Art and Craftiness

About the Book

Julie Callie,  a curator of a small art museum, is distraught. Her startling discovery that more than twenty pieces are missing from the museum´s permanent collection, is an actuality, not a computer error. Since she has reason to suspect that Ed Landers, her boss, may have taken the missing pieces, she is reluctant to tell him  what she has unearthed.                 `Landers knows nothing about computers.  Even though he usually insists that staff members have little or nothing to do with trustees, he sends board  trustee Roger Denniston to see Julie for answers to the computer questions he posed.

  Roger is captivated by Julie. He asks her out. She declines, not wishing to jeopardize her job by flaunting Landers´ rule about staff consorting with trustees. Roger makes an appointment to confer further with her in her office.

Julie, still friends with her erstwhile suitor, Peter  Dunlap, a lawyer, asks his advice on how to reveal what she has  learned about the missing pieces and her suspicions of Landers.  Peter warns her she may be in danger.

Julie learns Roger is president of an American? British import?export firm, lives in Manhattan, owns a warehouse in New Jersey and, was invited to be a museum trustee by Craig  Smith, president of the board of trustees. Smith promised Roger a special museum exhibition of his collection of antique British cottage crafts, once Landers okays it. Roger  asks Julie to help him shop for a computer.

Julie and her  colleague at the museum, Jerry Schaefer, and her secretary Shurl Harper, discover forgeries in the permanent collection, as well as missing pieces.

Over the next few weeks, after she presents the report of the missing pieces and the forgeries to the board, Julie’s office is trashed, computer disks are ruined, her tires are slashed, she is mugged and her purse and credit cards are stolen.

Julie’s relationship with Roger burgeons in spite of Lander’s rules. However, she doesn’t completely trust the fact that he is not involved with the museum thefts.

Roger is involved, but as a victim rather than a thief. He and Julie bond strongly. Landers learns of this and gives  Julie two weeks notice. She is distraught.

Detectives are hired, and one of them is  injured. Julie is arrested for this assault, but quickly cleared.

Roger’s old girl friend, his English grandparents, a smuggling operation, and a threat to the continued existence of the museum are all challenges  Julie must deal with, even though she has been fired. It is Julie and her staff who finally  get to the bottom of the mystery and help to apprehend the guilty party.

This is a mystery , fraught with danger, but without a murder.

About the Author

Dr. Betty O. Carpenter has had a long and distinguished career as an educator. She served in the New York Metropolitan area as a public school teacher, an adjunct professor, a school administrator, an Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, and a Superintendent of Schools. Since her retirement she has spent her time pursuing her interests in painting, sculpture, golf, duplicate bridge, tournament scrabble, computers and writing.. Dr. Carpenter takes great pride in her son, daughter, three step-daughters, their spouses, and her seven grandchildren. She is a widow and lives in a patio home in Arizona. Born in Montreal, Canada, she spent her early life in the New York City area. She was graduated from Hunter High School, Brooklyn College, and New York University. Her Ph. D is in Adminis-tration. She is listed in WHO'S WHO OF AMERICAN WOMEN, WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA, and WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD.. Dr. Carpenter is a member of several writer's groups including: The National Writer's Association; The National Association of Children's Writers and Illustrators; The Romance Writers of America; and the Arizona Romance Writers. Her published work includes: A CURRICULUM GUIDE TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF AMERICA; TUTORING FOR PAY; MUSINGS; THE BROSH; and LADY OF THE LAKE