I recently reviewed this author’s newest title, Jane Austen’s Lost Letters, a mystery that I enjoyed. Here is an earlier entry in the series that features Josie Prescott, antique dealer and intrepid sleuth.

In the title I just reviewed I learned a bit about authenticating letters as can be told from the title. This time, readers will be treated to learning about Japanese woodblock prints. Unfortunately, for the owner of the print and a guitar, he has been murdered. What happened? Detect with Josie. It gets complicated with affairs, gambling and nefarious art world doings.

This book will be welcomed by fans both old and new. Antiques and a cozy; that’s a pretty good combination in my book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

This was such a good cozy mystery. The author created an interesting plot and well developed characters. This was the first book that I’ve read in this series, and I have to admit that I felt lost at times in the book, especially at the beginning. However, that truly was not the fault of the author or the book. I’ve enjoyed it so much that I have downloaded book one in the series and plan to catch up.

Josie finds herself in a bind when her good friend Mo, asks her to appraise a Japanese woodblock print that Mo purchased from her sister's boyfriend.
Mo, who is an elementary school teacher who doesn't seem to have an enemy in the world ends up murdered after she gives Josie the woodblock print to appraise. Josie who is a bit of an amateur sleuth finds herself trying to figure out who would kill Mo and why? Several weird things are happening in Rocky Point and all things seem to point to this Japanese Woodblock print.
There are several subplots going on that keeps this mystery moving right along and there isn't a dull moment. I can see why this has been such a successful series.
This is the first book I've read in this series, as I stated above it's been a highly successful series and I see why. Ms. Cleland does an excellent job with her character development that I didn't find myself lost and trying to figure out who belonged to who or what, it's a pretty straightforward well-written mystery that had this reader hooked. I look forward to reading more of this series. I loved the New Hampshire setting plus it looks like Josie is in for some major changes.
Disclosure: I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-galley in exchange for my honest opinion. The opinion I expressed above are my own.

This is a great book; this is the twelfth book in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series written by Jane Cleland. When amateur sleuth and antiques expert Josie Prescott is called in to appraise a Japanese woodblock print and vintage guitar for her friend Mo, she’s thrilled until Mo is murdered. Josie once again puts her sleuthing skills to the test to find out who the real killer is. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author.

#12 in the series and can definitely be read as a stand-alone (be forewarned, it will make you want to hunt down the previous 11 and read them because it's so good!)


Josie is a likable character and an antique aficionado! This cozy is well written and the mystery was done like a good cozy should be done- twists, turns, and light. Josie is investigating the death of Mo, a friend asked her to appraise a few pieces. The plot takes us down an interesting road of characters.

ARC received via NetGalley

Just discovered a new cozy series that I need to read the previous books. This is book 12 in the Josie Prescott Antiques series and I loved it. I had no problems following the story line or all the auxiliary characters. I just want to know how they all became friends and co-workers in Josie's Antique business. Also how she met Ty and the ups and downs of their romance. Lots of great info about the world of Antiques and some great resources for learning more. The murder clues had me guessing for almost the entire book with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Jane K. Cleland just became a must read for me.

This is a new author and series for me. I was intrigued by the blurb but took too long to get in to the reading. I just finished antique Blues and it was a great read. I found the numerous secondary characters to be a drag on the action of the story but maybe in some cozies, this is considered okay. The author has a sharp talent in giving descriptions both of location and characters.. I really felt sorry for Mo. her death was so unnecessary and sad. I never did understand why her sister was so cold and uncaring about her death. Then it dawn on me that she takes after her father, Frank. He is not a nice man. Comes across as caring etc but cold too. The rest of the characters were interesting. Wes, don't like him. Too pushy. I may read another of this series just to get a handle on if I truly like the author or not. I gave it a 5 star because the writing is good and I did enjoy the mystery. I didn't guess the murderer until the very end.

A good cozy mystery. Interesting plot and characters, and the pacing of the mystery was good. This was the first book I’ve read in the series,. I have to admit that I felt somewhat lost at times in the book. especially at the beginning. However, that’s not the fault of the author or the book. I’m interested enough to backtrack a little bit to fill in what I’ve missed in the series, and give this book another try then.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Antiques Blues is the 12th book in this series. If you pick up this author for the very first time, you will want to read the previous 11 books in the series.
I loved the plot and the characters and the setting. I recommend this book. But be ready to make a major purchase of "more books".I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. The review is my own opinion.
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I really enjoyed this book and although it is the 12th in the series, it doesn't seem to matter. The author gives you enough information about the character's relationships to fill you in. There are two mysteries running: the appraisal of a Japanese woodblock, which also involves a murder and missing person, and the appraisal of a guitar. The author also continues the development of the two main characters and their relationship.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

Antique Blues is the 12th book in the Josie Prescott Antique Mysteries series. This is the first book in the series that I've read. I will definitely be going back and reading the rest of this series!

Josie Prescott is an antiques expert and amateur sleuth. A friend asks Josie to appraise a Japanese woodblock print that she just acquired. Mo Shannon bought the print from her sister's less than stellar boyfriend, Cal. The situation seems a bit off from the beginning, but even more so when Mo turns up dead and Cal disappears. Josie finds herself investigating not only her friend's murder but also some underhanded antique purchases.

