The Murals by William Bayer is a puzzling mystery.

Photography instructor Jason Poe is immediately obsessed with finding out more information about a series of murals painted on the walls of an empty house. He cannot quite put his finger on why the murals affect him so deeply so he enlists the help of his assistant Tally Vaughan, colleague and sometimes girlfriend Hannah Sachs and newspaper report Joan Nguyen to try to find the artist. The house has a troubled past and they quickly discover the possible identity of the artist(s). But with their questions rebuffed at every turn, Jason and his friends quickly deduce that something was quite amiss with the artists and quite possibly, their time in the house. Will their persistence and amateur sleuthing provide them with the answers they are searching for?

Written in first person with the chapters alternating between different characters, The Murals is an engrossing mystery. The characters are likable and vibrantly developed. The house is creepy but can they trust the reports of what occurred within the walls? The murals completely captivate anyone who views them and everyone is affected in different ways. Will uncovering the truth about the artists and their reason for painting the murals provide answers for why Jason, Tally, Hannah and Joan are so disturbed by them? With a few twists and turns, William Bayer provides answers to these questions with a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed this clever and unique mystery and recommend it to readers of the genre.
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The Murals by William Bayer is a psychological mystery with a twist. It is fiction but it reads like nonfiction because each chapter is narrated by a different character. Jason Poe was a war photographer and is now working on a photo project in Calista which involves entering vacant houses to photograph what tenants have left behind. He plans to use the photographs for a book. He happens upon an abandoned house which has a room where all four walls are painted with astounding murals. The search is then on for the artists responsible for such art. The narrators uncover a suspected satanic cult, several cases of arson, a home for runaway teens, a dysfunctional wealthy family etc. They will travel in the US and Europe to find the elusive answers. I’ll admit that I considered giving up on this novel at the start but I was rewarded for sticking with it: the story proves to be suspenseful, surprising and fresh. This is a book with a difference and it gets under your skin. Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )