Antiques Liquidation (Trash 'n' Treasures Series #16)

by Barbara Allan

Overview

Trouble's on the wind when an auctioneer turns up dead in the new Trash 'n' Treasures cozy mystery - "one of the funniest cozy series going" (Ellery Queen Magazine)

Two o'clock in the morning is the perfect time to be asleep. So when long-suffering Brandy Borne is rudely awoken by her eccentric mother, Vivian, and invited on a surreptitious shopping trip, the idea is less than tempting.

But if Vivian - Serenity's true-crime writing, septuagenarian super-sleuth - has a nose for sniffing out antiques, Brandy's sense of smell is just as good . . . and trouble's on the wind.

A little light blackmail and one run-in with the police later, and Brandy and Vivian are the 'proud' owners of a selection of dead stock, liberated ahead of an upcoming warehouse sale from unsavory auctioneer Conrad Norris. Brandy's not convinced there's a fortune to be made in vintage toys, retro plates and pearl buttons - there's more mileage in their shop's new Halloween display, even though it's only August - but she supposes it could be worse.

It soon is. After the auction's taken place, Vivian and Brandy make an unnerving discovery. It's not just the stock that's dead - so is the auctioneer . . .

This light-hearted, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery also features Brandy and Vivian's humorous tips for buying and selling antiques, along with a selection of tasty recipes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780727850911
Publisher:	Severn House
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Series:	Trash 'n' Treasures Series , #16
Edition description:	Main
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.91(w) x 8.98(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 fifteen novels. They live in Muscatine, Iowa - their Serenity-esque hometown - in a house filled with trash and treasures.

Editorial Reviews

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

Fans of J.C. Eaton's "Sophie Kimball" books may want to try this series

Library Journal on Antiques Ravin’

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

The usual mix of humor, detection, and flamboyant personalities adds sparkle

Kirkus Reviews on Antiques Fire Sale

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

Publishers Weekly on Antiques Fire Sale

Amusing mystery chockablock with antiques lore

Kirkus Reviews

This humorous cozy - with its well-drawn, quirky characters - is a hoot

Booklist on Antiques Ravin’

2022-08-17
The mother-daughter pair of Vivian and Brandy Borne may appear to be simple antiques dealers, but there's more to them than meets the eye.

When Vivian wakes Brandy at 2 a.m. to get a jump on a warehouse full of things that are going to be auctioned off soon—thanks to some sensitive information Vivian has about Conrad Norris, the auctioneer—Brandy gathers up her dog, Sushi, and they all drive to the warehouse where Norris awaits. They leave with a barrel of pearl buttons that Sushi picks out, two valuable toy arks, and a set of dishes. When the auction itself takes place, Norris is drunk and many people are left unsatisfied. Vivian does buy something, though—she couldn't resist attending the auction, even having picked off some items beforehand—and when she and Brandy return to the warehouse to pick it up, they find Norris dead. Naturally, Chief of Police Tony Cassato—Brandy's fiance—is called in. Vivian fancies herself a sleuth, and she and Brandy have solved quite a few murders together—a fact that does not incline Tony to want their help. Vivian drags Brandy along on her investigations, knowing that Norris was far from beloved by many people. Someone steals the ark Brandy had given to her best friend’s daughter, but Brandy is hesitant to finger the two collectors she knows fought fiercely to buy the remaining arks at the auction. Vivian and Brandy may be amateur detectives, but they know a hawk from a handsaw and are determined to track down the killer, especially once a skeleton is found in their button barrel, opening up a long-dead case.

Amusing mystery chockablock with antiques lore.

Kirkus Reviews

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

Library Journal

Amusing mystery chockablock with antiques lore

Kirkus Review

One of the best in Allan's long-running series, which is always humorous and full of tips for antiques hunters

Kirkus Reviews on Antiques Ravin’