Customer Reviews

Larceny and Lace (A Vintage Magic Mystery)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set in Mystick Falls (fictional town), Connecticut. Madeira "Maddie or Mad" Cutler is a former New York fashion designer. She now owns a huge building, compliments of her friend and centenarian Dolly Sweet. The building used to be the Underhill Funeral Chapel carriage house. In less than two weeks it will be reopening its doors as Mad's new business, Vintage Magic. It will be her dress shop for timeless classics and designer originals. Almost everything, including the decor, will be vintage. Events begin immediately. Less than an hour after the construction crew leaves, Maddie walks into her shop and hears an intruder upstairs. The thief gets away. The building's ghost, Dante, has no idea who it was except that it was male. Maddie is one of the few people who are able to see and speak with the handsome specter. Dante is a big help whenever Maddie finds herself in the middle of a mystery, such as this one.

After the second arson attempt claims the old playhouse (theater) across the street, Maddie returns to Vintage Magic and learns that her intruder had returned during her absence. The only things taken, though, were some old bones that had previously been wrapped in an old quilt and hidden in a body drawer. Detective Sergeant Lytton Werner is not pleased to find Maddie in the thick of things again. He has no idea that much of what Maddie learns comes from a ghost and from the visions she sometimes receives from touching vintage items. Her psychometric ability is one of the gifts Maddie inherited from her deceased mother. The bones make her shop a crime scene and Maddie begins to worry about the upcoming grand opening. Enter Aunt Fiona, the chairman of the White Star Circle of Spirit, Southeast Connecticut Chapter. Aunt Fiona is, as Maddie's mother was, a witch. Soon the grand opening is due for Halloween day, with a costume ball that evening sponsored by the Circle.

Maddie's days and nights become hectic as she deals with the grand opening, a publicity hound councilman, the councilman's trophy wife/town gossip columnist, the thirty-year-old murder of a woman named Isobel (the bones), the recent death of the playhouse owner, unwanted visions, a detective that hates and likes her (both at once), and a whole bunch of suspects (at least one of which wants her dead). It would be easier if Maddie's boyfriend, and FBI agent, was in town more often lately. But at least he can be reached (sometimes) via phone for research help.

It is up to a ghost, her best friend (Eve), and an irritatingly handsome detective to keep Maddie alive this time around.

***** FOUR AND A HALF STARS! This is the second Vintage Magic mystery. Though there is not as much danger this time, the mystery will still test your wits. The backgrounds of Maddie's friends and family members become more fleshed out as well. It is great to learn a bit more about Mad's father, aunt, and Eve. Looks like Maddie's FBI boyfriend may have some competition soon and romance just may be in her dad's future too. For those wanting to know more about Dante and Dolly, you will be pleased to see the pair interact. (Yes, Dolly can see Dante in the shop too.) And you simply HAVE to admit that a vintage shop owner with psychometric ability just oozes over with possibilities! I am SO ready for the next mystery! Brava! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

In this second release of Annette Blair's Vintage Magic Mysteries, murder and mayhem disrupt the opening of Maddie Cutler's vintage dress shop. I have been looking forward to this book and found it to be as entertaining and charming as A Veiled Deception, if not more so! Maddie begins to unravel the mystery with the help of her best friend, and we get to learn more of the colorful and entertaining residents of Mystic Falls, Connecticut (both dead and alive). Along the way there is plenty of humor and clever dialogue, a touch of the supernatural, and enough suspense and danger to keep you guessing till the end. A touching, cozy book you can curl up with and enjoy!

With only two books to the series so far, I feel as if I know the Mystick Falls residents. And, I like them. This time Madeira Cutler finds a surprise in the unexplored storage room on the second floor of her morgue, turned funeral chapel carriage house, turned vintage dress shop. The Wiener is one of my favorite characters and we learn a lot more about him in this book. Meanwhile, Maddie and Eve are up to no good, at least it seems that way. A bit of contemporary mystery, a hunky ghost, the legacy of a witch, and a dash of romance. What more could you ask for in a witty, well told cozy mystery? Kudos Ms. Blair. You've done it again.

Her books are a little slow to start, but once they get going you cannot wait to see "who dunnit"!!! I love the dynamics in the main characters family and love the other-than-worldly connections between the main character and a few of the dearly departed.. Dante is a breath of fresh air, as are the Sweet sisters.. having an FBI agent for a hot boyfriend doesn't hurt either!! Annette gives an excellent description of Nick and doesn't waste words!! And having a crush on the Weiner doesn't hurt either and vice versa..

