This is the first book in the brand new series Paint by Murder by Bailee Abbott, a new-to-me author even in her other persona of Kathryn Long who started a cozy series called Sierra Pines B&B. I have the first book and now that I’ve read her work as Bailee, I want to read Boarding with Murder she wrote as Kathryn.
I loved how the sisters, Chloe and Izzie in this book had such an awesome relationship as well as fairly normal parents who loved them to the moon and back. Katy their mom was a great cook who loved experimenting with all kinds of fads and trendy food, but she knew what her kids and friends liked. I’m really looking forward to the next book. I might already be Team Hunter. 😉
My Goodreads review:
A Brush with Murder by Bailee Abbott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another awesome new mystery by a new-to-me author with a great sense of humor that shines through to her characters. Her main character Chloe isn’t as funny or snarky as Chloe’s sister Izzie or some of the others, but Chloe did have some great one-liners and knew just what to say.
Gotta say, I was really ready to loathe Ross’s character being that he was the ex-boyfriend, and everyone knows how those guys are usually jerks in books, am I right? But Ross turned out to be a decent and likable character. I’m not sure I’d want Chloe back with him (I’m Team Hunter already, lol), but he’s a super good friend to have and promised he’d always be there for her. That cute ball of fluff on the book cover is Max who’s just a good little friend to Chloe and not a crime fighter, yet anyway. The sisters had a great relationship, and their parents, while sometimes a little flaky and out there, were good people who loved both their kids unconditionally.
At one point in the book, I started suspecting the person who ended up as the killer, but this clever author eventually steered me off course. The showdown was a good nail biter one. There were a couple of side mysteries that got cleared up as well, so there are no hanging storylines in this series. I’m awfully eager now to read the next book and am hoping it comes out more than once a year like some series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery 