Mixed media and mixed messages…

When I take time off from my day job to help my friend Margaret with a mosaic at her steampunk-themed tearoom, I never expect to get embroiled in another murder investigation.

Make that two murder investigations. As my bestie PJ would say, "Are you kidding me?"

Worse, the investigations are hitting a little close to home: PJ's beloved cousin Del has, um, less-than-cordial relationships with both victims and is emerging as the prime suspect.

Although I have no trouble envisioning how to marry photographs, ribbons, and paints into a harmonious whole, I can't wrap my head around these conflicting facts and feelings. Could my instincts be so wrong? Could PJ's bearded cinnamon roll of a cousin really be a cold-blooded killer? The evidence says yes, but my intuition says no.

Why isn't distinguishing truth from lies as easy as separating buttons from beads? If I mention my suspicions to PJ, it could destroy our friendship. But if Del is guilty, PJ could be the next victim.

Uh uh. Nope. Over my dead body.

Although, at the rate things are going? Maybe that's a poor choice of words…

Mixed Media is the second in the Crafty Sleuth humorous cozy mysteries, featuring edge-of-forty, plus-sized African American mechanical engineer Tash Van Buren-aka the Craft Whisperer-and her best friend, PJ Purdy. Count on creative crafts, fabulous fashion, and brisk banter-embellished with a pinch of mild profanity and peril.