Death on a Starry Night

Nora Barnes, an art history professor, hopes to enjoy a “working vacation” in Saint-Paul-de-Vence at a Van Gogh conference. She has a paper to present and hopes to learn a few things, but mostly enjoy France with her husband, Toby Sandler, who has joined her for the trip. However, the night before the conference, one of the lead speakers falls suddenly ill and dies. When her briefcase, containing the paper that promised to reveal important information about Vincent Van Gogh’s mysterious death, is stolen, police believe they may be looking at a murder. With so much left unknown, everyone is suspect, and Nora’s peaceful holiday takes on a more dangerous edge.

This mystery is more thoughtful than suspenseful, and rich details make it a delightful read. Nora observes everything from the character’s backgrounds to the food and wine they drink (and how much they drink) to the art works they discuss. The art history was my favorite part—at times I felt as if I were on a guided tour of an exhibit of one of my favorite artist’s works. The afterward covers the controversy over Van Gogh’s death and explains what evidence was used to piece together this fictional account.