Circles of Confusion is the first book in the Claire Montrose cozy mystery series. The story follows Claire, a bored Oregon DMV clerk who inherits an old, hidden painting from her great-aunt. When she takes the artwork to New York for an appraisal, she is thrown into a dangerous art-world conspiracy. Although a sophisticated art expert tells Claire the painting is worthless, her hotel room is ransacked and she is followed by suspicious individuals who want the artwork. Claire is caught in a deadly tug-of-war, forcing her to untangle the truth to stay alive. Amidst the chaos, Claire navigates her otherwise uninspired love life and receives help from intriguing and unexpected allies.
