Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will. Enjoy

I wanted to like this series - I’ve done some decorative painting in my time, so the idea of a mystery series centered around that subject appealed to me. But reading this reminded me of why I tend to shy away from most “cozy” mysteries. I find myself frustrated with characters who do foolish things in lieu of allowing the police to do their jobs. I read the first book in the series, and while the writing in this one was better than the first, I still had that basic issue with a web designer/decorative painter investigating the murder of a childhood friend rather than letting the police do it. So for me, the bottom line is that I think fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this book and the series, even though it wasn’t my personal favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Henery Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

PAINT THE TOWN DEAD is the second in the Aurora Anderson Mystery series. I have not read the first one, but had no problem following the story. Aurora, "Rory" is a tole-painter and freelance computer programmer in Vista Beach, California. Recently, the quiet city just had a new hotel constructed, the Akaw. It is the site of the Ocean Painting Society Convention. Unfortunately, several residents are angry that their homes were damaged by the construction of the hotel and they are picketing, causing some vandalism and harassing customers and employees. Rory's house was targeted and she had a rock thrown through her front window. While trying to sort out who threw the rock, she is also attending the convention with several of her friends, one of which just moved back to town. Jasmine has a severe case of Narcolepsy and is on a new medication. When under stress she will have an attack. After the hotel is evacuated because someone pulled the fire alarm as well as setting off a stink bomb, she has an attack, or was it. Jasmine ends up dead from an overdose of her new medication. Now Rory has another situation to investigate. Are they tied together?

I like that Sybil Johnson includes a situation tied to what is happening in the world. With many communities upset with progress, as well as big business getting away with bribes, damage to homes and ecosystems, this side story sheds a bit of light onto an important issue. It wove into the story nicely. I enjoyed the plot and how the story flowed. The characters, Rory, Liz, Rory's mom and Dashing D (the handsome police detective) play nicely off each other and have good chemistry. I am looking forward to more in this series.

Synopsis

Aurora (Rory) Anderson, a computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast, live in the city of Vista Beach. It is June and decorative painters are flocking to the newly built Akaw hotel to attend the Ocean Painting Society’s inaugural convention. Rory is there to help her mother with her booth as well as get together with old friends.

Rory's old friend, unfortunately, witnessesher childhood friend collapse in class and die. Rory embarks on her own investigation on her own investigation when everyone but her thinks the her friend's death is not an accident
Book Review plus 4.6 stars

The story was good and it was sad because her new homocide friend has a girlfriend. Rory does her best to get over that fact and make friends with this new girl. However, the death of her friend puts a damper on the process. This was a good book and I learned something new. It is a wonderful read!

I liked Paint the Town Dead more than the first book in the series, Fatal Brushstroke. The set up here seems more realistic though Rory spends most of her time at the convention helping her mom again and investigating. When does she actually do her own work?

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Rory has her hands full this week helping her mother at the Ocean Painting Society’s inaugural convention. She is excited to be able to spend some time with her friends, especially Jasmine, who has moved back to the area. She is devastated when Jasmine collapses and dies during one of the painting classes. The police believe the woman took her own life but Rory isn’t buying that at all. She immediately starts her own investigation.

Sybil Johnson has given us quite a twisted up mystery. Someone attending the convention wanted Jasmine dead and they had to be very sneaky to bring it all about. You see she had a condition that the killer had to know about to pull off their crime and not too many people knew about it. In fact that is why suicide was the immediate cause of death determination. Thankfully Rory was ready to fight to prove that wrong.

I reviewed the first book in this series a couple of weeks ago and I had a problem with the flow of the story. Well I did not have that problem with this story at all. The flow was steady from start to finish. There are several things happening. We start with a brick through a window, then on to protesters picketing the damage the new hotel did to the area, to all the snafus that can go wrong at a big convention, and even Rory’s mom pushing her to get a man in her life. Yes, there is some romantic tension too as we meet someone special in our dashing detective’s life. But all may not be what it seems…..and then of course there is the murder.

I like these characters, Rory and Liz’s friendship is fun and they have each other’s back. I like where the author is heading with all of the characters. The story is very well written and the mystery makes sense. Rory’s job as a website consultant and helping out at her mother’s tole painting and scrapbook store’s booth at the convention give her plenty of opportunity to follow clues and hunt down leads and get herself is some dicey situations too.

This was a strong addition to this series. I am looking forward to the newest book in the series, A Palette for Murder, releasing January 31.