"Antiques and Adversity in the Azores" By Victoria Tait: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

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

Fans of author Victoria Tait will be happy to get their hands on the first book in her newest series: Antiques and Adversity in the Azores. Readers new to Victoria’s work will enjoy this mysterious escape.

The story’s main character is antiques expert Georgina Carey. Georgina is offered a commission to value the estate of a deceased Portuguese collector in the Azores. She accepts the job, hoping that a trip away from the UK will help her recover from the death of her con man husband.

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Image Source Kanga Press

Georgina is pleased to stay in a lake house on São Miguel Island, that is until a body is found floating in the lake, echoing a mysterious death from over 30 years ago. While she tells herself she will remain focused on her task, Georgina finds herself drawn into the secrets of the local town. As she pieces together the stories she learns from residents, she starts to wonder if the deaths were as accidental as they seemed or if something more unsettling is at play.

Readers who enjoy a literary escape to beautiful settings should grab this book. The setting was simply enchanting, rich with vivid details. This is perfect arm-chair travel. This is a specialty of Victoria’s writing – rich details about the food, the climate, the people, that bring the story to life.

The island felt like a small town where everyone knew everyone else’s history and that made the mystery layered and complicated.  

Georgina is an intelligent sleuth who has been through a lot in her personal life, and what adds even more to this story is that Georgina experiences a lot of personal growth. The Georgina readers meet at the start of the book is not the same Georgina when we finish the story. This detail made the story feel even deeper than a traditional mystery, and I greatly enjoyed my time with Georgina.

To enter to win a copy of Antiques and Adversity in the Azores(print or ebook winner's choice), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "azores,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 12, 2025. 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. 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! 

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.