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The Canvas Killings
30 years ago …
Renowned artist, James Montague Ballantyne, is convicted of murdering eight people and using their remains in his infamous paintings.
Now …
A face is recognised. Three lives collide. Old wounds reopen.
Family man and dependable teacher, Sam Reed, foils a robbery and is celebrated in the media. Now the centre of unwanted attention, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel.
Colleague and friend, Aiden Voss, a risk analyst with secrets of his own, is grieving the loss of his sister to alleged suicide.
Journalist, Tamsin Fischer, still looking for answers to a decades-old disappearance, believes Sam is Ballantyne’s son and the only lead to finding her mother’s remains. Proposing an unlikely alliance, she enlists Aiden’s help to uncover the truth.
But something is fatally wrong with this picture.
A gripping, dark psychological thriller packed with plenty of plot twists, The Canvas Killings explores the weight of legacy, the compulsion for self-preservation, and the art of murder. A must read for fans of smart crime fiction.
Renowned artist, James Montague Ballantyne, is convicted of murdering eight people and using their remains in his infamous paintings.
Now …
A face is recognised. Three lives collide. Old wounds reopen.
Family man and dependable teacher, Sam Reed, foils a robbery and is celebrated in the media. Now the centre of unwanted attention, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel.
Colleague and friend, Aiden Voss, a risk analyst with secrets of his own, is grieving the loss of his sister to alleged suicide.
Journalist, Tamsin Fischer, still looking for answers to a decades-old disappearance, believes Sam is Ballantyne’s son and the only lead to finding her mother’s remains. Proposing an unlikely alliance, she enlists Aiden’s help to uncover the truth.
But something is fatally wrong with this picture.
A gripping, dark psychological thriller packed with plenty of plot twists, The Canvas Killings explores the weight of legacy, the compulsion for self-preservation, and the art of murder. A must read for fans of smart crime fiction.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 18, 2025
6 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 2, 2025
Big thanks to Jett Books for sending us a copy to read and review.
The beauty of art and the violence of murder intertwine in a mystery that creates a canvass of intrigue and guessing for the reader.
The ghastliness of the past and the antics of a serial killer artist is reignited.
Unassuming and steadfast teacher Sam Reeding is caught up in a robbery of a convenience store and features on the news.
Publicity sparks recognition and opens a can of worms for him.
A journalist with persistence and determination wants to shed some light on her murdered mother and hope to find the remains for closure.
A tenacity for justice unravels truth and puts her own life in danger.
I was so intrigued with this premise and haunted by how easily this could be true.
A murder mystery set mainly in Melbourne kept me guessing and offered a twist I didn’t see coming.
A writing collaboration that certainly works well will satisfy the voracious appetite readers have for this genre.
The beauty of art and the violence of murder intertwine in a mystery that creates a canvass of intrigue and guessing for the reader.
The ghastliness of the past and the antics of a serial killer artist is reignited.
Unassuming and steadfast teacher Sam Reeding is caught up in a robbery of a convenience store and features on the news.
Publicity sparks recognition and opens a can of worms for him.
A journalist with persistence and determination wants to shed some light on her murdered mother and hope to find the remains for closure.
A tenacity for justice unravels truth and puts her own life in danger.
I was so intrigued with this premise and haunted by how easily this could be true.
A murder mystery set mainly in Melbourne kept me guessing and offered a twist I didn’t see coming.
A writing collaboration that certainly works well will satisfy the voracious appetite readers have for this genre.
October 28, 2025
A unique and thrilling read! Very difficult to put down
December 28, 2025
Perfect holiday read - devoured it in a day. Was completely engulfed by the rich tapestry of characters and the page turning mystery.
September 28, 2025
Disclaimer: I’m related to one of the authors and read three of the drafts – but can sincerely recommend this as a great read. The crime is gruesomely original, the characters are likeable and relatable, and the dialogue is fast and entertaining. Twists keep you guessing to the very end, and the light, skillful writing pulls you relentlessly through the dark side of human nature. I was completely absorbed from start to finish.
September 27, 2025
THE CANVAS KILLINGS (Jett Books 2025) by Elise Janes is a propulsive, spine-tingling, fast-paced crime thriller that combines the beauty and meaning of art with intergenerational trauma, complex relationships, history and the most unique serial killer narrative that is bold, original, horrifying and gloriously unforgettable. Full of suspense, misdirection and (possibly?) unreliable narrators, this story is a saga of fame, wealth, ambition, grief, family dysfunction, revenge, regret, betrayal and survival. It is one of the best literary crime thrillers I’ve read in a long time and the characters still live in my head (some of them in a good way, some perhaps in a way far longer than I might welcome).
