Antiques Maul: A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery (Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries) [Paperback]

Barbara Allan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries | Publication Date: September 2, 2008

After her impossible-but-adorable mother quits the local theatre group, Brandy Borne has a brilliant idea for keeping mother out of trouble; open their own booth at the new antiques mall in town. But things turn grim when a body is found between the cigar-store Indian and the chamber pot.The local law believes that normally good-natured Brad Pit Bull, the victim's dog, mauled its owner to death. But Brandy and mother suspect the hound has been framed. And as Halloween approaches, true terror unmasks itself when Brandy's young son, Jacob, goes missing. Now Brandy and her diva mum are on the hunt to find Jack before a devious killer can maul again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this jumbled sequel to Antiques Roadkill (2006), Allan (the pseudonymous husband-and-wife writing team of Max Allan and Barbara Collins) burdens a simple whodunit with too much sentimental ornament. Recent divorcée Brandy Borne has her hands full with her aging, scatterbrained mother, Vivian, who has just announced her retirement from local theater. To keep Vivian busy and generate some cash, Brandy suggests they open a stall in the new antiques mall in their small Midwestern town of Serenity. Then the two women find a retired schoolteacher dead at the mall, apparently killed by her pit bull. Vivian insists the woman was murdered, but the official investigation comes up empty. Brandy and Vivian also detect a bit, but to little practical effect, eventually stumbling on the solution by chance. Brandy's rambling narration and Vivian's dotty escapades may not hold the attention of hardcore mystery fans, but antiques addicts will enjoy the trash 'n' treasures tips. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"* "Charming... A laugh-out-loud funny mystery." - Romantic Times (four stars)."

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; Reprint edition (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758211945
• ISBN-13: 978-0758211941
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,045,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth your reading time, September 6, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Antiques Maul (Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries, No. 2) (Hardcover)

Second in this new series by authors Max Allan and Barbara Collins, this funny and informative cozy mystery has many surprises in store for you. Not only are there Trash `n' Treasure tips at the end of each chapter, a few recipes are also thrown in!

Max and Barbara have created some fantastic characters in Brandy and Vivian Borne. Brandy has returned home to a small Midwestern town on the Mississippi to live with her mother after a messy divorce. She has custody of the old blind Shih Tzu, Sushi, while her husband has custody of ten-year-old Jake back in Chicago.

Vivian has been a fixture at the Community Theatre Playhouse, and is dismayed when her archrival Bernice, a recent arrival in town, gets the position of Director. Vivian quits the theatre and Brandy comes up with an idea to keep her mother busy and out of her hair: she gets a booth at the new antiques mall in town.

They travel to a federal auction of confiscated goods, buy enough to fill the booth, and pick up Jake for a short visit. Shortly after they set up their booth early one morning, they discover the owner of the mall, Mrs. Norton, on the floor, covered in blood with her timid pit bull standing over her! Was she mauled by her dog?

And, who has been following Brandy? Why is the man from the federal antiques auction after the rolltop desk Brandy bought? Did he follow her to Serenity and try and track it down? Who is the young man Brandy sees arguing with Bernice? Son Jake comes to visit and helps out at the Antiques Mall, and finds a secret compartment in the wooden cigar store Indian. He claims all that was in there was the cigar.

The authors have a unique voice and a quirky conversational style. This amusing trek through the world of antiques will keep you giggling. My favorite chapter was when Vivian takes over and does some sleuthing on her own.

Armchair Interviews says: Treasures exist throughout this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Antiques Maul, December 21, 2010

By 

Brenda Priebe (ALGONA, IOWA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Antiques Maul: A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery (Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries) (Paperback)

If you are looking for some light reading and prefer mysteries, this book is for you. It had me lol right away. I love how eccentric the mother Vivian is! It's a great book for people who like to read, but don't have a lot of time to do so. Perfect for busy mothers who have a few minutes of "me time".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars antiques maul trash n treasures mystery, November 10, 2009

By 

B. ledieff - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Antiques Maul: A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery (Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries) (Paperback)

Another in the wonderful series of cozy mysteries- I, for one, am tired of foresnic overkill and enjoy the cerebral aspect of mysteries (hence, "Cozy") I collect series and this is a welcome addition to my collection