Still Knife Painting is the first book in the Paint and Shine Mystery series.

Miranda Trent has inherited her Uncle Gene’s farmhouse in Eastern Kentucky and has left New York City, where she has been eking out a living as a portrait artist. Miranda is just a short distance from the Daniel Boone National Forest and has decided to start a new painting business. In the morning she will take a group if six-people to the Lovers Leap area of the park where they will paint and then go to her farmhouse for a southern-style lunch and sample drinks made with locally produced moonshine. Her cook, Mrs. Childers is not happy with moonshine being charged, but her pay will be going to her church for much-needed repairs to its roof. Shortly after returning from the painting session, there was a scream from the kitchen. Miranda finds the scream coming from Mrs. Hobbs, Childers's assistant, who has discovered the dead body of Childers.

Sheriff Larson and the coroner, Felicia Larison arrive to take over the crime scene. Felicia is able to convince her husband, the sheriff, to call the Lexington Police for help in the investigation, adding that they would have more experience and will have forensic teams to help with the investigation. The sheriff is not happy with the detective they sent, Det. Otis Peterson. There had been bad blood between the two since their athletic days at college. Soon Miranda becomes a person of interest when it learned that she had argued with Childers shortly before she was found. Not being confident that the police will put a lot of effort into finding the killer, Miranda decides to do a little investigating of her own and asks Park Ranger Austin Morgan, who had acted as a guide while at the park to help her.

The story is well-written and plotted and has enough twists and turns that it kept me guessing until the end. The characters are all interesting and believable, but I am looking forward to learning more about them and their little community.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful new series.

Miranda inherits her uncle's homestead, located in the middle of Daniel Boone National Forest, and is looking forward to returning to the place that has so many special memories for her. She comes up with a plan to attract summer tourists to the area, which would help her as well as the others in the area: pairing outdoor painting classes with local moonshine tasting, followed by a meal consisting of good old fashioned southern cooking. But when the cook she hired to prepare the meals is found dead, Miranda, as an "outsider," is at the top of the suspect list. To save her business – and the farm – and to keep herself out of jail, she has to find out who really killed Mrs. Childers.

Although I have read books by this author before, this is the first book in her new Paint and Shine series. In fact, when I requested the book from NetGalley, I thought it was the next book in her glass shop series and was somewhat disappointed to learn that it starts a new series. That disappointment, however, faded rather quickly as I started reading. While I miss Savannah and the rest of the crew from her previous series, the characters that seem like they will show up in future books are an entertaining bunch, although I hope some of them grow up a bit as the series progresses. The mystery was good, and although the killer's name was on my list of suspects, I was totally surprised by the reveal. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I've enjoyed this author's other series and was excited to hear about this new series. I think this was a solid introduction to this new series, but it did feel very much like an introduction book as well and I hope the series gets even better from now onward now that we're introduced to the main character, location and some of the side characters. I liked the set-up for this one with the painting theme and rural location.

The mystery didn't fully grip me and I wasn't as invested as i would've liked. There seemed to be plenty of suspects, but for some reason I managed to guess the murderer correctly from the start. The mystery felt pretty straightforward. There is some investigating, but there weren't as many twist and turns. There were some reveals I hadn't expected and I couldn't figure out the motive. The motive is something you only find out later in the book. I thought the mystery was a bit slow to progress as it was intermingled with the other aspects of this book and this is a first book in the series so it had a lot of introducing to do as well. I did like how Miranda, the main character, got involved in the mystery in a way that makes sense. Although the book did suffer from incompetent police agents a bit, which is a trope that i feel is a bit overdone. The county sheriff seemed competent enough, but the team from Lexington that got involved was pretty incompetent, so I am hoping we see more of the local sheriff and less from the Lexington people in future books.

