Book #5 in the BARTENDER"S GUIDE TO MURDER series, a guilty pleasure for me. I've read all of them and each is an excellent mystery with an oddly satisfying cast of characters. How they all came to be together is built into the previous books, you'll enjoy this one much more for having read the others. They are easily 5 star reads.

This is the fifth book in this mystery series set in Tranquility, New York. Avalon has found her place as a bartender at The Battened Hatch bar at McTavish’s hotel. However, she can’t escape her past, particularly when her movie star famous mother, Anna, arrives in town to see her about some family issues. Unfortunately, Anna’s appearance also coincides with the discovery of a body in the lobby of the hotel associated with the bar. There’s a gingerbread context, an impending snowstorm as well as Avalon investigating a big art theft ring and the dead body. The main emotional story involves Avalon and her very mixed feelings about her mom’s appearance.
As always, Ms. Linnea, aided her professional bartender friend, add cocktail recipes at each chapter to offer fun opportunities for those who imbibe.

While it's the 5th book in the series, Death as a Fine Art was my first book in the Bartender's Guide to Murder. While I could definitely keep up with the plot line of this novel, I will be going back to read the first four in the series, as it was so fun - I instantly enjoyed Avalon, the story's main character, and I was drawn in by her complicated relationship with her mother. I definitely found this to be an enjoyable, cozy mystery that is absolutely worth diving into.

Welcome back to Tranquility where nothing seems to be tranquil. A blizzard is set to arrive, a gingerbread contest is being held at the inn, and Avalon’s ubiquitous mother has appeared. Soon after a body is found the couch in the lobby. At first glance he’s sleeping but first glances are not always correct. The body seems to be someone with an odd record which ties with valuable art.

Don’t miss this episode where Avalon deals with her relationship with her mother and her boyfriend, Avalon and her mother solve a major art mystery and more. Great reading.

A quick, pleasent surprise.

An interesting cozy in the vein of the Tuesday Murder Club or
Aurora Teegarden with a different career path

Well recomended as the book is in a series, I was able to read as a stand alone

This is the first book of the series that I got the chance to read and I found it really good. A murder during a gingerbread house contest, with a narrator and some cocktails recipes at the end of the chapters. I think it was fun to read during the holidays and very easy too! Loved it!

This is book 5 in “The. Bartenders Guide to Murder,” and my first book in the series. There is something here for everyone~
we have delicious themed cocktails recipes throughout, family reunions of sort, and, of course we have murders.
All in the name of art, of course! This is where it might be a slight disadvantage because I was a little behind in
the dynamics of Avalon and her famous mom, Anna and the interesting facets of their relationship. One thing that
goes without saying is that when life is stake, the family will stick together. Not so much for real estate. I enjoyed
the characters, and the relationships and I adored the little dog, Whistle. I look forward to a springtime installment
featuring the gang at MacTavish’s Inn.
My thanks to Arundel Publishing via NetGalley for the download of this book for review purposes.

When the weather outside is frightful, embrace a spirit of hiraeth, settle in by the fire with a tray of gingerbread cookies and your favorite libation, and dive into the latest Bartender’s Guide to Murder.

In Death as a Fine Art, Avalon’s tranquility is threatened when her workplace becomes the set of a TV gingerbread bake-off, her boundary-pushing mom makes a surprise visit, a storm looms, and—oh yes—a man is shot and killed on the settee in the lobby. Despite her best efforts to avoid getting involved, Avalon is drawn into solving the murder, which appears linked to an art-related crime ring.

Avalon also is concerned with keeping her mom safe. Amid the chaos, the two navigate their complicated relationship, leaning into each other’s strengths to outsmart an unknown assassin. Their teamwork was a heartwarming highlight for me especially when the blizzard hits.

Once again, Linnea delivers vivid, diverse characters (though I missed Avalon’s friend, Hannah, who is out of town in this book). She enriches the story with layers of historical detail including spotlighting forgotten women artists. Avalon is a multidimensional young woman —conscientious, compassionate, independent, and undeniably badass while figuring out her life and growing as part of the Tranquility community.

