To Sketch a Killer

DEBUT Janis transports readers to 1977 New York City in her debut novel. After the death of her beloved aunt, artist Sarah Quinlee leaves her community at Westervale to take a new job in Manhattan. Her days are routine, until one morning she discovers the body of a man who has been fatally shot at the church near her office. Sarah begins to dig into the history of the surrounding neighborhood and the people who lived there, unearthing a shocking number of lies and cover-ups. With the help of a large cast of characters, including a mysterious old woman, several local business owners, and charming police detective Gil Rian, Sarah tries to use her sketching skills to catch a killer. She may be able to solve the murder, but not without some danger along the way. Janis devotes much of this novel to developing her characters and their relationships, which sometimes slows down the pace of the book and the development of the mystery.