Paint the Town Dead (A Silver Six Mystery)

Paint the Town Dead by Nancy Haddock is the second book in A Silver Six Crafting Mystery. Leslie "Nixy" Stanton along with the Silver Six are opening The Handcraft Emporium in Lilyvale, Arkansas. The will be having demonstrations throughout the week, and they will have their very first class. The class is being conducted by Doralee Gordon, gourd artist and instructor. Doralee is teaching the class when it is interrupted by a loud man with two ladies in tow. The man turns out to be Doralee's ex-husband, Ernie Boudreaux. He brought along his new fiancé, Kim and his sister, Georgine. Ernie states that he taught Doralee everything, and he should be teaching the class. He is going to sit in to make sure she is not using his designs on her gourds (anyone else think he should be locked up). Nixy is glad when the class ends and Ernie and his entourage depart. Then Doralee discovers one of her tools (an awl) is missing. Nixy soon forgets it in the hubbub of the grand opening. The next day Nixy notices a little dog and cat sitting outside her shop in the alley. The two little cuties seem intent upon staying and soon Nixy has two new pets (The Silver Six love them). When Nixy accompanies Doralee to her lodgings, they find Kim Thomason, Ernie's fiancé, dead in Doralee's room (along with Doralee's missing tool). The room has been ransacked. What was Kim looking for or did she interrupt someone else? Someone is intent on setting up Doralee. Nixy and the Silver Six spring into action. They need to find the real culprit and clear Doralee's name. Can they find the killer?

Paint the Town Dead was a charming cozy mystery. I like the characters, the adorable animals, and the setting of Lilyvale, Arkansas. The pace was good and the book held my interest throughout. I wish the mystery had been more complicated. I picked out the killer immediately. I did enjoy reading and following the clues to see if I was right. I give Paint the Town Dead 4 out of 5 stars. The one thing I did not like was the constant mention of lavender. Aster Parsons, a Silver Six member, has lavender in bowls around the shop and has a mist that she sprays quite frequently (to calm people). One or two mentions is acceptable, but at least once a chapter is too much (more like two or three times a chapter). I know I would never be able to enter this store with my allergies (I am highly allergic to lavender). Paint the Town Dead can be a stand-alone book, but I recommend reading the first book Basket Case. It will help you to understand the main characters and their history. I appreciated the descriptions of the various crafts (I love crafting projects). Nancy Haddock is a great descriptive writer. Thanks to her words I could envision the shop and the items in it as well the people. I look forward to reading the next book in A Silver Six Crafting Mystery.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.