I liked getting to know Miranda. She seemed to care about the farmhouse and wanted to stay there and make her new business a success. I would like to get to know her a bit better, but so far I liked her. She was determined to clear her name and made the best of her business. She has an interesting mix of outsider and insider due to which she doesn't fully fit in yet, but does have some unique perspective on things. I hope to see more of her painting and her interest in moonshine in the future books as there wasn't as much of that in this book. I liked the idea of her culture tours and how she incorporated painting, eating and drinking in them.

There are some side character we get introduced to in this book, some of them are clients and tourist from other parts. Some others are local characters and there are some that I expect to see more of in future books. I liked her budding friendship with Austin and even see the potential for a romance there. This book also had a nice rustic country feel and that small town feel.

To summarize: This is a solid start to a new series. I liked the set-up for this series and the focus on painting and Miranda's new business. It did feel like a series starter or introduction read at times with how the stage is set for the rest of the series and I think/ hope future books are even better now that part is over. The pace and the mystery felt a bit slow at times. I also managed to guess the murderer correctly from the start and wasn't as invested in the mystery as I would've liked. I was curious about the motive as that's the one thing I couldn't pinpoint and that was a reveal I hadn't guessed. I did like how Miranda got involved in the mystery, but wasn't a fan of the incompetent police officers from Lexington. I liked what we saw of Miranda, the town and the side characters we met so far and I hope to see more of those in future books. I look forward to future books in the series!

Miranda Trent used to spend summers with her uncle in Wolfe County, Kentucky and now she has inherited his home there. She has started a new business called Paint & Shine where clients can do a group painting in a scenic location then enjoy some Southern home-cooking, paired with a taste of moonshine. Not everyone is pleased with Miranda’s plans to open a distillery on the grounds, but that is a condition of her uncle’s will. When the cook she hired to help prepare the meals is killed in Miranda’s kitchen, Miranda becomes the local police detective’s prime suspect. To clear her name and save her fledgling business, Miranda starts her own investigation into who would have wanted to kill Mrs. Childers.

I really like the books I have read in Hollon’s Webb Glass Shop series and was excited to see she had started a new series. The premise of this new series also got my attention. The main character, Miranda, is an artist who has started a new business to provide her clients the chance to paint, but instead of doing that in a studio she leads them on hikes to scenic locations in the area. It’s a little hard to believe she would then invite everyone to her home, but I like the idea of ending the day with authentic Southern cooking and moonshine. There are parts of the book I like, but overall I was disappointed. Part of this is because Miranda isn’t always easy to like. She says she is an introvert, but doesn’t act like one. She never seems hesitant to state her opinion and sometimes rudely lashes out at people. In addition, although I like the premise of her Paint & Shine business, the extra part about having to open a distillery to meet the conditions of her uncle’s will seems like too much. I like the forest ranger, Austin, who may end up being a love interest for Miranda. He is as calm and rational even when Miranda sometimes loses her temper.

The investigation is complicated by a power struggle between the county sheriff and the local police. Lexington Police Detective Otis Peterson and Wolfe County Sheriff Richard Larson were high school rivals and now have a huge difference in opinion on the death of Mrs. Childers. This adds some conflict and gives Miranda even more of a reason to do some investigation on her own. What confuses things is there are a couple of chapters told from Sheriff Larson’s point-of-view. If there were more of those chapters and he and Miranda interacted more during the investigation, it would have made more sense. As it is, it just interrupted the pace of the story which was already on the slow side. I like that I was surprised when the identity of the murderer was revealed. The motive came a little bit out of nowhere for me and the ending was a bit rushed. However, most of the loose ends are explained by the end The unique premise of the book is backed up by recipes for moonshine cocktails and a selection of Southern dishes. Since I have enjoyed other books by this author, I would be willing to give a follow-up book in the series a try, but this book wasn’t my favorite by the author.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

