The Art of Betrayal: A Kate Hamilton Mystery

by Connie Berry

Overview

In Connie Berry's third Kate Hamilton mystery, American antique dealer Kate Hamilton's spring is cut short when a body turns up at the May Fair pageant.

Spring is a magical time in England—bluebells massing along the woodland paths, primrose and wild thyme dotting the meadows. Antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is spending the month of May in the Suffolk village of Long Barston, enjoying precious time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. While attending the May Fair, the annual pageant based on a well-known Anglo-Saxon folktale, a body turns up in the middle of the festivities.

Kate is even more shocked when she learns the murder took place in antiquity shop owner Ivor Tweedy's stockroom and a valuable Chinese pottery jar that she had been tasked with finding a buyer for has been stolen. Ivor may be ruined. Insurance won't cover a fraction of the loss.

As Tom leads the investigation, Kate begins to see puzzling parallels between the murder and local legends. The more she learns, the more convinced she is that the solution to both crimes lies in the misty depths of Anglo-Saxon history and a generations-old pattern of betrayal. It's up to Kate to unravel this Celtic knot of lies and deception to save Ivor's business.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643855943
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	06/08/2021
Series:	Kate Hamilton Series , #3
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	337,912
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Connie Berry is the author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an American antiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled in her a passion for history, fine art, and travel. During college she studied at the University of Freiburg in Germany and St. Clare's College, Oxford, where she fell under the spell of the British Isles. In 2019 Connie won the IPPY Gold Medal for Mystery and was a finalist for the Agatha Award’s Best Debut. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and is on the board of the Guppies and her local Sisters in Crime chapter. Besides reading and writing mysteries, Connie loves history, foreign travel, cute animals, and all things British. She lives in Ohio with her husband and adorable Shih Tzu, Emmie. You can learn more about Connie and her books at her website www.connieberry.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/12/2021

In Agatha finalist Berry’s disappointing third mystery featuring antiques dealer Kate Hamilton (after 2019’s A Legacy of Murder), Kate is filling in for the recuperating Ivor Tweedy at the Cabinet of Curiosities, Ivor’s shop in the Suffolk village of Long Barston. Customer Evelyn Villiers asks her to handle the sale of an ancient Chinese funerary jar worth thousands of pounds. Complications ensue when the jar is stolen and Evelyn is stabbed to death. After police engage Kate to prepare an estate inventory, she finds more questions than answers. Why was Evelyn living like a recluse, and why are jewelry and photos missing from the house? Where is Evelyn’s estranged daughter, Lucy? Far-fetched scenarios, insufficient suspects, and transparent clues make it easy for readers to finger the perpetrator, and the preoccupation with Kate’s romantic life at the expense of the plot may cause impatience. Hopefully, Berry will return to form next time. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary Services. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Art of Betrayal:
“[A] traditional mystery that combines British legend with a contemporary story of crime and betrayal.”
—Library Journal, starred review

“A delight for lovers of antiques and complicated mysteries with a touch of romance."
—Kirkus Reviews

"An engaging cast of characters that will appeal to fans of Jane K. Cleland’s Josie Prescott novels and Barbara Allan’s Trash ’n’ Treasures mysteries."
—Booklist

“A smartly written, cozy mystery that will especially appeal to history buffs.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Kate is a well-written character . . . [and] the small English town enhances the story.”
—Red Carpet Crash

“The Art of Betrayal is a magnificent book in the finest tradition of English countryside mysteries.”
—Gumshoe Review

“Readers will be counting the days until the next installment in this series.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Praise for the Kate Hamilton mysteries:
“A modern day Outlander."   
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

“Grabbed my attention from the start and didn’t let up."
—Bailey Cates, New York Times bestselling author 

“Deliciously atmospheric and beautifully written."
—Peg Cochran, USA Today bestselling author

“As satisfying as a full Scottish breakfast, entertaining as a highland fling, and mysterious as the Loch Ness monster."
—Sherry Harris, Agatha Award-nominated author 

"Masterfully plotted with compelling characters and a setting rich in history."
—Gretchen Archer, bestselling author

“A Scottish delight that will keep you on your toes.”
—Carlene O’Connor, USA Today bestselling author

“An unforgettable, heart-pounding mystery in the windswept Scottish Isles.”
—Duffy Brown, national bestselling author

“Atmosphere, suspense, a cracking-good mystery, and characters I want to meet again soon.” 
—Molly MacRae, national bestselling author 

“Suspenseful layers of intrigue and intelligent characters.”
—Hannah Reed, national bestselling author 
 
“I was caught from the first page."
—Fran Stewart, award-winning author 

“The fascinating antiques lore is woven seamlessly into the story.”
—Jane Cleland, award-winning author 

“Will appeal to readers of Paige Shelton...and Jane Cleland.”
—Library Journal starred review, Debut of the Month

"Historic settings, antiquing tips, and a surprising motive."
—Kirkus Reviews

"A well-realized cast and a beautifully described setting."
—Booklist

“Suspenseful [and] elegantly written."
—Publishers Weekly

"A delightful myster."
—Tulsa Book Review
 
“A deftly crafted mystery by a master of the genre.”
—Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2021

American Kate Hamilton is spending May in Suffolk, England. She's running her friend Ivor Tweedy's antiquities shop while he recuperates from surgery. She's also spending time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. The reclusive Evelyn Villiers wants to sell a priceless Chinese artifact, a jar from the Han dynasty. Kate hides the jar at the shop; then on the night of the town's May Fair, Evelyn collapses, having been stabbed in the abdomen. Tom and Kate follow a trail of blood back to Ivor's shop, where the door is open and bloody footprints lead inside. Kate discovers that the jar is missing; the theft could destroy Ivor's business. While Tom juggles the murder investigation and a major drug case, Kate inventories Evelyn's collection of antiquities. She's convinced that the murder and the missing jar are linked to the Villiers family tragedies and local legends. VERDICT Like Jane K. Cleland's "Josie Prescott" mysteries, this novel contains details of antiquities and history. Berry's follow-up to A Dream of Death is a meaty, traditional mystery that combines British legend with a contemporary story of crime and betrayal.—Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

Library Journal

2021-02-10
An American antiques dealer becomes involved in yet another murder across the pond.

Kate Hamilton is running an antiques shop for Ivor Tweedy, a friend in Long Barston, Suffolk, who’s recovering from surgery. When a woman walks in to sell an extremely valuable Chinese funerary jar, Kate’s psychic gift for knowing when an antique is real immediately kicks in. Evelyn Villiers’ plan to offer more of her late husband’s valuable and well-documented collection soon leads to theft, betrayal, and murder. As Kate researches Evelyn’s background, she learns that her husband died 18 years ago and that Evelyn blames his death on their daughter, Lucy, who was about to run off with the family’s strikingly handsome chauffeur. Disaster strikes when Evelyn is stabbed on the day of the village May Fair and the pot is stolen, leaving Ivor on the hook for a large sum. Kate has continued her romance with DI Tom Mallory, whom she helped solve several other crimes. Her expertise comes in handy when both the police and Evelyn’s solicitor ask Kate to do an inventory of Evelyn's belongings. Oddly, the house is in poor shape; Evelyn had been living in a small, bare room and was rarely seen outside; and many of the valuable objects are missing. Past and present collide in a tricky case in which large sums of money provide ample motive for murder.

A delight for lovers of antiques and complicated mysteries with a touch of romance.

Kirkus Reviews