Antiques Foe

Book 17 in Allan’s “Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery” series (after Antiques Liquidation) follows lead character Vivian Borne as she is arrested for the murder of a famous (and slanderous) true-crime podcaster who accused Vivian and her daughter Brandy of committing the crimes they solved. This leaves Brandy to run the family antiques business while tracking down the real killer. While the premise is intriguing, the story moves painstakingly slowly. The author (a pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team) alternates chapters voiced by Vivian and Brandy and frequently breaks the fourth wall. This technique creates what some readers may feel is excessive banter between characters. There are recipes available throughout that may also detract from the story. Had the authors narrowed the focus of the book to the actual mystery, it may have been less obvious who the murderer was (easily guessed in the first few chapters) and could have resulted in a more enjoyable read.