STILL KNIFE PAINTING, the first book in the Paint & Shine Mysteries by Cheryl Hollon, is a good start to a brand new series. The reader is introduced to the introverted protagonist, Miranda Trent, who is just starting up her new business, Paint and Shine. This cultural adventure tour combines scenic painting, a traditional Southern dinner at her farmhouse, and a moonshine lecture and tasting, which all sound like fabulous ideas! I love this new twist for a cozy mystery setting. I was intrigued that the location is set in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural Kentucky. The author captures the feeling of the rural isolation (often no cell phone service… I can’t imagine!), the beauty of the land (great for scenic painting), and the food and moonshine libations of the area. The author begins the book with a lovely acknowledgement indicating her parents grew up in the area that the book showcases and she spent her summers there visiting her grandparents. I was a little uncomfortable how several of the characters came across as bumpkins. Being a Southern California gal myself, I’m not familiar with Kentucky or the attitudes/beliefs of the rural residents but I would hope that her portrayal was simply an artistic exaggeration.

As the mystery over who killed Miranda’s prickly Southern cook unfolds (even though the police rule that it was an accident) I enjoyed that Miranda uses her artistic abilities to record clues and her impressions of suspects. I also liked that she joins forces with Austin, the handsome park ranger and potential love interest, to solve the mystery. They work well together and he respects her talents and quest for justice. While I guessed early on who the culprit was (well, I wasn’t 100% sure) I had no idea what the motivation for murder was. Ms. Hollon pens some unique twists and adds in a couple subplots to keep the reader entertained. I was thrown a bit when the point of view switched from Miranda to the sheriff, and then switched again to the coroner (who happens to be the sheriff’s wife). The few switches are clearly marked with asterisks so I didn’t feel lost but it’s a technique that isn’t often used in cozy mysteries. On the plus side it does move the story along by providing information that Miranda, as the protagonist, wouldn’t have access to. The author wraps up the murder mystery with an exciting conclusion yet leaves the reader wanting to know more about what happens to Miranda and her fledgling business, which is the sign of a good read!

There are plenty of mouthwatering recipes included at the back of the book and I especially love that the author also includes several moonshine cocktail recipes to pair with the dishes.

Still Knife Painting is a new series about Miranda Trent, who has inherited her Uncle’s homestead in Kentucky, in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest. She starts a unique business for tourists called Paint ’n Shine, providing a package which includes a scenic painting class, a Southern dinner, and a moonshine tasting.

I was excited to read this because like the protagonist, Miranda, I lived elsewhere, but spent all my summers in the mountains with my relatives, who were Appalachian locals (in my case from the mountains of North Carolina). Unfortunately my expectations for this book fell far short. The main character Miranda is very unlikeable. Miranda is supposed to be from a local family, even though she has been living in New York, so she should have some empathy and understanding for the locals. Instead she looks down on them and is downright rude at times. Her thoughts are shown in italics, and are usually something mean about others. I really hated the approach of presenting her thoughts in italics, because whenever I saw italics coming up, I knew it was probably going to be something cruel or condescending.

Then there were the ridiculous stereotypes presented in this book. When the Sheriff’s Deputy showed up and is described as a “Barney Fife,” I rolled my eyes back in my head. Then he passed out at a crime scene. Too cheesy. Too ridiculous. Mountain people are not stupid. They are not Barney Fife. The police do not pass out at the scene of a crime. I really wanted to put the book down at that point.

In addition, she should have some understanding of the rich culture and traditions of the locals. Very little of that is brought forth. Instead she is rude, condescending, and standoffish with the locals. As someone whose families are locals, Miranda should at least have been sharing a lot more of the cultural stories and traditions of the area. Miranda is starting a business involving art, distilling moonshine, and cooking, but she doesn’t really spend much time tying that in with the rich history of each of these things in the mountains. We could have learned something in this book besides how the main character is annoyed and affronted by everyone and everything. A lot of potential was lost in this series. Her constant denigration of the locals really ticked me off. I know the locals in my mountain town to be loving, smart, resourceful, and talented. The book’s presentation of mountain locals as stupid, inconsiderate people who supposedly tried to limit Miranda’s art is really offensive.

