time is in mid-December. There were a few people. The story is told by Nora Barnes, who is a historical art teacher, who teaches about nineteenth century artists of which Van Gogh is one. She writes papers on her subjects every five years. Nora's husband, Toby, is going along, as her beautiful, six foot younger sister, Angie, and the nun, Sister Glenda, who is her friend, and also writes about religious studies. Sister Glenda is a very different nun, attuned to modern life around her. Angie is thinking of becoming a nun, but likes young men too much.

There would be only eleven speakers. There were others, wives, husbands, who came to enjoy the trip to France. The speakers were involved in art. A very attractive woman in her sixties, but still very attractive appeared and entered the group.. She had something to say. Her grandfather had been friends with Van Gogh. She went to dinner with the group, stepped outside saying she wasn't feeling well, needed the fresh air. She was found dead. Her name was Isabelle La Font. The man who organized the conference was Ray Montoni, an American.

Earlier Madam la Font had been talking to a man at the bar, both were angry about something, probably family history or family matters. The group found the man was her brother. Another man, one of the group, had at one time been her lover.

A lady police officer, head of her department, had heard of Nora's way of getting into crimes and finding criminals and asked her to try to help the police find who had killed Madam le Font. Toby didn't want Nora to become involved, it was too dangerous. But Nora wanted to find whoever the killer was needed to pay for murdering the lady.

While this group of people were in the French Rivera they did so many tourist traps. Those involved in art went to art galleries and museums, some to a grave yard where one of the artists was buried. A group went to gardens, one lady knew so much about poisonous plants and how quickly they could kill.

Then, a trip up in the mountains to a monastery, a hard, tough ride especially in winter. A desolate part of the trip. The description of the drive through gray, cold, dangerous mountains was great. scary.

I enjoy how Mrs. Draine writes and describes the world around her.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art history professor Nora Barnes, her antique-dealer husband Toby Sandler, her sister Angie, who's considering the religious life, and Angie's mentor, Sister Glenda, who is both nun and art expert, attend the Van Gogh conference in beautiful, historic Saint-Paul-de-Vence. When one of the attendees dies mysteriously the first night of the conference, Nora becomes involved with the question of how Van Gogh died--a question which is answered in short commentaries between the chapters of the book. An interesting take on the art world, with an exciting ending.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mystery set among Van Gogh scholars at a conference in France.