Landscape of Murder

The Art of Murder #2

by Michael Jecks

Join accidental sleuth, Nick Morris, in his second mystery in The Art of Murder series.When an offer to paint a beautiful Georgian house in the Peak District falls into Nick Morris' lap he jumps at the commission. Businessman Derek Swann is selling up and wants a landscape to remember. But Nick's plans for a quiet stay in the countryside are scuppered when he and his chalet neighbour Megan Lamplighter find a body in the woods surrounding the holiday park.Rick Parrow seemed to be a troubled young adult, with a dark cloud following him around in recent days, so when it turns out he was murdered, Nick feels compelled to seek out the truth. What was bothering Rick in the days before his death? What exactly was his connection to the bear-like figure of Jez Cooper, who was staying in a chalet up from Nick? And who could possibly have wanted the boy dead?Nick's attention is pulled in every direction - from his work at the manor house, and its captivating housekeeper Adela - to the many unsavoury characters now circling the holiday park and paying a little too much attention to Nick's movements. Nick must act fast if he wants to get out of this in once piece!

Genres: Mystery

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

Michael Jecks is a best-selling writer of historical novels. The son of an Actuary, and the youngest of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994

He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.

His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.

A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.

From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.

Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.

His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.

Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in author, Michael Jecks Art of Murder series is a real step forward. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but things really picked up in the second book. we follow the exploits of artist Nick Morris, whose fame in London is for his drawings of cats. You gotta love this! He is well known for drawing all these cats, yet he dislikes, cats immensely. So when his friend Geoff gives him a lead to do a painting for wealthy computer mogul, Derek Swann, dear old Nick is off to Tissington where he will be doing a painting of a house and landscape for Swann before Swann departs the country. Once he arrives nothing quite goes according to plan. This book is filled with many memorable characters, and Morris gets himself in more predicaments, all of which make this highly enjoyable book. Yes we have a murder, a young boy, approximately 18 years of age is killed and we need to find out who has done this dastardly deed, but what makes this book so interesting is that once the murder is discovered, Jecks then writes about all the other criminal activities that are going on beneath the surface. You almost forget that there's a murder that has to be solved because we are so wrapped up in nitrous oxide, drug deals, along with two men who are constantly hounding Morris, Morris's own broken down automobile, and all in all somehow the painting of the landscape and house never quite comes to fruition. Not that he doesn't try, but for one reason or the other, he has once again not gotten paid for hisnwork. This is a theme of these books, since in the end Morris is always back in London painting cats! Morris is an interesting character, the supporting characters are believable, the plot is very well done, and we learn all about Tissington, including their well dressing ceremonies, and the rumors of hidden gold or coins from ancient times. All in all this series is progressing beautifully and I look forward to more books in this series.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

A painter and a murder!

Nick Morris is a portrait painter who seems to paint more cats than people. He’s driven his Morgan (I’m in love already!) up to Devon to do a water color of a house before it’s sold. It’s owner, Derek Swann has an AI business. The house is a Georgian place in the Peak District. Derek wants a painting of the property before the sale’s finalized. Nick’s banker mate got him the job.
(I feel even warmer towards Nick when it’s revealed he always takes his Aeropress to make his coffee. Snap, so do I.) I’m loving this guy twice over.
Anyway, things of course aren’t kosher, either at the house or in the town of Ashbourne nearby. Nick meets a varied group of people from Derek’s glamorous, yet guarded assistant, to a couple of bikers, and flamboyant woman Megan who’s staying in one of the holiday chalets he’s booked into. It’s when he’s walking with Megan that they discover the body of a young man. Now Nick’s unfortunately involved in another murder.
Nick does spend his time sketching everything as he walks around, people and places.
Ok, it seems to me that writing about an unlikely sleuth gives Michael Jecks a playful way to incorporate some of his own passions and foibles into the story. What fun!
I loved every word of this cosy mystery and now have to backtrack and read the previous title in this series.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book written in first person… It kept me guessing through the end.

[Alyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose this book on the basis of the blurb and the excellent front cover, having not read anything by this author before. It should have been a novel I enjoyed but unfortunately I didn't like the author's style of writing. I found, through his main character, he was constantly telling us what to think and what was going on and there was little for the reader to determine themselves. I also found the constant moaning about how hard up the main character was as a painter annoying - once would have been fine but it was a continuing theme. I read for enjoyment and escape and don't want to be constantly reminded of real life.
I wasn't swept away by the plot either - as I had to suspend belief with the details of business shenanigans - and would the main character really be quite adept at fighting off thugs?
All in all, I wanted to like this book but was sadly disappointed. Hopefully it will connect better with other readers as I do admire the ability of an author who can weave so many apparently unconnected strands together into a story.
With thanks to Netgalley and Severn House books for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Betsy Hoek · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Michael Jecks’ historical mysteries, I was intrigued to see he had written one set in modern times. The amateur detective, Nick Morris, is an artist who has been commissioned to paint a country house in an idyllic landscape. He is soon confronted with a boozy mystery-author neighbor, simmering local resentments, road rage incidents, and a death. Jecks packs plenty of twists into the plot. I particularly enjoyed the artist’s first-person descriptions of the setting—by which I don’t mean pages of flowery prose. Nick is more inclined to describe the scene before him in terms of light and shadow and which paint colors he would use to paint it—and how much he could sell a few of these pictures for to pay his bills. His ‘everyman’ artist-detective is an entertaining narrator. All in all, an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Soozee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick Morris, local artist and painter of cats, receives a commission to paint the country house of a businessman in the Peak District, so he sets off in his Morgan (which he irritatingly refers to as 'migmog').

However, he is drawn to a youngster, Rick Parrow, who seems thoroughly unhappy. Then he discovers Rick's body and certain thugs start to threaten those around him. Suddenly doing a pleasant watercolour is far from his mind as he finds out more about his new boss and his housekeeper, Adele. Will he complete his commission and be paid and will it have been worthwhile?

An interesting read. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a decent mystery with some pluses and minuses. The main character, Nick, was an artist and I liked the way he looked at the world though his gripping about his lack of money was a bit annoying--I know how worrying about money can dominated your life, but I get tired of my own moans and groans about it, never mind how often it comes up in this character's thought train. There were some other good characters and plenty of twists along the way.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alison Vicary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book as I enjoyed the first in this series and for three quarters of the book, I was enjoying it immensely. However the last third felt rushed and the murderer not a credible suspect. I do like the authors other work but I just wish he would stop going on about how little money an author makes from writing as this is a favourite topic of his that has now made its way into his books.
A good book let down by a sloppy ending.

[Richard Angrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first .Michael Jecks historical murder book I have read. The setting of the Peak District is familiar to me having spent many happy hours walking and cycling in the area including the often mentioned Tissington Trail. Overall I enjoyed the book with its artist and drones featuring but I agree with other reviewers the later stages of the book felt a little rushed almost as if a writing deadline had to be achieved.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Jecks can write excellent mystery set in any age. This one is well plotted and very entertaining.
The second in a series tha that promises to be excellent.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Painter Nick Morris is an ideal sleuth with his attention to detail and curiosity. Fun for readers who like to mull over the evidence.

[Puzzle Doctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong continuation of this series. Full review at classicmystery.blog

[Kathy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing until the very end-

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick Morris is offered the chance to paint a landscape of a house in the Peak District, but is soon to discover a body during this time which finds him embroiled in another murder mystery.

This is overall a good murder mystery, with some interesting characters and scenes along the way. However all is not as it seems and it leaves Nick wondering who he can or should trust. There are quite a few surprises and twists along the way, some of which I did not see coming, and it builds up to a surprising and interesting resolution.

Whilst a good overall mystery I found this a bit of a slow burner and seemed to take a while to get going, I would however pick up other books in the series.