A Novel by Christy Baker Knight

The basis of creating values (dark and light) in painting is a formula called neutral tint. Made up of four parts Ultramarine Blue, one part Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Yellow to taste, the resulting magic is a velvety black. If I were to create a genre for HOT PRESSED using the same formula, it would be: four parts Mystery, one part Sci-fi/Fantasy, and Romantic Adventure to taste.

Hot Pressed is a water-time mystery brimming with adventure in a breathtaking setting. What is a water-time mystery? Star Wallace is about to discover this secret the dazzling mountain town keeps veiled in alpenglow.

Sentenced to spend her seventeenth summer in the valley of sparkling waterfalls, snowcapped peaks and whispering rivers, Star puts her extraordinary artistic abilities to use. But before she even unpacks her paint box, violent imposters wreak havoc in town. She’s got to crack the code of mysterious messages on her palette before the murderous beasts steal more than survival gear from her family.    

Even the most laid-back locals, like moonlighting photographer Max and fearless cousin Opal, fold under pressure from the attacks. Only Star has the clear perspective to save them, so while the rest of town plays the blame game with an easy target, she must catch the real killer before it presses them all to death under the scorching sun.