Spoiler Free ARC Review of Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy

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Blurb About The Book
An addictive killer-thriller following an aspiring crime journalist’s investigation into a case that blurs the line between art and life—perfect for fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing painting by a mysterious artist, she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately for her, her Art History professor dad buys it immediately. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.
But when a series of gruesome crimes rock the community and her father's gallery becomes the epicenter of a deadly game, Fliss discovers that the paintings may hold the key to a killer's identity.
Haunted by the specter of a serial killer, Fliss races against time to solve the mystery before it claims another victim. In a world where every brushstroke hides a sinister secret, can she unravel the clues before she becomes a killer's muse?

REVIEW

Standalone or series?
Standalone

How did I get this book?
I was offered an ARC from the Publisher.

Why did I choose to read this book:  
The Tagline - An addictive killer-thriller following an aspiring crime journalist’s investigation into a case that blurs the line between art and life. 

Genre
Listed as YA Thriller/Suspense

And Now To The Review!

First Impressions:
I have read a LOT of YA books over the years and well written YA is still one of my favorite genres, but GOOD YA books do not read like they were written by actual high schoolers. 
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General Review
There is SO much "telling versus showing" in this it didn't make for a fun read. Annoyingly the general story idea was a good one and could have been something really great. It is one of those stories that I would almost like to get seen made into a TV Show or movie. The story behind the portraits is macabre and without giving spoilers, some of the information shared about them was a nice touch too, but no where near enough to overcome the other flaws.  The pacing is a mess, the first half of the book is slow, and then the ending is rushed, which I had long solved the current crime issue about 1/3 of the way in and was irritated with the protagonist for picking up on the clues.

Final Thoughts
This had the potential to be a great story, sadly, it didn't work for me on a number of levels.

Rating:
Overall 2 stars. (Both of which are for the STORY IDEAS!)

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