Blog Tour: Michelangelo's Ghost (A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #4) by Gigi Pandian: A Book Review

Michelangelo's Ghost (A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #4)
Author: Gigi Pandian
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Henery Press
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Source: This book was given to me by iRead Book tours in exchange for an honest review.
Book Description:

     A lost work of art linking India to the Italian Renaissance. A killer hiding behind a centuries-old ghost story. And a hidden treasure in Italy’s macabre sculpture garden known as the Park of Monsters… Can treasure-hunting historian Jaya Jones unmask a killer ghost? 

     Filled with the unexpected twists, vivid historical details, and cross-cultural connections Pandian is known for, Michelangelo’s Ghost is the most fast-paced and spellbinding Jaya Jones novel to date. 

     When Jaya’s old professor dies under eerie circumstances shortly after discovering manuscripts that point to a treasure in Italy’s Park of Monsters, Jaya and her brother pick up the trail. From San Francisco to the heart of Italy, Jaya is haunted by a ghost story inexorably linked to the masterpieces of a long-dead artist and the deeds of a modern-day murderer. Untrustworthy colleagues, disappearing boyfriends, and old enemies—who can Jaya trust when the ghost wails?

     My Review: Jaya Jones’s former professor has asked her for help. Her professor believes that Lazzaro Allegri, a missing protege of Michelangelo who went to India to work for royalty. When he came back to Italy, the Allegri had a studio and did many paintings. However, his paintings have been lost over the centuries in what is now the Park of Monsters. Her professor asks Jaya to find the missing treasure. Entranced by the idea of lost treasure, Jaya gets her brother and his new girlfriend to help. However, as soon as she gets to Italy, she realizes that she is not the only one who is looking for the lost art.

     Because this is the fourth book in the series, I found that there really was not much character development. I felt that the character had already been established. She is very smart. However, she is also very imaginative. She is also lovesick over her long-distance boyfriend. However, she is really focused on her job and is very determined to find the missing art. Thus, Jaya Jones was an engaging character and a lot of fun!

      Overall, this book is full of adventure, mystery, and romance. The characters are very fun and real. I felt like they would be cool friends to hang out with, and I liked getting to know them. While this book is set in present-day times, there are a lot of historical references. There is also connections to Michelangelo. I thought the novel was very fast-paced and it drew me right in. I also liked the mystery aspect, and I found it be very interesting that I could not wait to get to end for the reveal. Even though this is the fourth book in the series, this novel can be read as a stand-alone because I was not lost at all. After reading this, I’m eager to read Ms. Pandian’s other novels. I recommend this book for fans of Anne Fortier, Kitty Pilgrim, and Dan Brown.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Praise for Gigi Pandian's Jaya Jones Mysteries:

“Charming characters, a hint of romantic conflict, and just the right amount of danger will garner more fans for this cozy series.” – Publishers Weekly on Quicksand 

“Pandian’s sprightly prose celebrates the pleasures of Italian painting, food, and landscape. The light touch, swift pace, and verve maintained throughout the novel disguise the deeper thought and scholarship underpinning the story, which like the stage props of a conjurer, make the magic happen.”– Linda Lappin, Author of Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery 

Buy the Book: Amazon, Barnes and Nobles

Author's Bio:

     USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian is the child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India. She spent her childhood being dragged around the world, and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Gigi writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and locked-room mystery short stories. Gigi’s debut novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” debut by Suspense Magazine. Her fiction has been awarded the Lefty Award and short-listed for Macavity and Agatha Awards. Sign up for her email newsletter at www.gigipandian.com/newsletter.  Visit her website, Twitter, and Facebook.