Elizabeth Peters is one of my favourite authors and I blogged about her Amelia Peabody series on Day 9 of this blog series (https://www.reloten.com/post/30-books-in-30-days-day-9-favourite-book-to-give-as-a-gift). Vicky Bliss is a different type of heroine to Amelia - she's more current and a thoroughly modern woman. However, she is notoriously economical with the truth when she feels the need (which she does regularly) even to the extent of denying things to herself. However, she is a thoroughly likeable heroine.

A missing masterwork in wood, the last creation of a master carver who died in the violent tumult of sixteenth century Germany, may be hidden in the medieval castle in the town of Rothenburg. The prize has called to Vicky Bliss, drawing her and an arrogant male colleague into the forbidding citadel and its dark secrets. But the treasure hunt soon turns deadly. Here, where the blood of the long forgotten stains ancient stones, Vicky must face two perilous possibilities: either a powerful supernatural evil inhabits the place... or someone frighteningly real is willing to kill for what Vicky is determined to find.

The first book in the series introduces Vicky and her wonderful boss Anton Schmidt. Much is made of the stereotypical assumptions made about them both (Vicky is a 6ft blonde, Schmidt is a gluttonous German). Neither get taken seriously, often to the detriment of their enemies and together with Vicky's sometime lover, John Tregarth, they light up the art world.

My sole gripe about this series is that there simply isn't enough of them. Peters focused much more on the Peabody series (which I am in no way complaining about, as I adore them as well) and I would have loved to have had more of Vicky's adventures committed to paper.