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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
4.0
Ruby Red Herring by Tracy Gardner is the debut of An Avery Ayers Antique Mystery series. I enjoyed this stimulating new cozy mystery. Avery Ayers and her sister, Tilly lost their parents in an auto accident a year ago. Their eccentric Aunt Midge moved in with them along with her dog, Halston. Avery began working at her parent’s business, Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised. Their latest assignment has the company appraising a rare ruby that could link to a dragon medallion currently on display at the museum. Before Avery can delve into the job, she receives a threatening note. This is just the beginning of strange incidents and threats. Avery has no intention of backing off the case. She is going to get answers and resolve this matter once and for all. I thought Ruby Red Herring was well-written with developed characters. The author takes the time to introduce our main characters and set the stage for the series. I like Avery, Tilly, and Aunt Midge. They are a close-knit unit. We get to spend time in their home as they go about their lives. Aunt Midge and Tilly provide humor and lightness. There is also Micah, Sir Robert, Art Smith, and Halston, Aunt Midge’s Afghan hound. I am glad the author gave us the characters backstory. The mystery was fascinating and complex. It involves lies, intrigue, threats, a large ruby, and murder. There was plenty of action that kept propelling the story forward toward the conclusion. I had a good time solving this whodunit (I love a challenging mystery). I like how everything tied together along with the satisfying conclusion. It was interesting learning about the appraisal process. It is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. I like how the author addressed Avery’s mental health issues after the death of her parents. She was grief stricken and felt their death was her fault. Avery also has anger management issues. She visits a therapist who gives her coping techniques. I could certainly understand her pain over her parents’ death and the feelings of guilt. Ruby Red Herring is an intriguing cozy mystery with a stimulating stone, terrifying threats, cryptic clues, a cherished canine, an energetic teen, an affectionate aunt, and a murdered man.
leebeeloves's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
peggyemi's review
4.0
Tracy Gardner is a new author to me and Ruby Red Herring is the first book in her new cozy mystery series The Avery Ayers Antique Mysteries. I found this to be a very strong start to a new series. The characters drew me into the story quickly. Avery and her younger sister Tilly survived a car accident that claimed the lives of both their parents. Now, Avery has big shoes to fill as she takes over her parent's role in their antique appraisal business. I liked the diverse cast of characters. They range in age, experience, and diversity. The relationship between Tilly, Avery, and their Aunt Midge, who moved in following their parent's deaths is central to how these young women have coped with their tragedy. There is also a potential love interest for Avery that fits into the cast and plot very well.
I liked that this story didn't start out with murder or the discovery of a dead body. Rather, the plot is centered around a mysterious ruby sent for appraisal by an even more mysterious collector. From there the author weaves in plenty of twists and turns as Avery begins to receive mysterious notes that warn her away from this new assignment. As the story moves along and the mystery around the ruby and Avery's parent's deaths starts to deepen, there is more intrigue, action, and murder. The mystery was very compelling and there is a lot to unravel as the reader tries to guess how this one will end. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and the reader will be very satisfied with how this one ends.
This was a very strong start to a new series and each new book will definitely be added to my TBR list. I think it has everything a cozy mystery reader looks for in a series - strong, diverse characters that are likable, a compelling mystery, great writing, and a swiftly moving plot.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I liked that this story didn't start out with murder or the discovery of a dead body. Rather, the plot is centered around a mysterious ruby sent for appraisal by an even more mysterious collector. From there the author weaves in plenty of twists and turns as Avery begins to receive mysterious notes that warn her away from this new assignment. As the story moves along and the mystery around the ruby and Avery's parent's deaths starts to deepen, there is more intrigue, action, and murder. The mystery was very compelling and there is a lot to unravel as the reader tries to guess how this one will end. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and the reader will be very satisfied with how this one ends.
