Easier Dead Than Drawn: A Paint by Murder Mystery

Paint by Murder Mystery #3

by Bailee Abbott

When the town council hires Chloe Abbington’s close friend, famous wall muralist Lana Easton, to paint a mural advertising the return of the floating amphitheater, not everyone in Whisper Cove is happy about the theater or Lana. Naysayers think the noise from concerts and visitors will disrupt their quiet community. It doesn’t help that a lot of money taken from the town’s budget is being used to pay the muralist for her services. The mood turns even more grim when Lana is found dead, and since Chloe was there alone to discover her body, that makes her the prime suspect.

Before Chloe finds herself painted into a corner as the killer, she and sister Izzie hurry to solve the case and find the real criminal. The suspect list grows to include Lana’s boyfriend and her intern, as well as a couple of local residents. The task is a tall order for the sisters, and it doesn’t help that the detective on the case is someone who doesn’t seem to care for Chloe or her interference. Clues about Lana’s past surface and point to more than one suspect. The challenge will be to decide which one is the real killer.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy

238 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another interesting trip back to Whisper Cove, New York where Chloe and her sister Izzie and friend Willow run an art and paint party business. Chloe's friend muralist Lana is in town to paint a mural to kick off the opening of a floating amphitheater. This is not accepted well by many townsfolk. When Chloe finds Lana's body near the mural, she is the prime suspect. But there are four others who have a greater motive and the two sisters set out to find the killer. This is nice mystery to unravel and find answers. How the mystery was solved was not as expected though. Nice addition to the series for those who enjoy cozy mysteries with an art flair.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems like I’ve waited forever for Bailee Abbott’s third book of A Paint by Murder Mystery series to be released. The minute I seen it was available as an early read I snatched it up. I loved it. Every single page of it. Abbott always makes her readers wait till almost the end of the book before she reveals the whodunnit. The anticipation kept me flipping the pages. The three sleuths put themselves in harms way as they searched for clues. There were four suspects and every one of them had motive to kill the deceased. The book was unpredictable and the mystery perplexing. It had everything that makes a cozy mystery great.

Since this is the third book in the series I have gotten to know the characters well. This is what makes me wait patiently for the next book in the series. In Easier Dead Than Drawn a close friend of Chloe gets murdered. For Chloe it’s personal but also she finds herself on the suspect list. She and her sister Issie and Willow their shop employee, sift through the clues to find the killer. Who knows that maybe one clue would unlock the mystery. Will justice be done for Chloe’s friend or will her murder end up in the cold case files?

I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mystery and Suspense. This book can be read as a standalone but for a better reading experience I recommend reading the other two books in the series also.

I read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
#EasierDeadThanDrawn #NetGalley

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last book which was the second one was published in October of 2022, so I was glad to see the return of this series. This is book three for anyone reading as a standalone, since it’s not listed that way on the two book platforms I use. I’d very much recommend reading the first two books so you can get to know the characters and their stories. I’m happy I’d started the series from the beginning. Now that the series has a new home, I hope there’ll be more books.

Chloe had her hands full after a woman she recommended for a mural painting job was murdered. Not only did she need to clear her own name but now Whisper Cove had another killer loose. I never knew how to take that new detective since he could be hard core one minute and friendly the next. Maybe he was his own one-man good cop/bad cop act.

The showdown was a bit different since the perp wasn’t the one holding the weapon, but all worked out. I’m pretty happy with where Chloe and Hunter are in their relationship and hope that continues so there’ll be more books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

Whisper Cove is getting its floating amphitheater back and has commissioned a wall mural painted by Chloe Abbington’s good friend and well-known wall muralist Lana Easton to add to the attraction. But not everyone is behind the endeavor. Town money being used for the mural and the noise coming from the amphitheater are two big complaints. Lana barely gets started on the mural when she is found dead below her creation. Chloe finds her and because no one can alibi her movements she becomes the prime suspect. Chloe, her sister Izzie, and their friend Willow vow to find the real killer. Members of Lana's entourage top their suspect list followed by a few members of the community. Chloe's boyfriend Hunter isn't working the case so she has to deal with Detective Calvin Winsell and he doesn't want her anywhere near his case.

