★★ Book Tour with Guest Post & Giveaway ★★ A Deathly Display (A Paranormal Museum Cozy Mystery) A Small-town Murder Mystery by Kirsten Weiss
A DEATHLY DISPLAY
by Kirsten Weiss
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
A killer stalks her sister.
A mysterious painting holds the key.
Can Maddie unravel the mystery before Melanie meets a deadly fate?
When Maddie and Herb attend a curation class at the upscale Domus Vinea museum, the mood turns darker than a gothic portrait after Maddie’s opera-singing sister, Melanie, discovers the museum director’s body. Now, with a cunning killer targeting Melanie next, Maddie must act fast.
Racing against time, Maddie and friends investigate a gallery of suspects, including a dashing vintner with a haunted painting that may hide a deadly secret. If Maddie can’t crack the case, and fast, her sister’s life could end in one fatal stroke.
A Deathly Display, the latest in the Paranormal Museum series, blends quirky sleuthing, small-town chills, and paranormal thrills with a dash of humor. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries!
Grab A Deathly Display and start reading this hilarious whodunit!
For readers who crave a cozy mystery about a woman finding belonging through small-town wine-country sleuthing and the gentle absurdity of everyday hauntings. Perfect if you like breezy pacing, light supernatural quirks, and warm humor over gritty tension—think vintage charm, quirky neighbors, and just-enough chills to keep pages turning without losing sleep. Book 11 in the series.
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EXCERPT
Matricide is one of humanity’s darkest crimes. At least, that seems to be the consensus.
I was starting to have my doubts.
“What is my mother doing here?” I hissed.
My curator, Herb Linden, smoothed his bow tie. “Hm?”
Men and women in business-casual attire mingled along the colonnades of the Roman villa. Alas, it was all an elegant fake. Italy was thousands of miles from this Central Californian courtyard.
The Domus Vinea museum’s spotlit walls were painted in Roman-era tones of terracotta, ochre, and deep blue. A fountain splashed, its sound echoing the murmurs of the small crowd.
The long, rectangular reflecting pool stretched down the courtyard’s center and was flanked by trimmed hedges and replicas of ancient marble statues. Olive trees, blossoming orange trees, and laurels filled the warm, spring night with their earthy fragrance.
My mother, on the other side of the low pool, raised a hand to touch the squash blossom necklace circling her neck. Elegant in in a white pantsuit and denim blue shirt, she smiled up at a suave-looking, silver haired man.
And there was no good reason for her to be here. “Mother,” I prompted, a Vesuvius of acid rising in my gut. “Here. Why?” My voice escalated unattractively on the final vowel.
My curator man sipped from his wine glass then, with his free hand, the little man adjusted his coke bottle glasses. He canted his balding head. “Strange. I’ve never noticed you reverting to neanderthal grunts under stress before.”
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Things That Inspire Me (and Why They Fuel My Cozy Mysteries) As a cozy mystery writer, inspiration is everything. It's the spark that turns a quiet afternoon into a full-blown plot, a half-formed idea into a series that keeps growing. My Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum cozy mysteries draw from three big wells: art, tales of the paranormal, and the deep connections between people. These are the heartbeat of every book, including my newest release, A Deathly Display (book 11 in the series). Here’s why these things light me up and how they make cozy mysteries feel alive. Though I have no talent for art, it’s been a lifelong interest, especially the impressionists. I love how they captured fleeting moments—the play of light, the blur of motion, the emotion in everyday scenes. My favorite museum is the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, a cathedral of soft colors and subtle stories. And if I had to pick one painting that stops me every time, it's Gustave Caillebotte's Rue de Paris; Temps de pluie (Paris Street; Rainy Day) from 1877. That sheen of rain on the umbrellas, the misty haze over the cobblestones, the figures moving through the drizzle with quiet purpose... it's pure misty romance. The way Caillebotte softens edges and lets atmosphere do the talking mirrors what I aim for in cozy mysteries: suggestion over stark revelation, mood over gore. Impressionism invites you to linger, to feel the scene rather than dissect it—much like a good cozy mystery puzzle that unfolds gently, rewarding patience with that satisfying "aha!" This love for art directly shaped A Deathly Display. The story shifts to a grand, fictional museum inspired by The Getty in California—those elegant travertine halls, panoramic views, and world-class collections. Maddie Kosloski, my amateur sleuth, gets pulled into a snooty curation class there, only for murder to interrupt the glamour. A haunted painting hides secrets, shadowy donors lurk, and the art-world intrigue blends with San Benedetto's small-town charm. The impressionist influence shows in how I describe the exhibits: light filtering through galleries, colors shifting with the hour, mysteries shimmering just out of focus. Art isn't backdrop—it's a character, whispering clues and blurring reality, perfect for a cozy mystery with a light paranormal twist. Then there's the paranormal—not the jump-scare kind, but the subtle, everyday "what if?" that makes your skin prickle. Tales of ghosts, cursed objects, and unexplained phenomena fascinate me because they're rooted in uncertainty. In real life, you rarely get proof; you get a chill, a shadow, a feeling that something's off. That's why my Paranormal Museum series keeps the supernatural light: GD Cat stares at blank walls (ghosts? Or just cat logic?), exhibits hum with odd energy, but it's always up to the reader to decide. This ambiguity adds delicious tension to cozy mysteries—readers love the shiver without losing the comfort. It mirrors how impressionist paintings evoke mood without spelling everything out. The paranormal inspires the "maybe magic" layer in A Deathly Display. A vintner's haunted painting becomes central, its secrets tied to a mysterious death. Maddie questions her own perceptions—is it a curse, or coincidence? This doubt heightens the cozy mystery stakes while keeping things grounded and hopeful. But the deepest inspiration is the connections between people. Friendships, family ties, quiet loyalties, unspoken attractions—these are the soul of any good cozy mystery. In my series, Maddie's world is built on community: her meddlesome mom, some sibling rivalry, and slow-burn romantic possibilities that respect boundaries. People solve crimes together, support each other through grief, and find second chances. It's uplifting—cozy mysteries succeed because they remind us we're not alone, even when a body turns up. In A Deathly Display, these connections shine. Maddie navigates a new relationship with her sister, leans on her quirky crew, and weighs a new romantic interest amid the chaos. The murder disrupts bonds, but solving it strengthens them—classic cozy mystery payoff. These inspirations—art's subtle beauty, the paranormal's gentle unease, human connection's warmth—keep me writing. They turn cozy mysteries into escapes that feel meaningful: puzzles wrapped in heart, with just enough mystery to keep pages turning. If you're craving that blend, grab A Deathly Display. Maddie tackles art-world murder with her signature wit, GD's judgmental stares, and a touch of the unknown. It's pure cozy mystery comfort with impressionist flair. What inspires your favorite cozy mysteries? Share in the comments—I read every one and love the conversation. Happy reading (and dreaming), Kirsten Weiss
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that’s a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.
Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…
You can find Kirsten at KirstenWeiss.com
You can find the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum on X at: x.com/SBPM_Museum
Buy links – A Deathly Display
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4p2g97b
Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4nIZMuW
B&N: https://bit.ly/4oL69zv
Google Play: https://bit.ly/43i6bWH
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3WDUrtY
Universal Book link: https://books2read.com/u/3J1MPQ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243649538-a-deathly-display
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-deathly-display-a-small-town-murder-mystery-a-perfectly-proper-paranormal-museum-mystery-book-11-by-kirsten-weiss
Author Website: https://kirstenweiss.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirstenweissauthor
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KirstenWeiss-Writer
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GIVEAWAY
Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Thank you so much for featuring A DEATHLY DISPLAY.
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