PAINT BY MURDERS - a Harrisburg Homicide Mystery
Paint by Murders is an original, as of yet unpublished, mystery novel. It is the first in a series of Harrisburg Homicides. It is written, hosted, and narrated by M. Travis DiNicola.
Overview: The Capital city and its art galleries, bars, restaurants, and long-held secrets are featured in this cozy-inspired mystery that is as unpredictable as the mighty Susquehanna River it sits on.
When painter Keith Reed stumbles across a dead body in a Harrisburg bookstore, he doesn’t yet know that the victim was bludgeoned with an autographed brick once used in a work by the internationally famous “bad boy” artist Alan Moonshine. Moonshine has been dead for ten years, but his dangerous legacy pushes Keith and his wife, Ginger, to try to paint a picture of what happened before anyone else is murdered, or before Keith’s narcolepsy catches him napping at the worst possible moment.
After a local art gallery recreates a few of Moonshine’s outrageous performances, the actor who portrayed Moonshine is arrested for the crime. Keith suspects that the real killer is still on the loose in this river town: a theory that proves true when a second body is found, floating in the Susquehanna.
Like any good amateur detective mystery there are cats, detailed descriptions of gourmet meals, unique locations, and a quirky community. However, there are also “recreations” of Alan Moonshine’s most important performances, thought-provoking observations about the contemporary art world, and genre-bending moments that bring this story alive.
Each episode of this podcast will feature subsequent installments from the novel.
If you would like more information about the project, of have comments you would like to share, please do so on the social media pages where you found this, or email me at paintbymurders@gmail.com
Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy the story!
PAINT BY MURDERS - a Harrisburg Homicide Mystery
BOOK CLUBS CAN BE MURDER - Season 3, Episode 5, Chapters 12 &13
The Paint by Murders - Harrisburg Homicide Mysteries podcast is an original podcast based on a series of unpublished mystery novels. It is written, hosted, and narrated by M. Travis DiNicola.
This is the fifth and final episode of the third season.
Paint by Murders – Harrisburg Homicide Mysteries, is an original podcast based on my mystery novels. Season three is based on my novella, BOOK CLUBS CAN BE MURDER, and each episode features subsequent installments from the story.
In this series the Capital city and its art galleries, bars, restaurants, and long-held secrets are featured in these cozy-inspired mysteries that are as unpredictable as the mighty Susquehanna River it sits on
Paint by Murders features the painter, and amateur detective, Keith Reed, his wife Ginger, their crew of neighborhood friends, and the cozy, but sometimes dangerous city of Harrisburg.
In the last episode, Keith hosted the book club at the gallery and finally got to meet all the suspects in person. However, he found that his deductive skills were lacking a bit when he kept on making wrong guesses about who was who as they arrived. Eventually, it was all sorted out and they had a nice evening getting to know each other. At the end of the evening, Keith and Harmony were talking and something she said about Susan helped Keith to figure things out. And now, we find out what that is!
Here's a list of the book club members:
The Midtown Book, Social, and Food Club
William – mid 40s, attorney, single dad, been in the book club almost 10 years, friend – not a suspect.
Linda – early 70s, retired from the state, looks like a retired gym teacher, mystery fan, bourbon fan, original founder of the club, knows her poisons (is that weird?) – was the first one suspicious of Desmond’s death, thinks it was arsenic.
Pearl – mid 60s, retired from the state, widowed 3 times under mysterious circumstances, original founder, next-door neighbor to Linda, no motive?
Claire – late 30s or so, married to Luke, chemical engineer, dated Desmond, loud, club leader? original founder, loves to host elaborate dinner parties, Desmond was killed in her house, across the street from his, she didn’t seem to care that he teased her.
Phoebe – around 50, single, taciturn, sweet, works for state in finance? Disappears at times – “secret agent.”
Susan – mid 40s, not a big reader, lives near William, married to Ted (who hated Desmond for his flirting, but wasn’t at the dinner).
Deanne – early 30s, married, hippy soap maker, didn’t like Desmond, called him out, friends with Claire.
Synthia – mid 50s, married, attractive, newest member of the club, recently moved from Colorado, husband a pharmacist? lives near Claire and Desmond (Linda thinks she was having an affair with Desmond and killed him).
Harmony – late 50’s, single, quiet, recently retired from corporate job, travels a lot, wealthy?
Desmond – 55, dead, single, British (accent at least), marketing exec., flirted with almost any woman, teased them too, wrote the club’s newsletter, lived across the street from Claire and near Synthia, buys lots of flowers.
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If you would like more information about the project, of have comments you would like to share, please do so on the social media pages where you found this, or email me at paintbymurders@gmail.com
Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy the story! And stay tuned for Season 4, coming out in Spring 2025!!