___

I liked Chloe and Izzie much better in this story than I did in the last. They came across as more friendly and true to life. I am happy I gave them another chance. I enjoy the direction of Chloe's relationship with Hunter is going and the way Izzie's relationship with Brody is progressing. Willow still plays a major role in the Paint with a View painting party business. We are also introduced to Lana Easton, her boyfriend Nick, Lana's intern assistant Audrey, and Tate her tech guy. Rita Morgan is always lurking nearby. She feels the town should have chosen her to paint the mural. With Chloe and Izzie living with their artistic parents they are always nearby to help and give advice as needed. All the characters came to life very well.

I really enjoyed the wall mural theme. They are popping up all over where I live. Mostly in downtown areas on buildings, some that are hundreds of years old. They are much more interesting than the old bricks and brighten and enlighten communities with their beauty.

The mystery Ms. Abbott has written is very intriguing with plenty of suspects, twists, and turns. Chloe saw what may have been a suspect leaving the murder scene and she has that image in her head that drives her in a certain direction. Her fluffy white Maltese poodle mix, Max follows his nose and uncovers what may be evidence sending her in another direction. She, Izzie, and Chloe also have several painting parties to facilitate too, one in front of the mural, the scene of the murder. The girls had a lot of different theories but things didn't fall into place until right before an unusual showdown. It was a wild takedown.

Easier Dead Than Drawn is my favorite book in this series. A creative theme, evolving characters, and a well-plotted mystery made for a thoroughly entertaining mystery. Love was in the air at the ending and I loved that.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, and publisher, for providing me with an ARC.

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bailee Abbott for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Easier Dead Than Drawn coming out May 7, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

When the town council hires Chloe Abbington's close friend, famous wall muralist Lana Easton, to paint a mural advertising the return of the floating amphitheater, not everyone in Whisper Cove is happy about the theater or Lana. Naysayers think the noise from concerts and visitors will disrupt their quiet community. It doesn't help that a lot of money taken from the town's budget is being used to pay the muralist for her services. The mood turns even more grim when Lana is found dead, and since Chloe was there alone to discover her body, that makes her the prime suspect.

Before Chloe finds herself painted into a corner as the killer, she and sister Izzie hurry to solve the case and find the real criminal. The suspect list grows to include Lana's boyfriend and her intern, as well as a couple of local residents. The task is a tall order for the sisters, and it doesn't help that the detective on the case is someone who doesn't seem to care for Chloe or her interference. Clues about Lana's past surface and point to more than one suspect. The challenge will be to decide which one is the real killer.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I didn’t feel lost during it. I love cozy mysteries! I thought the plot was fun and interesting. Chloe was a strong character who had solved mysteries in the past. I love amateur detectives. I’m not an artist, but I thought the painting talents were interesting.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy painting novels!

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sisters Chloe and Izzie own a wine and paint shop, which in my opinion, sounds fantastic.
As their small town awaits the Amphitheater on water to arrive, many residents are grumbling about its presence. They say it will hurt their cozy tourist town, while others are excited for it.
The town is bringing in a famous mural artist, who happens to be a friend of Chloe's, but their friendship has had some problems.
When Chloe arrives to meet Lana, the artist, she finds her body on the ground, and Chloe knows her friend is dead.

Who killed the artist, was it her intern in a jealous rage, the artist who wasn't chosen, or the boyfriend, who might have been deceiving her?

I found #EasierDeadThanDrawn #NetGalley to be my favorite book so far. The story was very good and the characters really were well done.
I'm happy to recommend this book and the series to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received a copy of this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we meet Abigail who runs a paint party shop with her sister Izzie. Abigail invites her best friend to Whisper Cover to paint a mural for the new floating amphitheater. But shortly after arriving Abigail’s best friend dies and the new detective thinks it’s Abigail since she was the one who found her friend. We have quite a few suspects and just as Abigail and friends think they have cleared someone a new motive is revealed. Then finally at the May Fling festival it is revealed to be Nick who stole money from Lena, Abigail’s best friend, in order to save his family’s business. Nick accidentally pushed her while they were arguing. The case is solved and Hunter wants Abigail to meet his mom. I loved the cute names of the town and businesses involved in this cozy mystery. I can’t wait until the next one.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Easier Dead Than Drawn (A Paint By Murder Mystery #3)" by Bailee Abbott is centered around trying to get a floating amphitheater back to town and a movable mural has been commissioned to be painted Chloe's famous ex-roommate. There are lots of people against having the amphitheater back and, by extension, the mural. There may still be some old grudges too.