I cannot wait for her new one to come out in April.. all these in the series are a must read..

After reading two of her new mystery series, I find Blair's mysteries to move faster than most cozies and to have a story you can sink your teeth into. I loved this book for so many clever turns I can't tell you, or you won't need to read it. But suffice it to say that it's a keeper as are most of Blair's books, but the mysteries, they were a surprise. It's a new genre for this author and she's aced it. So glad I picked up that first one.

Before this: A VEILED DECEPTION, afterthis: DEATH BY DIAMONDS. Spring 2011: SKIRTING THE GRAVE (yes I've been on her website. [...] for details of upcoming books)

Don't miss out on NAKED DRAGON & BEDEVILED ANGEL, and treat yourself to her six witches, the ACCIDENTAL WITCH TRILOGY & THE TRIPLET WITCH TRILOGY. You'll be glad you did.

I didn't think this book was going to be worth reading but it surprised me! I truly enjoyed the storyline. It was fun and very easy to follow. It kept me interested and I liked the chemistry between Mad and Detective Werner, but wish there was involvement and more of Dante, the good looking resident ghost!

This was the first Annette Blair book I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! She spins a good tale with a nice touch of humor and makes you like her heroine and her friends! I loved the "old ghost" and his "girlfriend" and the whole situation of trying to open a new business in the face of so much outside interference made you wonder what was coming next!! I'm going to look for some more A. Blair books very soon!!

Great series! Moves along good and I love the characters. It is a really fun read and I can't wait for more!

Each new novel in this delightful series makes me enjoy it more. Our sleuth, Maddie is starting her new life as sole-proprietor of a vintage dress store. The store comes with beautiful clothing, antiques, and even its own handsome, and winsome ghost, named Dante.

As Maddie arrives to her store (tired by a non-ending final work day, driving home to Connecticut from New York), and an antique quilt is found by Dante (Yes, our Maddie can talk and see him,) filled with bones and other treasures. Maddie, has once again, discovered a murder. Finding murderers is a gift from the Universe, via her own innate Witching abilities passed down by her deceased Mother. The thing is if she touches vintage clothing/materials, that item's history reveals it's own history to Maddie.

The entire village is excited about her homecoming, excepting the man repeatedly burglarizing the renovated former funeral parlour. Does someone have something hidden inside the old building?

The characters are delightful, even the evil ones. Sometimes you feel like you are in the midst of an old-fashioned melodrama. And, the love-story of Dante's ...well it is his to tell...

Treat yourself to a fabulous read, I highly suggest you begin the series at book one.

She originally came to Mystick Falls, Connecticut for her sister's wedding (see A Veiled Deception) that turned ugly with the homicide of the groom's mother. However she has remained in the picturesque small town thanks to her centenarian friend Dolly Sweet giving her a building to house her new business. Madeira "Mad" Cutler knows the renovations from the Underhill Funeral Chapel carriage house is almost complete and in two weeks she will open the doors to Vintage Magic, a dress shop with historical classics and originals.

The construction crew has just left the facility when Maddie hears a noise; the intruder escapes and her spirited resident Dante the ghost says the person is male, but has no idea who he is. An arson set blaze destroys the historical playhouse across the street from Vintage Magic. While Maddie was there, her invader returned stealing the three decade old bones wrapped in a quilt and hidden in a drawer. Detective Sergeant Lytton Werner tells Maddie to stay out of his investigation and calls her shop a crime scene. However between Dante's tips and her psychometric skill to see things that occurred by touching them, she tries to piece together what happened before the Halloween grand opening. Aunt Fiona, chairman of the Southeast Connecticut Chapter of the White Star Circle of Spirit arrives to help or hinder depending on who you ask at a time someone wants her dead with Dante, her best friend Eve, and Lytton trying to prevent her death.

The second Vintage Magic mystery (see A VEILED DECEPTION) is a wonderful investigative tale that will have armchair readers spellbound trying to solve the case before Maddie can. The inquiry enables the audience to learn more about the heroine's family especially her father and aunt, as well as her BFF. With whimsy, humor and Dante to round out the magic, fans will enjoy this entertaining paranormal amateur sleuth while wondering if Lytton will become the latest cop bewitched by Mad Maddie.

Harriet Klausner