The opening premise is powerful, shocking and disturbing: 30 years ago, renowned and celebrated Australian artist James Montague Ballantyne is convicted of murdering eight people and using their remains in his famous (subsequently infamous) paintings. This plot is such a fascinating point at which to begin: obviously the public – and particularly his clients, the owners of his work – are horrified by his heinous crimes. Gallerists who have sold his paintings, private owners, art critics – all who have been loud and prominent in their praise of Ballantyne’s acclaimed works, suddenly have to backpedal. Yes, his art is magnificent, but at what cost? The creepy and distasteful practice of him encouraging art aficionados to get up close and personal to his artworks is immediately and violently abhorred and castigated by everyone. It was a terrible time, monstrous crimes, and the public is collectively scarred by the illusion of beauty, when art can be comprised of universally hated materials.
But this is backstory. The narrative proper begins in the present day, when unassuming teacher Sam Reed becomes an accidental hero by foiling a robbery attempt at a corner store. With a couple of teenage girls as witnesses, his actions are instantaneously uploaded to social media and his face is all over the country, all over the world.
Sam Reed is a family man with children. Ordinary. Benign. But beneath that carefully constructed façade are secrets he has taken great pains to hide, and with his face splashed over screens, his anxiety heightens that someone, somewhere, will recognise him.
Sam’s colleague and good friend, Aiden Voss, is unsettled by Sam’s unravelling and cannot seem to help. He is originally a risk analyst, his life temporarily unmoored by his quest to discover the details of his sister’s death just a few years earlier. It was declared a suicide, but Aiden is not convinced.
And then there is the journalist, Tamsin Fischer, daughter of the legendary Zelda Munro-Fischer – an older woman with dementia now confined to a nursing home. But back in the day, Zelda covered the Ballantyne case with fervour and passion, even gaining one exclusive interview on the artist’s Blackheath property. Tamsin works under her mother’s shadow while looking for the disappearance of her birth mother, believed to be one of Ballantyne’s victims. Adopted by Zelda as a two-year-old, Tamsin has never felt Zelda to be the mothering type, and while she abhors her adoptive mother’s treasure trove of archived history about the Ballantyne killings, she is also driven to find out what really happened to her biological mother. In an unlikely alliance, Tamsin and Aiden work together to uncover their own mysteries.
With crisp and often humorous dialogue, grisly details, perfectly captured characterisations, gruesome content, fast paced action, scarily intelligent technological skills, authentic family and personal dynamics, a dash of romance, the weight of intergenerational trauma and legacy, friendship and familial duty, THE CANVAS KILLINGS achieves that most precious balance of gritty, confronting and visceral crime set against a backdrop of likeable and empathetic characters, ordinary family scenarios, the glamour and hype of the high-end art world, and the very real and relatable personal stories of people with childhoods they would rather forget, new lives created, ambitions chased and alliances forged. It is the perfect balance of light and dark.
This is an absolutely fantastic story written with emotion and literary skill while remaining true to its crime roots. It will surprise and horrify. It will endear you to characters and then force you to doubt your loyalties. It will question everything you thought you knew. And the ending is a triumph.
The opening premise is powerful, shocking and disturbing: 30 years ago, renowned and celebrated Australian artist James Montague Ballantyne is convicted of murdering eight people and using their remains in his famous (subsequently infamous) paintings. This plot is such a fascinating point at which to begin: obviously the public – and particularly his clients, the owners of his work – are horrified by his heinous crimes. Gallerists who have sold his paintings, private owners, art critics – all who have been loud and prominent in their praise of Ballantyne’s acclaimed works, suddenly have to backpedal. Yes, his art is magnificent, but at what cost? The creepy and distasteful practice of him encouraging art aficionados to get up close and personal to his artworks is immediately and violently abhorred and castigated by everyone. It was a terrible time, monstrous crimes, and the public is collectively scarred by the illusion of beauty, when art can be comprised of universally hated materials.
But this is backstory. The narrative proper begins in the present day, when unassuming teacher Sam Reed becomes an accidental hero by foiling a robbery attempt at a corner store. With a couple of teenage girls as witnesses, his actions are instantaneously uploaded to social media and his face is all over the country, all over the world.
Sam Reed is a family man with children. Ordinary. Benign. But beneath that carefully constructed façade are secrets he has taken great pains to hide, and with his face splashed over screens, his anxiety heightens that someone, somewhere, will recognise him.
