Cover Image: Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece

Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece

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Member Reviews

A fun, charming read with a solid mystery painted in. This author does a good job of writing well rounded characters without drowning the reader in details. The story and mystery are solidly written. Overall a book that you won't be able to quit.

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Sounded different and interesting but it was simplistic and silly. The characters were one dimensional and the story never piqued my interest. Since the main character was an artist I thought her love of art and it’s creation would play a part. We meet her crazy family for a short bit. Had they been in it more the story may have had some quirks and sidelines but it didn’t

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Celeste finds a lot more than sales at her first crafts fair in Gatlinberg, Tennessee! She's always hidden something in her paintings but now she's been accused of creating a haunted one. Well, as it turns out, there is a ghost named Elizabeth and she helps Celeste solve the mystery of the murder of the manager of the fair. Elizabeth is a friendly ghost, she's got a quick way with words, and she's a nice paranormal partner for Celeste. Pressey has packed a lot into this debut for the series, including a sweet chi dog named Van Gogh, the perils of being a newbie on the crafts circuit, living in a trailer, and, well a little romantic interest. That's ok because it gets things going. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of paranormals and cozys!

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What a fun cozy mystery. Crafts, ghosts, murder and quirky characters make for a very entertaining read. I really look forward to reading more books in this series. Mystery fans will love this book.. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

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This is one of those books where I go in thinking it'll be one thing; start reading, realize it might be something else, and then have it turn into something else entirely. It's a mystery and it's also paranormal;. but it's not both at the same time. One really doesn't have much to do with the other, so at times it felt like an odd merging of two stories.

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Celeste Cabot is excited to have the opportunity to sell her paintings at the local craft fair. Unfortunately, her happiness is short-lived when she starts noticing strange things occurring at the fair. First, a customer returns a painting, claiming it's haunted, there's also someone stealing money from the other sellers, and then, the man in charge of the craft fair is murdered. With the help of her new ghost friend Elizabeth, Celeste is determined to catch the killer, and, also find out why she has started seeing ghosts. I enjoyed every minute of this fun paranormal cozy mystery. The writing is solid and the plot moves at a good pace. I liked the unique setting and the quirky cast of characters. The ghost, Elizabeth was my favorite character and I hope to see more of her in the upcoming books. The mystery kept me in suspense and I really liked how the paranormal played a role in catching the killer. This book has wonderful potential and I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for these characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

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I think this debut para-cozy is a fantastic story! Author Rose Pressey shines in her creative expression with this engaging plot. I adore the eye-catching cover with the cute chihuahua, Van Gogh, who is artist Celeste Cabot’s companion and protector. I always enjoy festival settings and this Summer Arts & Crafts Fair in Gatlinburg, Tennessee is also the perfect set-up for a crime scene.

When one of Celeste’s paintings brings a ghost to life, creepy things begin to happen, including the slaying of the unlikeable festival manager. Unfortunately, Celeste has doubts about the innocence of many of her fellow vendors. She meets two men during the investigation who show interest in getting to know her on a personal level, and I wondered which one Celeste would choose.

MURDER CAN MESS WITH YOUR MASTERPIECE charmed me from the beginning with its delightful setting, wonderful characters, adorable pets, and an overall alluring mystery! 5 Stars! As an extra treat, the author includes delicious recipes for recipes for readers to try.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an honest, unbiased review. Thank you.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the most fun I've ever had in reading a book! This is going to be an outstanding series with murder, laughs, murder, love, murder, and dogs. Every mystery reader will greatly enjoy this book. Enjoy! 📚

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The first book in a new series, the haunted craft Fair, is a paranormal mystery. The cover drags into the book and much of the plot is creative. I did not connect with the characters and felt the book could use a good editor as the story jumped around that it was hard to follow. The way the good travel tips were given were laid out made it hard to locate your place in the book and hides the story. I gave it 3 1/2 stars.
Celeste is an artist and travels to various craft fairs in a Shasta trailer. She travels with a chihuahua, Van Gogh. One of painting is return for a refund and and woman tells Celeste that the painting is haunted. Celeste does see and talks with the lady in the picture. She attracts two men at the fair. Celeste is slowly beginning to settle into her new life file when unpleasant campground manager is found murder and she is determined to find an answer to his death.The ending has a surprise that will amuse you. Does Celeste discover the guilty party? Is the painting haunted? Who is the mysterious lady? I recommend this book.

Travel tips included.
Disclosure : Thanks to Kensington Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

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What a start to a new series, combining crafts and ghosts in to a great mystery with a Tennessee backdrop, fun characters and a chihuahua. really looking forward to more and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

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Rose Pressey's Haunted Vintage books are some of my favorite cozy mysteries! I like her writing style, humor, and fun plotlines. So, I jumped right on this new series! I'm glad I did! This first book in the Haunted Craft Fair series was a very enjoyable read!

Celeste Cabot longs to ditch her regular job and sell her paintings full time. The Summer Arts & Crafts Fair at Gatlinburg, TN is her first foray into living off sales of her art. She moves in her cute pink travel trailer, sets up her booth, and hopes for the best. Things almost immediately go wrong.....strange foreboding figures appearing in her paintings, stolen money, bad vibes, a ghost and.....a dead body. While sales are going well, things at the craft fair seem to be getting increasingly dark and dangerous.

