As mentioned in my review of the 1st Serena Jones adventure, "A Fool and His Monet" Serena Jones is a fairly new member of the FBI's Art Crime Team. Serena's family includes her worry-wart Mother, university professor Dad, and outrageous and sleuthing Aunt Martha. Serena lives in Aunt Martha's former residence with her cat Harold. There are two (2) male characters that add a sparkle in various ways to Serena's life but especially FBI supervisor Tanner and apartment building superintendent Nate.

In "Another Day, Another Dali" I couldn't help myself again thinking of the similarities between Serena Jones and Stephanie Plum as created by Janet Evanovich.
Here’s my comparison list:
The 1st smile is that the female lead character names both start with “S” – Serena and Stephanie
Both female leads often start off their day with a run
Serena’s parents and Stephanie’s parents – worry-wart mothers and calm fathers
Aunt Martha and Grandma Mazur
Harold (Serena’s cat) and Rex (Stephanie’s hamster)
Serena and Stephanie’s vehicles – Somehow always needing replacement during the latest investigation – sometimes more than once
Tanner (FBI Agent) and Joe Morelli (Detective) – Handsome law enforcement aficionados
Nate and Ranger – Also handsome and both mysterious in their own ways
Zoe and Lulu – Girlfriends and partners in investigations although each has her own gig

Nana has asked for Serena’s assistance to help Nana’s friend Gladys but Serena still presumes she is interpreting Nana’s reactions correctly not only during this investigation but since the death of her grandfather. As the story unfolds the reader learns that Serena has kept a secret not only from her grandmother but all of her family. It’s an unexpected reveal for all.

I would encourage every reader not to miss “A Note from the Author” at the end of Serena’s adventure. It’s thought-provoking not only about the characters in this adventure but in our own personal lives.

I’d also recommend visiting Sandra Orchard’s website. Some beautiful photographs of St. Louis are available that tie in to the setting of this series, interesting deleted scenes, and some fun character interviews. I’m providing the link to the interview with Serena’s cat Harold so you don’t miss his handsome self and especially his vote for the man who should win Serena’s undivided attention.
http://sandraorchard.com/books/a-fool-and-his-monet-2/interview-with-harold/

Now to add ”Over Maya Dead Body to my tbr list. ( )

3.5 stars

Another fun installment in the Serena Jones Mystery series!

Likes:
Despite the 3.5 star rating, I really liked this book. Orchard's characters are priceless. Incredibly quirky, fun, and engaging; they are the best part of these books.

The mystery part was well done, and kept me on my toes until the final pages! Usually I guess the mystery pretty quickly, but not with these books.

I love the furtherance of the mystery surrounding Serena's grandfather's murder! Very emotional, and well done!

Tanner. :D
The romance, or lack thereof. I love how Orchard keeps it so on the back burner. I can enjoy the mystery with a hint of romance, instead of being blindsided by an annoying love triangle. It was a little more prominent than the first book, but that's to be expected. I just ignoredskimmed the very little bit there was.

Dislikes:
Quite a few of the situations felt very contrivedforced. Too coincidental. Orchard did a good job of not letting that happen in the first book, but this book just felt full of stuff like that.

Nate. My word! His character didn't make ANY sense in this book! And I'm not just saying that because I don't like him generally. His actions, the whole situation with his brother, etc, just didn't feel like Nate, and was super confusing. I don't feel that it was wrapped up and explained in the end, either.

Some *cough cough* awkward stuff. Like Serena "discreetly" shimmying off her pantyhose at the boat launch?? Uh . . . no. A) There's really no discreet way to do that. And B) it was just really awkward and made me cringe.

All in all, I enjoyed this book! Aside from some technical issues, the story was still enjoyable, and likely something I'd read again.

CONTENT NOTE: Recommended for ages 15 due to violenceintense action, and mild attractionromance.



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Another Day, Another Dali
Sandra Orchard

Book Summary: A Fast-Paced, Keep-You-Guessing Whodunit with a Dash of Romance When a valuable Salvador Dali painting belonging to her grandmother's friend is mysteriously replaced by a forgery, FBI Special Agent Serena Jones is called in to investigate. Serena hopes finding the thief will also mean finally measuring up to Nana's expectations. But when the evidence points to members of the owner's own household, it becomes increasingly clear that Serena won't be winning any popularity contests. The Dali isn't the only painting that's fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the specter of a sophisticated theft ring--one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena's grandfather. With plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, Another Day, Another Dali gives the plucky Serena Jones--and readers--a new high-stakes case to crack.

Review: Really like this series. I was a little slow with reading the book, but it did not fail to be a fast pace story that had so many twists and turns. I can’t decide whether Tanner or Nate should get the honor of being with Serena. It was such a fun mystery. I am already looking forward to the next book. I found that so much was resolved with Serena and her Nana. It also added some details to her Grandfather’s death. I always love the idea of a secret passage. To me that is the coolest thing! I love the writing and the characters!! This story had many twists and turns enough to keep you on your toes. There many funny moments that broke the tension.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Revell for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ( )

Another Day, Another Dali is the second installment in the Serena Jones Mystery series by Sandra Orchard. Orchard’s intrepid sleuth gives a first person account of her adventures discovering stolen and counterfeit art and the bad guys responsible. Serena stumbles into trouble along the way, as well as a little romance from two handsome men. With family complications and clueless suspects a bit of humor lightens up the suspense. I enjoyed Another Day, Another Dali and give it a recommended rating.

Another Day, Another Dali starts out with a bang (or a close call) and the action continues with ambushes, murders, and other dangerous situations. But through it all main character Serena keeps her head as she attempts to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. I love Serena’s character. She is a trained FBI agent, yet she still has her share of doubts and fears. She puts up a good front of courage, but she shakes a bit in her shoes. Her two love interests, Nate and Tanner, are charming and sweet, and I went back and forth on which one she should pick. Other minor characters from the first book are interwoven through the novel, but this one can easily be read as a standalone. The mystery begins and ends within the book. There are a number of loose ends, however, which promise to be tied up in the future. I’m hoping Serena’s exploits continue for some time to come.

For fans of light mysteries, Another Day, Another Dali is a good choice. A quick read, this book is perfect to curling up with during the long winter nights.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )