Title: Still Knife Painting

Author: Cheryl Hollon

Ch: 36

Pg: 304

Series: A Paint and Shine Mystery

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Kensington Publishing

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon is the first book in A Paint and Shine Mystery. It’s only the second cozy mystery series I’ve read that set in Kentucky. And I’ve enjoyed this one.

It’s set in a small town in Eastern Kentucky and Miranda Trent the main character after inheriting her uncles farm is determined to open a cultural experience tourist place. That includes hiking painting classes in which the clients are walked through painting the local scenery with a moonshine tasting. She also hopes to open a moonshine distillery on the property.

But all her hopes are dashed when there’s a murder on the property. And she becomes the prime suspect. She’s determined to find the real killer and clear her name and save her business.

I loved reading a cozy mystery set in Kentucky. I’m a sucker for books with a Kentucky setting. There are a few stereotypes in the book some bad some neutral. Miranda’s favorite soda is Ale Eight which just happens to be Kentucky’s soft drink. They also refer to one of her sheriffs deputy’s as Barney Fife based on the way he acts. And the sad thing is there are some small town deputy’s that so remind me of Barney Fife.

The residents of the town are iffy of outsiders in the book which does sometimes happen in Kentucky small towns.

I look forward to the next book in the series.




I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

An exciting first installment in a new series. Full of mystery, engaging characters, fabulous setting, and a plot that just won't quit. An enjoyable read!

The first book in the new art and moonshine based cozy series “A Paint & Shine Mystery,” Still Knife Painting from Kensington Books, written by Cheryl Hollen is out now.

Miranda is a hard character to like. She does not appear to have any empathy for anyone; she is angry at the residents because they object to her providing moonshine to her art students. She is resentful of her inheritance, and most of all, she appears to be more concerned with her income than the murder that took place in her kitchen. Other characters aren’t much better. Even the man who may become Miranda’s love interest has issues.

The setting for this new series is picturesque, yet the descriptions did not go far enough to get the reader invested in the area. Having tourists sign up to take an art class in the forest is a wonderful idea, add in a southern meal, and a moonshine tasting, and you have a recipe made for success. But the cook doesn’t follow the menu and ends up dead in Miranda’s kitchen. Suspects are few, but most are believable. The evidence is a bit flimsy. The killer wasn’t difficult to uncover and was the most enjoyable character in the book.

Unfortunately, I did not find Still Knife Painting to be very enjoyable. I thought the premise of art and moonshine would be interesting, and there were some interesting parts to the story, but overall I couldn’t get past the main character being just a bit too obnoxious. She is portrayed as an introvert, but the truth is more likely that she just doesn’t like people. All of this said I will give book two a try when it comes out.

What a thoroughly enjoyable mystery! I loved the mountain setting; Hollon's portrayal of mountain folk was just right. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

I have always enjoyed the titles I have read from Cheryl Hollon’s “A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery Series” so it was a given that I would read the new series. What a wonderful way to start this new series with the title, Still Knife Painting. I was fully engaged from the first page until the last word was written. The characters are interesting, the plot interspersed with intrigue and twists one does not expect and lots of possibilities for future books with mystery abounding as well as potential romance. And lets not forget – a very cute puppy!

Miranda Tate has moved to her late uncle’s homestead in eastern Kentucky (in the Daniel Boone National Forest) after inheriting the property – with one stipulation – to have a working distillery within the first ninety days. Money is tight but Miranda feels she has a solid business idea – a three-hour cultural adventure tour (named Paint & Shine) encompassing a group painting class at a scenic overlook (Lover’s Leap), a speech on local history by Austin Morgan, local forest ranger. Additionally, a traditional southern dinner at her own farmhouse, and to top it all off, a moonshine lecture with samples presented by an owner of a local distillery. The first tour goes as well as expected until … a death occurs! The cook, Mrs. Childers is found in the kitchen with a knife in her chest. The hunt is on to figure out how, why and by whom this tragic event has occurred.

The suspect list turns out to be more extensive than I would have thought. I really appreciated Miranda’s list making that she creates when it becomes apparent that she will need to figure out “whodunit” in time to save her fledgling business along with her farm. Miranda is methodical in her approach and enlists help from Austin (I think a relationship might be on the horizon in future books?) while getting local law enforcement to investigate further since their original assessment is the death is an accident.

The descriptions presented regarding the landscape were imaginatively provocative – I could see what Miranda was describing – as if I was there. It really did make me want to take one of her tours.

Rest assured that there are chuckle worthy moments in this mystery. For example, while visiting the Campton Museum and Ashton trips:

He tried to catch himself by grabbing the edge of a bookcase. Big mistake-it was apparently only being held together by good wishes. It collapsed and took him down with it. He ended up with a pile of dusty books strewn everywhere. “Are you okay?” Miranda tried to pull him up by an exposed arm. She only managed to entangle him more by bumping into a bowl of cat’s-eye marbles. The marbles rolled in all direction and Miranda slipped on one and crashed down on Austin, landing two inches from his face.

I also fell in love with Sandy, Miranda’s rescue puppy. The way that Miranda treated Sandy was great and the puppy’s personality sure shone through during the story.

One interesting thing was that Miranda’s personal thoughts were written in italics. At times, these thoughts were caustic so if I had to say anything negative – it would be that Miranda was a bit sharp in her thoughts. But given that they were her private thoughts and she did not voice them to anyone, it was tolerable.

As with any successful cozy mystery (at least how I measure success), I did not guess “whodunit” until the end – just the way I like my cozy mysteries! I was entertained throughout and couldn’t wait to continue reading. I will wait patiently for the next installment of this fine, new series by Cheryl Hollon.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

When Miranda inherits her uncle's farm in Kentucky, she decides to open Paint and Shine. She combines a painting class with a traditional southern meal along with some moonshine cocktails. When her cook is found stabbed to death in her kitchen during her first day, how can Miranda save her business's reputation?

I really enjoyed this cute cozy mystery. I liked Miranda as a character. She was smart and relatable. The whole story was fun to read. I liked the small town, though I do wish there was a bit more of it and more description. I found it a little hard to picture in my mind. I liked all of the supporting characters. They were great additions to the story. There were a few story inconsistencies that bothered me a bit. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this series!

*eARC provided in exchange for a review*

I was excited to find that this book by Cheryl Hollon is the first in a new series. We begin with Miranda Trent, a transplant from New York who has moved to Eastern Kentucky after inheriting her uncle's farm house. She begins by starting a new business, Paint and Shine, where she takes individuals on a hike in the forest to paint, and then back to her farmhouse, treating them to a home-cooked meal and a moonshine tasting. A lot of the townsfolk are not very fond of moonshine, which includes her cook, Mrs. Childers. When Mrs. Childers is found dead by Miranda, in her kitchen, she immediately becomes the main suspect. Helping to clear her name is handsome forest ranger, Austin Morgan. Miranda wants to prove that she didn't do it and save her new business. I found the setting to be charming and the plot was clever, filled with plenty of suspects and red herrings. This was a fun read and definitely recommend it to lovers of cozies. I look forward to Miranda's further adventures.

I would like to thank Cheryl Hollon, Kensington Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a wonderful new series and one of the best I've read in 2020! Miranda Trent has inherited her uncle's home/farm in rural Kentucky, with a stipulation in his will that she establish a distillery on site. To pay the property taxes and help Miranda with her vision of the distillery. she starts a business called "Paint & Shine" where clients hike to and are instructed in painting a scenic view in the Daniel Boone National Forest, after which they return to Miranda's home for authentic country food combined with moonshine tasting. Unfortunately, in the midst of the first event, the cook, a beloved member of the community, is murdered. Miranda becomes a chief suspect, as it is known through the local grapevine that she and the cook argued regularly about offering moonshine at the events. Miranda, partnering with the park ranger and sheriff, quickly determines the truth behind events and succeeds in keeping herself out of jail as well as furthering her dreams for her business and home.

Miranda and all the characters encountered in the book are well developed, described and thoroughly likeable. The locale is described in such detail that you can vividly picture Miranda's home, the lifestyle, mannerisms and the geography. There are many twists and turns in the stories, as well stories within the story, that you are kept guessing until the end of the book.

This is one book I hated to see end and will very much look forward to the next installment in the series.

This is a wonderful debut to a fun new cozy series that is delightful and charming. Still Knife Painting is the first book in Cheryl Hollon's A Paint and Shine Mystery series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own. Cheryl Hollon is a well known cozy writer who also published a wonderful glass blowing series.

Miranda Trent recently moved from New York to eastern Kentucky. She won the lottery of life after inheriting her uncle's farmhouse. She gets a idea to start a business called Paint and Shine. She will take people hiking to her forest to paint then provide a meal at her house with alcohol tastings of moonshine that is local . It seemed like a great idea when her first event is well attended. Her cook is Mrs. Childers is against serving the alcohol and lets Miranda known. Mrs. Childers is well loved in the area and known for her comfort food .