This was a very strong start to a new series and each new book will definitely be added to my TBR list. I think it has everything a cozy mystery reader looks for in a series - strong, diverse characters that are likable, a compelling mystery, great writing, and a swiftly moving plot.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
lolasreviews's review
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
When I read the blurb for this one I knew I wanted to read it. It sounded like a fun and exciting read with an interesting mystery. I liked the idea of following an antique appraiser and the mystery she stumbles upon. This book turned out to be exactly that. I had a great time reading this one and enjoyed the mystery as well as the antique theme of the book.
I liked how this book deviated a bit from the standard cozy mystery plot line set up. There is no dead body found at the start and the mystery isn't a clear cut who did it mystery, although it does tie in with a dead body eventually. I liked how the mystery centered around the ruby and possibly related medallion and also how it ties in with the work of the main character and her family in a way that makes it feel natural for her to be part of it. It's more that the mystery comes to her than that she gets involved in the mystery.
The mystery did progress a bit slowly at times and only at the end all the pieces come together. It kept my interest throughout and I also liked the more daily life scenes and work related scenes in between the mystery bits. I liked how the main character got involved in the mystery and it made sense why she kept digging into it as it related directly to her work and family. I liked seeing the mystery progress and the danger and suspenseful vibe it had at times. I also was surprised when the conclusion came to light as I always felt I missed some pieces to make sense of it, but when the reveal is there it does make sense and it's nice to see some of the earlier hints that point in that direction.
Avery was an interesting main character to read about. I enjoyed getting a feel for her characters and the friends and family she surrounded herself with. I liked seeing her interact with her sister and her aunt and how close the three are and ofcourse the dog. There are some interesting side characters as well and a possible romance. I hope to get to know the characters more in future books, but so far I liked what I saw and how the author gave everyone their own personality.
I liked the antique appraisal theme of the book. I don't think I've read a cozy mystery with this theme before and it was fun to learn a bit about how they go to spot the difference between a real and fake ruby and how the process progressed.
To summarize: I liked this book. It kept my attention and I was curious to find out what was going on. The mystery was different than the usual cozy mystery set up and I think that worked here. It was nice how the mystery was closely tied in with the main character's job and her family, whcih made it feel natural how she got involved. While the mystery progressed a bit slowly, with most of the pieces only coming to light toward the end, it did keep my attention and I enjoyed the mystery. The main character was interesting enough and I liked getting a feel for her and the side characters. The antique appraisal theme was a fun theme. I look forward to more books in this series!
When I read the blurb for this one I knew I wanted to read it. It sounded like a fun and exciting read with an interesting mystery. I liked the idea of following an antique appraiser and the mystery she stumbles upon. This book turned out to be exactly that. I had a great time reading this one and enjoyed the mystery as well as the antique theme of the book.
I liked how this book deviated a bit from the standard cozy mystery plot line set up. There is no dead body found at the start and the mystery isn't a clear cut who did it mystery, although it does tie in with a dead body eventually. I liked how the mystery centered around the ruby and possibly related medallion and also how it ties in with the work of the main character and her family in a way that makes it feel natural for her to be part of it. It's more that the mystery comes to her than that she gets involved in the mystery.
The mystery did progress a bit slowly at times and only at the end all the pieces come together. It kept my interest throughout and I also liked the more daily life scenes and work related scenes in between the mystery bits. I liked how the main character got involved in the mystery and it made sense why she kept digging into it as it related directly to her work and family. I liked seeing the mystery progress and the danger and suspenseful vibe it had at times. I also was surprised when the conclusion came to light as I always felt I missed some pieces to make sense of it, but when the reveal is there it does make sense and it's nice to see some of the earlier hints that point in that direction.
Avery was an interesting main character to read about. I enjoyed getting a feel for her characters and the friends and family she surrounded herself with. I liked seeing her interact with her sister and her aunt and how close the three are and ofcourse the dog. There are some interesting side characters as well and a possible romance. I hope to get to know the characters more in future books, but so far I liked what I saw and how the author gave everyone their own personality.
