SYNOPSIS:
Artist Xander Draper is being threatened by a dangerous group. With PI Jordan Jenner's help, Xander hopes to remain unscathed. But when Xander is murdered, his body displayed as his final exhibit, Jordan realises the extent of the trouble Xander was in. Now, there are people following Jordan. They know his name, and they want him dead. Meanwhile, Jordan's brother Ashley has returned, and he has a secret. As time runs out to solve the murder of the famous artist, Jordan begins to fear his brother may be responsible. A classic cosy mystery set in the heart of Cardiff. A perfect read for fans of Agatha Christie. A murdered artist. A brother with a deadly secret. A group intent on killing. The Art of Murder is the second in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries series, a cosy murder mystery set in Wales.
My Thoughts:
Although this is the second book in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries it can be easily read as a standalone. The characters are well developed, with snippets of key information from the previous book thrown into the story line so that you fully understand their journey and don't feel like you have missed anything.
I loved the concept of the Dollys, although I didn't agree with their methodology; who wouldn't be annoyed if they felt someone had reached their fame and fortune via a shortcut or an unfair advantage? This element alone made the novel feel very realistic and I was determined to know who was behind the Dollys and how far they had gone to disrupt the lives of their targeted artists.
I also loved the complicated relationship between Jordan and his brother Ashley. The Jenner brothers made the story line all the more intriguing and I was desperate to get to the bottom of Ashley's secret for coming back to his home town. Although I did guess who was behind the murders, there were enough red-herrings along the way to make me question and re-examine my initial thoughts. I was thrown off track a few times.
I enjoyed the setting, especially as I had visited a few places mentioned in the book. The art world was another fascinating element to the novel, along with the corruption and bitterness towards the artists. I particularly liked the way Jordan was able to work alongside the police, rather than against them. There was a mutual understanding here which you don't always find in novels of this kind.
This cosy mystery allows you to get sucked in to the story line, keeps you second guessing yourself and is a brilliant easy read. Thank you to damppebbles blog tours, Jack Sam Strange and Panther Publications for inviting me to join The Art of Murder blog tour.
AUTHOR:
J.S. Strange is an author from Wales, United Kingdom. He writes crime, mystery and horror. His first novels, published in 2016 and 2017, were set in an apocalyptic London. Murder on the Rocks, is the first in a cozy crime mystery series, featuring a leading gay male detective.
Murder on the Rocks was written by Strange for many reasons. One of those reasons was a lack of representation within the crime genre, particularly with detectives and sleuths. Strange created Jordan Jenner, a private investigator, who lives and works in Cardiff. Murder on the Rocks was written with the intention of shining light on Cardiff, and bringing Cardiff, and furthermore, Wales, into the crime genre.
Strange's previous works, such as 'Winter Smith: London Burning', also explored LGBT themes, and featured socialite Winter Smith escaping a zombie apocalypse. 'London's Burning' became an Amazon best-seller in LGBT fiction.
When Strange doesn't write, he works in television. He also presents a radio show all about the paranormal. He has an enthusiasm for Britney Spears and cats.
Social Media:
Twitter: @JackSamStrange
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackSamuelStrange/
Website: https://jackrunstheworld.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsstrange/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B01AUNFQ78?_encoding=UTF8&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true&ref_=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1&rfkd=1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
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