Book Review of Painter of the Dead

For every book we release, we'll be sure to post a review of it during the week before the book comes out. Our next book, Painter of the Dead by Catherine Butzen, comes out on October 6th. This review comes from Lorelai Kuhn.

Take it away, Lorelai. . . .

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Painter of the Dead takes you on a journey of intrigue and suspense through the eyes of a museum artist and a patron of the arts who has a secret. It’s easy to get swept away on this journey with detailed scenery, scents, colors, and historical references that make you more and more curious to see what happens. I enjoyed my time with Theo and Seth, learning about ancient Egyptian culture and following their growing bond.

Theodora, Theo to her friends, is constantly in search of the best way to portray motion in art; she wants her art to speak to the museumgoers. She meets Seth Adler at a museum fundraiser when she’s seated at his table. Theo doesn’t realize that her innocent work gossip gives him the information he needs to track down something he’s been searching for for a long time.

When Theo catches Seth breaking into the most secure part of the museum, she tries to stop him from stealing precious artifacts: a mummy and its shabtis—statuettes meant to serve it in the afterlife. He doesn’t see a way not to drag her into his mess, so he forces her to help. During their attempted escape with the artifacts, Theo watches Seth disintegrate into clay, but no one believes her.

No one believes her because it’s impossible. No one believes her because Seth Adler is at his penthouse. After showing up to demand answers, Theo gets drawn into his orbit again. She’s angry. She’s infatuated. She’s intrigued. She’s determined to help Seth get his body and shabtis back, fight off another thief, and save Seth’s “life.”

​This is a fun adventure that’s full of history, ancient Egyptian magic, and a love story that defies age and time. Two awkward souls, both trying to live their best lives, collide in this fast-paced read.


​Our thanks to Lorelai! You can read the first chapter of Painter of the Dead free here.