However, this one panned out about how I expected it too. I had two suspects in mind and a couple of motives for both of them. In the end it was good that there was a wrap up of what the culprit confessed too because it wasn't totally clear otherwise.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book!

This was my first visit to this series about a wine and painting shop and the the three women who run it. It follows traditional cozy themes; small town murder with high stakes for one of the main characters if they can’t work out whodunnit, and fast.

Now, my main problem is that things don’t exactly move at a fast pace throughout this book. In fact, most of the middle book and almost all the way to the end kind of muddle along pointlessly until we finally reach a conclusion. The four main suspects all remain equally suspicious right until the end, so much so that when three of them are cleared you don’t actually like any of them anymore anyway and don’t think they deserve a happy ending.

The three amateur detectives are most definitely that. They just go around in circles for so long finding red herring after red herring that as a reader you no longer feel invested in who the murderer is. It’s a tangled web but it never feels like it gets untangled.

Not my favourite cozy, but the ideas behind the series have potential. More fleshing out of the characters as the series progresses will be good too. Three stars.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever gone to Painting With a Twist or another painting-event business where you get together with friends or on a date and create guided art? My husband and I did that once for our anniversary and, while I had fun, let’s just say that art is not my gifting haha. Sisters Chloe and Izzie run a painting-event business like this together, and I thought it was interesting to get a bit of a behind-the-scenes glance at that.

Chloe and Izzie also solve mysteries in their spare time, and in Easier Dead Than Drawn they have to work around a new detective in their small town – one that reminded me (and them) of Columbo in all the best ways. Like the rumpled ‘one more question’ detective of classic TV, it’s hard to tell exactly where you stand with Detective Winsell – is Chloe really his prime suspect (because of the fallout she’d had with her once-close friend who was murdered) or is his focus on someone else? I enjoyed the layers that the author gave this character and what he added to the story. The mystery itself has several plausible suspects for the murder of Chloe’s former roommate, everyone from town business owners to a local artist and the victim’s boyfriend & coworkers. Various red herrings and misdirections kept me guessing, and an unexpected reveal flipped the script.

Bottom Line: Easier Dead Than Drawn by Bailee Abbott is a murder mystery full of artistic rivalries and small town drama. Likable sisters – and business partners – Chloe and Izzie are a good sleuthing team too, and their respectively different personalities make for entertaining dynamics in all three of those aspects to their relationship. I enjoyed the dash of romance for each sister, and I also liked their family members that we get to meet – including Chloe’s dog Max. The mystery is well-plotted and, even though in the end it did come down to my ‘top two’ suspects, that’s all I got right. The big reveal in this case isn’t the ‘same old, same old’ routine and as a frequent reader of the genre I appreciated the slight change of pace. A nice, light read with relatable characters and interesting layers!

Reviewer’s Note: Followers of my reviews may want to be aware that there are a few mild curse words scattered infrequently through this novel.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chloe Abbington and her sister Izzie live with their parents in small town Whisper Cove, New York, near the finger lakes. They own a paint-your-own shop and also do events, hoping to make enough money to expand a little.

A man in town has brought the floating amphitheater back, and has just hired Chloe's muralist friend to paint it. Lana Easton and Chloe were roommates in Paris, before Chloe decided to give up her art there and help her sister. She's happy with her choice, but will having Lana here make her also have doubts?

Lama is accompanied by her boyfriend Nick, and employees Tate and Audrey, who each have their own skills. Everything seems to be going nicely until one night while Chloe is going to pick up Lana for an evening out, hears a scream, and finds her lying dead below the art lift. Now the lead detective on the case, Winsell, thinks Chloe, along with others, might be a viable suspect. Chloe and her sister have no choice but to do a little investigating themselves, or Chloe might be looking at the inside of a jail cell instead of outside her shop window...

I read the first two books in this series and I enjoyed them very much. But this one is a little different for some reason. First, there is a huge issue with continuity. Chloe was talking about an argument between two of the townspeople, and I thought I missed something, so went back to check. But I found out the argument hadn't happened yet! This is just one example, but I won't list the others. There are also a lot of grammatical errors that should have been caught by an editor. These things detracted from my enjoyment of the story.