And, of course, the cocktail recipes at the end of each chapter are a special treat. I especially loved the ones that incorporated cookie crumbs.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was so happy to be approved got this on as I work in a fine art auction house and love a murder mystery. I really enjoyed the quirky characters involved in a bit of art world drama! Avalon Nash is the hilarious, down-to-earth narrator you’ll instantly love, especially as she navigates family tension with her famous mom in a blizzard. The murder mystery is just the beginning—Tranquility comes alive with rich details, art enthusiasts, and plenty of drama. Plus, Whistle the dog deserves all the love. Perfect for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with humor, heart, and some loose ends left to ponder!

MacTavish's In is about to have a Gingerbread House contest and Avalon's mother, the famous actress Anna Nash is there to talk with Avalon. Avalon finds a dead man in the reception area. He was shot, and the security camera shows a red headed woman shooting him. There is a huge snow storm coming in. A waitor had gone to Avalon's Mom's room and found an unknown man there. Avalong gets her room changed to a guarded coridor. Then they both decide to go with Cavalleras to his remote home. However, once there, they worry about some of the people who might be engaged in art threft, and just catch the boat back to the hotel.

It seems the man who came to direct the Gingerbread contest was in a fight and leaves, and Anna volunteers to direct. Then Jules Eckkhardt is shot at. They find out the director Will Acton was a fake. Someone with a sled deliving someone to the hotel agreed to take Avanlon and Anna to Avalon's house to get her dog. At the last minute Ruskin, art dealor, jumps on the sled behind them. All three have to get off at the gallery because the driver has received emergency call. Ruskin had been badly shot, but he seems to be honest and tells them about an old man who had received valuable paintings from a woman to prevents her husband selling them.

When the fake Will Acton shows up at the gallery, Avalon and Anna are in a very dangerous situation. Can they be rescued in time?

I have enjoyed all 5 of the stories about Avalon and look forward to the next. I thank Netgalley and Arundel Publishing for the ARC so that I could read the book before publication.

This book is about a bartender that stumbles into a murder during a gingerbread contest cooking show.

This book was an easy read. The plot wasn’t to intense. The writing was simple. It seemed like it was one in a series. The fact that there was a drink recipe at the end of every chapter was a bit distracting.
If you’d like a light suspense murder mystery with some drink recipes, this will be a good book. If you’re looking for a complex suspenseful book, this isn’t it.
I didn’t enjoy the mother daughter dynamic. Nor did I understand the original murder. Characters weren’t complex. Story wasn’t complex and the high stakes didn’t feel high. I gave it two stars because it was easy to get through.

I was thrilled to see a new book featuring my favorite bartender, Avalon Nash. This is a particularly exciting book in the series. A blizzard is threatening on the night a local painter is displaying his work in the lobby. Avalon is surprised when her mother visits unexpectedly, and surprised again when a famous art critic wants to see her boyfriend's paintings. Avalon and her mother have been estranged for years, and it was nice to see them beginning to talk to each other.

To top it off, a dead man is found in the lobby, and the blizzard that has snowed in the town makes it impossible to get help from the outside - leaving everyone in the inn possibly trapped with a killer. I loved it, and am looking forward to more books from this talented author. I received an e-arc from the publisher and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Death as a Fine Art
Thoughts
I was really confused while reading this book. It felt like it jumped around a lot and didn’t have much of a plot. That is the reason why I didn’t include a synopsis.I did like the recipes throughout the book though, that was an added bonus. In terms of star rating I’d give this book a 1 star. Sorry but I will not be continuing this book. Thank you for giving it to me but it just wasn’t for me.

amateur-sleuth, small-business, small-town, drinks-recipes, investigation, New York state, novella, competition, family-drama, family-dynamics, family, family-expectations, local-law-enforcement, friendship, suspense, wearing-a-cast, art-detective, art-crimes, art-theft, state-detectives, attempted-murder, hospitality-industry, stalker, bounty-hunter, celebrities, actors, memorabilia, artist****

Who would expect that a fun judge at a Gingerbread competition would be murdered right there.
There are more recipes than mystery this time and there is a whole lot about family issues, but that is OK with me. I only think that there is too much crammed into an unusually short book.
Recipes by Jamielyn Bydalski, Award-winning Mixologist.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected reader's proof from Arundel Publishing | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles via NetGalley. Thanks!
#DeathAsAFineArt by Sharon Linnéa #NetGalley @ibpa #CozyMystery #MurderMystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk #BartendersGuideToMurderBk5 @ArundelPublishing @IBPA #DrinksRecipes

Not on LibraryThing 12/08/2024

Death as a fine art

The descriptions of the characters are not seamlessly written into the book. Often appearing in as an afterthought or awkwardly placed.

