A Bolt from the Blue

by Diane A.S. Stuckart

Third in the intriguing Leonardo da Vinci mystery series known for "capturing the essence of 15th-century Milan".

As court engineer to the Duke of Milan, Leonardo da Vinci turns his superior mind to many pursuits- from outlandish contraptions to the odd murder...

With war looming ever closer, the iron-fisted Duke of Milan calls upon Master da Vinci to invent the deadliest weapon ever-a flying machine. So da Vinci calls in...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425232174
• ISBN13: 9780425232170
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A Gem!

I'm crazy about really good mystery stories, and Diane Stuckart's books rank among the very best. Unlike so many authors with interesting plots but flat, dry characters, she weaves together intriguing hold-your-breath adventure with engagingly vivid characters you must either love or hate. To top it off, she makes renaissance Italy and the world of a genius artist and inventor come alive. "A Bolt from the Blue", along with her other Leonardo da Vinci mystery books, is a winner.

Another Solidly Good Leonardo da Vinci Mystery

I really enjoyed Stuckart's first Leonardo da Vinci book, The Queen's Gambit, and if you are new to the series, I encourage you to pick that up first. It really lays out all the characters splendidly, and in reading this book, there are several references to the story in The Queen's Gambit and the second in the series, Portrait of a Lady. It's not necessary to read the others, but I think it will enhance your enjoyment of the book just a fraction more. Of the three, A Bolt from the Blue is the second strongest (behind The Queen's Gambit). If you are looking for good "beach reading" or a solid historical mystery, this is it. You can easily read this book in a day or two, and like all of Ms. Stuckart's books in this series, about halfway through the book, you'll be hard-pressed to put it down. Ms. Stuckart writes beautifully - words just flow naturally in her hands - and this makes reading A Bolt from the Blue all the more of a guilty pleasure. The book follows Dino (aka, Delfina, a female apprentice to Leonardo da Vinci). Dino masquerades as a teenage boy because, as one character points out during the book, "But, girls can't paint!". Dino is our narrator, as she and her friends must work together to solve several mysteries - a kidnapping, a murder, and a theft - all seemingly somehow linked together. The ending is a definite surprise, but Stuckart has so masterfully put in little hints and tidbits throughout the story that you do not see it coming (or at least, I didn't), but when the revelation arrives, it's as if you strike yourself in the forehead with a loud, "Duh! How did I not see that coming?!" Everything makes sense and that's the mark of a good mystery writer - a solution that you simply did not see even though you had just as many opportunities to match wits with the protagonist. The book's setting, its characters, their dress, their views on things, etc., are well-researched, and thus, for the reader, the story is very immersive. There are no anachronisms that I could find (and I've read a lot of historical fiction). It's yet another Stuckart piece of good work in this very likeable, very enjoyable series. And I have to admit, the whole concept of Leonardo as actually somehow - at least tangentially - being involved or associated (or at least nearby) with court intrigues, murder, and the like in Renaissance Italy is extremely plausible; it's a wonder no one else thought of this before. And that, I think, is what makes A Bolt from the Blue - and the other Leonardo da Vinci mysteries - such enjoyable reads: an innovative take on historical settings and figures, with solid mysteries and characters propelling the book - and the reader - happily forward to a nice little surprise ending. I look forward to the next in the series. And if you've not yet started the series, it's about time to try.

Quite a boy-- no! girl!

Delfina is quite a girl. She can keep a secret. In fact, she can keep a lot of secrets. Delfina, who loves to paint and draw dreams of becoming an artista just like her Master, Leonardo da Vinci. She is clever, very good at figuring things out and at fooling people. She has put all of these together; she has persuaded the great Master da Vinci that she is Dino, a boy, and further, that she should become his apprentice. She doesn't have to persuade him of her talent with a brush; he is a master at recognizing that. This is the third in Diane A. S. Stuckhart's series of the adventures and sleuthing of da Vinci and his protégé. The earlier ones will show up on my reading list soon. The books are carefully researched and Stuckart does a fine job of working in the details fifteenth century Milan and the intricacies of both da Vinci's art and of his mechanical inventions. The war machine is terrifying, and I hope that if I run across a war machine such as that, there will be flying machine on my castle.s battlements, so I will be able to hop on and pedal away safely into blue air. The story is cleverly, if sometimes predictably, crafted. The adventures (and it is as much of an adventure story as a mystery) are believable, as are the supporting characters. The father is drawn sympathetically. This easy reading book will have a wide appeal. Clearly, lovers of historical fiction will want to make an Italian meal, and then dig right into the book and dinner. Travelers, too, will enjoy the story. I've visited modern Milan, and it was a treat for me to visualize, through Stuckhart's excellent descriptions, the city's ancient buildings thriving in their glory days. While the book is described as adult fiction, it will certainly have appeal to adventuresome young readers, especially those who love history and art. Any girl reading it will appreciate that, in her life, she doesn't have to pretend to be Dino to have her talents and intelligence appreciated and to have adventures of her own. by Patricia Nordyke Pando for Story Circle Book Reviews reviewing books by, for, and about women