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Portrait of a mystery

Dylan Scott vowed never to return to the dreary town of Dawson's Clough. But one visit from a beautiful ex-lover and he's back in Lancashire, investigating a possible murder. The police think Prue Murphy died during a burglary gone wrong, but her sister isn't so sure—and neither is Dylan. After all, the killer overlooked the only valuable thing in Prue's flat.

So who could have wanted the quirky young woman dead, and why? Dylan's search for answers takes him to France, where he discovers Prue's family didn't know her as well as they thought they did. And the more he digs, the more secrets he unearths—secrets someone would kill to keep buried….

362 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 2012

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Shirley Wells

29 books80 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Linda Baker.
944 reviews19 followers
November 6, 2012
A visit from an ex-lover plunges Dylan into a new investigation in the dreary northern town of Dawson's Clough, the scene of several previous investigations and a place Dylan never wanted to visit again. Dylan is the quintessential Londoner and Dawson's Clough's rain, cold and lack of entertainment holds no charm.

When Maddie Chandler approaches Dylan about investigating the death of her sister Prue he is undeniably flattered and besides, business has has been slow. Dylan doesn't remember much about Maddie herself, but he does remember that the sex was great. Since Dylan is not exactly the most introspective guy around this is not surprising. However, he has absolutely no intention of cheating on his wife Bev and losing his family again. Prue was discovered in her Dawson's Clough flat dead of a head wound. The police have chalked it up to a burglary gone wrong, but Maddie says that Prue called her the day before her death and a set up a meeting in London to discuss something Prue was worried about. Maddie presents herself as a concerned sister but as the investigation progresses Dylan wonders about her true purpose. It has become very clear that Maddie and Prue were not close and in fact Maddie was extremely jealous of her sister. When a painting turns up in Prue's flat by a world famous, recently deceased painter, the plot thickens. Why would Prue, with few possessions and a very stripped-down lifestyle have such a painting and who knew about it?

Bev, the children and Dylan's aging hippie mother, Vicky, also play a part in the investigation. Of course Dylan also enlists the help of retired CID Chief Inspector Frank Willoughby, now living in Dawson's Clough. It seems that everyone has secrets; Maddie, her somewhat sleazy husband and his business partner and Maddie's parents. The painter's estranged wife, Prue's creepy landlord and a local wine bar owner also may have motives. When another murder occurs the investigation becomes even more complicated but Dylan is nothing if not dogged. There is also a big twist at the end that I never saw coming!

Dying Art is another extremely well plotted and entertaining puzzle in the Dylan Scott Mysteries. I highly recommend the series to fans of British mysteries. Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley.com for an advance digital copy.

Rating 4.5 Stars
Profile Image for Cindi.
1,710 reviews85 followers
August 12, 2013
3.5 stars

This is a good mystery about a married private investigator who is hired by his former lover to investigate the murder of her sister. The mystery is good (though easy to figure out), the characters are written very well. I do, however, feel that the resolution was a bit rushed.

Overall, a good read though I wish the author would have elaborated on a few things toward the end.

I jumped into this book not knowing it was part of a series. Never, at any point during the book, did I feel that I missed anything. It is a very good stand-alone.

My first by this author.


Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.

This book was provided by Net Galley and Carina Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Arlena.
3,480 reviews1 follower
Read
June 4, 2013
By: Shirley Wells
Published By: Carina Press
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Book Blog For: GMTA
Series A Dylan Scott Mystery #5
Review:

"Dying Art" by Shirley Wells is the fifth in a series: A Dylan Scott Mystery. I did enjoyed this fast moving read. We find that a private investigator, named Dylan has been called to look at the circumstances of a young woman named Prue. With the police deciding that this was just a burglar who would want to kill this girl? Se was loved by all and made a living selling jewelry. With some investigating done by Dylan of this complicated plot, "it became clear this this girl had a far more interesting private life and troubled family than anyone had assumed." With that being said I will now say you must pick up this read "Dying Art" to get the rest because there will be more bodies to count in all the twist and turns of this read. I liked the way this author had the characters...from the flawed police turned private detective, Dylan's hippy mother, but for the most part all were well developed and even colorful...even the vintage car. You will be kept guessing until the end and I mean almost the last page. I thought I know but how mistaken I was.


