Instruct: Classify a review as either positive or negative.
Query: Top Notch Muller

Of the 30 Marcia Muller books I've read (excluding the ones co-authored or edited with Bill Pronzini), this is one of my 3 favorites. It's the initial book of her Joanna Stark trilogy, introducing one of her three heroines. The other two are: "There Hangs the Knife" and "Dark Star." I think this is the best of the 3. It's certainly interesting to see Muller write of protagonists other than Sharon McCone--demonstrates her breadth of talent. Also, the Stark trilogy is heavily into the world of art and art theft as well as a series of books (like Sherlock Holmes vs. Professor Moriarty) with a continuing struggle between two characters (Stark and Parducci). Muller slowly and teasingly provides detail after detail to fill in the prior relationship between the two characters--considerably enlivening the tales. Enjoy!