And by the way, young people are taught to say “yes Ma’am” and “Yes Sir” in the South. It’s automatic. This is not an “insider/outsider” thing and should not have annoyed Miranda. After spending all her summers in this area, she should have known this. Miranda spent a lot of time complaining about the insider/outsider perception in the mountains. Although there is some of that, nobody in any town anywhere is going to open up to a rude person who looks down on others. At the same time she is complaining about the insider/outsider perception, she complains that mountain people share too much of their personal lives with her! This is contradictory.

There is no real strong cast of characters as there would be in a small town. Just another of many disappointments. None of the characters are memorable for me except Miranda, and that is only because of her horrible personality.

What started out as a series with potential fell flat for me. I will not be interested in reading anymore of these books. I cannot find anything likable about the main character. I was excited to see a series set in the Appalachian Mountains. That excitement faded pretty quickly.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

Paint and moonshine?! This is such an intriguing premise that I'm disappointed I couldn't give this a higher rating. I loved the secondary characters, Violet and Doris Ann in particular. As for Miranda, the protagonist, not so much. I found her incredibly dude and was shocked when she went after another character. Maybe with time she'll mellow out.

I like a good cozy murder mystery but sadly just couldn't really connect with the lead, the storyline or the broader range of characters.

Perhaps too much detail on supportive aspects, eg the creating of the artwork? The characterisation of the deputy sheriff or locals (some of the issues became repetitive) f? I'm not sure. I found myself skimming the contents to confirm the outcome.

My thanks to #Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lot is riding on the success of the Paint and Shine, Miranda's new business in the Daniel Boone National Forest. She inherited her property from her uncle and her idea to do a locavore eat and drink thing along with painting seems like it will be a hit. Then, though, yikes- Mrs. Childers, her cook, is murdered! Of course, regular cozy readers know, Miranda will be a suspect despite the fact that there are multiple people who had issues with her. Luckily, Miranda's made friends with Austin, a park ranger, and the two of them put their heads together. This is a nice start to a new series with a good setting and a developing character in Miranda. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next one.

STILL KNIFE PAINTING is the first book in a new series and my first book by Cheryl Hollon. I enjoyed it so much and look forward to the next one!

As Miranda Trent is settling into life at the Kentucky farmhouse she inherited from her Uncle Gene, a death occurs in her kitchen on the first day of her new business, Paint & Shine. As the mystery is being solved and her clients are being eliminated as suspects one by one, Miranda is desperate to hold onto the farm but isn't sure who she can trust as she's trying to prove her innocence.

I loved the colorful cast of characters; especially Miranda's rescue pup, Sandy. I hope to get to know the regulars better in the next book. If you're looking for a cozy read, I recommend STILL KNIFE PAINTING!

Thank you to Book Club Girls, NetGalley and Cheryl Hollon for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finding a new cozy mystery series always makes me happy. And to find one that incorporates a new hobby I’ve taken up (painting) and an alcohol (moonshine) I like to sample, well I reckon that makes me as happy as eating a Brown Betty!

Who hasn’t dreamt of being left a big inheritance by a relative? And if it means you have to have a moonshine distillery up and running in 90 days, even better. We don’t get much of a feel for the town in Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon, but I’m sure that’ll be coming in future books in the Paint & Shine Mysteries. We do get wonderful descriptions of the house and all it’s out buildings, along with Lover’s Leap and the National Forest. I would enjoy living in her uncle’s house and can imagine all the animals and gardens I would have fun attending.

Hollon does a fabulous job with the character descriptions, and the puppy, Sandy, is adorable. There is a potential love interest, although in this book it’s not a main focus at all, which is wonderful. It’s been awhile since I’ve read such animosity in regards to the police force in a cozy mystery. It was pretty heavy handed, but it involves high school rivalry and big city/country cops, so it doesn’t seem unbelievable.

There were a few things I wish would have been explored more like the interview Miranda does and her reaction afterwards. It felt like it was just mentioned and then forgotten about. And the fight between the cops was solved, for the moment, with a cute look from Sandy. It’s a lovely thought, but felt like the book needed to be wrapped up, so this was an easy way to do so.

