The Ming and I (A Den of Antiquity Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Tamar Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997

Rattling Old Family Skeletons

North Carolina native Abigail Timberlake, owner of the Den of Antiquity, is quick to dismiss the seller of a hideous old vase--until the poor lady comes hurtling back through the shop window minutes later, the victim f a fatal hit-and-run.

Tall, dark, and handsome Homicide Investigator Greg Washburn--who just happens to be Abby's boyfriend--is frustrated by conflicting accounts from eyewitnesses. And he's just short of furious with his ever-loving, when he learns it was a valuable Ming vase, and Abby let it vanish from the crime scene. Abby decides she had better find out for herself what happened to the treasure--and to the lady who was dying to get rid of it.

It turns out the victim had a lineage that would make a Daughter of the Confederacy green with envy, and her connection with the historic old Roselawn Plantation makes that a good place to start sleuthing. Thanks to her own mama's impeccable southern credentials, Abby is granted an appointment with the board members--but no one gives her permission to snoop. And digging into the long-festering secrets of a proud family of the Old South turns out to be a breach of good manners that could land Abby six feet under in the family plot.

Rattling Old Family Skeletons

North Carolina native Abigail Timberlake, owner of the Den of Antiquity, is quick to dismiss the seller of a hideous old vase--until the poor lady comes hurtling back through the shop window minutes later, the victim f a fatal hit-and-run.

Tall, dark, and handsome Homicide Investigator Greg Washburn--who just happens to be Abbys boyfriend--is frustrated by conflicting accounts from eyewitnesses. And hes just short of furious with his ever-lovin, when he learns it was a valuable Ming vase, and Abby let it vanish from the crime scene. Abby decides she had better find out for herself what happened to the treasure--and to the lady who was dying to get rid of it.

It turns out the victim had a lineage that would make a Daughter of the Confederacy green with envy, and her connection with the historic old Roselawn Plantation makes that a good place to start sleuthing. Thanks to her own mamas impeccable southern credentials, Abby is granted an appointment with the board members--but no one gives her permission to snoop. And digging into the long-festering secrets of a proud family of the Old South turns out to be a breach of good manners that could land Abby six feet under in the family plot.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

TAMAR MYERS is the author of fifteen previous Den of Antiquity mysteries: Larceny and Old Lace; Gilt by Association; The Ming and I; So Faux, So Good; Baroque and Desperate; Estate of Mind; A Penny Urned; Nightmare in Shining Armor; Splendor in the Glass; Tiles and Tribulations; Statue of Limitations; Monet Talks; The Cane Mutiny; Death of a Rug Lord; and Poison Ivory. She is also the author of the novel The Witch Doctor's Wife and the Magdalena Yoder series. She is an avid antiques collector, and lives in the Carolinas.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380792559
• ISBN-13: 978-0380792559
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #852,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tamar Myers, who is of Mennonite background, is the author of the Pennsylvania Dutch mysteries and the Den of Antiquity series. Born and raised in the Congo, she lives in North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, January 15, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ming and I (A Den of Antiquity Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first one I have ever read by Ms. Myers. I can't wait to get her others and read them too. I found myself almost laughing out loud during some of the situations the main character found herself in. I would highly recommend this author!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Formula, but fun., November 9, 2003

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ming and I (A Den of Antiquity Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was a bit predictable, but it was still funny, and I still enjoy Abigail. She's a lot of fun, and she still makes me laugh. Her description of her conversation with "Maynard" in this book is hilarious. In this book, someone is run over right in front of Abby's shop. This happens just after the woman had left her shop after unsuccessfully trying to interest her in an ugly gray vase. Anyway pursuit of this particular murder puts Abby shoulder-to-shoulder with the creme de la creme of Rock Hill population. She gets in a bunch of scrapes and a few more bodies turn up before Abby solves the mystery of the old Roselawn plantation.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but fun anyway, September 2, 2003

By 

"paglobegirl" (Monroeville, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ming and I (A Den of Antiquity Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

As the third book in the Den of Antiquity Series, The Ming and I will not disappoint fans of the first two books. The same characters we loved in Gilt By Association are back as is the humor.

Unfortunetly, I think Myers had a few too many characters in this installment just as she did with the first. It became a little confusing around the middle of the book to keep track of who was who. The good part though is that the regular characters are even more fun than before. Abigail's June Cleaver-like mother, Mozella is developed more in this book and with wonderful results. The "Rob-Bobs" supply us with their usual knowledge and humor and CJ is there to keep our eyes rolling and heads shaking.

The mystery itself is a little too predictable even with so many extra characters. The ending seemed almost like the ending of an episode of Scooby-Doo. The sleuthing in Gilt By Association is much better than this one. What saves this book from becoming blah is the sense of humor. The laughs are even bigger in The Ming and I than they were before. There is a classic scene with Abigail, Mozella and CJ in a haunted house that was so funny, I had to read it again.

Whether or not you enjoyed the first two books in this series, make sure you read The Ming and I. The Den of Antiquity Series get better (and funnier) with each installment.