Synopsis
What antique would you kill for?
Freya, it’s down to you to finish what I started . . .
Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, has died – and the circumstances seem suspicious.
You will uncover an invitation, I implore you to attend . . .
But when a letter from Arthur is delivered, sent just days before his death, and an ordinary pine chest concealing Arthur’s journals are revealed, Freya finds herself sucked back into a life she’d sworn to leave behind.
But beware, trust no-one. Your life depends on it . . .
Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Arthur’s staunch best friend, Freya follows both clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an ‘antiques enthusiasts weekend’. But not is all as it seems; the antiques are bad reproductions and the guests all have something to hide.
My Review
Freya hasn’t returned to the village she grew up in for 20 years, in fact she’s avoided it. But Freya’s mentor Arthur has died and she knows it’s time to return. However Freya quickly realises that there was more to Arthur’s death when she receives a letter Arthur left for her. What happened to Arthur and can Freya discover the truth?
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you combined The Antiques Roadshow and Indiana Jones then wonder no more because what you would get is this book.
The storyline was intriguing and it reminded me of the game Cluedo especially when Freya and Aunt Carole go to the old manor house. What I found really unique about this book is that it was based in the world of antiques and it’s not as a straightforward world as it first seems. Arthur was an expert in his field and he would come across antiques in his shop but he would also be hired to find certain antiques. It was definitely a world that drew me in because each item had a history and held a different value to different people.
I loved the strong female main characters Freya and Aunt Carole. It was really interesting to see Freya’s reaction to the news about Arthur and returning to her hometown. It was clear she had mixed feelings about everything. The reader is told that something happened between Arthur and Freya that Freya has never forgiven Arthur for. Whatever happened had such an impact on Freya that she stopped working in the antiques world, stopped being an antique hunter and never spoke to Arthur again. I can see why Freya felt betrayed by Arthur and that it hit hard because he was not only her mentor but he was also a father figure who had nurtured her and saw her true potential. But then Freya receives a letter from Arthur and it is clear that he is trying to tell her what happened to him, what happened in the past but also trying to make amends. Arthur’s clues then lead to Freya and Aunt Carole attending an old manor house for a weekend where she is to evaluate some antiques in Arthur’s place but what Freya realises is that the manor house and the antiques are not what they seem. As for the people present they are very suspicious and may be responsible for Arthur’s death. It wasn’t really clear why or who would want to harm Arthur but as the story unravelled everything started to make sense. It’s through Arthur’s clues, notes and journals that Freya is able to piece together what happened in the past but also what happened in the present to Arthur and in some ways it reignites her passion for antiques. I loved the character of Aunt Carole because she was so quirky and happy to jump into any situation head first.
If you like mystery and cosy crime then this is a book I would recommend.
Author Bio
Cara Miller started working Life in publishing as an editorial assistant for her mother, Judith Miller, on the Miller’s Antique Price Guide to Europe before she went into hospitality and events. After she had children, she decided to follow her long-held dream of becoming an author and began writing full-time. She was an Undiscovered Voices winner in 2022 and was showcased in the UV 2022 anthology. She lives in a medieval cottage in Suffolk with her family.
This book was written in consultation with international antiques expert Judith Miller (1951–2023), a regular specialist on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. Judith was also the co-founder of the bestselling annual Miller’s Antiques Price Guide, which started in 1979. She went on to write more than 120 books on antiques and interiors.
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