The Rembrandt Conspiracy: A Lost Art Mystery #2, written by Deron Hicks, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Twelve-year-old Art Hamilton and Camille Sullivan are back in this 2nd book of the Lost Art Mystery series. Art’s father is the director of the Lunder Conservation Center, which is responsible for the artwork at the Smithsonian. Art and his dad used to travel all over the world because of his job. In the first book, they had decided to permanently reside in DC because of the job at the Smithsonian. Art and Camille are about to get involved in their second art heist mystery. Art things that someone is planning to rob the National Portrait Gallery during the Millennium Exhibit at which priceless paintings will be displayed and the Queen of England will be in town. There is a woman who Art noticed at the museum that gets an iced mocha, takes forty-two steps and appears like clockwork at 4:30 pm to walk through the museum in the same route taking the same amount of steps each time. Art finds this very suspicious and when he finally lets Camille know what is going on, they have to try to find proof that something bad is going to happen. It’s up to them to solve the mystery in time. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: I really love these books because they are a good mystery for middle-grade readers. It’s fun and suspenseful, but not too scary. I also love the QR codes woven into the chapters so that readers can look at the actual artwork being described in the story. The QR codes mostly go to museum sites that house the original artwork. I think it would be a good book and a good series for art teachers to recommend. I also think that it would be a good read for kids (and adults) who are planning a visit to Washington DC and the Smithsonian to read some fun background. The books comes with a floor plan of the Smithsonian. As a librarian, I think this would be a good book to go on a mystery display, an art heist theme or a Washington DC theme display. I think it also has a wide appeal to boys and girls because of the characters in the book, maybe some reluctant readers and some hardcore mystery readers. I think any adult middle-grade readers would also enjoy this book (I did!) This is a great purchase for a school library.