Antiques Slay Belles

by Barbara Allan

Overview

"Former sheriff, talented thespian and delightfully eccentric true-crime author Vivian Borne hunts down a Christmas killer in the new Trash ‘n’ Treasures cozy mystery – “one of the funniest cozy series going” (Ellery Queen Magazine)

It's five days before Christmas, and Vivian Borne – septuagenarian antiques dealer, true-crime writer and enthusiastic amateur sleuth – and her long-suffering daughter Brandy are preparing a presentation of holiday antiques at the local country club's annual Christmas luncheon.

Distracted by their secret Santa gifts, the ladies of the club, to Vivian's dismay, are not giving her and her antique sleigh bells the attention they deserve. But when Norma Crumley, socialite and world-class gossip, falls face first into her plum pudding, it seems Santa has also delivered the sleuthing mother and daughter a present: a cracker of a case!

Christmas in small-town Serenity is (usually) a magical time. Can Vivian and Brandy – not forgetting Shih Tzu sidekick Sushi – make a killing from their holiday antiques, catch a devious murderer, and wrap up the case in time to eat their festive microwave turkey dinners?

This light-hearted, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery also features mother-daughter sleuths Brandy and Vivian's witty tips for buying and selling antiques, along with a selection of tasty recipes. Perfect for getting you into the holiday spirit – whatever the time of year!

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420520927
Publisher:	Gale, A Cengage Group
Publication date:	01/08/2025
Series:	Trash 'n' Treasures Series , #18
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Barbara Allan is the joint pseudonym of husband-and-wife mystery writers, Barbara and Max Allan Collins. Barbara is an acclaimed short-story writer, and Max is multi-award-winning New York Times bestselling novelist and Mystery Writers of America Grand Master. Their previous collaborations have included one son, a short story collection, and the long-running Trash 'n' Treasures mystery series. They live in Muscatine, Iowa – their Serenity-esque hometown – in a house filled with trash and treasures.

Editorial Reviews

Amusing mystery chockablock with antiques lore

Kirkus Review on Antiques Liquidation

Delightfully quirky . . . For those fond of feel-good cozies, Allan delivers

Publishers Weekly on Antiques Fire Sale

This humorous cozy with its multiple plot twists is framed by close family relationships, a lovingly detailed setting, and information about antiques

Booklist on Antiques Carry On

Humorous asides and loads of antique lore . . . Allan delivers the cozy goods

Publishers Weekly on Antiques Liquidation

Vivian and Brandy share narrative duties, and their amusing commentary provides much of the book’s appeal. Allan consistently entertains

Publishers Weekly on Antiques Carry On

Framed by small-town life in Iowa, with interesting details on antiques, this fun cozy includes recipes and tips on collecting sports memorabilia

Booklist on Antiques Foe

This humorous, conversational cozy, lovingly set in the Mississippi River town of Serenity, is framed with details about antiques and tips for collecting Christmas collectibles

Booklist

Amusing escapades and tips on antique buying

Kirkus Reviews

A mystery that has it all: humor, zany characters, antiquing tips, and recipes to brighten your day

Kirkus Reviews on Antiques Foe

Best for readers of cozy mysteries who enjoy small-town living, humor with a side of murder, and cute canine companions

Library Journal on Antiques Liquidation

2024-09-12
A mother/daughter detective duo solve yet another murder.

Vivian and Brandy Borne are antique dealers with a sideline in solving mysteries and annoying many people along the way, especially Brandy’s fiance, local police chief Tony Cassato. Everyone in their household, including Sushi the dog, relies on legal drugs to deal with the vicissitudes of life. As their Mississippi River hometown of Serenity busies itself with pre-Christmas festivities, mother and daughter give a talk at the country club whose golf course was torn up the previous summer when Vivian "borrowed" a golf cart to chase a murderer around the grounds. The women’s group they're addressing is on the dessert course when Norma Crumley collapses face down in her plum pudding. A retired nurse at the event begins resuscitation efforts, but stops when she realizes Norma has been poisoned and is decidedly dead. Upon his arrival, Tony dismisses all the women except the four who had been sitting with Norma. In the ladies’ Secret Santa exchange, Norma had traded her perfume for Ellen Fridley’s box of chocolates, which may have been the murder weapon. In that case, though, for whom was it really intended? Vivian, naturally, is determined to solve the case, much to the dismay of Tony, who knows her value as a sleuth but wants to keep her and Brandy safe from danger. Brandy is anxious because her son, Jake, is coming to stay with them, and her former husband is still angry because Jake got involved in one of their previous cases. But Vivian, never deterred, is ready to drag Brandy in her wake.

Amusing escapades and tips on antique buying.

Kirkus Reviews