Don't let the title mislead you, this book is not an instruction manual for creative dying. And don't let the blurb about Christian painter mislead you, Hilary Jackson's art is Christian-themed but the story isn't. The Art of Dying is a mystery, a well-crafted mystery about art and murder.Set in the richly described Northern California village of Steeple Hill, author Diana Killian has put together a book with the elements of a cozy mystery; an innocent observer turned sleuth, a small community of artists, murder without graphic scenes of violence, and yep, even a cat - and the elements of romantic suspense; an attractive British man with amnesia, a kind-hearted young woman who cares for him, a dead Scotland Yard Inspector, lingering doubts about altruism or love, and the question of being mislead by someone who may be a victim or a villain. The pieces all fit together smoothly in a good puzzler.