Sam’s colleague and good friend, Aiden Voss, is unsettled by Sam’s unravelling and cannot seem to help. He is originally a risk analyst, his life temporarily unmoored by his quest to discover the details of his sister’s death just a few years earlier. It was declared a suicide, but Aiden is not convinced.
And then there is the journalist, Tamsin Fischer, daughter of the legendary Zelda Munro-Fischer – an older woman with dementia now confined to a nursing home. But back in the day, Zelda covered the Ballantyne case with fervour and passion, even gaining one exclusive interview on the artist’s Blackheath property. Tamsin works under her mother’s shadow while looking for the disappearance of her birth mother, believed to be one of Ballantyne’s victims. Adopted by Zelda as a two-year-old, Tamsin has never felt Zelda to be the mothering type, and while she abhors her adoptive mother’s treasure trove of archived history about the Ballantyne killings, she is also driven to find out what really happened to her biological mother. In an unlikely alliance, Tamsin and Aiden work together to uncover their own mysteries.
With crisp and often humorous dialogue, grisly details, perfectly captured characterisations, gruesome content, fast paced action, scarily intelligent technological skills, authentic family and personal dynamics, a dash of romance, the weight of intergenerational trauma and legacy, friendship and familial duty, THE CANVAS KILLINGS achieves that most precious balance of gritty, confronting and visceral crime set against a backdrop of likeable and empathetic characters, ordinary family scenarios, the glamour and hype of the high-end art world, and the very real and relatable personal stories of people with childhoods they would rather forget, new lives created, ambitions chased and alliances forged. It is the perfect balance of light and dark.
This is an absolutely fantastic story written with emotion and literary skill while remaining true to its crime roots. It will surprise and horrify. It will endear you to characters and then force you to doubt your loyalties. It will question everything you thought you knew. And the ending is a triumph.
October 25, 2025
The Canvas Killings is a dark, gripping crime novel that kept me guessing right up to the end.
It took me a couple of chapters to figure out all the characters and how they were connected, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.
The author/s cleverly weaves a complex web of clues, motives, and misdirection. The story is gruesome, twisty and full of surprises.
An absolute page-turner and must read for crime fiction fans.
It took me a couple of chapters to figure out all the characters and how they were connected, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.
The author/s cleverly weaves a complex web of clues, motives, and misdirection. The story is gruesome, twisty and full of surprises.
An absolute page-turner and must read for crime fiction fans.
November 13, 2025
The Canvas Killings
The Canvas Killings characters are as vibrant and diverse as the Melbourne art gallery scene. If you live in Melbourne and love art, you will feel the pulse of the suburbs, the eccentricities of the gallerist and games played by all involved, right to the very end. Absolutely loved it!
The Canvas Killings characters are as vibrant and diverse as the Melbourne art gallery scene. If you live in Melbourne and love art, you will feel the pulse of the suburbs, the eccentricities of the gallerist and games played by all involved, right to the very end. Absolutely loved it!
October 22, 2025
Gobsmackingly Good. This debut crime thriller by Elise Janes (Jett Books) has got it all. With the Australian art scene as its backdrop, the premise will keep you turning the pages well into the night. Just enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat with a delicious surprise at the end.
December 23, 2025
The Canvas Killings is the perfect crime thriller, filled with unpredictable twists and turns that made me race through the final pages. A beautiful, haunting portrait of Australia and the complex characters within. I would recommend to anyone looking for a crime page-turner set in Australia's rugged landscape!
October 19, 2025
This book is a true page turner. The book has the lot - Clues, plot twists and surprises. Set in Melbourne and Sydney it sets the scene for a gruesome discovery and the trail of lies and deception follows. Once you start you won’t want to stop until you have discovered “who did it”.
November 15, 2025
Wow, loved this book. Thriller suspense isn’t usually my genre, but I couldn’t put this down. An absolute page-turner with a clever storyline, plenty of twists and turns, and characters that keep you hooked to the very end. Can’t recommend it enough 👌🏼
October 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Kept me guessing till the end.
Loved it
Loved it
November 18, 2025
This book is addictive! Such an exciting read. The story is highly creative, the mystery keeps you guessing, and the characters feel real. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend.
January 22, 2026
Couldn’t put it down. Lots of twists. It will leave you guessing till the end!
October 11, 2025
Loved this read. Couldn't read quick enough for the twists, and, just when I thought I had it all worked out, it would take another unexpected turn. I was intrigued right from the start. I think this read would make a great mini-series. Thank you
February 8, 2026
A perfect holiday read that captures you from the beginning. Once started, I couldn’t put it down!! A must read for this summer
January 22, 2026
I read this while on holiday and found it a great book. Wanted to keep reading even when I know I should be sleeping!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews