Picture Imperfect

Rickie Blair

Nov 2019 · The Leafy Hollow Mysteries Book 7 · Barkley Books

About this ebook

A priceless work of art. A double murder. Can a feisty landscaper save more victims from sketchy deaths?

Amateur sleuth Verity Hawkes has solved a whole bouquet of cases. But with an unanswered marriage proposal and her own PI agency hanging in the air, her confidence is dying on the vine. Still, when the local ladies' man is accused of a double murder, she immediately starts digging for answers.

After finding the suspect recently inherited a priceless masterpiece, she's convinced the Casanova is innocent. Following a trail of clues into the world of rare art, Verity uncovers dodgy dealers, surprising DNA results, and an alarming number of ingenious booby traps.

If she doesn't connect the dots soon, she may run out of time to paint the real killer into a corner...

Picture Imperfect is the charming seventh book in the cozy Leafy Hollow Mystery series. If you like memorable characters, zany action, and laugh-out-loud hijinks, then you’ll love Rickie Blair’s twisty whodunit.

Keywords: humorous cozy mystery

Buy Picture Imperfect to draw out a murderer today!

Ratings and reviews

Verity is determined to help her friend, Ryker Fields. Ryker is referring all of his clients to Verity without explanation and she has discovered that Ryker has fallen into a deep depression after losing his girlfriend. But, there’s even more trouble, murder. He hasn’t been charged, but is a suspect. Then there’s the discovery of a half-sister. All of this surrounds the death of Perry Otis, a long time resident of Leafy Hollow, and his will. Perry has left a famous and very expensive piece of art to his heirs, which includes Ryker. Find out how Verity and friends discover the gruesome truth. Verity’s adventures are always fun and suspenseful. Can’t wait for the next one.

Verity Hawkes is the main character in this series. She runs a landscaping business and does a little private investigative work on the side. There are many characters from previous books that are in this book as well. Fun to see them all again!! Including the furry ones! I am always entertained by her cat! Verity's good friend Emy and her boyfriend Lorne love doing stakeouts. There are funny parts throughout the book, but my favorite was their stakeout with Verity! I sincerely laughed out loud!! I liked how the plot was very different from previous books with an expensive painting at the center and part of an inheritance. Verity's competitor in the landscaping business is giving his customers to her! He is hiding out in his house with a strange woman who claims to be related to him. Are her motives pure? Verity has to figure out what is going on. How is this painting the center of everything that is going on including 2 murdered women that happen at the same time. I liked that there were mysteries within mysteries to hold my interest!! As always a well written cozy genre mystery book by author Rickie Blair that is engaging and entertaining as well!! I received an advanced reader's copy and the review I am providing is my own.

Rickie Blair once again weaves an intricate mystery, this time centred around the world of fine art. Her characters are relatable and real, and her story is fast paced and fun to read. The mystery itself keeps you guessing to the end. It's always fun to read something set in Canada, and even better, in Ontario. There's nothing quite like recognizing things that you see in your daily life. Blair is an excellent writer, and this book advances her intriguing series another few enticing steps.

About the author

When not hunched over her computer conversing with people who exist only in her head, Rickie spends her days trying to tame an unruly half-acre garden and an even more unruly Jack Chi. She also shares her southern Ontario home with two rescue cats and an overactive Netflix account. 

Rickie writes The Ruby Danger series of financial thrillers, and a cozy mystery series, The Leafy Hollow Mysteries. The Ruby books reflect her interest in fraud and how it ruins lives, while the Leafy Hollow volumes are more light-hearted.