A Brush with Murder (The Shepherd Sisters Mysteries #4)
by Tracy Gardner
My Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Age Category: Adult
Type of romance: m/f
Blurb:
Can Savanna Shepherd and her sisters unravel a deadly web of art and betrayal before the final brushstroke paints their doom?When Savanna Shepherd’s father, Harlan, and artist friend Sebastian Alexander vanish during a sailing regatta along Michigan’s west coast, the Shepherd family is plunged into turmoil. As the Coast Guard scours the Great Lake, Savanna sets aside her work on Sebastian’s art show to join her sisters in comforting their mother and aiding in the search.
When Sebastian’s assistant is found dead—Savanna’s keen eye as an art authenticator turns to a darker canvas: decoding the secrets of Sebastian’s bitter family. Days later, the missing yacht drifts ashore, with Harlan gravely injured, Sebastian missing, and a sinister bloodstain on the bow.
In this compelling mystery brimming with small-town charm, loyal pets, and family ties, Savanna must piece together the clues to uncover who cut the lines, spilled the blood, and nearly tore her world apart.
My Review
I listened to the first three books in this series in audio and I really like this series, so I was super excited when I heard the author was re-publishing the first 3 books with a new publisher and adding 2 new books to the series. I bought this one on release day and didn’t wait long to start reading it.
A Brush with Murder is the fourth book in this series and continues the story of The Shepherd Sisters with a new mystery in each book. I really enjoyed being back in this world and reading about the Shepherd Sisters again. Sydney is getting married soon, while Skylar is having some troubles she isn’t sharing yet. Savanna meanwhile gets involved in another mystery as her father and one of his best friends go missing while participating in a regatta.
It took me some time to get into this book, as I listened to the other 3 and reading one felt different somehow. I also struggled a bit when someone close to Savannah lands in the hospital as I just recently had visited my sick mother in the hospital, so that hit a bit too close to home. The mystery was a bit slow to start and I just had these moments were it wasn’t fully working for me. Luckily the mystery picked up, the family member got out of the hospital and I got used to reading instead of listening and it got easier for me to enjoy the book. Not my favorite book in the series, but I still enjoyed it.
The mystery didn’t fully grip me, it was very slow to start. Looking back I can see how this lead up was part of the mystery, but in the moment it was hard to connect the pieces and it felt like there was this stretch were they were just waiting and nothign much was happening. I got a bit more itnerested when Savannah got more actively involved after finding a dead body, but I still didn’t get fully invested. There were some possible suspects and some interesting clues. I didn’t feel the Shepherd Sisters were as instrumental in solving this one as some of the earlier books, but they do find a big clue the police missed which leads to them solving the case. And the way it came together at the end was great and I liked how it all made sense and how some clues from earlier on tied back in the wrap up.
One of my favorite parts of this series is reading about Savannah and her sisters. they all have some things going on in their life and it’s fun to read about them and see them interact with each other. They are a very close knit family and there are some heartwarming scenes with them being there for each other. Then there is Aidan, Savannah’s fiancé and his daughter Mollie who are fun to read about. As well as some pet characters who make fun additions to the story.
To summarize: I was excited to hear this series gets two more books and quickly got this fourth book after it released. It was so fun to be back in this world and reading about the Shepherd Sisters and their lives. All three sisters have things going on and there is a new mystery. I had a few moments I struggled a bit with this one due to having listened to the first 3 books and reading this one, the mystery being a bit slow to start and the injured family member which hit a bit close to home as I recently visited my mom in the hospital. The mystery picked up later and I liked seeing it all play out and fall on it’s place. I enjoyed reading more about the Shepherd Sisters, their loved ones and pets. I look forward to the next book!
Fun that a favorite series got a re-vamp and two additional books. I’ve experienced that feeling that while I’m reading the story seemed to drag and then later when I had the complete story, it all made sense. Glad it turned out pretty good.
I was so excited it got a re-vamp and two additional books. I bought the fifth book as well that just released and hope to read that soon. Some of those earlier clues when the story dragged a bit did turn out important later on.
That cover is so cute.
It sure is, the whole series got such cute covers with these re-published editions.