When Mrs. Childers is found dead in Miranda's Kitchen, Miranda finds herself the prime suspect as they had a disagreement . She is new in town and everyone loved Mrs. Childers so all suspicions fall on Miranda. She has to work to save her reputation and solve the mystery to clear her name.

I enjoyed this series debut. The sleuth is well crafted and interesting. The supporting charcters all likable and added to the fun. Miranda is a savvy smart investigator for her first case and I like her independence. I highly recommend this series.

Merriment, Moonshine, and Murder - not exactly what you expect to find on a cultural tour in Kentucky.

This is a new series and I found it to be intriguing. Set in Kentucky near the Daniel Boone National Park, I could imagine the hikes they took to Lover's Leap, the small town with nosy citizens, properties set apart where cell service was sparse, and fascinating relationships between the various characters. I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere with Miranda and the rest of the gang. I could picture the mountains, the forest, and the small town with a few shops and businesses to frequent. I really liked Miranda's business - Paint & Shine. I don't know a lot about painting or moonshine but this is a tour I would check out.

The mystery is who killed Mrs. Childers and why. Miranda had an argument with her (and maybe a few others) about serving moonshine and educating guests about its history. While some of those might have had personal issues with alcohol, it surprised me how close minded some of these people were in reality. The potential pool of killers is small, but who would have a motive to kill her? When the truth is revealed, it was not surprising, but at the same time, it was amazing that a secret could be kept for all those years. I suspected the killer but had no idea why this character would want to kill anyone.

The characters provided twists to the story and added background. While Miranda might have visited the town growing up, she had a lot to learn about her uncle's connection to the town and how these people played into his life and even Miranda's. I chuckled at the one police officer that had a weak stomach and was a bit of a bumbling character. Not knowing much about the police in Kentucky, the tension between the Lexington police and those in the sheriff's department in Wolfe County, was based on an old rivalry. This could cause some issues in getting murders solved if there is not a common desire to work together.

I think there might be the beginning of a love interest for Miranda with Austin, the local Forest Ranger. He seems very level headed and would be a good balancing character for Miranda.

Overall a good start to a new series and I look forward to seeing what develops next.

Still Knife Painting is set in the rustic area of Kentucky and has that down home feel to it--from the characters to the scenic descriptions. The paint event occupation is unique for cozies. I can't imagine trekking to a mountain overlook to paint, though! Scary stuff!

The murder mystery and eventual hunt for the "stash" made the plot interesting and engaging. However, I think I would've enjoyed reading about Miranda's adventures more if she had a pleasanter personality. Also, italicizing those internal thoughts was somewhat of a distraction.

Overall, a great start to the series!

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon has classical portrait artist, Miranda making changes to her life. Miranda Trent has inherited her uncle’s farmhouse in Kentucky where she starts Paint & Shine. Paint & Shine involves a hike in the Daniel Boone National Forest to Lover’s Leap where they have a plein air painting class. Miranda then transports the group to her farmhouse for a Southern meal where each course is paired with moonshine. Her first group is a success until the cook, Mrs. Naomi Childers turns up dead in the kitchen. When Miranda finds herself on the suspect list, she begins nosing around and asking questions. Miranda must evade the police and someone intent on burning down her farmhouse. Still Knife Painting is the debut of A Paint and Shine Mystery series. I like the premise of this new fetching cozy mystery series. The author took the time to introduce the characters and set the stage for the series. I enjoyed the rich descriptions of Kentucky and Miranda’s farmhouse (a Sears & Roebuck kit home). I had mixed feelings regarding Miranda. She was a hard worker and a determined woman who was passionate about her art and moonshine. She is an observant person which is helpful to the investigation. Miranda, though, could be snappish at times and a little rude. I must give her the benefit of the doubt since Miranda is starting a new business, found a dead woman in her kitchen, experiencing financial difficulties, and found herself a suspect in Naomi’s murder. I found myself liking her more at the end. Miranda is a flawed individual which makes her realistic along with the other characters in this cozy mystery. I just loved her adorable puppy, Sandy. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story and I just loved the Barney Fife references. The mystery was interesting with multiple suspects and subtle clues. I was able to identify the guilty party early in the story, but I had no clue as to why. I liked following Miranda as she asked questions and dug for clues. Wolfe County Sheriff Richard Larson and his wife, Felicia who is the county coroner are likeable characters. I appreciated that Miranda kept Sheriff Larson up to date. There is a rivalry between Sheriff Larson and Detective Otis E. Peterson from the Lexington Homicide Division. We learn why these two men are at odds with each other. There were some quirky characters like Doris Ann and Officer Gary Spenser. I liked learning about the area as well as the traditions of the people who live there. Southerners have their own way of doing things and gossip flows faster than syrup on hot pancakes. I thought Still Knife Painting was well-written and it moved along at a good pace. I was not a fan of the point-of-view switching from Miranda to other characters because it took me out of the story. I hope we get to learn more about the uncle’s will in the next book. The details were skimpy. Overall, I enjoyed Still Knife Painting and look forward to reading the next book. Still Knife Painting is an engaging new Southern cozy mystery with rampant rumors, plein air painting, cultural cuisine, a killer knife, a precious puppy, and merry moonshine.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was just okay.

