Fatal Brushstroke

A CHARMING MYSTERY FILLED WITH COLORFUL CHARACTERS...

"Johnson paints characters with a folksy charm that makes them feel like family. But beware! This richly-textured mystery has it all: family secrets, professional competition, and judgments cast for past mistakes. Color me a fan!" - Diane Vallere, Author of the Material Witness, Style & Error, and Mad for Mod Mystery Series

Sub-Genre Keywords: Cozy Mysteries, Amateur Sleuth, Women Sleuths, Craft Mysteries

A dead body in her garden and a homicide detective on her doorstep...

Computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson doesn't envision finding either when she steps outside to investigate the frenzied yipping coming from her own backyard. After all, she lives in Vista Beach, a quiet California beach community where violent crime is rare and murder even rarer.

Suspicion falls on Rory when the body buried in her flowerbed turns out to be someone she knows-her tole painting teacher, Hester Bouquet. Just two weekends before, Rory attended one of Hester's weekend painting seminars, an unpleasant experience she vowed never to repeat. As evidence piles up against Rory, she embarks on a quest to identify the killer and clear her name. Can Rory unearth the truth before she encounters her own brush with death?

Praise for FATAL BRUSHSTROKE:

"Rory is definitely a quirky character; she has the ability to draw the readers in so that they want to follow her through her adventures. Which is a good thing, because this is the first in a brand new series featuring Rory Anderson, so there's even more fun to come." - Suspense Magazine

"Fans of crafty cozies will love this delightful new series that features tole painting enthusiast, Aurora "Rory" Anderson...In Fatal Brushstroke, Johnson has penned a charming mystery filled with colorful characters, clever plot twists and unexpected surprises that will keep you guessing whodunit right until the end. A rewarding read and a refreshing debut." -Hannah Dennison, Author of The Vicky Hill Mysteries and The Honeychurch Hall Mysteries

"Traditional mystery readers will love this debut author, Sybil Johnson, and her amateur sleuth, Aurora "Rory" Anderson, a Southern California woman who has survived her share of tragedy in the fictitious seaside community of Vista Beach. Johnson has an assured, steady hand in creating complex plotlines in Fatal Brushstroke. Readers will definitely want to revisit Vista Beach in Aurora's next outing of investigating. Just watch out for those inline skaters on the beachside bike path!" - Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-Winning Author of Murder on Bamboo Lane

"When the body of Hester Bouquet, a famous decorative painting designer, shows up in her garden, Aurora "Rory" Anderson finds herself painted into a corner. Can she prove her innocence before the surly Chief of Police puts her in the clink and throws away the key? Can she trust the handsome new detective sending mixed messages? Set in a small beach town in So...