If you are looking for a good mystery read then I would recommend Dylan Scott Mysteries and especially this one for its gives 'the personal side of Dylan and his family add depth and warmth, just enough to enjoy Dylan, but never too much to turn the mystery into a drama.' Would I recommend this novel? YES!
Profile Image for Diana Febry.
Author 21 books176 followers
December 9, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. A private investigator, Dylan is called in to look into the circumstances of the death of a young woman. The police have decided she'd disturbed a burglar. Why else would a young quiet girl, loved by everyone, who made a small living selling the simple jewellery she made be murdered? Through a complicated plot, it becomes clear the girl had a far more interesting private life and troubled family than anyone assumed, and the body count of people in her life starts to rise.
I enjoyed the straightforward style of writing and all the main characters were fully formed and believable. There were a couple of loose strands but overall a tight well constructed plot, that kept me quessing to the end. I will be buying more books by this writer.
Profile Image for Kirsten.
3,118 reviews8 followers
December 3, 2025
Nach seinem Ausscheiden aus der Polizei hat sich Dylan Thomas als Privatdetektiv selbständig gemacht. Ein Großteil seiner Arbeit besteht darin, vermeintlich untreue Ehepartner zu beobachten. Deshalb ist der Besuch seiner ersten großen Liebe Maddie eine willkommene Abwechslung. Sie bittet ihn, den Tod ihrer Schwester Prue zu untersuchen. Die Polizei geht hier von einem Einbruch aus, der schief gelaufen ist. Aber Maddie hat Zweifel und bittet Dylan um Hilfe.

Dylan Thomas ist eine Abwechslung im Ermittlereinerlei. Auch wenn er unrühmlich aus dem Polizeidienst ausgeschieden ist, unterscheidet er sich in einer Sache deutlich von seinem Kollegen: er hat ein glückliches Familienleben und lässt schon mal die Ermittlungen ruhen, wenn sein Sohn ein Fußballspiel hat.

Deshalb ist er sich Anfangs nicht sicher, ob er Maddies Fall wirklich übernehmen soll. Vom ersten Moment, als sie ihn wiedersieht, flirtet Maddie mit ihm und macht ihm mehr als deutlich klar, dass sie an einer Wiederbelebung ihrer Affäre aus Jugendtagen nicht abgeneigt wäre.

Ich habe lange nicht verstanden, warum Madelaine überhaupt will, dass der Tod ihrer Schwester aufgeklärt wird. Die beiden scheinen kein gutes Verhältnis gehabt zu haben. Als Kind hat sie ihre kleine Schwester regelrecht gehasst und auch nach ihrem Tod findet sie nur wenige gute Worte über sie.

Dylans Ermittlungen sind mühsam. Er kommt nur in kleinen Schritten voran, weil er nicht auf die Hilfe und das Hintergrundwissen der Polizei in diesem Fall zurückgreifen kann. Deshalb ist Dying Art ein eher ruhiger Krimi. Das Motiv ist bald klar, aber der Täter bleibt lange im Dunkeln. Das Ende ist im Gegensatz zu der ruhigen Handlung sehr dramatisch und passt meiner Meinung nach nicht wirklich dazu. Etwas weniger Aufregung hätte es hier auch getan.
Profile Image for Janet.
3,343 reviews24 followers
July 10, 2019
I've enjoyed reading these mysteries. There are some that I like better than others, but they all keep me reading. The mystery is pretty good, and I like following Dylan through each book.
Profile Image for Julie.
437 reviews
October 23, 2021
Artist Jack McIntyre dies in Paris. An old friend who lived for a while there dies in her flat in England. Are the two deaths related?
Profile Image for Jen (That's What I'm Talking About).
1,743 reviews312 followers
December 7, 2012
My Rating: 4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Originally posted at THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT blog

Ex-police office Dylan Scott is an amazing detective with a proven track record. Unfortunately, there isn’t a high demand for solving mysterious deaths. That is until Dylan’s old flame, Madeleine “Maddie” Murphy comes tumbling into his office looking for help with the investigation into her sister Prue’s murder.

Back in Dawson’s Clough, Dylan sifts through the clues, meeting the main players, including Prue’s shady landlord, the owner of a not-very-successful wine bar, and the widow of a renowned artist, who may or may not have been friends with Prue. And as always, Dylan must juggle solving the crime with his family life, and this time, an ex-lover who wants to win Dylan back into her bed.

Oh, I LOVE the Dylan Scott Mysteries! There is just something about the almost anti-hero that has me cheering for him all the way. Dylan is a good man, and we’ve seen this time and time again, over the course of five stories. His life is far from perfect, but he makes the most of it. He loves his wife and kids and works hard.

I’ve said this before, but one of my favorite things about the Dylan Scott books is that we view the crime scene and plot development from multiple points of view. One would think that this would “give away” the murderer, but it actually has the opposite effect. The reader is left wondering “whodunit,” because everyone either seems to be hiding something, or totally innocent. The multiple POVs are never confusing and help move the story forward in such an interesting and exciting manner.

This time around, the case appears fairly straight forward. Prue was killed in her home, and not by a burglar as the police believe. As Dylan uncovers the facts, he discovers that Prue is in possession of a very valuable piece of art, painted by a recently deceased, extremely famous artist. He figures that someone may have wanted to steal the art for profit, but it would have to be someone that knew Prue had the painting. Part of the mystery is figuring out how Prue came to possess something so valuable. I was captivated by the unfolding plot and desperate to solve the crime myself (which I did, but not until almost the end!).