Book 1 in a new series.

This book just wasn't really my cup of 'shine. I couldn't get into the story and ended up skipping large chunks. It still took me ages to get though, because I kept going to read something else. In the end, it was okay, but not anything I will search out in the future.

Synopsis:

Miranda Trent has set up a sweet life in a scenic corner of Appalachia--until she stumbles across the trail of a killer . . .

After inheriting her uncle's Red River Gorge homestead in Eastern Kentucky--smack dab in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest--Miranda comes up with a perfect business plan for summer tourists: pairing outdoor painting classes with sips of local moonshine, followed by a mouthwatering sampler of the best in southern cooking.

To Miranda's delight, Paint & Shine is a total success--until someone kills the cook. As the town's outsider, suspicion naturally falls on Miranda. Murdering the best biscuit baker of Red River Gorge is a high crime in these parts. Miranda will have to prove her innocence before she's moved from farmhouse to jail cell faster than she can say "white lightning" . . (Goodreads)

Review:

Miranda has recently moved from New York to the farmhouse that she inherited from her uncle. She has a plan to run a business: outdoor painting classes, a meal in her farmhouse and a moonshine tasting. She does not even get through the debut class before murder is committed. This is not the way she saw her business going. Now she has to figure out the murderer before her business goes belly up. Miranda is a hard working determined woman who will do anything to make her business a success. But I think she was also rude at times and was not afraid to speak her mind, even if it did not paint everyone in a nice light. That is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.

I liked the premise of the book, I thought the idea of doing outside painting and a meal in her farmhouse was a good one. That would be so nice to do, so relaxing. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author creates a great setting in Eastern Kentucky and I could picture in my mind’s eye the beauty of the area.

The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I was pretty sure who the culprit was but I did not know the why of the killing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. I think it was a good start to the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Miranda inherits her uncle's farm and pours everything into creating a cultural adventure for tourists and locals alike. Paint & Shine offers a mountain hike, painting class, and traditional dinner paired with cocktails. However, she must get her business off the ground while fulfilling her uncle's stipulation of building a working distillery and solve the murder of her cook.
I was anticipating this book because the hidden moonshine distillery sounded like an interesting subject and very unique idea for a book. I would have liked to see more of that aspect, though I hope to in future installments. I'd also like to have seen more about the local legends and culture.
At times the main character, Miranda, could be rude and pushy, which I found a bit off-putting. But she's very determined to make her business succeed and I admire her drive and creativity. I love Sandy the puppy.
I found it interesting that there were a couple chapters from another character's POV. It's a neat touch, though because there were only, I think, two, they seemed out of place. I might have preferred either a few more of these chapters, or eliminating them all together. I liked going behind the scenes with the sheriff so I hope the author continues with these "extra" chapters, just maybe a little more frequently or evenly distributed.
All in all, not a bad start. I plan to check out the next book in the series.

Miranda Trent inherits her uncle’s Red RiverGorge homestead in Kentucky. Looking to start a new business, she decides to teach painting classes with a meal and sips from a local moonshine. She’s sure the summer tourists will love this, but her business gets off to a slow start. It doesn’t help when her cook is killed in the kitchen.

It’s no surprise when Miranda’s clientele drops off. Murder is not a good advertisement.
She wonders if she’ll have to close her business before it even starts. To add to her
troubles, she had a fight with the cook before she was killed. Miranda is now the prime suspect. With help from some friends, Miranda intends to prove her innocence and get her company back on its feet.

I’ve been wanting to try this author’s other cozy mystery series for a long time. When I saw she had a new series, I had to jump right in on the ground floor.

