Antiques Bizarre (Trasn 'n' Treasures Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Barbara Allan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Trasn 'n' Treasures Mysteries | Publication Date: March 1, 2010

Brandy Borne knows the outcome of her mother Vivian's plan, however, is more likely to lean toward bizarre, especially when she hears Mother wheedle a reclusive Russian heiress into donating a truly rare item: the last Faberge egg ever created! As private bidders and representatives from Christie's and Sotheby's go at each other, and local-theatre diva Vivian barks her way into auctioneering infamy, Brandy tries her best to stay calm - all this craziness can't be good for her pregnancy (did we mention she's surrogate mum for her best gal pal?). It's not so good for the winning bidder, either, who turns up mortally scrambled at the foot of a church-tower staircase...without the prized egg. Soon no one is safe, everyone's a suspect, and even the thought of food is sending the now Prozac-free mom-to-be sprinting for the nearest porcelain altar. It's going to take a little fuzzy therapy from Sushi - Brandy's peppy Shih Tzu - and a lot of Mother's charmingly, alarmingly meddlesome inquiries to track down this killer...who is one seriously bad egg!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Allan's giddy fourth antiques mystery set in the Midwestern Mississippi River town of Serenity (after 2008's Antiques Flee Market), Vivian Borne persuades elderly Nastasya Petrova to contribute her Fabergé egg to a charity auction for Serenity flood victims. When Madam Petrova dies in a mass poisoning at the auction and someone pushes the winning bidder for the Fabergé egg, a Chicago art dealer, down a spiral staircase to his death, Vivian and daughter Brandy swing into dizzy detecting mode. Brandy must cope with morning sickness (she's a surrogate carrier for close friends) and digest the news from her biological mom that her biological dad is a U.S. senator, but these distractions don't prevent Brandy from getting closer to hunky Serenity police chief Tony Cassato as more bodies pile up. Auction tips and a recipe for spicy beef stew enhance this satirical cozy. Allan is the husband-wife writing team of Max Allan Collins and Barbara Collins. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"A fast-paced plot, plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, and tips on antique collecting." -- Library Journal

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1 edition (March 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075823421X
• ISBN-13: 978-0758234216
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars amusing whodunit, February 27, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Antiques Bizarre (Trasn 'n' Treasures Mysteries) (Hardcover)

After a horrible winter, the residents of the Midwest town of Serenity are rejoicing that spring has arrived. Unfortunately though the temperatures rises, the warmer weather leads to melting of ice and snow further north and the Mississippi is overflowing its banks. Serenity is flooded and as the river overflows its' banks and certain streets remain under water. Help the flood victims are septuagenarian Vivian Bourne and her thirtyish daughter Brandy who will host an auction at the Catholic Church.


They visit wealthy Madam Petrova to ask her to donate a Faberge egg although they expect a no from her. Instead she agrees to give them the last one commissioned by the Czar. Art expert Louis Martinette authenticated it decades ago and apparently wins the bidding with a million dollar offer. However, before the gavel comes down to end the bid, people fall to the floor ill. Both Madam Petrova and Louis Martinette are dead and the egg is missing. The cause of the sickness is the Mulligan stew made by Mrs. Mulligan, who commits suicide while Father O'Brien is stabbed to death. Vivian feels responsible as the deaths are related to her auction so with Brandy at her side; she investigates who the serial killing thief is

The latest Trash `N' Treasures mystery (see Antiques Flee Market) is an amusing whodunit with less of the cute asides than the previous tales as the mother and daughter team get down to investigative business almost from the onset. Off her Prozac, surrogate pregnant Brandy struggles to keep her bi-polar mom in line during their inquiry, which Brandy's boyfriend the police chief objects to their investigation for safety reasons. Vivian is over the top with her interrogation methods while Brandy deals with morning sickness and her madcap mother's mayhem.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great series, March 19, 2010

By 

Pamela Wavde (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Antiques Bizarre (Trasn 'n' Treasures Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This book is great fun!! I have read her entire series Wonderful characters! I look forward to her next book

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FOURTH IN SERIES, April 25, 2010

By 

ITZME "JEANNE" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Antiques Bizarre (Trasn 'n' Treasures Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Another cozy mystery in the Trash and Treasures Mystery series(#4). Brandy Borne is a surrogate mother for her BFF. Brandy's mother Vivian arranges an auction for the relief of the Serenity Iowa flood victims. A Russian Faberge egg is the hot item up for bid. As a result of this auction there are several deaths. The Chief of Police has a soft spot for Brandy. Of course, Brandy and Vivian are hot on the trail of the thief and murderer. Funny read.