This week, Susie Black’s Saturday Author Spotlight shines on cozy mystery author Sydney Abrams.
About the author: Sydney Abrams’ arts and crafts cozy mystery series is steeped in her life’s experience in the arts, coupled with a love for mystery books. She was immersed in both these worlds from childhood, and that influence stayed with her as an adult. Sydney has created artwork for auctions and commissions and has been part of an art group of professional and amateur artists for twenty years. Literature and the arts go hand in hand, but these worlds collided when Sydney realized that her art group offered up the perfect cast of characters for a cozy mystery.
Still Life, Still Dead is the debut title in the An Arts and Crafts Mystery Series. Here is a blurb to whet your appetite:
Alex and her colorful cohort of artists at the Creative Workshop are gearing up for their first artist retreat. She’s prepared for every eventuality to make sure the week is a success, except that is, for finding special guest artist Niko dead at the bottom of the cliff at Flat Rock Falls State Park. Alex sees that her business could go down the drain as quickly as rinsing paint from a paintbrush, so she stumbles her way into the investigation, determined to unveil the killer’s identity before she loses everything, including her life.
Here is what readers have said about Still Life, Still Dead:
C. Ellisor: “Great Read. So, if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, this fits the bill in that it takes you away, page after page, from current worries and concerns. An arts workshop studio in picturesque Flat Rock Falls has all the quirkiness and primal comfort of Gilmore Girls’ Stars Hollow, a show I loved and a place I longed for, so from the beginning, I was in. But the action packs a punch with its cast of characters and surprise twists- I never would’ve guessed the ending, though when I looked back, there were no red herrings. I also enjoyed a deep dive into the world of fine arts and learned a lot of things I didn’t know about the industry. Alex, as the brains behind the art studio and a gifted wannabe detective, is a fun character, and I look forward to the adventures to come. All in all, the best part of this book is its ability to convey the joy of art, of people coming together to create and support one another, each in their own individual way. It made me deeply happy.”
Julia Eleanor Tanner: “A delight for mystery lovers. I loved this book not only for the fascinating cast of characters and so many fun details about art and artists, but also for the twists and turns of the plot. Abrams throws in just the right number of clues alongside the red herrings, keeping you wondering right up until the end who the real culprits are: a real page turner! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series to find out what Alex and her friends, and especially her canine character, Baxter, are going to get involved in next.”
Monisa Angell: “Murder She Wrote Vibe. Intriguing and fun read! Can’t wait for the next book…”
N. N. Light: “Blending Art, Artists, and Murder is sheer brilliance. Still Life, Still Dead is a brilliant cozy mystery I couldn’t stop reading. I was taken in by the narration, which is both descriptive and emotional. The mystery plot is complex with a full cast of suspects, err, characters, to interact with. There are clues and false leads galore, which had me reading late into the night. I racked my brain trying to figure out who killed Niko. When the ending came, I was in shock. A cozy mystery I thoroughly enjoyed, Still Life, Still Dead, will have you entertained for days. I read a lot of cozy mysteries, and one thing I crave is originality. In this cozy mystery, the author adds the ins and outs of an artist retreat. Blending art, artists, and murder in one story is sheer brilliance. I loved getting to know the characters through their art and for making the mystery come alive. Sydney Abrams pens a well-written, flawless cozy mystery even Miss Marple would consider reading. I’m astonished this is Sydney Abrams’ debut cozy mystery. It reads like a prolific author’s work. Impressive. I hear it’s a series, and I cannot wait for the next cozy mystery to be released.
B. Easter: “Bravo! Sydney has created a community where you feel part of each character and the mystery as it unfolds! Can’t wait for the next book!!”
https://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Dead-Crafts-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DQQFR5XP/ref=sr
Oooh, this is one of my favorite cozies. I love it so much!