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Paint by Murders is an original, as of yet unpublished, mystery novel. It is the first in a series of Harrisburg Homicides. It is written, hosted, and narrated by M. Travis DiNicola.

This eighth podcast episode includes chapters twenty-two through twenty-four.


Keith again meets with Detective Henry to go over what he knows about Jane's murder. Exhausted from the experience, he makes a stop at The River Room to chat with his new friend Michael. They speculate about why someone would want to kill Jane, and what Trevor might inherit, and if it is enough to give motive. An angry Trevor shows up at the bar, confirms that he is a suspect, and tells them about the upcoming Celebration of Life for Jane.

Overview: The Capital city and its art galleries, bars, restaurants, and long-held secrets are featured in this cozy-inspired mystery that is as unpredictable as the mighty Susquehanna River it sits on.

When painter Keith Reed stumbles across a dead body in a Harrisburg bookstore, he doesn’t yet know that the victim was bludgeoned with an autographed brick once used in a work by the internationally famous “bad boy” artist Alan Moonshine. Moonshine has been dead for ten years, but his dangerous legacy pushes Keith and his wife, Ginger, to try to paint a picture of what happened before anyone else is murdered, or before Keith’s narcolepsy catches him napping at the worst possible moment.

After a local art gallery recreates a few of Moonshine’s outrageous performances, the actor who portrayed Moonshine is arrested for the crime. Keith suspects that the real killer is still on the loose in this river town: a theory that proves true when a second body is found, floating in the Susquehanna.

Like any good amateur detective mystery there are cats, detailed descriptions of gourmet meals, unique locations, and a quirky community. However, there are also “recreations” of Alan Moonshine’s most important performances, thought-provoking observations about the contemporary art world, and genre-bending moments that bring this story alive.

Each episode of this podcast, dropping once a week, will feature subsequent installments from the novel.

If you would like more information about the project, of have comments you would like to share, please do so on the social media pages where you found this, or email me at paintbymurders@gmail.com

Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy the story!