Review by Booklist Review
Josie Prescott, owner of Prescott's Antiques and Auctions, goes to the Whitestones' house to appraise their maritime art and artifacts collection. The plan is to get the house key from the Whitestones' caretaker, Frankie Winterelli, but on arrival, Josie finds Frankie, the nephew of her neighbor, and a friend, Zoe, murdered. She later discovers that a valuable scrimmed tooth is missing from the house. Because of her close relationship with Zoe, and at the request of Rocky Point, New Hampshire's new police chief, Ellis Hunter, who values her expertise with antiques, Josie becomes involved in the investigation. The small-town setting and the details about maritime antiques, framed by the running of an antiques appraisal and auction business, add to the story. Those who enjoy mysteries set in the antiques world should also try Sharon Fiffer's Jane Wheel mysteries.--O'Brien, Sue Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Cleland once again smoothly blends antique lore and a plausible whodunit in her delightful fifth mystery featuring antiques dealer Josie Prescott (after 2009's Killer Keepsakes). When Josie shows up for an appraisal at the Rocky Point, N.H., lighthouse, she stumbles on the body of someone she knows on the kitchen floor. Frankie, the lighthouse caretaker and her good friend Zoe's nephew, has "a ghastly dent in his skull." The theft of a valuable scrimshaw tooth from the lighthouse owner's vast collection may be connected to the murder, she concludes, as she lends her antiquing expertise in the subsequent police investigation. Series fans will enjoy getting reacquainted with familiar characters and meeting new ones. Everyone will learn a lot about the arcane art of scrimshaw. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
