The Artist was advertised as a murder mystery/romance featuring Tula Crane who paints faces on dead women and Casey Wilson, a detective in the Moses Lake, Washington, Police Department. The book should have been billed as a paranormal murder mystery instead. The romance element was practically nonexistent between Tula and Casey. Had I know about the paranormal storyline I likely would not have selected this book. Some people may enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me.

The police portion of the storyline left the police personnel, mainly Casey and Mike, looking like bumbling idiots. When does a police officer leave the person they are protecting on a porch to go to the bathroom, with the serial killer watching the person being protected? 2.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tula is one the most amazing artist in the world but she been in hiding her parents kept her isolated since she was a child she only had one friend Matt who help her escape their abuse. Casey is cop who is hunting what looks like a serial killer when Tula who hope the visions she has when she got hurt have gone returns she can’t help herself but get involved even if it’s means her parents finding her.

I enjoy this read it’s more a mystery then a romance with supernatural elements I figure out who the killer was early on but it’s didn’t stop me from enjoying this read and I can’t wait for the next one although please put a little more romance though.




I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Tula was gentle and very likable. however, the author kept repeating the same sentence over and over throughout the book, I thought that was unneeded since the story itself was fine no need to repeat the same struggle and tbh I wanted to feel as if all characters are real except I can tell its the same person. I don't know if I make sense. for ex. I would say not in a million years but another one could say no chance in hell. but the author makes them all use the same style of speaking. moreover, yes the mystery is predictable I knew who the killer way early and I was checked that Tula did not as well. anyway, very creative writing.

This book was right up my alley!
It actually tells us two stories: Tula/Casey's and Angel's - and at first I was a bit confused with this third POV but then I got it and thought it was a nice touch that allowed us to know more about Tula's "gift", though we don't get the whole story of Angel and Blue until the end.

I liked Tula and Casey working together and building their relationship. I hated Tula's neighbours from the very beginning, and I was even in a bit of disbelief of somethings the neighbour used to do (like coming up uninvited and all that) that didn't ring any bells on Tula but ok.

Even though it's macabre having to paint faces of dead women, I thought it was very creative of the author to have it this way and that Tula and Casey worked together on the investigation.

Not a perfect book, but I was hooked on this story. Definitely recommend.

This has been a paranormal thriller without much substance. There are two stories that intertwine, but neither of them is particularly interesting. Also the way it is written does not help to understand some things. The plot that takes place in the present time is simple and without much expectation, without mystery either. The plot that occurs in the past is also quite predictable. And the sum of the two is passable at best.

The two protagonists are not especially remarkable either. One is the artist of the title, Tula, who has had a singular life since her childhood, an artistic talent that at one point was transformed into visions that she captured on canvas. Due to circumstances, which are outlined in the book at most, she stopped painting but now that desire has returned to her in full force. On the other side is Casey, who is a detective who must somehow take over the case of the murdered women that Tula is painting, but then she can't be on the case.

But Tula and Casey end up uniting their powers, with the help of other spiritual and earthly forces, to end up solving a case that didn't need so much superpower.

Not much more to add on my part.

The Artist is an outstanding story.
Tula Crane suffered a head injury years ago and what followed is an ability to paint faces of women, sadly those women are or are about to be killed. Tula has no recollection of painting them because she slips into an unconscious state.
As she tries to help the local police she's suspected of being the killer until detective Casey Wilson agrees to stay with her. What she sees at first jars her but she's going to get answers.
Now evil has found Tula and she's being watched. It's coming for her.
This is such a nail biter filled with action, suspense, heartache and an angel that has been trying to keep Tula safe, now she's not sure she is help.

I highly recommend this one.

Thank you @NetGalley @BoldStrokesBooks, @TheArtist for this ARC

More of a 3.5 stars.

I really liked the premise of the book and I feel like the plot did it justice! I wasn't expecting the story to have a paranormal aspect but I liked that too, along with the writing. I would say it's a murder mystery but the mystery wasn't hard to guess and the suspense came from the mcs trying to catch them which was still entertaining to me :) I would've liked a bit more development with the sapphic romance on page though.

The blurb tells you what you need to know about this paranormal suspense novel. Tula Crane makes a living as a graphic artists at a lake house in a small town in Washington. She has a special gift that she hasn’t used in years. She has psychic visions and paints the portraits of people who are or will be murdered. She helped the NYPD years ago but now the paintings are beginning again. Detective Casey Wilson is skeptical of Tula’s story at first. But when someone she knows is a victim she is willing to take any help she can get.

I really like both the main characters and the set up for the story. The killer is fairly obvious so it isn’t much of a mystery. It is more how can we catch him legally before there are more murders. There is the beginnings of a romance but both agree catching the killer comes before they can explore anything. There is a major paranormal side story that was interesting but didn’t draw me in like Tula and Casey. I liked the idea of a guardian angel or help from the other side but I wasn’t invested in the ghosts and their story as much.

I didn’t find the cover enticing until I realized how well it matches the storyline. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, for and eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

This is my first time reading a book by this author and I can dig their writing style. I am a little newer to paranormal type books or whatever you would categorize someone who can paint people they’ve never met before. The blurb was pretty spot on to what exactly happens in the book. I would have liked a little more mystery. There was some, don’t get me wrong, but I would have liked a little more in terms of the actual crimes. There was a lot of time spent on different aspects than the crime as well and it’s possible that was the authors intention but I wasn’t the biggest fan of that. Overall though, it was a good read and I did enjoy the story, just not my cup of tea.

Kept my interest from start to finish. Bit of a whodunnit to start with but then it seemed obvious who killer was. Didn’t detract from the story though. It has a supernatural element to it that might put some readers off but otherwise go for it.