Still Life, Still Dead by Sydney Abrams is a Summertime Books Event pick #cozymystery #summerreads #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- Jun 24
- 4 min read
Title:
Still Life, Still Dead
Author:
Sydney Abrams
Genre:
Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Alex and her colorful cohort of artists at the Creative Workshop are gearing up for their first artist retreat. She’s prepared for every eventuality to make sure the week is a success, except, that is, for finding special guest artist Niko dead at the bottom of the cliff at Flat Rock Falls State Park. Alex sees that her business could go down the drain as quickly as rinsing paint from a paintbrush, so she stumbles her way into the investigation, determined to unveil the killer’s identity before she loses everything, including her own life.
Excerpt:
I was walking at a good clip but slowed my pace as I passed the darkened storefronts along Main Street. The vintage streetlights cast a soft glow and illuminated the window displays filled with pumpkins, fall leaves, and corn husks, officially ushering in my favorite time of year. It had been dark when I left my apartment this morning, but by now, the faint predawn light was beginning to contrast with the hills that surrounded our town, and I took a deep breath of the cool crisp air as I welcomed the new day.
Okay, that sounded corny even to me, but as those who knew me could attest, I just really liked fall. I frequently noted how the air felt different here in Flat Rock Falls, and I have, on occasion, spontaneously shouted, “I feel alive!” during the transition from summer to fall.
Although I no longer had to get up this early, I often did because I loved the stillness of this hour. Back in Philly, the golden hour was also when the best brainstorming took place, so when a thought struck me, I didn’t hesitate before pulling out my phone to call Maggie, my assistant manager.
After a number of rings, a sleepy voice answered, “Alex, is the building on fire?”
“No! Of course not.”
“Okay then. You’ve just forgotten, again, that most of us aren’t up with the first chirp of the birds.”
I came to a halt and inwardly groaned. “Omigosh, Maggie, I’m so sorry—Go back to sleep,” I added in a hoarse whisper, as if lowering my voice would lessen the aggravation of the wake-up call.
“You might as well tell me why you called.” Her voice sounded farther away now, as if she had put me on speakerphone and buried her head under the pillow.
“Never mind, it’s not urgent. Go back to sleep.”
“Mmm,” she mumbled. “I’ll text you when I get there.”
“Yeah, sure, I’ll...” She disconnected the call before I could say anything further. It’s difficult to kick oneself while walking, but I tried.
And then, as if Maggie had sent a message to the universe, the skies opened up, and I was caught in a driving rain. I ducked under the awning outside the Sugar Rush bakery, which, sadly, wasn’t open yet, and as I stared at the enticing signage for coffee and pastries, I couldn’t help but think this was a special kind of karma.
It didn’t take long for the rain to let up, and I was debating whether to continue walking or head back to my apartment when I noticed the silhouette of a lone figure across the street. It was dark where they stood, but I could tell they were facing my direction, and it was a little creepy how motionless they were.
Were they watching me? Maybe someone would join them, pick them up, or they would move on. I waited a few minutes, pretending to read a poster in the bakery window, but when no one came, and the figure still hadn’t moved, I felt a tingling sensation on my arms and neck that I recognized as fear. This made the decision for me, and I headed straight home with a purposeful stride.
I looked over my shoulder a couple of times but didn’t see anyone following me, and by the time I reached my building, I felt silly. This was, after all, Flat Rock Falls. Nothing ever happened here.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Summer gives us longer days to enjoy a good book—whether at the beach, in the park, or just lazing on the couch—which, to me, means more hours to lose myself in a new mystery series. The slower pace of summer feels like the perfect unhurried time to travel through stories, and the setting of Still Life, Still Dead sparks the imagination. Suddenly, you're not just reading about a cozy artistic world—you're dreaming of starting an art project of your own.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs June 23 – June 30, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on July 1, 2025.
Author Biography:
Sydney Abrams' arts and crafts cozy mystery series is steeped in a life’s experience in the arts coupled with a love for mystery books. She was immersed in both worlds from childhood, and they’ve been a part of her life ever since. Sydney has created artwork for auctions and commissions and has been part of an art group composed of both professional and amateur artists for over twenty years. Literature and the arts often go hand in hand, but these worlds truly collided when Sydney realized her art group offered the perfect cast of characters for a cozy mystery series. Still Life, Still Dead and A Deadly Craft, are the first two books in Sydney's Arts and Crafts Mystery series. The third in this series, An Artless Murder, releases September 1st.
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