Book Reviews (Commonwealth Union) _ If you’re seeking mystery novels that incorporate elements of science, archaeology, or even fantasy, museums are the ideal destination. It is undeniable that with historical archives, ancient artefacts, and unfound secrets, there are more than a million different directions that a novel can go. Here are 10 books set in museums, or at least featuring them, that can give you a compelling narrative to satisfy your book cravings.
- The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft
There is little that could be more captivating in a museum novel than the largest art heist in history. Based on the 1990 museum burglary in Boston, the novel digs into the case, who-dunnit style, narrated by reporter Ulrich Boser, and features confessions delivered in rhyming verse and a Boston heiress.
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The novel is an acclaimed coming-of-age novel that begins with the bombing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the 13-year-old protagonist’s subsequent possession of Carel Fabritius’s painting. Portraying the nature of love, loss, and self-invention, the novel is both haunting and enthralling.
- The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc
Almost certainly, the first thing that comes to mind when the topic of museums is discussed, The Night at the Museum, is famous for its movie adaptation starring Ben Stiller. It’s an illustrated children’s book about a museum guard who finds out that ‘security’ entails containing the dinosaur skeletons inside the museum when they come alive at night.
- Relic by Douglas Preston
The novel, the first in the Pendergast series, takes place at the Museum of Natural History in New York. With visitors being savagely murdered just days before the opening of an exhibition, the narrative is a gripping mystery novel that digs into the museum’s secrets.
- The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
A reflection of love, art, and commitment, and a man looking for connection, this contemporary fiction novel is set around an art event—Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is Present. The novel emotionally and introspectively questions the nature of art by delving into the lives of two people who observe the viewers at the exhibit.
- Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
Centred around two people united through unexpected correspondence and their passion for history and nature, the novel is an exploration of the aftermath of loss, discovery, and vulnerability. As the letters cease, everyone is left wondering if the friendship between the two friends will endure.
- The Art Forger by Barbara A. Shapiro
Another novel based on the Gardner Museum, The Art Forger, revolves around Claire Roth, who reproduces famous artwork for sale. With desperate situations driving her towards the daring task of forging a stolen Degas painting, the novel is an investigative narrative that sets up a thrilling chase of truth and secrets.
- Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson
Full of art, humour and vibrant personalities, the novel is the writer’s ode to an unseen side of the Met, hidden from the eye of the public. With hallways, studios, and offices, Coulson’s narrative shows the beauty of human experience in relation to the museum’s staff and the ghosts that linger around.
- Alena by Rachel Pastan
Set in a fictional museum, Nauk, Alena centres around a young curator who takes over at the museum. The novel, gripping and artistic, involves the protagonist trying to negotiate her way out of the tangled aftermath of her titular predecessor’s death.
- Dark Museum by Melanie Surani
As hinted by the title itself, the novel takes on a more eerie note as the protagonist, Sophia Stewart, finds herself waking up disoriented in an unnerving museum exhibit along with four others. Speckled with questions, allegiances, and escape attempts, the novel is a thrilling read for mystery lovers.
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