Retired police chief Katherine Sullivan has returned home to help her newly divorced daughter when a young woman is murdered at the Pierce family estate. The murdered woman was an assistant to Randolph Pierce whose reputation as a spoiled rich kid has followed him his whole life. It was no surprise when he was charged with her murder, but he claims he’s innocent so he hires Katherine to investigate the murder and find the truth to exonerate him.
Katherine’s investigation into the murder leads to rumors of stolen art and a previous murder that have plagued the wealthy Pierce family for generations, and now with the return of an eccentric aunt and her bodyguard Katherine has her hands full sifting through the Pierce family’s dysfunctions even as new suspects emerge. The Fine Art of Murder is a debut mystery by Emily Barnes. This mystery blends the story of Katherine’s life and her family while incorporating an investigation that could end Katherine’s life.