The Skeleton Paints a Picture

Adjunct English professor Georgia Thackery has a new job teaching at Falstone Art and Design University, known as FAD to its students and faculty. It's lonely isolated in a borrowed bungalow during a winter of record-breaking snow, until, that is, she receives a package with the body of her best friend, Sid. Sid is a walking, talking skeleton who has lived with the Thackery family since Georgia was six. She's used to the oddities of having an ambulatory bag of bones as a best friend, but for him to mail himself to her is unusual, even for Sid. It turns out that Sid, who normally lives with Georgia's extremely busy parents, was lonely, too.
The two of them make plans for a cozy semester: reading, watching movies, Georgia grading papers show more and doing research while Sid games and works on homework for his online class. It might have worked out that way if Sid hadn't gone out wandering the first night and spotted a crashed car. When they go to investigate, they find the driver, apparently dead from the crash.
Initially police think it's an accident, so Georgia and Sid think that's the end of it--until Georgia finds out the body she found hit closer to home than she'd realized... Family Skeleton #4 show less

When I heard earlier this year that the Family Skeleton Mystery series was one of many cozy mystery series being cancelled by a large publisher, I was afraid that I wouldn't get to read more about Dr. Georgia Thackery and her rather bony friend, Sid. I was so happy when this series was picked up by a new publisher! I think it's the mixture of humor, great mystery and creativity that keeps me coming back for more Georgia and Sid! Sure, the idea of a girl growing up with a walking, talking skeleton as a friend is far-fetched, but it makes for a great cozy mystery series!

The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the 4th book in the series. The Basics: Georgia has a new position as an adjunct professor at an art college. Sid misses his bestie (he show more lives in the house owned by Georgia's parents), so he packs himself into a box and mails himself to Georgia. While this does complicate things for her a bit (she has to keep him hidden from other people because....well....how do you explain that your best friend is a skeleton that walks and talks?), she is glad to see Sid. Things in her new home of Falstone, MA are just a bit lonely for her. New job. New people. New everything. But the very night Sid shows up on her doorstep, something bad happens. Sid gets a bit restless so he goes out for a late night walk in the snow. Georgia's house is back from the road and well hidden by trees. So Sid figures if he puts on clothing to cover his bones that he can take a walk at that late hour without being seen. What he doesn't figure on is seeing a wrecked car down an embankment. He rushes back to the house and wakes Georgia. They find a dead woman laying in the snow. Later, Georgia finds out that it's not just any dead woman......the woman worked at the same art college where she teaches. Things get complicated pretty quickly. The police start investigating the death of Kelly Griffith, who ran the writing lab at the art college. Turns out her death wasn't an accident. So not only are the adjunct professors all vying for one tenured position, but one of them might be a murderer. Georgia and Sid are on the case again to find out who wanted Kelly dead.

Another enjoyable book in this series! The mystery is perfectly paced, with plenty of humor, investigation and college professor drama. Sid and Georgia make a great team. The cast of side characters is mostly different since Georgia took the new job at the art school. The drama involved in being an adjunct is still the same though.....competing for tenure, constant staff changes and frenemy relationships.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and I'm so glad that it got picked up by a new publisher! Sid lives! :) And this is a great new addition to the series! I can't wait for the next book!

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://leighperryauthor.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Diversion Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less

The Skeleton Paints a Picture by Leigh Perry is the fourth tome in A Family Skeleton Mystery series. Dr. Georgia Thackery is working at an adjunct at Falstone College of Art and Design (FAD) in Falstone, Massachusetts. Georgia arrives home (the borrowed bungalow) and finds two packages on her porch. She opens them to find her best friend, Sid inside—a walking, talking skeleton. Sid was feeling lonely (too many grad students at the Thackery home) and decided to visit Georgia (who was equally lonely). That night Sid (who doesn’t need to sleep) is out exploring the backyard and spots a car crashed in the woods behind the bungalow. When Georgia and Sid check it out, they find the body of a woman. The next day, Georgia discovers the show more victim is Kelly Griffith who ran the writing lab at FAD. Georgia and Sid believe there is something off about Kelly’s death and start researching the victim (and faculty—Sid is whiz with computers). It seems that Kelly was involved in her own investigation and it ended up getting her killed. Can Georgia and Sid follow the trail and find Kelly’s killer?

The Skeleton Paints a Picture is nicely written and easy to read. I just love Sid. He is such an entertaining and unique character (Sid will provide many laugh out loud moments) and Georgia is the perfect counterpart for him. I like that their relationship is changing and developing into a partnership (a team). I especially like the creative “swear” words that they utilize. The author has certainly found some creative ways for Sid to get out and explore the world as well as investigate (Sid just loves snow blowers). I do want to mention the author included a “gender fluid” character. I applaud the author for tackling a gender fluid character and her handling of it (though it was confusing to read about the character without the gender specific pronouns). My rating for The Skeleton Paints a Picture is 4 out of 5 pumpkins. The mystery is medium complexity. I think some readers will be surprised by the solution (pay very close attention & it can be solved). I did miss Georgia’s parents and daughter (Madison) in this installment. I hope they return in the next book in A Family Skeleton Mystery series. While The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the fourth book in this series, it can be read alone. Personally, I am glad I have read each book in the series. I believe you will be missing out by not reading the first three books (you find out more about Sid and how he joined the family, Georgia’s teaching history). The Skeleton Paints a Picture is a humorous (Sid makes a “humerus” pun in story that will tickle your funny bone) cozy mystery that will delight many readers. I am glad that Sid is back! show less

