"Our country needs [art]---we're such a torn nation, and art is one of the few things that unites us despite our politics or religion or race."
-Charlotte Ross, from the novel
This novel was recommended and loaned by a friend. At first I didn't like it much---just too slow developing after the page-turners I've read recently. Also there were so many characters to keep up with, complicated by the fact that I had not read The Lumby Lines, the first book in the series. As I got familiar with the primary characters I enjoyed it more.
The story is set in a small town---somewhat hard for a city girl like me to identify with. As in most small towns, everybody seems to know and accept everybody. When a priceless painting, The Barns of Lumby, goes missing, not only is the New York artist, Dana Porter, upset but the townfolk of Lumby are up in arms, especially town pillar Charlotte Ross who has a personal connection to the artist and Katie Banks who owns the property with the famous barns. Later one of the actual barns is stolen and the plot thickens.
When Journalist Adam Massey arrives in Lumby from New York to do research for a biography of Dana Porter, residents are suspicious but there are hints of a possible romance. Humor is added frequently with the interspersing of issues of The Lumby Lines, the town newspaper. The description of the Moo Doo Iditarod is particularly amusing.
I found About the Author interesting as it provided insight into the author's personal background used in the novel---her own farm life and friends at a nearby monastery.
Fraser even includes recipes, supplied by the fictional inn, café and abbey in Lumby. There's also a conversation with the author and several of her primary characters which I found unique and clever.
I will rate Stealing Lumby 3.5 and I might read another Lumby episode one of these days.
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