The main character is a bit rough around the edges, but I did like her. It took me some time to warm up to her as well as the supporting cast. I felt as if they got off to a great start, though, and there’s more stories to come (I hope).

It’s an intriguing and different premise for a cozy mystery. As I followed Miranda’s investigation, I had several different possible culprits. The person who did it wasn’t even on my list. So, the author kept me guessing until the end which is always a fun thing.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series and finally getting around to the author’s other cozy mystery. This is a solid start to a new series.

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon is the first book of the new cozy A Paint and Shine Mystery series. Each of these books in the series will contain it’s own mystery to be solved without any major cliffhangers being left so all will be able to be read as a standalone if choosing to do so.

The Paint and Shine Mystery series takes place in a small town in Eastern Kentucky that is in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest. Miranda Trent has moved to Kentucky from New York after she inherited her uncle’s Red River Gorge homestead.

Looking for a new line of work and being an artist herself Miranda comes up with the idea for Paint and Shine tours. She will take students to a scenic local for a painting lesson then return to her homestead for a little local moonshine. Unfortunately for Miranda her business hits a roadblock when a murder takes place.

For myself one of my biggest enjoyments as a reader is being whisked off to wonderful locations and falling in love with the settings. A part of this love is also warming up to the characters that help make the setting shine and in the Paint and Shine Mystery series I didn’t find myself wowed by the characters or setting. Some of the views by the town and main character were a turn off to me so this really wasn’t a favorite series of mine.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I loved this debut book in a new series by Cheryl Hallon. Thw small town setting was perfect. Fhe characters quickly became friends. The plot line was very well played out - so much so that I could not find the killer!

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon is a fabulously written mystery filled with history, food, and drinks.

Will Miranda find the killer or lose her inheritance?

Miranda Trent
Miranda is our sleuth, and she is an artist, business owner, and the sole beneficiary of her late Uncle Gene's family farm. Yet, she is forced to become a sleuth to clear herself. I think that Miranda is a terrific character. She paints beautiful pictures, knows how to make moonshine, and she can fly fish. Miranda does have her issues, though.

The Mystery
Miranda's cook, Mrs. Childers, is killed at Miranda's first official cultural event. So, lots of people around, but none with motive. What I enjoyed was the historical aspect of the story, mixed with the mountain culture, which includes the cuisine, drinks, and their manners.

Four Stars
Ms. Hollen has a beautiful way of relating the past and wrapping it into a present-day mystery. I enjoyed Still Knife Painting and can't wait for the next book in the series to see what Miranda is up too. My rating is four stars, and I highly recommend this book to all of you, cozy mystery readers out there.

Don't forget to check out the recipes for cocktails and a few foods to pair them with for the best results. You could have your dinner party, just hide the knives.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon.

This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Have you ever been to a paint & sip event? Or maybe it was something else crafty like yarn art, but you probably had some sort of adult beverage while you were being creative. If you haven’t been to an event like that, you’ll get a taste of what it’s like in Still Knife Painting,..hopefully without the murder!

Miranda has spent the last few years of her life eking out a living as an artist in New York City. When she hears that she’s inherited her Uncle Gene’s home and land, she happily makes the move to Kentucky. The place is paid for, but she’s got to pay the property taxes. Since art is Miranda’s life, she decides to combine art, food, and moonshine to create her new business: Paint & Shine.

The setting of Still Knife Painting couldn’t be more beautiful. I’ve always wanted to live by the ocean, but living in the mountains would be wonderful too (just no bears or snakes please). This setting is perfect for Miranda’s business too. She aims to take tourists to a beautiful spot to paint while they hear a little about the history of the location. After the art excursion, there will be good old home cooking paired with locally made moonshine.

But the best laid plans often go awry… Miranda’s first tourist group ends up in the middle of a murder investigation when one of the cooks winds up dead in the kitchen. Since this is a cozy mystery, we know Miranda is going to wind up as either a suspect or the one who solves the crime…or both! Miranda’s got an advantage over the average amateur sleuth since she’s an artist. She’s got a keen sense of observation and can sketch out suspects and settings to help her keep things straight.

As with lots of first books in new series, we meet a lot of characters with whom we’ve got no to get acquainted. I feel like I’ve got a pretty good grasp on Miranda and a couple of the other characters, though I’m sure as the series progresses, they and others will gain more depth of personality. I’m always drawn to the quirky characters, and there are a few in here that I hope to get to know better.

I think Still Knife Painting is a cozy mystery you’ll enjoy, and the Paint & Shine Mystery Series is off to a good start.