The Skeleton Paints a Picture by Leigh Perry is the fourth tome in A Family Skeleton Mystery series. Dr. Georgia Thackery is working at an adjunct at Falstone College of Art and Design (FAD) in Falstone, Massachusetts. Georgia arrives home (the borrowed bungalow) and finds two packages on her porch. She opens them to find her best friend, Sid inside—a walking, talking skeleton. Sid was feeling lonely (too many grad students at the Thackery home) and decided to visit Georgia (who was equally lonely). That night Sid (who doesn’t need to sleep) is out exploring the backyard and spots a car crashed in the woods behind the bungalow. When Georgia and Sid check it out, they find the body of a woman. The next day, Georgia discovers the show more victim is Kelly Griffith who ran the writing lab at FAD. Georgia and Sid believe there is something off about Kelly’s death and start researching the victim (and faculty—Sid is whiz with computers). It seems that Kelly was involved in her own investigation and it ended up getting her killed. Can Georgia and Sid follow the trail and find Kelly’s killer?

The Skeleton Paints a Picture is nicely written and easy to read (has good pacing/flow). I just love Sid. He is such an entertaining and unique character (Sid will provide many laugh out loud moments) and Georgia is the perfect counterpart for him. I like that their relationship is changing and developing into a partnership (a team). I especially like the creative “swear” words that they utilize. The author has certainly found some creative ways for Sid to get out and explore the world as well as investigate (Sid just loves snow blowers). I do want to mention the author included a “gender fluid” character. I applaud the author for tackling a gender fluid character and her handling of it (though it was confusing to read about the character without the gender specific pronouns). My rating for The Skeleton Paints a Picture is 4 out of 5 stars. The mystery is medium complexity. I think some readers will be surprised by the solution (pay very close attention & it can be solved). I did miss Georgia’s parents and daughter (Madison) in this installment. I hope they return in the next book in A Family Skeleton Mystery series. While The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the fourth book in this series, it can be read alone. Personally, I am glad I have read each book in the series. I believe you will be missing out by not reading the first three books (you find out more about Sid and how he joined the family, Georgia’s teaching history). The Skeleton Paints a Picture is a humorous (Sid makes a funny “humerus” pun in story) cozy mystery that will delight many readers. I am glad that Sid is back! show less

Georgia Thackery was a lonely adjunct professor at Falstone College until she received a package containing Sid, her best friend and living (well, sorta) skeleton. Things are going well for the pair until one winter night when Sid sneaks out to enjoy the snow and spots a car that has crashed at the end of the property. He wakes Georgia to investigate and she discovers the driver has been killed. Georgia and Sid assume it’s an unfortunate accident but, when they learn that the driver was someone Georgia not only knew but worked with, they find themselves involved in something a whole lot worse and certainly more dangerous. Good thing Sid and Georgia have plenty of experience investigating murders.

The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the show more fourth installment of Leigh Perry’s Family Skeleton Mystery but it is the first I’ve read. It’s a fun cozy mystery with just a touch of the paranormal – Sid although apart from the whole no skin or, well, being alive thing, he’s a very likable and sympathetic character. Sure, a skeleton as investigator is a bit of a stretch but that’s the thing about cozies – the reader expects to don their willing suspension of disbelief and just enjoy the ride. And I did – quite a lot.

Thanks to Netgalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

4 stars
Sid and Georgia are my second favorite sleuthing team, only Nick and Nora have more charm and laughs. But Sid and Georgia are more truly a team, Sid like Nero Wolfe can’t get into a lot of the physical detecting because of course he can’t allow himself to be seen. I love the pop culture references peppered throughout the book, Monty Python’s Spanish Inquisition, Sid’s favorite movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, the fact that he’s so good with a computer, not a true hacker but given time a great researcher. But his best quality is that he loves Georgia so much he do anything for her. She is just as good a friend to Sid, forgoing a relationship to be with her friend.

For a paranormal mystery it’s entirely show more unique, I’ve never read, seen or heard of anything like Sid before. The “7th Voyage of Sinbad” skeletons can’t compare to the wisecracking warm being that is Sid.

This is the fourth book in the series and I would really recommend that you start with book, so that you really get to know the characters, but if this book is all you have it will definitely stand on its own.
I missed Georgia's daughter Madison in this book and hope she back in book 5.

I'm making 2020 my year to catch up on all the great cozy mystery series and I’m glad I still have two more unread books in this series to look forward to.



Cozies Reading Challenge show less

Stands skull & scapula above other cozy mysteries!

I **really** look forward to each installment of this series as each book is fresh and clever. Dr. Georgia Thackery is the main character and she works as is an adjunct professor which is clever because her career keeps her moving around and the setting fresh. Sid is her partner and just happens to be an animated skeleton. Don’t knock it, it works. I often read the synopsis of paranormal mysteries and am pretty skeptical as to how well it is really going to work and pass on them. In this case, the character of Sid really works well and integral to the storyline. In The Skeleton Paints a Picture, Georgia takes a position at a small art school wherein lays a dead body and students who show more are having their digital art stolen. The investigation is fun and timely.

I like the audio edition of this book because Katina Kalin does a perfect job of narration. With all the tensions of the real world, the combination of her as a narrator and the adventures of Georgia and Sid is a welcome refuge. I look forward each fall to hearing her read books in The Family Skeleton serious. The downside is I binge listen and have too long a wait for both the next book in the series. Katina Kalin also has narrated some Judith Tarr books including Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting It Right which looks pretty interesting. Currently, there is an attractive deal for buying the Kindle and Audible editions. show less