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Chasing Vermeer  By  cover art

Chasing Vermeer

By: Blue Balliett
Narrated by: Ellen Reilly
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Publisher's summary

When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears.

Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth they must draw on their powers of intuition, their skills at problem solving, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has left even the FBI baffled?

©2004 Elizabeth Balliett Klein (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience." (Publishers Wekly)
"Puzzles, codes, letters, number and wordplay, a bit of danger, a vivid sense of place, and a wealth of quirky characters enrich the exciting, fast-paced story that's sure to be relished by mystery lovers." (School Library Journal)
"Art, intrigue, and plenty of twists and turns make this art mystery a great read." (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Chasing Vermeer

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    152
  • 4 Stars
    58
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    118
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    20
  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Not great art, but a pleasant

What fun! Precocious kids, a curmudgeonly old woman, stolen art, and mathematical clues -- all my favorite things. (Okay, I teach 8th grade math.)

Young readers usually like mysteries, especially when the detectives are kids, and this one should satisfy. Petra and Calder are very bright and a little weird, but very likeable. The mystery is solid enough to amuse an adult who is in a relatively low-key mood.

The reader does a good job. She does a good job with the children's voices without being grating.

The only caveat is that there are some rather odd jumps in the narration, so that, at one point I went back to be sure I didn't have a (clumsily) abridged version. And the ending is a little abrupt.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting!!

I have a book group of 3rd graders in the middle of intense reading and discussion. They more read the book. They delved into the story in deep reading, comparing, predicting, finding patterns, debating the characters' action. What more could I ask?

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

It was one of the best books I have ever read. I highly suggest it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good children's mystery

this is a good children's mystery book , all my children like it. I just finished it for the 4 the time. always a good listen

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

A great book

I thought it was great book, And although the narrator does change up one of the characters names a couple of times the overall plot was excellent.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Nice listen

This was a fun listen, great for kids for thinking out and solving problems and gives them somethings to ponder on. Nicely narrated and a few fun twists in the plot.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Job

I got this for my Youth Book Club- it was fantastic!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not worth your time

This was hugely disappointing. The reader sounds like someone who reads the listening tests on ESL tapes, i.e. totally grating and annoying, with no real warmth or emotion. Not to mention the story itself stinks. The protagonists are irritatingly self-satisfied in their intellectual superiority and characterization is broad and obvious or paper thin. I am really surprised at the success this book has been having, but I suppose if you market anything the right way it will do well.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Underrated middle-grade mystery

I had fun reading / listening to this along with my 10 year old son. Would recommend for kids who are problem solvers!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mysteries Puzzles Coincidence

A fun book filled with art, mystery, and easily overlooked coincidences. When two children decide not to overlook but to pay attention, they find themselves living within the puzzle and in turn seeing more clearly than most around them.

My 10 year old and I enjoyed the twists and turns and the historical tidbits about Vermeer and art along the way. One slight mark down on performance for the narrator sporadically pronouncing Petra’s name wrong. It was somewhat irritating, the audible equivalent to an ugly typo. Unless perhaps it was an intentional clue!

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