Review: Multiple Exposure: A Sophie Medina Mystery by Ellen Crosby |

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Scribner (August 6, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1451659288
Source: Publisher

Photojournalist Sophie Medina has just returned to London after an assignment to find her husband missing. A geologist and undercover CIA operative, Nick’s disappearance opens up a host of implications. A few months later, Sophie is trying to come to terms with the fact that Nick may be dead. Instead, she is shocked to learn that he has been spotted in Moscow and is now a suspect in his boss’s death and potentially involved in some pretty devious behavior. Now, even more so than before, Sophie is under the watchful eye of many interested in locating Nick. Sophie decides that the only way she can even begin to come to terms with the new news – that Nick is alive, yet hasn’t contacted her- is to leave London and return to Washington, D.C. where she can be surrounded by family and close friends.

Her contacts in London help her land a job photographing an exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Two never-before-seen Fabergé imperial eggs have been unveiled with much attention from many. There, Sophie is confronted by the owner of the eggs, Artaky Vasiliev, a Russian oil tycoon who alleges that Nick is involved in an international oil scheme. Still unable to evade those out to hunt down her husband, Sophie is left not knowing who to trust. She struggles with doing what is right and doing what she can to protect her husband’s integrity…and her own life.

Multiple Exposure is the first in a new series by Ellen Crosby, known for her highly popular Wine Country Mysteries. As a DC-area resident, I appreciated the setting and the wealth of historical back story Crosby shared about some of the monuments in the District, including some that are not as well known. In my eyes, this setting is perfect for a novel rich with mystery and political intrigue. While the complexities and many angles of the storyline take quite a bit of focus to embrace, its clearly worth it in the end. Crosby so brilliantly combines politics, art history, and murder into one brilliantly executed novel. I found myself reading this novel during any spare moment I could find. I rooted for Sophie, a brilliant and incredibly strong female protagonist, who was quite used to evading danger but never so close to home. The intensity began one the first few pages and didn’t decline until the last pages. Forgive the cliches, but Multiple Exposure is an intense, heart-pounding, whirlwind of a read!

If you are looking for an intelligent, fast-paced mystery, Multiple Exposure is the book for you. I cannot wait to see more in this series. Highly, highly recommended.

I was thrilled to be able to attend the launch of Multiple Exposure at my favorite independent bookstore, One More Page Books! This area has quite a rich mystery/thriller author network and it was a treat to witness that in person!