I liked the antique appraisal theme of the book. I don't think I've read a cozy mystery with this theme before and it was fun to learn a bit about how they go to spot the difference between a real and fake ruby and how the process progressed.
To summarize: I liked this book. It kept my attention and I was curious to find out what was going on. The mystery was different than the usual cozy mystery set up and I think that worked here. It was nice how the mystery was closely tied in with the main character's job and her family, whcih made it feel natural how she got involved. While the mystery progressed a bit slowly, with most of the pieces only coming to light toward the end, it did keep my attention and I enjoyed the mystery. The main character was interesting enough and I liked getting a feel for her and the side characters. The antique appraisal theme was a fun theme. I look forward to more books in this series!
battlekitten85's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
melmo2610's review
5.0
FANTASTIC STORY! I really enjoyed this opener to a brand new series by Tracy Gardner. Wonderful mystery and great characters. This was a perfect cozy for me. The art angle made for a great mystery with all sorts of things to untangle, and a budding relationship for Avery made for a story I could not put down. I need book two asap!
booksaprilreads's review
5.0
In this series debut, we meet Avery Ayers who has taken over her parents business of appraising antiques and antiquities. Avery’s parents were killed in a suspicious car accident about.a year ago. Avery lives with her Aunt Midge and her sister Tilly.
There is a lot of backstory in this book, as we get to know the characters and their stories. I personally like when authors do take the time to fill in the history of their characters in a series debut. By the end of the story, I felt like I knew the Ayers family and their friends well.
There is more than one mystery in this story. There is the mystery of whether or not the ruby is real, the mystery of the acquirer of the ruby not wanting to meet anyone in person, the mystery of whether or not the ruby will fit the Emperor’s Twins medallion, and some family mystery, too. I loved that there was so much going on in this novel that ultimately all tied together. I think the author did a great job wrapping up each of the story lines while leaving us wanting to know more. I feel the author has set things up well to continue the series.
It did take this story a little while to pick up in pace, but the wait is well worth it. By the time the pace picks up, the reader is familiar enough with the characters that they can begin trying to determine what is really going on and who is ultimately behind each scenario.
I really liked learning a little about the appraisal process. I had no idea so much went into it and that the process is so scientific. I hope we get to learn more with each book in the series.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley, Tracy Gardner, and Crooked Lane Books for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
There is a lot of backstory in this book, as we get to know the characters and their stories. I personally like when authors do take the time to fill in the history of their characters in a series debut. By the end of the story, I felt like I knew the Ayers family and their friends well.
There is more than one mystery in this story. There is the mystery of whether or not the ruby is real, the mystery of the acquirer of the ruby not wanting to meet anyone in person, the mystery of whether or not the ruby will fit the Emperor’s Twins medallion, and some family mystery, too. I loved that there was so much going on in this novel that ultimately all tied together. I think the author did a great job wrapping up each of the story lines while leaving us wanting to know more. I feel the author has set things up well to continue the series.
It did take this story a little while to pick up in pace, but the wait is well worth it. By the time the pace picks up, the reader is familiar enough with the characters that they can begin trying to determine what is really going on and who is ultimately behind each scenario.
I really liked learning a little about the appraisal process. I had no idea so much went into it and that the process is so scientific. I hope we get to learn more with each book in the series.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley, Tracy Gardner, and Crooked Lane Books for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
suerae's review
4.0
Ruby Red Herring: An Avery Ayers Antique Mystery is the first in the series by Tracy Gardner where we meet Avery Ayers, Antiquities & Artifact Appraised in Manhattan. Livving with her younger siter and Aunt Midge after her parents death.. Avery is knee with the appraisial of the a rare, resplendent ruby when the trouble starts!
I really enjoyed reading this book and can't wit for the second in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me read this wonderful book.
I really enjoyed reading this book and can't wit for the second in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me read this wonderful book.