For fans of The Westing Game and From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler comes a clever, treasure-hunt mystery based on a real-life art heist.

Moxie Fleece knows the rules and follows them–that is, until the day she opens her front door to a mysterious stranger. Suddenly Moxie is involved in Boston’s biggest unsolved mystery: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist. Moxie has two weeks to find the art, otherwise she and the people she loves will be in big-time danger.

Her tools? Her best friend, Ollie, a geocaching addict who loves to find stuff; her Alzheimer’s suffering grandfather, Grumps, who knows lots more than he lets on; and a geometry proof that she sets up to sort out the clues.

It’s a race against the clock through downtown Boston as Moxie and Ollie break every rule she’s ever lived by to find the art and save her family.

Thanks for making this review possible, ARCycling!

Since this book involves a treasure hunt, I’ll be doing this review with “Map/GPS Direction” headers. Because, hey, why not?

Start Here

I can never resist a good mystery, or a good treasure hunt. So a book that combines both, as well as mentioning From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
in it’s synopsis, was a sure-to-read for me! (Yes, I totally love
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I used to read it all the time and regret that I did not leave near a stunning museum that I could live in.)

Turn Right on Reality Road

I love that this book is based on the real Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist, knowing the story is real, the descriptions of the museum, and even the author’s note in the back really bring a history to this book. I also loved the Boston setting; between the well-described (not to mention famous) places where the treasure was hidden and the history, this story really felt alive to me.

Turn Left at Family Loyalty

Moxie has the really strong relationship with her Grandfather that I loved. She is so loyal and fierce to protect her family, and I loved seeing that in a book. It was really sweet and heartfelt, especially to me. I lost my Grandfather who I was really close to a few days before reading this book, and I’ve also dealt with Alzheimer’s in my family, so the emotions that Moxie was going through with being concerned over her Grandfather, and her descriptions of dealing with Alzheimer’s and the uncertainty of it, really touched me and felt genuine (as did the book’s dedication).

Continue on Geocashing Drive

I thought the geocashing aspect was really neat! I heard about geocashing once in passing, and I had never seen it in a book before, so I love how that’s incorporated a bit into the book and goes along with the treasure hunting theme.

Look for Yield Sign at Cynical Cindy Says

I’ll admit it: Sometimes Moxie made me want to shake her and say “Look, Moxie, I know you’ve got a lot of, well, Moxie, but someone is threatening you. Please go tell someone other than your geocaching buddy.” But then again, if she did tell someone else, then I suppose we wouldn’t have this story–which would be a real shame.

The Final Destination

Filled with humor, hijinks, mystery, and of course, an awesome treasure hunt, Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking would make a fun read!

3 out of 5 tea cups