Paint by Murder - Kate Kingsbury

The fifth book in the fabulous Manor House Mystery Series by Kate Kingsbury, the bestselling author of the Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries!

Enthralling mystery, lots of laughter and a little bit of romance - that's village life in wartime England....

Left with only a muddle-headed butler, a bossy cook/housekeeper and a couple of energetic maids, Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton has enough problems on her hands. Not only is she struggling to upkeep the sprawling Manor House and vast acres she inherited, she must also take care of her numerous tenants, while coping with the inconveniences and sacrifices of wartime England. Fortunately Sitting Marsh is far removed from the bombing going on in London and other cities. That doesn't mean that peace prevails in the tiny village. There's the handsome American major who takes over the Manor House for officers' quarters, and the group of belligerent housewives determined to take on the German invaders, not to mention a murder or two...

PAINT BY MURDER
Roger Thorncroft spent most of his days on the cliffs with his easel and paints, until the day he was found sprawled in the grass. Who and why would someone have killed such a gentle, quiet man? Then again, who really knew the artist and his secrets? And who are the mysterious strangers seen in Sitting Marsh? The members of the Housewives League are convinced they are German spies. Lady Elizabeth has her work cut out to catch a killer and restore harmony in the village.

Lovers of Agatha Christie's books will find much to enjoy in this tale of intrigue and laughter in an English village, and Emily Brightwell fans will fall in love with the offbeat characters of Sitting Marsh.