Anyway, Chloe and her sister Izzie are trying to gather clues in between running their business, and it keeps them busy. They have four main suspects of their own, but need to question them and weed through everything to get to the truth. There are plenty of red herrings, and pointing to the actual killer isn't easy. But in the end, it comes with unexpected help from someone to find out everything they want to know. It's rather sad, but it all comes together nicely.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

[Stephanie Dyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

An old friend of Chloe’s is hired to paint the mural for a new town project. Chloe has not seen Lana for years and is looking forward to catching up but soon after her arrival Lana ends up dead. With Chloe among the suspects - she found the body moments after death - Chloe, her sister Izzie and their employee Willow set out to find the murderer. There are lots of suspects - Nick, Lana’s boyfriend; Audrey, Lana’s protégée; as well as various townspeople who were for or against the new town project.
I really enjoyed the first two entries in this series but this one, which is under a different publisher, seriously needs editing and proofing. There are a few typos, words correctly spelled but not the appropriate word for the sentence (“road” instead of “rode”) though presumably those will be caught before the book is released. The real problem comes with the continuity issues. We have Chloe deciding to talk to Aunt Constance about zoning issues Brody told her about before the scene the next day where Brody actually tells her about the issues. We have Chloe deciding to talk to Penny about an argument with Wink, then telling Izzie about the argument before the scene where the argument actually happens. We have a scene where Hunter begins to fix lunch for Chloe because she is too shaky to do so for herself and then, after a pointless phone call from a character we presumably got rid of in the last book, we just lose any mention of lunch or Chloe needing to calm down and they both just go off to work. And to cap it off, police show up to the social event, knowing who the murderer is, talk to him at the party but don’t arrest him, the officer just walks off to talk to someone else.
Overall the story idea was good, but the revelation of the murderer’s identity is pure deus ex machina as up to that point all the suspects are equally viable . I really like the characters and the setting but unfortunately the issues with typos, continuity and a rushed ending made this a less than enjoyable read which is a shame because Ms Abbott’s series deserves better treatment.

[boogleloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arts & Antiques Cozy Mystery that finds a New York artist and paint party business owner and her sister as they turn sleuths after she finds her close friend and a famous wall muralist dead.

4/5 stars: This is the third entry in Abbott's Paint by Murder Mystery series, which is a Arts & Antiques Cozy Mystery that takes place in the Finger Lakes region of New York and features a fine artist who co-owners a paint party business with her sister. With plenty of twists and turns, Abbott has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Abbott's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's fun to be back with Chloe, her sister Izzie, her family and the folks of Whisper Cove again. Also I like seeing the relationship progressions of Chloe and her detective boyfriend, Hunter and Izzie and her beau, Brody. Oh and I can't forget to mention Chloe's twelve pound ball of fluff Maltese and poodle mix, Max. And I have to say I really like the the exploration of mural painting in this book and art in general. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, A Brush with Murder.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

[Ppcfransen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chloe and Izzie, the sister sleuths, and their assistant Willow annoy me. And not just because all three of them happen to have the same nervous tic when they have to deliver some uncomfortable news. They annoy me because they keep calling their investigation into Lana’s death ‘the case’, as if they are actual detectives.

Chloe insists she wants to investigate because she’s a suspect herself, but other than the one mention from detective Winsell that she’s a suspect because she supposedly found the body, there is no further indication he suspects her of anything. Not even of potentially harmfully meddling in his case. After all, he asks her boyfriend to join his investigative team (no conflict if interest there), shares case details with her, and doesn’t even tell her off about removing possible evidence from the crime scene.

Chloe might have been able to claim wanting justice for her friend Lana, but (A) she never claimed wanting justice, and (B) there were so few memories of Lana that I had a hard time believing she and Lana were ever friends. So basically, Chloe is just another nosey person that thinks she’s better at detecting than the actual detectives.

I will say this for the story: there were a lot of red herrings. On the other hand: one of the possible suspects disappeared from the story for no discernable reason.

In all, I did not enjoy this book much, but kept reading for the killer’s reveal.

As a side note: chapter nine references some event (multiple times) that doesn’t happen until chapter ten. Chapter eleven has some mixed up scenes as well. This should have been picked out by proofreaders or editor.

Side note 2: anchoring fists to hips got to stop.

I read an arc through NetGalley.

