Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Brush with Murder: A Paint by Murder Mystery
by Bailee Abbott. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
A quiet lakeside town in western New York state is the new home of Manhattan artist Chloe Abbington and the backdrop for murder in this series debut by Bailee Abbott.
A Brush with Murder: A Paint by Murder Mystery
by Bailee Abbott
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A Brush with Murder: A Paint by Murder Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – WHISPER COVE, NEW YORK (FICTIONAL TOWN)
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (October 12, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages
For Chloe Abbington, the transition from fine art painter in New York City to painting-event business owner in charming Whisper Cove is more than a little jarring. But when poison-pen journalist Fiona Gimble writes a viciously negative review of the newly opened Paint with a View, Chloe learns that critics are the same everywhere. And when she finds Fiona’s body behind her shop with a painting knife in her neck, Chloe realizes that this picture-perfect town offers anything but peace and quiet.
Suddenly, bustling Artisan Alley is a crime scene, and Chloe is the prime suspect. Her sister and business partner, Izzie, isn’t much help–she’s busy running the shop, and besides, she has secrets of her own. As shrewd Detective Barrett tries to paint her into a corner, Chloe soon finds that Fiona had plenty of enemies. The Whisper Cove Gazette columnist wielded her pen like a sword, slicing and dicing just about every shop owner in the lakeside town.
Chloe sets out to prove that she’s been framed for Fiona’s murder. But she’d better learn the fine art of detection quickly, before the real killer paints the town red again. Otherwise, she may end up trading in her paint smock for an orange jumpsuit…or a green burial plot.
Guest post: When Inspiration and Research Take You Places
Authors will tell you inspiration for their writing comes from all sorts of places. Maybe they’ve read something in the news or a conversation at a party catches their imagination. In my case, inspiration came while vacationing in a special place and when participating in what surprisingly turned out to be a fun activity. That’s the best kind of inspiration in my opinion, especially when you get to return to that special place and do the fun activity again for research!
Let’s go back to when this all started and sparked an idea for me. About ten years ago, while staying at our family cabin in northwest Pennsylvania, we decided to take a trip to the nearby lake town of Bemus Point. It’s a beautiful and quaint place with a picturesque view of Chautauqua Lake. I was excited to see a ferry that could take you and your vehicle across the water to a neighboring town. What a neat surprise to find they had a floating amphitheater where tribute bands would play from summer to fall.
Quaint shops along the main drag offered lots of clothing, souvenirs, and food. Even a cute little library sat in the middle of town. Boats cruised the lake while in the distance you could see houses all along the shore with boat docks and bathers. I absolutely fell in love with the town and decided one day I would use it in one of my books. That became Whisper Cove and the setting for A Brush with Murder.
Some things have changed over the years. The amphitheater was moved to Mayville, on the north end of the lake. Ellicottville Brewery set up shop. The ferry was temporarily shut down and has been waiting for funding to get it back up and running. The Italian Fisherman restaurant along the lake changed hands and is now called The Fish. However, many sites are the same. As a writer, I’ve used my own creative touch to add what suited the story. For instance, there is nothing like Artisan Alley in Bemus Point, though I imagine folks there would love a string of craft shops to explore.
That brings me to occupation. In every cozy, well, almost every cozy, the main character has to make a living. Librarians, bookstore owners, restaurant owners, running a bed and breakfast, dog walkers, and craft makers are just a few. I love them all, but when I thought of starting a new series, I wanted mine to be different, to give my character something that readers don’t see very often…or at least not so far!
That’s when I thought of my visits to Painting with a Twist, a local business near me that provides an evening of fun to paint a pretty picture, drink wine, and chat with a lot of great people. Of course, anyone who knows my lack of talent would scoff at me painting anything. I’m that stick figure artist or the one drawing circles for the leafy tops of trees. Truth told, my grandson could paint better, and he’s only four!
However, my daughter coaxed and begged me to go. I was nervous, but I went. Turned out, I worried for nothing. The instructors were fantastic. They gave step-by-step directions, and before I knew what was happening, I’d painted a beautiful fall scene. No joke. It was a pretty awesome feeling, and my confidence built so much that I went back several more times.
The idea to have Chloe and Izzie Abbington run a paint party event shop grew in my imagination. It’s unique. It’s fun. All sorts of possibilities for storylines came to me. The best part is that all of this came from my own personal experiences. I know that each time I visit Bemus Point, another idea will pop in my head and give me a story. And if I ever attend another paint party— unfortunately, after Covid hit, our local painting event business closed down—I plan to take copious notes and share the news of my Paint by Murder series. Who knows? Maybe one of the guests or instructors will end up in my next book!
Thanks for having me on your blog! I enjoyed the visit.
Thanks for the guest post! It was very fun to read about your inspiration for the series!
About Bailee Abbott
Bailee Abbott is a native Ohioan who spends her days plotting murder and writing mysteries. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. Bailee lives with her husband and furry friend Max in the quiet suburbs of Green, Ohio. Visits to Bemus Point, a town along the Chautauqua Lake in southwest New York inspired the setting for the PAINT BY MURDER mystery series. She also writes the SIERRA PINES B&B mystery series under the name Kathryn Long.
Author Links
Author Website: www.baileeabbott.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BaileeAbbottBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BaileeAbbott1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21094675.Bailee_Abbott
Purchase Links – Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple
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A Brush with Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 11
Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
The Avid Reader – REVIEW
Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT
October 12
I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
October 13
Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 14
Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
October 15
Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 16
Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 17
FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 18
Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 19
Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 20
BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
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Looks like a fun book.
Thanks for the contest.
This book sounds like a fun and enjoyable read. We visited Bemus Point early last summer. It is a gorgeous place!
This sounds like a great cozy!
This sounds like a great book to read and just look at the little dog.
@tisonlyme143