Review: Murder at the Arts and Crafts Festival

Title: Murder at the Arts and Crafts Festival

Series: Cleo Mack #3

Author: G. P. Gardner

Release Date: December 3rd, 2019

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads: It’s late March in Fairhope, Alabama, and artists from around the country are flocking to the bayside town’s Arts & Crafts Festival. The annual tradition has something for everyone, only this year, the main attraction is murder . . . Cleo Mack’s life has been a whirlwind since she inadvertely became the executive director of Harbor Village, a retirement community bustling with energetic seniors. Juggling apartment sales, quirky residents, and a fast-moving romance is tricky business. But on-the-job stress develops a new meaning when Twinkle Thaw, a portrait artist known to ruffle a few feathers, arrives unannounced for the weekend’s festival and drops dead hours later—mysteriously poisoned . . . Twinkle’s bizarre death doesn’t seem like an accident. Not with a sketchy newcomer slinking around town and a gallery of suspects who may have wanted her out of the picture for good. As Cleo brushes with the truth, she soon finds that solving the crime could mean connecting the dots between a decades-old art heist and an unpredictable killer who refuses to color inside the lines . . .

My Review: Although this is the 3rd book in the series, it was fine to read as a standalone. I do think it would read better if the other two had been read but it still worked. I enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure out who the bad guy (I was not right!). I also thought the arts and crafts festival made for a fun and unique setting. After reading this I will be going back and reading the first two!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All opinions are my own.*