[Melanie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chloe is a self-described artist by day and sleuth by night which makes her a departure from the normal character in a cozy. What is not a departure from cozies is the feeling of nostalgia that we feel when reading cozies. When reading a cozy, the town either reminds of us when we live or an idyllic town, we which we lived in. The town in this story is described as an artist haven with small shops doing well and a controversial project that could bring more tourists or more commotion.
That town drama sets the stage for a fascinating cozy mystery with Chloe, her boyfriend, and her sister at the center. The portrayal of a tight family in this story made it incredibly relatable to me as my family has always been tight. Our author also created a very relatable tale when she talked about how hard it is to make ends meet today.
The author did a really nice job of building many red herrings into the story keeping us guessing almost to the very end. We had clues and evidence that pointed in multiple directions including adding another crime to the tale. Chloe is a terrific character as is Hunter and the author gave us a touching moment with the first time they said the L word. Hunter’s timing is perfect especially at the end of the tale. When I initially selected this book, I did not realize it was part of a series but now that I do I plan to go back and read book 1. Obviously, that means I enjoyed the book but thought it was a touch long but things came together at the end and made me glad I read it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Easier Dead Than Drawn”, is the nicely done third book in Bailee Abbott’s Paint by Number cozy mystery series. In this book Chloe Abbington is thrilled when her close friend, famous wall muralist Lana Easton, is hired to paint a mural for the return of the floating amphitheater to Whisper Cove. Unfortunately, things don’t go as well as expected and when Lana is murdered, Chloe finds herself one of the suspects. She and her sister Izzie, along with their employee Willow, need to clear her name and find her killer but will they be able to do so?

I really enjoyed this mystery. I love the setting – not only the paint shop and events that Chloe, Izzie, and Willow run, but their relationship with their parents and significant others, and the setting of Whisper Cove. It is a town full of passionate people and their response to the return of the amphitheater plays an important role in this book. The mystery is well done with just the right touch of sadness from Chloe at the loss of her friend (it is well done but doesn’t overwhelm the book) and just the right amount of suspects – just like Chloe, Izzie, and Willow, I was going back and forth trying to figure out who the killer was. The part where the killer was revealed was nicely done with just the right amount of tension. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and was sorry when my visit to Whisper Cover was over – I look forward to visiting there again.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable addition to the series. This is the third release in the cozy series "Abbott's Paint by Murder Mystery" series, The location is a lakeside small town in New York. The series features Chloe and her friend who own and manage a wine and painting store that is adored by the local community and very popular. Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the Author for the opportunity.

I have read the first two in series and recommend highly this charming cozy series. Each book developes the characters further and builds on the last book with wonderful supporting characters and intriquing sleuthing by Chloe and her best friend. The author builds a remarkable amount of clues and red herrings to keep the reader guessing to conclusion. A adorable dog and a detective boyfriend for Chloe add to the series. This mystery centers around a artist who is hired to paint a mural and is murdered. Chloe is first person to find her body and is now suspect number one. While trying to clear her own name Chloe finds a series of suspects and works to clear her name, save her business and find the right suspect for the police.

I enjoy this series and look forward to the next in series. The writing is well crafted and the creation of the characters and the plot is excellent. Well done to the author.

[Short, Sweet and Cozy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easier Dead Than Drawn is the 3rd book in A Paint By Murder Mysteries. This is the first book I have read in this series and although it is ok as a stand alone book I felt I had missed quite a bit of the character development. Chloe Abington and her sister Izzie co-own a paint studio. Chloe's friend Lana is coming to town for two weeks to paint a mural. Chloe and Lana had been really good friends in Paris but had a falling out in NYC. They decided to forget the past. Lana brought her boyfriend Nick, her assistant Audrey and a computer whiz Tate. Not everyone in town is supportive of the mural and the amphitheater. Lana ends up dead and Chloe and Izzie begin to sleuth. Chloe's boyfriend Hunter who is a police detective in another town comes back to help out. I may go back and read the other books, although the cases and culprits are discussed in this book. The characters are likable and the sisters are great! The cozy mystery kept me guessing although there were basically only 4 or 5 suspects none of which were removed from the list. This was an enjoyable cozy mystery. I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley and Level Best Books and I voluntarily leave this review. #EasierDeadThanDrawn #APaintByMurderMystery #LevelBestBooks

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the town council hires Chloe Abbington's friend, wall muralist Lana Easton, to paint a mural advertising the return of the floating amphitheater, not everyone in Whisper Cove is happy about the theater or Lana. Naysayers think the noise from concerts and visitors will disrupt their quiet community. It doesn't help that a lot of money taken from the town's budget is being used to pay the muralist for her services. The mood turns even more grim when Lana is found dead, and since Chloe was there alone to discover her body, that makes her the prime suspect. Can Chloe and her sister, Izzy find the true culprit among several suspects?
This cozy mystery had great characters and a wonderful plot that kept me confounded until the very end. One of the things that confused me was the number of suspects. There were too many to keep them straight in my mind. I love the idea of having a business like this that caters to parties where people can be creative using paints and other crafts. Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

[Donna Metler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I enjoy cozy mysteries, not only for the mystery, but for the look into different jobs and hobbies. This book, set with a backdrop of a large scale mural project, is no exception on the latter, but I found the former lacking. Not because the set up wasn't there. Abbott did a great job of leaving clues and making suggestions, but because it almost felt like she'd hit a deadline, and instead of writing the last 1/4 of the book, where the clues come together and there's personal risk to a character or characters you've come to care about, she just wrote a tied up in a bow solution.

I think the author could write an amazing mystery. I don't think this book quite hits the mark for me. Having said that, if you want to read about the logistics and community struggles around a large scale mural project, you may find it quite enjoyable.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing better than I cozy mystery series that gets better with each new book. Book three in the series is Easier Dead Than Drawn.
Small town mysteries are so fun to read. Chloe and her sister Izzie co-own a painting and wine store. Everyone in town adores them. When there is a mural that needs to be painted Chloes friend Lana is coming to paint the mural for the amphitheater. Not everyone in town likes the idea of having the amphitheater. When Lana turns up dead this sets Chloe and Izzie into motion to find the killer.
This is a series that I think all cozy mystery readers will enjoy.
Thank you NetGalley and Bailee Abbott for the copy of Easier Dead Than Drawn. This is my personal review.

[Kelly Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easier Dead Than Drawn by Bailee Abbott is another good installment of the A Paint by Murder Mystery. This time main character Chloe Abbington is one of many suspects for the murder of a muralist, spurring her on to find out the identity of the killer of her one time best friend.
The third book in the series is proficiently written, but I found myself skipping over large, overly-detailed sections of it in order to not lose track of the plot. It is also somewhat repetitive, especially in regards to examination of the suspects.
Overall, the mystery itself is intriguing, and any number of characters could be the killer, keeping the reader guessing until the end.
I received an ARC of #EasierDeadThanDrawn from #NetGalley.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting return to Whisper Cove!

While Easier Dead Than Drawn is the third book in author Bailee Abbott’s fun and artsy Paint By Murder Mysteries series, it has enough backstory woven into the narrative so readers who are new to the series can easily catch up and enjoy the current adventure. (However, the entire series is charming, full of mystery and suspense, and shouldn’t be missed!)

The Abbington sister sleuths, family, friends, and love interests all work together to solve the murder of Chloe’s former roommate, who is in Whisper Cove on a commission for the town to create a mural. Their need to catch the killer is critical as Chloe, having discovered the body of her friend, is one of the first suspects of the lead detective on the case.

The plot of the book, besides the murder and the women’s investigation, is enhanced by the conflict among the townspeople over a proposed new amphitheater: some absolutely want it, while some vehemently oppose it. The case focuses on a couple of promising suspects close to the murdered artist, with plot twists that help rule out some or send the investigators in another direction. The resolution was accomplished in a unique manner, which was a great surprise. And, of course, the storyline features the sisters’ business of those fun group painting parties!

I recommend EASIER DEAD THAN DRAWN to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy a craft-themed story.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

[Brianne Huffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun, cozy mystery was such a pleasant surprise! I loved the fmc Chloe and her sister, Izzie. Their relationship was fun and sweet. Chloe is an artist with a complicated relationship with muralist, Lana. When Lana dies, and Chloe is the first to find her, she becomes a suspect. So Chloe takes the investigation into her own hands! As with any cozy mystery, there is a lot of back and forth as to who killed Lana with a somewhat short list of suspects. This story wraps up pretty quickly, and the murderer was pretty predictable, the story was fun and cute. Exactly what I am looking for in a cozy mystery.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and well developed cozy mystery, I was glad to catch up with characters and the solid mystery kept me hooked
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting career choice for a main character, but I enjoy this series. Fun read, loved the twists and turns.