But these little quirks will not keep me from visiting Kentucky again, along with Miranda, Sandy, and all of their friends. I highly recommend the Paint & Shine Mystery series, and y’all should go grab yourself a copy!

3.5 stars

Still Knife Painting is the first book in Cheryl Hollon's A Paint and Shine Mystery series. It follows Miranda Trent, who has recently moved from New York to eastern Kentucky after inheriting her uncle's farmhouse. She starts a business called Paint and Shine, where she takes tourists on a hike in the forest to paint, then back to her farmhouse for a home-cooked meal and a moonshine tasting. Many in the area are not fond of moonshine, including her cook, Mrs. Childers. When Mrs. Childers is found dead in Miranda's Kitchen, she immediately becomes the main suspect. With the help of a handsome forest ranger named Austin Morgan, Miranda is determined to clear her name and save her business.

I thought this was a promising start to a new series. The premise is intriguing, and I loved the rural countryside setting and the side characters, including Austin and Doris Ann. However, I had mixed feelings about the main character, Miranda. For the most part, I thought she was hardworking, determined, and clearly passionate about her work, but her tendency to snap at people and her rude behavior at times made it hard for me to warm up to her. The mystery was cleverly plotted, with plenty of suspects and red herrings to throw readers off the scent. The killer's identity came as a surprise to me.
Overall, this was a fun read. It didn't grab me as much as I would have liked but I'm definitely interested enough to continue on with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Miranda Trent discovers she's been left her Uncle Gene's farmhouse and belongings in Eastern Kentucky, she's surprised as can be. But then she decides it can be an opportunity for her to start her own business, and not have to struggle to make it as an artist. She opens Paint & Shine, where people can learn to paint and then return to her farmhouse for an authentic country meal, accompanied by moonshine tastes for each course. However, not everyone is glad she's starting her business, since a lot of people are still against consuming alcohol in this town.

The first outing seems to go well, with six customers who are enjoying it. But when they go back to the farmhouse, Miranda has an argument with one of the cooks, Mrs. Childers; and when Miranda goes to check on the meal a few minutes later, she finds the woman lying on her kitchen floor, stabbed with a butcher knife.

Now Miranda's business is dwindling, and she's the main suspect in the murder. If she's going to survive -- and keep the farmhouse and land -- she needs to find out who killed the woman and why. But only if she can stay alive long enough to do so...

This is the first in a new series, and I really enjoyed it. There were only a few things that bothered me, so I'll get those out of the way first. I would have liked to know why Miranda didn't confront the reporter after the newspaper came out, but she ignored it, which couldn't be a good thing in anyone's book; she didn't even mention it to Austin, which I thought she at least might have done. Then, she stated how Austin was going to stay at her place while a killer was on the loose, but we never saw any indication of this happening, so I'd like to know if he did or not. The first deputy who passed out seemed ridiculous -- if you're going to pass out seeing a dead body, you need to find another profession -- I can't even imagine an officer like that stopping people to give them tickets.

I also didn't get the scene between Dan and Miranda when she grabbed at him; it seemed out of character for the person she was starting to be portrayed as, since she never acted this way and the comment he made shouldn't have set her off like that. But as Miranda states as how she's an introvert it didn't make sense; I am too, and I would never react this way to anyone. I also control my tongue a lot better, since I'd rather not draw attention to myself.

Aside from that, I liked some of the secondary characters. Mrs. Hobb grew on me early even though she's not in the book much, and I hope to see more of her in the next one. I also like the idea that our protagonist isn't mooning over a police detective, which usually happens in most cozies. Since I realize this is the first in the series, hopefully there will be more character development of Miranda and the others in the next one.

The plot is written well, and it's an interesting decision to make her an artist who will also offer moonshine from a local distillery instead of wine pairings. While I've never heard of this, that's probably because I'm a city girl through and through. We don't get a lot of descriptions of the countryside, but we do get some, and I look forward to learning more about the area in future books.