What a cute book! Celeste is a fun main character. Her family is a hoot, and I just love the idea of a chihuahua named Van Gogh. :) I have a chihuahua and a pomchi, so I can identify with the ins and outs of owning one of the little bundles of fierce. Chihuahuas can stuff a lot of courage into their tiny bodies. The front cover art featuring Van Gogh is just incredibly cute!

I live near Gatlinburg, TN and have been there many times. A cozy set in the mountains of Tennessee in that huge tourist area is definitely appealing, especially since Celeste is a local not just a visitor. She isn't there for miniature golf and a hotel with a lazy river pool....but she's selling her artwork to tourists at Gatlinburg's many holiday/seasonal/touristy events. I can see how that will have plenty of plot possibilities!

Great start to a new series! I am eagerly awaiting the next adventure! Luckily, I won't have too long to wait. The next book in the series, Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua, will be out soon!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

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Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey is the first book in the Haunted Craft Fair Mysteries series.

This is a great foundation for future installments. The characters were like able and also quirky, which added an interesting layer to the read.

I liked the female protagonist, Celeste Cabot, and I liked the cast of backup characters as well. She was relatable and I enjoyed following along with her in RV. As a fellow RV traveler, I liked her from the beginning just due to that fact alone. The author then continued drawing me in with her fun and witty personality thereafter.

I enjoyed the premise, the murder/mystery component, and the paranormal component added with Celeste’s newfound friend from another realm, Elizabeth. I enjoyed their chemistry and I think they will work well together for future books.

A great start.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting this review to my GR account immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Bookbub, and B&N accounts upon publication.

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I. am. going. to. love. this. new. series! I squealed when I saw it come out and squealed again when Netgalley gave me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review (all opinions expressed are mine and mine alone). I didn't know if I was going to like Celeste OR the new storyline; but I do! I so do! It's a cozy mystery with JUST enough suspense to keep the die hard thriller fans interested. I love the love triangle I'm seeing AND both of the men. All of it, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect and CANNOT wait for the next one.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2956469228

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A pleasant first in a new cozy series.
I enjoyed the premise but the protagonist annoyed me. Hopefully the next in the series will let her grow on me.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

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While participating at a local craft fair, artist Celeste Cabot finds herself hunting a murderer and a ghost!
What a fun new series! I loved the fact that Celeste was living in a Shasta trailer, had an adorable & cranky Chihuahua named Van Gogh, a crew of loving and quirky family and friends and a ghost that appears out of the blue to help her solve a mystery.

I was a little bit surprised how easily Celeste accepted the ghostly help, but that didn't affect how much I enjoyed the story. I'm wary of love triangles, but the romantic storyline took second place to the mystery and I actually enjoyed the situation!

I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of this book.

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Celeste Cabot is a painter who had quit her day job as a waitress at her Aunt’s diner and is not looking to hit the craft fair circuit with her Chihuahua Van Gogh and her trailer. Hoping to make a living selling paintings she apparently has a talent she didn’t realize she had…Celeste paints in hidden images that can bring the spirit to her. She finds out when a customer returns a painting because it is haunted. This sets off the foundation for the series.

When money is being stolen from vendors at the fair and then the fair’s manager is murdered, Celeste is put into the thick of things. Meeting a handsome fellow artist who seems to appear when Celeste finds the body of the manager, she has to wonder whether the man is a murderer or truly an artist. She has her doubts, but she also has the ghost of her great, great, great Aunt Elizabeth as her side kick. Celeste wants nothing more than to solve the murder and survived the craft fair in one piece. But will be able to do that or will she be the next victim when she gets close to unveiling the murderer?

I’m a huge fan of Rose Pressey’s other series, so when I saw that she had a new series, I HAD to read the first book. I adored her Haunted Vintage series and it took me a bit to get into this new one because I kept thinking back to that one. But once I got past that, I was in Haunted Craft Fair mode. Looking forward to another entry in this series.

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A light cozy read!
Love the characters and story development.
Can't wait for the next instalment and see what happens next with the hidden messages and if there will be more otherworldly characters.

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Fun read. Lots of quirky characters. The main character did a lot of stupid stuff, but some of it was funny so it didn't bother me too much. Overall it was an interesting, fun read.

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I really enjoyed this quirky cozy mystery about an artist who travels around in a trailer exhibiting her art at craft fairs in a little pink trailer. As she meets other exhibitors, who are also living in trailers, a murder occurs. Is it the jewelry vendor, the leather goods vendor or the sexy guy who makes wooden toys? The author had me guessing who the murderer was until the end. I especially liked the paranormal element that comes through in her paintings. This is a fun mystery and easy to read. A delightful escape.

I obtained this book through Net Galley and have left an honest review.

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Yes! I absolutely LOVED Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey and cannot wait to see what's in store for the rest of the series. I am always looking for new cozy mystery series to start and this will be one I follow! If you are a fan of the genre, you won't regret reading this one!

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