Scan barcode
singalana's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book started promising, but the ending dragged on a bit.
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a cosy crime story set around the world of antiques. It's the debut novel of C. L. Miller, and a decent one at that.
Our main character Freya grudgingly returns to her former home village to support her aunt Carol through the death of her dear friend Arthur. Arthur was an antiques dealer and Freya’s former mentor, who died under mysterious circumstances. Freya is going through struggles of her own, as her ex-husband is selling the house she loves and their daughter is all grown up and living abroad.
The two main characters of this story are older women (as in not twenty-somethings), which is quite refreshing. Carol's character is quite distinct. Freya’s character could have done a bit more work in my opinion, especially since she had so much going on. The other characters felt like stock characters for this type of story.
Like I said, the story started as interesting, but about the third way through, it started to drag a bit for me. I know it's a cosy crime book, but to truly work it needed more danger or more emotion. There was a hint of a romantic subplot that I didn't much care about. This was an ok book, but nothing too interesting.
I listened to this as an audiobook. The narrator, Emily Fox was fine until we got to a character with an American accent. Then it started to sound a bit grating. The cover fits the tone of the book and draws attention.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Toxic relationship
amhud1030's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Grief, and Death
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
A solid debut and an enjoyable read — perfect for fans of The Marlow Murder Club and The Golden Spoon.
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a cozyish mystery uniquely situated in the world of high-stakes antiques dealing and featuring an interesting niece-aunt team of amateur sleuths. Unlike other reviewers, I appreciated the narrator shifts and thought they added to the insight and enjoyment of the reading experience. The found-family vibes, the thoughts on aging, the reflections on past mistakes and course correcting, the plucky courage of the elderly aunt and the reemerging analytical courage of the middle-aged niece — all work to give this a little more depth and intrigue than a typical cozy mystery might have. If this is the beginning of a series, I'd definitely check out the next one.
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a cozyish mystery uniquely situated in the world of high-stakes antiques dealing and featuring an interesting niece-aunt team of amateur sleuths. Unlike other reviewers, I appreciated the narrator shifts and thought they added to the insight and enjoyment of the reading experience. The found-family vibes, the thoughts on aging, the reflections on past mistakes and course correcting, the plucky courage of the elderly aunt and the reemerging analytical courage of the middle-aged niece — all work to give this a little more depth and intrigue than a typical cozy mystery might have. If this is the beginning of a series, I'd definitely check out the next one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury
More...