Cara L. Miller schrieb mit "The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder" eine klassische Whodunnit Detective Story wie nach einem vorgegebenem Skript. Leider mit der entsprechenden Vorhersagbarkeit. Die Autorin kennt sich im Bereich der Antiquitäten gut aus, leider konnte sie mein Interesse damit nicht wecken. Auch blieben die Charaktäre eher flach, die Geschichte hat mich eher an einen erzählten Film erinnert. Und so entstand der Film zur Geschichte wie von selbst im Kopf, überwiegend auch in Schwarz-Weiß. So richtig mitfiebern konnte ich mit der Protagonistin Freya nicht, auch hätte ich mir einen subtileren Plot gewünscht.

Und obwohl es ein englischer Text war ließ sich die Geschichte sowohl sprachlich als auch bezogen aufwenden Schreibstil leicht lesen.

Mein Fazit: Ganz nett, aber keine Notwendigkeit, den zweiten Band zu lesen. ( )

3.5⭐️

After the shocking death of her mentor and former employer antique dealer Arthur Crockleford, Freya Lockwood is drawn back into the world of antiquities after almost twenty years. Arthur has left his business to her and his friend, her Aunt Carole. As Freya returns to her village and finds out more about Artur’s death and receives a coded letter Arthur left for her, she begins to suspect that someone aware of the true nature of Arthur’s work might have been responsible for the same. As the narrative progresses, we follow Freya as she travels to Copthorn Manor to value the estate of one of Arthur’s associates for probate as per Arthur’s last wishes. The guests at the Antiques Enthusiast Retreat include the family members of the late Lord Metcalf, the house staff and Arthurs's lawyer, among others. Freya is sure that the antiques on display are reproductions and senses that Arthur had his reasons for sending her there – reasons connected to the events that led to her rift with Arthur and their subsequent estrangement twenty years ago.

I loved the premise of The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller and the fact that the protagonist is a mature middle-aged female character. I adored Aunt Carole and her eccentricities. Plenty of humor, a cast of interesting (and suspicious) characters, the insights into the antiquities trade and the suspenseful plot definitely made for an entertaining read. I also loved how each chapter began with Arthur’s words of wisdom. However, I had an issue with the pacing and thought the narrative suffered from much repetitiveness (multiple references to the events that unfolded in Cairo twenty years ago ), resulting in a long-drawn journey to the end. There were aspects in the present day timeline that should have been explored in more detail, but past events tended to overshadow the same. Though the plot became a tad convoluted toward the end, I did like the resolution to the murder mystery.

Overall, while there were aspects of the novel that I enjoyed, I felt that it could have been a tad more tightly woven and more emphasis given to the characters and events in the present timeline.

Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )

This was a fast read. I could hardly put the book down. ( )

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is C.L. Miller's wonderful debut novel.
The cover immediately caught my eye. It promised a great read - and it delivered. I've become addicted to cozy murder tales lately.

I liked that Miller introduced the book herself. I'm always curious about how a plot is devised. Miller has lots of background herself in the antique world and that adds a great deal to the book.

What is the plot you ask? From the publisher "...a former antique hunter investigates a suspicious death at an isolated English manor, embroiling her back in the dangerous world of tracking stolen artifacts."

Ahh, an isolated manor in England? Perfect setting of course. A wealth of characters to choose from for the 'culprit'. Check. (And I admit, I had picked wrongly for final reveal! Freya is a lead character you'll quite like. Her personal life is tied to the past - will she take her life back? Her Aunt Carole is a great choice for the supporting role. Her acting skills and personality are fun.

The premise is a good one, the setting is perfect for this tale, it's a wonderful debut and I would be quite happy to see Freya again! Or another book from Miller. ( )

This was an enjoyable journey into the world of antiques.

Freya Lockwood, a former antique hunter, wanted to erase the time she worked with antiques after being betrayed by her mentor. After twenty years, she was returning to the place where it all began. Arthur Crockford, an antique dealer, died in mysterious circumstances. Before his death, he sent a letter to Freya, asking her to investigate and track down the stolen artifacts, and be aware that his traitor will follow her. Freya was mad that he asked her for this favor after he betrayed her in Cairo, but she decided to take the matter in her own hands. Together with her aunt, they deciphered the clues Arthur left them. During the investigation, they meet people dealing in antiques, but it seemed that no one was who they say they were.

This mysterious book was written by a debut author, which was a great surprise to me.

I enjoy reading about antiques and this story was nicely presented and engaging. Short chapters were told from the perspective of each person involved in this story. That was a very clever and interesting way to introduce each character and describe their role. I could have suspected anyone behind Arthur's murder, except Freya and Carole, of course.

Read this book if you want to escape into the world of mystery, antique hunters, and forgeries. ( )