The pacing was rather jumbled. For a murder mystery there was a murder that happened in the first 10% then was almost forgetten even at the 55% mark. For some reason majority of this book feels like it’s about a gingerbread contest, which would have been perfect for a romance book (but it’s not).

The last 30% picked up and had a much better flow. I just felt like some pieces could have been brought out more (mother-daughter dynamic, her partner Phillip, her role as a bartender, etc).

Also why was the bounty hunter killed in the beginning? It didn’t clearly identify who he was hunting down, and why he was wrapped up in the “big art scam”.

Overall not for me, but I appreciate the ARC. Review will not be posted on my Instagram, but only on Goodreads.

Intriguing and Engaging
This mystery unfolds at a bar and hotel where Avalon, the protagonist, finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. Things quickly escalate with the arrival of her celebrity mother, a gingerbread house competition, and an art heist, adding layers of drama to the story.

What stood out most was the dynamic between Avalon and her mother, Anna. Their complex relationship takes center stage, offering heartfelt moments that complement the mystery. Although Anna’s fame creates challenges for Avalon, their interactions are thought-provoking and show potential for growth in their bond.

While the mystery was engaging and had some unpredictable twists, a few elements felt a bit contrived, and the pacing lagged at times. However, it still managed to keep me guessing the culprit until late in the book, which I appreciated.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I picked it up, but as part of a series, this novel works well as a standalone. Despite some characters being introduced late in the story, the book still makes sense and is easy to follow. The emotional depth and the cleverly woven crime plot make it a worthwhile read. Fans of cozy mysteries with strong character development will enjoy this one.

It’s nearly Thanksgiving and bartender Avalon Nash has her hands full. Her movie star mom is unexpectedly in town, and there seems to be a corpse in the lobby—though Avalon has sworn off involvement with suspicious deaths. Instead, she bartends the soiree of a local painter, not knowing she’s about to be immersed in an art-theft ring worth billions—which is plagued by a killer sent to deliver a deadly message.

As a snowstorm shuts down the mountain town of Tranquility, no one is safe—especially not Avalon and her mom.

Love it. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.

This was quick (less than 200 hundred pages if I remember correctly) and easy, but I do think there was a missed opportunity here.

This really had such a good premise: trapped in remote cabin, murder, art, drama. That all sounds like so much fun. But I do think that the shortness of this book may have hindered its ability to be as entertaining as it could have been. I think if there was more time to build out the story, this could be amazing. I just felt like I wanted to know more the entire time that I was reading this. I didn't have enough time to care about the characters or really anything that was happening.

I did think that including the cocktail recipes at the end of each chapter that were relevant (in name) to what was going on in the story was really fun. I don't drink though, so I couldn't tell you if they were any good or not. But the idea is very cute.

Overall, I just wanted a bit more from this little mystery/thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

There is a lot going on in this story with so many unique elements and characters that I sometimes felt like I had lost the flow. From bounty hunters to art to gingerbread houses to a young girl alone, there were just so many open threads to unravel. Avalon and her somewhat tough relationship with her mom takes center stage at times as Avalon struggles to deal with a mom who is always center stage. She even goes so far as to not want to introduce Philipp so he is not drawn into her orbit. I struggled with this a little because I have a very different relationship with my mother and can't understand not including her in my life.
This is my first book in the series and I will admit to be curious about some of the past happenings like why are Avalon and the inspector both in a cast. I am just not sure I enjoyed this book enough to go back. The backstory might enhance my understanding and help me enjoy the story but I just did not get invested enough in the characters to go back.
Overall, I would give this book about a 3.25-3.4 and suggest that number might be higher if I read the other books first. I had a hard time investing in or connecting with the characters and that backstory might help.
Thanks to NetGalley and Arundel Publishing | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am sure some will like this cozy mystery. It didn’t measure up to others in the same genre. The murder happened too quick and the characters were flat.