"Valued for Murder" By Victoria Tait: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of the post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Dotty Sayers never thought she’d be a widow at twenty-eight, but for the first time in her life, she’s taking the reins and making decisions for herself, sans her father, and now, her husband. She says goodbye to the military support available to her, found a rewarding job at an antique center, and is making new friends which includes the original owner of Akemans Antiques Bernadette Deveraux, lovingly referred to as Aunt Beanie by more than just her nieces who run the antique center and auction house, who not only offered Dotty guidance and friendship, but a little cottage in which to live. Good friend Norman Climpson, the porter at the antique center, suggested Aunt Beanie come out of retirement and give private tours of the renovated Windrush Hall and the eclectic collection of its new owner, opera star Zenobia Richardson. Dotty joined Aunt Beanie on her first day and was in awe of the manor house and hearing Madame Zenobia Richardson belt out a couple of arias. She was also introduced to the fiery Italian personal assistant Serena De Rossi…intense!


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Image Source Kanga Press
Valued for Murder
Earns 5/5 Bronze Treasures…Engaging & Clever!

Akemans Antiques is hosting The Antique Tour television show at Charbury Castle Hotel, and Zenobia Richardson is the celebrity guest expert on the show. She may be an opera singer, but her passion for Italian sculptures and artwork and an impressive personal collection led her to a unique perspective on which she’s given lectures. Although there are some experts on the show who believe without a formal education, like themselves, her label as an expert is disingenuous. Dotty, however, is relieved she’ll be sitting out this event, until David Rook, a “miscellaneous expert” and colleague at the antiques center, suggests Dotty stand in for the show’s receptionist who at the last minute is unavailable. David’s wife Marion decides Dotty needs a full makeover since she may find herself on camera. Beyond the new hair cut and outfits she can scarcely afford, Dotty notices awkward incidents among the cast, crew, and clients: clashing personalities, diva expectations, a young stalker trying to get in, one expert with an interested eye on Dotty, and several clients disappointed by their appraisals. There is also a shocking revelation about a bronze statue, but the big news of the day is the dead body at the bottom of the stairs!

Priceless Cozy! Victoria Tait has penned one of my favorite series, Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery, and with this second book, she has solidified her place on my Top Reads for 2022. Dotty Sayers is an endearing, complicated character who decides to “boldly go where [she’s never] gone before.” Independence. It is an exciting lifestyle, but very scary. She has, however, a diverse set of new friends to help her navigate the new path. Her job is central to the varied predicaments, good and bad, which lately seem to include murder investigations, and despite having to deal with some personal peril, Ouch!, Dotty discovers she’s much more capable than family and friends have led her to believe, and the journey is entertaining.

Victoria Tait’s writing has an entertaining and descriptive style with a well-developed and complex mystery that includes a fascinating look at a range of artwork and insights into appraisals, authentications, and forgeries, but it’s the victim’s background, personal conflicts, and professional grudges that expand the list of suspects and motives, and secrets and hidden connections, and some serious inconsistencies in the victim’s last Will and testament rounds out the intrigue. Beyond the investigation that unfolds on and off the page, readers join in with Dotty and her friends on several excursions and the ins and outs of running the antique center. Excellent drama. Varied personalities. Surprise ending with a hint of the next story.

Additional Fun! Once you finish Valued for Murder, you can get some additional closure by reading HERE the short story about Madame Zenobia’s British Blue feline in Mario’s Journey. What did he see? Where did he go? What does life have in store for him? 

Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries

Hour is Come (2022) Sign up for Victoria Tait’s newsletter and receive this prequel free.

Fake Death (April, 2022) KRL News Reviewed HERE

Valued for Murder (June, 2022)

Bidding for Revenge (releases August 19, 2022) is on AmazonPreorder HERE. A team triathlon charity event. A dead competitor. Can an amateur sleuth discover the truth?

Be a Big Fan of Victoria Tait!

A military wife herself, and having been stationed all over the world, Victoria Tait brings a unique perspective to her work. In her Kenya Kanga Mystery series, a top 2021 favorite, she uses her experience with living in Kenya and interest in the flora and fauna to create an exciting cozy series with paraprofessional veterinarian “Mama Rose” Hardie, who gets entangled with conservation as well as many suspicious deaths. Check out Amazon for the complete Kenya Kanga Mystery series.

The best place to find Victoria Tait and learn more about her and her books is through social media. Sign up for her newsletter on her website, and if you join the mailing list, you can download the prequel, “Hour is Come,” for FREE.

Facebook—Victoria Tait Author

Website—Victoria Tait

To enter to win either a print or ebook copy of Valued for Murder (winner's choice), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "dotty,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen June 25, 2022. 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. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. BE SURE TO STATE IF YOU WANT PRINT OR EBOOK. 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.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

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.
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.

Comments

  1. Sounds interesting! Count me in!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds like a wonderful book. I remember this character from the author's other series. I prefer print books. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another new author to me. Looking forward to reading the book. I prefer a print copy.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Valued for Murder sounds like a fun and entertaining book to treasure!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like an interesting read. Love antiques and
    having them as part of the story is great. thanks
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the opportunity! tWarner419@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. This sounds like it will be exciting. Count me in, please. I would prefer a print copy if possible. lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete

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