Artistic License to Kill by Paula Darnell

From the publisher of Artistic License to Kill

Artist Amanda Trent, accompanied by her beloved golden retriever Laddie and her persnickety calico cat Mona Lisa, is determined to start a new life after her husband divorces her to marry a younger woman, but it isn’t easy.

After a disastrous interview at the prestigious Roadrunner Gallery in Lonesome Valley, Arizona, far away from her previous home in Kansas City, Amanda’s afraid that she’ll fail at her new career. But her prospects begin to improve when she’s accepted as the newest member of the cooperative gallery.

Then, on her very first day, she discovers Janice, the stern director, has been murdered right in the art gallery, and the Roadrunner’s members, including Amanda herself, become suspects. Which gallery member murdered the unpopular director? Or was the killer an outsider with an ax to grind?

My review

This craft-centric mystery focuses more on the world of crafts than the mystery. If that’s your thing, this is a good fit. Amanda is a likable protagonist. She’s just getting settled in a new place—both personally and professionally. As a result, there’s plenty going on. The story moves quickly, partially because of the writing style and partially because it’s short. At just over 200 pages, Artistic License to Kill is a fast read with little to slow it down.

The dialogue is realistic and descriptions are concise, which made it easy to stay involved in the story. While Amanda was never overly pushy about her sleuthing, she did turn up clues that ultimately led to the killer. I found it a bit difficult to suspend disbelief when Amanda had to escape the killer’s trap, but this fun read moved quickly and kept me entertained until the end.

FTC Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by its publisher.

Learn more about Paula Darnell at pauladarnellauthor.com.. Do you like author interviews? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.