Decorated to Death — Dean James

Not everyone can claim both Hercule Poirot and Nancy Drew as inspiration. Of course, not everyone is a vampire sleuth from the States who pulled up stakes to live in a small English village. Even the eccentric denizens of Snupperton Mumsely might be surprised by Simon Kirby-Jones's rather unusual lifestyle. But murder is a more than adequate distraction when a visiting celebrity meets his maker--and Simon must suss out a killer...

Hardly one to become star-struck, Simon nevertheless deigns to attend a tea at Blitherington Hall in honor of celebrity interior designer Zeke Harwood, star of the popular television show, Tres Zeke. The self-acclaimed King of Home Decorating makes it immediately obvious that he's there to give the drawing room a makeover--not make friends.

So, it's little shock to Simon when the drama-queen decorator meets his demise; he's only surprised it hasn't happened sooner. With the corpse covered in red paint, catching the killer red-handed ought to be easy. But seemingly everyone wanted him dead--from the displeased lady of the manor to the show's disgruntled producer. In a locked room puzzle worthy of Agatha Christie, Simon must peel away layers of lies to reveal who killed the decorator in the drawing room with a blunt instrument.