Book Review: The Case of the Phony Masterpiece by Fred Rexroad

The Case of the Phony Masterpiece
by Fred Rexroad
Whiz Tanner Mystery

Rexroad International
ISBN-10: 0-98177-424-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-98177-424-4
Publication Date: July, 2009
List Price: $8.95

Review: Do you like suspenseful mysteries? Then The Case of the Phony Masterpiece is the book for you! This book stars Agent M and Agent K, or Whiz (Wilson) Tanner and Joey (Joseph) Dent. They own the Tanner- Dent Detective Agency. One day, Whiz and Joey decide to visit the museum, when they get a new “real/fake” painting from the Art Museum in another state. That night, Whiz and Joey see a strange man go in the side of the museum and come out later with a strange object, acting extremely suspicious. The real painting is replaced with a fake, and the Tanner-Dent Detective Agency is on the case to find the perpetrator. Fred Rexroad is a starting, self published author. This is his first book. There are two more in the series so far. These include The Case of the Wounded Pigeon and The Case of the Mysterious Countdown.

This book is the story of the Tanner-Dent Detective Agency's first major case that could save the town, and more than a few people's behinds. Whiz Tanner and Joey Dent are two top secret agents for their very exclusive Tanner-Dent Agency, actually only containing the two of them. When the boys decide to go to the museum, they decide it to be a great training experience because they see the professional security guards doing their rounds protecting brand new additions to it. Whiz proves that the picture is a famous “fake”, painted by a master art forger/thief, but he is right that this should be in a museum, and, as the plaque also says, it is very famous. The boys ask the main security guard if he can teach them how they can improve their detective skills and show them some of the important security tools to help them be better spies and detectives. The next day, when the boys go back to the museum, they see everyone freaking out. When they ask why everyone is upset and running around, the two are told that somebody has taken the painting, and it is gone completely from the building. When they do some investigating around the museum for the escape route or for any evidence, they find out that someone has left the back door slightly open, and that their criminal snuck out through there! Will they find the thief? Read on to find out.

I found The Case of the Phony Masterpiece to be a greatly intriguing story full of fun, humor, and action. Fred Rexroad worked very hard on this story and deserves a great deal of recognition for it, plus I'd like to tell him that he is a great author. With each word he wrote, the more detailed the description was, the more my mind made it into a movie. This story would make a perfect childrens' movie, for everything came out in scenes. I also give credit to Susan Rexroad for drawing a wonderful picture at the cover and gave me a better idea of what the boys looked like. I give this story and overall of five out of five stars, even though I'd love to give it more. This is a great story that I would recommend to anyone, but mainly for those in fourth or fifth grade. This is an overall enjoyable story.

Review written by Willow (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Fred Rexroad for providing a copy of The Case of the Phony Masterpiece for this review.

Have you read The Case of the Phony Masterpiece? How would you rate it?