Picasso Prince

A newly discovered Picasso canvas, the Winter Prince, is up for auction on a Caribbean connoisseur art cruise, and collector Malcolm Golden has to have it. He also has a death threat, so he hires Cynthia James as his covert bodyguard on Persian Prince, a cruise ship like no other. Cynthia sees the job as easy money... until somebody on board turns up dead. The wealthy bidders, including Malcolm, are suspects, as is Cynthia, when her murky past comes to light. The Winter Prince may be in jeopardy, but the painting is safe from theft as long as the ship is at sea, isn't it? Picasso Prince is a mystery that isn't a typical mystery, and a romance that isn't a conventional romance. The novel mixes a pinch of travelogue into a tale of deception that confirms Ovid's maxim: "Art lies in concealing art."

R.O. Palmer was raised in Westfield, New Jersey; graduated from Dickinson College; currently lives in Boonton, New Jersey; and loves to cruise. Previous books: Patriot James, Queen of Diamonds, and Darress Theatre. (www.ropalmer.com)