Another thing I adore about Ms. Wells’ mysteries is that we get personal story with the detective work, and Dying Art is no exception. First, we are privy to Dylan being tempted by the memories of his gorgeous ex, Maddie. Oh, and is she a bit loony! I was on edge the entire book, wondering what, if anything, would happen between the two. Let’s just say I love the way Ms. Wells’ wrote the storyline, and am very satisfied with how it went down.

We also continue to follow Dylan’s family life. One of the things I enjoyed immensely in the previous full-length story, Silent Witness, was the deeply touching look at postpartum depression through the eyes of both Dylan and his wife, Bev. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t see more from Bev’s POV this time around. However, she was front and center, and one of my favorite scenes involved a discussion between Bev and Dylan at a dinner party hosted by Maddie. She provides a fantastic emotional edge to the thrill of murder. We also get more from Dylan’s pot-smoking, hippy mom, who has a few surprises of her own. This subplot was well executed, and I hope it continues into the next book!

Without spoiling the story, I want to mention that there is a twist at the end involving Maddie’s family. I did not see it coming. The resulting revelations felt a bit coerced, but not contrived. I’m okay with what happened, and see the reasons for it, but I sure hope that’s the last we see of the Murphy family.

Dying Art is another great Dylan Scott Mystery. Ms. Wells has a way of immediately hooking me and keeping me invested until every rock has been turned, and the puzzle is solved. But it's more than just a fantastic whodunit… the personal side of Dylan and his family add depth and warmth - just enough to enjoy Dylan, but never too much to turn the mystery into a drama. The multiple POV adds complexity and depth without confusion. You really should pick up Dylan Scott for a great reading escape!
Profile Image for Lucie Paris.
751 reviews34 followers
January 7, 2013
A police novel in the middle of the art too soft for my taste.

If the criminal investigation led by Dylan is interesting and the plot pretty well built, yet the novel is lacking some rhythm. It's a bit disappointing because the cover attracted me and the synopsis sounded promising.

Indeed, there are some unexpected developments, but they are mired in details. So,
they drag down the story. I have not been feeling scared or feeling my pulse racing that would push me turning pages at breakneck speed.
Instead, I had to try it several times before reaching the end even if the final outcome is fine and enjoyable.

This is the kind of novel to keep near your bedside because there is no risk of having palpitations or nightmares but it can help you to quietly unwind before bed because the story is still nice and pleasant.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
Profile Image for Dharia Scarab.
3,255 reviews8 followers
June 22, 2016

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
164 reviews8 followers
October 11, 2016
Dylan Scott mysteries are not cozy English Murder mysteries you curl up with with a cup of tea on a blustery weekend. Well, actually Dying Art would be a great read on a grey weekend with a cup of tea on a grey afternoon....

But I guess my point is that this is English, and it is a mystery...it just isn't "cozy"

And the lack of coziness is one of the things that makes this book, the entire series, so very enjoyable.

Dylan Scott is a very real and honest character. While I wouldn't want to be in a relationship with him, I love him, flaws included, in this series.

Totally worth putting on your to read list (though probably best to start with the first book in the series...the back story builds through the series).
Profile Image for Wendy Soliman.
Author 152 books80 followers
February 16, 2013
The best yet in Shirley Wells's series featuring her flawed policeman turned private detective. I love Dylan's hippy mother and the accuracy with which he describes his domestic life. I love the northern town where all his cases take place and it never seems to stop raining but at least they serve a decent pint of beer. I love Dylan's...well, love affair with his vintage car, so typically male. I can relate to all of the above.

This novel brings out people's greed and highlights how opportunistic crime can end in tragedy and destroy families. Amusing, well written and fast-moving, I actually didn't guess who the villain was.

More of the same please, Shirley.
Profile Image for Chantell Tiatrakul.
26 reviews
May 22, 2013
Shirley Wells masterfully takes the reader on a trip, a slippery trip in a not-your-usual-who-dunit. I had to be patient and not turn to the last page to prove that I was right all along. Even in the last couple of pages I felt that I absolutely knew the culprit, only to be proven wrong. So glad I took this sluething seriously and waited to turn that last page to discover the true culprit and the motive behind it all. An absolute must-red for those who feel up to the challenge!
682 reviews9 followers
December 28, 2015
DYING ART BY SHIRLEY WELLS is what I call an easy mystery. The start of the book is really SLOW to say the least. By halfway thru I had guessed the who done it. Granted this is the first book of the series I have read so maybe I needed to read others before really appreciating DYING ART.

I received this book thru goodreads in exchange for a review.
Profile Image for Kathy .
3,809 reviews3 followers
November 12, 2012
4.5 stars. Dying Art is an intriguing installment in Shirley Wells’ marvelous Dylan Scott mystery series. To read my review in its entirety, please click HERE.
251 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2015
Fast,interesting and easy to read.Need to pick up others in series.This was a win for me in the Goodreads Giveaway,so my copy was sent to me free.
Profile Image for Patti.
32 reviews
December 10, 2013
I absolutely love Shirley Wells and her main character Dylan Scott.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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