The Art of Deception

Secrets from Grandma's Attic #2

by Becky Melby

The Art of Deception is book # 2 in the Secrets of Grandma’s Attic fiction series.



At a St. Louis flea market, sisters Amy Allen and Tracy Doyle and their cousin Robin Davisson discover an unexpected treasure at one of the booths: a rolled-up oil painting from the 1930s that once hung over Grandma Pearl’s fireplace. They have not seen the marvelous portrait of the young woman in a green velvet dress for years and wonder how it ended up there, minus its frame. Delighted by their find, they buy the portrait and take it home to see if they can finally discover the secret origins of Green Girl. But they never expect to learn that the painting was reported stolen in the 1980s!

Meanwhile, Amy has been working hard to build trust with her foster kids, Matt and Jana, in the hopes of adopting them. But a piece of unexpected news threatens to change Amy’s plans. Can Amy trust God with the outcome, even if it’s not what she wants it to be?

273 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Wisconsin resident Becky Melby is the author of more than 20 titles, including her latest, Candles in the Rain, plus the Lost Sanctuary Series, four books in the Guideposts cozy mystery series Secrets of Wayfarers Inn, and a novella in A Door County Christmas. Married for 48 years, mother of four, grandmother to sixteen, Becky thrives on writing, reading, camping, rides on the back of a silver Gold Wing, and time with family. Connect with her at www.beckymelby.com or Facebook.

Reviews

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second of the series was just as good as the first. Secrets From Grandma's Attic is a cozy mystery series set in Canton, Missouri. The primary main characters are sisters Amy and Tracy and their cousin Robin. Lots of treasures and mysteries are found in their deceased grandmother's attic.

I love that some of the chapters ended with a diary entry by Grandma Pearl. This ties in to WWII details that surface in the pages. Learned some new things as a result - score!

One of the best parts of this particular novel was Amy's desire to adopt her foster children Matt and Jana. Matt was a great assistant in solving the mystery surrounding a found painting.

Thanks to friend D'Ann for letting me borrow her copy of The Art of Deception.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story. The ties to WW2 for the mystery were intriguing to me as someone who loves that era. Good read.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Secrets from Grandma's Attic, Amy and her sister Tracy, and their cousin Robin discover an rolled-up oil painting from the 1930's. A painting that used to hang over their grandmother's fireplace. They buy the portrait and take it home to see if they can figure out what happened to "Green Girl." The period of time for the portrait was when Hitler and the Nazi's were stealing the Jewish people's things.

Along with this mystery, Amy has decided to foster care for Matt and Jana. Brother and Sister. All through the story, you learn about Matt and Jana, and you start praying that their biological mom will give in and give up her rights to the kids so Amy can adopt them. Spoiler: the author waits to tell you until the very last chapter!!!

[Michelle Levigne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great continuation of the series introduced in "History Lost and Found."
Love learning more about the cousins -- and Grandma's fascinating life.
This one touches on the heart-rending issue of children in the foster care system, and how injured they are by being passed from one caretaker to another, the uncertainty, the lack of a forever home -- and the pain and sacrifice of parents who do want to give them a home, but are yanked around by the system and by the non-custodial parents.
This series has several story lines going at the same time, the present mystery for the cousins to solve, a past story line that ties into the mystery, and then something personal.
Lovely! I think I'm starting to regret that I could only find 4 books in the series ....

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several series from Guidepost and just started this one. I really enjoyed this book. I've heard the stories about antiquities stolen during the war so this story was believable. The back story hit home for me too as I have a friend who fostered kids and I know the anxiety of wondering whether or not the adoption will go through. Looking forward to the next book.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great family mystery

[Kathie Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, great story. Lots of twists and turns to the storyline. Loved it1

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Art of Deception by Becky Melby is an interesting Christian cozy mystery with important historical significance.

Amy Allen is our main protagonist in this story. She’s a first-grade teacher who is fostering a young brother and sister, Matt and Jana, whom she wishes to adopt. Amy is surrounded by supportive family who not only help her care for her kids, but also solve the mystery of a family painting that had gone missing and suddenly appears at a flea market in St. Louis, Missouri, 30 plus years later.

Amy and her sister Tracy Doyle and cousin Robin Davisson try to discover information about the painting. Who is the artist? Who is the young woman in the painting? They must decide who to trust and who to fear as they learn about stolen artwork during World War II. Some of the atrocities of the war are remembered here.

While history abounds in The Art of Deception, the power of good over evil shines through. If you like happy endings, then this is the cozy for you.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the mystery and the values, it kept me reading until the end.