Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore

If you're in the mood for something totally different, take a gander at Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore. It starts with the death of Vincent Van Gogh. Word is that it was a suicide but Van Gogh's friends, namely painters Toulouse-Lautrec and Lucien Lessard, have their doubts. And soon the reader is sucked into the world of the Impressionist painters--Monmartre, the Moulin Rouge, the "green fairy" absinthe. There are mystical elements too, in the form of a strange stalker of artists known as the Colorman and his enchanting but duplicitous muse, Bleu. All in all, it's an engaging tale--with a deliciously goofy sense of humor (Whistler--How's your mother?). Along with the story, there is quite a bit of art history and lore tossed in, accompanied by plenty of beautiful art reproductions. So you can be educated as you are being entertained.