While I guessed the murderer early on (I read a lot of mysteries), I enjoyed moving along with Miranda as she put the pieces together and discovered the reason for the murder. While it was sad, we can't ever decipher motives from a killer or the future victim that they face. Sad indeed, but believable just the same. I did like the ending and look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the A Paint and Shine mystery series by Cheryl Hollon. She is the author of the Webb’s Glass Shop mystery series.

Miranda has inherited her uncle’s homestead where she is starting a Paint and Shine business. She will be doing painting classes along with food paired with specialty moonshine. While speaking with her cook, who changes her menu unexpectedly and tells Miranda of her displeasure with the moonshine connection, someone ends up killing the cook and changing all of Miranda’s plans.

I enjoyed this new offering by Hollon. Her Webb’s Glass Shop series is one of the first cozy series I read when I got interested in the genre. At first, I thought this was a Webb book but quickly realized she had branched out into new territory.

I thought the mystery was good and all the problems she had with the locals really added to the stress level of the story. This was easy to get into and it keeps you guessing all the way through. I look forward to reading more in this series.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This book is the perfect definition of cozy mystery. I loved it, and think Miranda is an awesome character. I am very excited to read the next book.

I liked the concept of paint and moonshine. The setting is good and the events leading up to the murder is interesting. However, the people of red River Gorge seems to have trouble with everything Miranda does. Her microbrewery idea is not appreciated, her mum thinks the 'paint and shine' is going to be a flop show, her neighbours talk about how peaceful it was before her arrival (no murders before)...
The only niggle I had with this story was the portrayal of our main character Miranda Trent. She's an introvert - okay, but it doesn't mean she cannot have control over her tongue or her actions! I wish Miranda was portrayed in a better light.
Overall, this was an okay read. As a debut to the series, I was a little disappointed with the character development.

I liked this book. The beginning is a bit hard to get into but when the investigating starts the story starts moving along. It is definitely better at the end of the story. I liked the main characters but wasn't too impressed by the police officers and their behaviour. I especially liked the dog Sandy, he's cute. #StillKnifePainting #NetGalley

First in a new series. I enjoy Cheryl Hollon’s other series and this one did not disappoint.
I liked that this is the second series I have read that is set in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The descriptions are picturesque and inviting.

I liked the premise. There is a lot of potential to this series. It is well written, good character development, and fun. I learned a little about distilling and pairings.

Bonus- recipes at the end of the book and a list of characters

For me personally, the theme or 'genre' (usually the protagonist's occupation: baking, librarian, craft shop owner etc.) of a cozy mystery series, plays a huge part in my enjoyment. Often, the uniqueness and how interesting I find that theme, combined with a connection to the characters, is actually more important to me than the mystery itself. In this, the uniqueness of Still Knife Painting really hooked me. 

Miranda runs Paint and Shine, an outdoor hiking/ landscape painting trip followed by a moonshine tasting meal. I really loved this side of Still Knife Painting. Hollon does a great job of combining the nature, food and artsy elements into something cohesive. She's done a great job of making Miranda's slightly shabby Kentucky farmhouse and the old-fashioned town come alive. I really loved the remoteness of Miranda's home, the gossiping locals and small town secrets and rivalries.

In terms of characters, I really liked some of the side characters including dreamy Park Ranger Austin, attention-seeking but kind Mrs. Hobbs and adorable puppy, Sandy and law enforcement rivals -- a local Sheriff and the 'big city' Detective. I found Miranda herself a little hit-and-miss. Her personality was a little bland, and when it wasn't, a little inconsistent. 

Still Knife Painting is an interesting start to a series and has a lot of potential for interesting storylines and characters. I'd definitely pick up a sequel to get to know Miranda and her new neighbors a little more.

This is a wonderful start to a new series set in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Miranda is making the transition back to being a local after her life in New York City. She reconnects with distant relations and neighbors and makes new friends, all of whom try to help her when troubles arise. With their help Miranda uncovers secrets surrounding a death in her farmhouse. I look forward to more adventures with Miranda!