Review by Kathleen Costa
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of this book and a link to purchase it.
Appraisals for Mystery
Bonding over a murder investigation, Arabella Carpenter and Emily Garland became friends and partners in The Glass Dolphin, a delightful antique shop in Lount’s Landing. Arabella is quite the expert in antiques, and if she doesn’t know immediately about your grandmother’s tea set or that weird lamp found in your great aunt’s attic, she has the resources to find out its history, its provenance, and it’s value through her detailed appraisals. She has a confusing, somewhat unresolved, relationship with ex-husband Levon Larroquette, a successful antiques picker, but he hasn’t been very supportive about her choosing a “brick and mortar” business as a way to fulfill her dream. Emily was a freelance reporter sent to Lount’s Landing on a big undercover story, but the murder of the man she was sent to write about and meeting Arabella had her rethinking her career path. She is now a full partner, bestie, and the PR wizard in charge of advertising, marketing, and promotions. She is also engaged to Luke Surmanski who runs the marina, and excited about their upcoming nuptials. Together they are working hard to get The Glass Dolphin in the black, introducing antiques to the community, and getting involved, not on purpose, with more than a few mysteries.
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| Image Source Superior Shores Press |
Emily’s brilliant idea for an Appraisal Day at The Glass Dolphin was inspired by the popularity of the Antiques Roadshow, but Arabella isn’t as confident in its success to bring in new clientele and additional “stay and buy” business. The antiques trade has changed enough that the “Oh, my, I don’t believe it!” finds don’t appear often. Opening the shop door, however, has Arabella surprised to see a gathering of people carrying boxes, bags, and hopes their item is more treasure than trash. But, unfortunately there were more fakes and reproductions, but Arabella did well to ease any disappointments by highlighting sentimental value rather than monetary. It was in many ways a success, especially when the final customer had an offer not an object: a nice commission to appraise an old photography, a daguerreotype that is right up Arabella expertise alley, along with assisting to verify the value of other estate items. Drawback...her ex-husband is the lead appraiser. Drawback...her client has a competing and joint beneficiary sister. Drawback...the effect on Emily’s ability to buy the house in question causes concern. Drawback...there’s a hidden will and long ago secrets complicate issues.
Entertaining! Judy Penz Sheluk puts The Glass Dolphin duo together again in several engaging mysteries making this third book a real page turner. Not only does Arabella and her ex collaborate on a fascinating mystery during their appraisal, but Emily has found the house of her dreams and sets out to get it despite unscrupulous realtors, a manipulative relative, and a “fix it up” celebrity. Absolute fun! The drama includes an overlapping of compelling mysteries incorporating the past, the present, family dysfunction, greed, jealousy, egos, and a wedding. Judy’s writing style uses descriptive language allowing readers to easily see in their mind’s eye the setting and characters along with dialogue to illustrate tone, emotions, and the varies personalities. No edge of your seat drama, but totally absorbing. I can’t stop in the middle of a chapter, so I am pleased they are organized in smaller consumable bits, but not short on drama, excitement, or fascinating details and facts. Judy always includes intriguing background and history to her work leading me to google: watches, scrimshaw or “fakeshaw,” a witch bottle, a daguerreotype, and legal details about estates and wills. I loved it and highly recommend this book, on which newbies can start, but the whole three-book series is a must!
Glass Dolphin Mystery series
The Hanged Man’s Noose
A Hole In One (2018) KRL-News Review HERE
Where There’s a Will (2020)
Be a Big Judy Penz Sheluk Fan!
Judy Penz Sheluk wears a couple different literary hats: author and editor. Along with some shorts included in several anthologies, she pens two engaging series, each with strong female characters who happen upon mayhem and murder: this three-book The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the three-book Marketville Mysteries (KRL Reviewed HERE #1, HERE #2, and HERE #3. She is also an editor gathering twenty-one writers from all over, including herself, and compiling their delightful shorts in themed mysteries: The Best Laid Plans (KRL Reviewed HERE), and Heartbreaks & Half-Truths (KRL Reviewed HERE).
Facebook — Judy Penz Sheluk, Author
To enter to win an ebook copy of Where There's a Will, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "will,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 12,, 2020. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. BE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN SHIPPING THE WINNING BOOK. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.
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Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Sounds like an great read.
ReplyDeletethanks.
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Where there's a will, there's a won't! Count me in!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fabulous review!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy! We have a winner!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
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