While running the sale table for the Friends of the Library might cause a headache, or possibly a twinge in the back muscles, no one would expect it to end in murder. Yet that is what Amy Webber and her friends discover when they stop by to pick up donations for the sale. Local artist Rachel LeBlanc has been stabbed with her own palette knife and left in her studio, but there are no witnesses. Her husband was out of town on a business trip and her daughter was in the main house, so the police have little to go on...other than a cache of forged artwork.
Amy has a background in art history, which makes her ongoing involvement in the investigation reasonable. And her Aunt Lydia is housing the art expert that the authorities have called in, so there is yet another tie. No matter where she goes, Amy can't seem to escape the gossip and speculation. It also makes her jumpy and unsure of her reactions to people. There seem to be plenty of people to suspect - the socialite and her son who show an intense interest in paintings by Amy's uncle, an art dealer who is rumored to have shady dealings, mysterious men dressed in business suits and obviously not in town for the local festival, and the druggie boyfriend of the dead woman's daughter.
The plot keeps readers guessing along with the protagonist. In Amy's case, she is distracted by her relationship with the handsome dancer next door. She also doubts her own impressions of people, knowing that her aunt's biases and her own reactions to the murder are coloring her perceptions. Readers can only view events through Amy's eyes, wondering if she is a reliable narrator when she questions her own judgment.
The description of small town life with all its complicated relationships and traditions is very believable. The fall festival, the overworked police force, the longstanding rivalry in county fair baking contests, and other details all create a town that is easily recognizable. The characters are distinct and entertaining, and readers will return for further visits in Taylorsford feeling as though they are reuniting with old friends.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
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