Death of a Ghost, by Margery Allingham

Pretty fantastic - from the golden age of British mysteries.

Campion gets involved with an artistic community- the widow,models, family and assorted hangers-on of the late painter John Lafcadio, whose eccentric will left 12 paintings to be exhibited, one a year, after his death, to keep his name in the press and to annoy a rival.

At one of these annual showings, something goes terribly wrong.

Such a good read, and wonderful details about the mixing of the paints, the furnishings, the models, and the painting itself.

I'm trying to fill the yawning void that opened up when I realized that I think I've read all of Agatha Christie and have no more to look forward too- although, I am reading her plays and finding the little changes from book to stage interesting and (sometimes) satisfying- Vera and Lombard at the end of 10 Little Indians!