The plot in this book is much more complex than the usual cozy mystery. There's a lot going on.....suspects, plot twists, investigation. The background theme of antiques and appraisals is an integral part of the plot instead of just background cuteness. I like the characters. Josie Prescott is one smart cookie. She knows the antique business and utilizes her resources and contacts to make progress in business and during investigations. The side characters are all interesting and come together to help solve the crime. I look forward to reading more books in this series. I really enjoyed this story!

I was easily able to jump in at book 12 and enjoy this story. There were no real spoilers of earlier books. Character backgrounds carry over from book to book, of course, but I was easily able to pick up enough info to get the general idea of who was who and what relationships between characters were. So, readers could jump in anywhere in this series and still enjoy the story. I'm going to backtrack and start at book 1 because this is a very well written cozy and I want to see how these characters have developed over time.

The cover art is great! :)

I don't often give 5-star ratings to cozy mysteries, but this one is well-written, interesting and entertaining. Full marks from me!

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Jane K Cleland's twelfth book in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series is Antique Blues. Josie's friend Mo asks her to appraise a Japanese woodblock print. Josie's excitement is squelched when Mo is murdered. Josie is determined to get justice for Mo by finding the murderer. I had a bit more trouble getting into this book since I had not read any of the previous books. Josie is a strong lead character, and the mystery had plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. I also enjoyed all of the information on antiques and the appraisal process.

Ebook/ARC/Cozy Mystery: This book is a who-done-it mystery and just came out so no spoilers here; not that I guessed the murderer. I didn't even come close. This is book 12 and when I requested it from NetGalley in lieu of an honest review, I did not know that. Had I known that, I would have not requested it because I've been burned by books that start way off and I have no idea anyone's relationship and I get confused. This author knows what she is doing because there were a lot of characters, and I will assume recurring, but the author pulled it off with good writing. I glad I read this book. It was a simple read.

The title comes from a side plot of our heroine, Josie, appraising a guitar. The main plot is a Japanese block print. Josie and her Scooby's have to figure out their value and of course there is skullduggery abound. I like the character of Josie, but she does get life handed a little too easy. I guess her struggles were in other books. I usually judge cozy books or romance novels by the theory of "do I want to change my life and become (fill in the new occupation). In this case, I don't want to become an antiques dealer nor do I want to collect block art, but I started looking up orchids because I think I can do that now that my kids are out of the house.

As for the book, it was pretty good and there were no real boring parts. It took me a while to read because I'm reading other stuff too. (Hey, not everyone subscribed to Netflix to binge-watch and I like variety). The beginning was a little slow because I didn't know the characters, but it got better once the body hit the floor. I had to figure out Josie's relationship to Ty, Ellis, and Wes. Josie is not Anita Blake and only Ty is her man. Also, every time I read the name Ellis in a book, I always think of the cokehead in Die Hard that Hans shoots.

I did like that Josie is smart. When asked to get in a stranger's car by a henchman, she refuses. Instead she meets him in a diner where everyone knows her. The ending is pretty good, but confusing. I got it all wrong along with the burglary. I must be losing my touch.

Princess Fuzzypants here: You can see why some series last for a very long time. This book is indicative of some of the reasons why. Books with interesting and intelligent characters where the mystery and the resolution seem to flow organically are fan favourites. Josie is a great character. She is savvy enough to build a successful business, carry on healthy and loving relationships and still solve crimes.
Her contributions make sense.
She is an expert in antiques and she and her team investigate the provenance of two very different articles that are connected to one family. Josie’s friend Mo is murdered shortly after Josie begins her research into a Japanese wood block that Mo purchased recently. Josie is determined to assist the police both in uncovering a possible fraud and the identity of the killer. There are lots of twists and turns where no one comes off completely innocent. It is a fascinating tale of human foilbles.
Added to the riveting mystery, the reader also learns a great deal about antiques, particularly the process for confirming the value of an item. The search for proof is as interesting as the search for a murderer. Yet, Josie never oversteps nor interferes in the police investigation. She is, instead, valued as an important contributor. I like that.
In fact, I like the book and the series. I give it five purrs and two paws up.

This is a fairly good cozy mystery. Josie Prescott is an antiques expert and a self-described amateur sleuth. This particular mystery sees Josie investigating the death of Mo, a friend who had recently commissioned Josie to appraise a few items for her. The mystery takes several interesting turns as Josie tries to track down Mo’s seedy boyfriend for answers. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes light and fun mysteries. I, personally, could not connect with the characters as much as I would have liked to. However, the plot is very well-written. The ending is rather nice.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, atmosphere, and characters. I would recommend the book to friends and family for their reading pleasure.

My thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC to review. My opinion is my own.
This is the 12th book in this fabulous cozy mystery series ! This series is successful because it is both exciting to read and endearing . I always enjoy returning to this series and to the beloved characters.
In this next in series our protagonist Josie who is also a Antiques expert, television personality, and amateur sleuth is delving into another murder mystery. The investigation turns up affairs, art fraud, illegal gambling, what appears to be provenance on missing art . As she is in the middle of her investigation Josie finds out the main suspect has been murdered. This takes her investigation into a entirely new area that leads to many twist and turns to the surprising conclusion.

I enjoy the Josie Prescott series and within this book a major transition in Josie’s professional and personal lives begins. I look forward to the next novel by this talented author. These are well crafted, fun to read and informative books ..

Antiques expert Josie Prescott is asked by her friend Mo Shannon to appraise a newly purchased Japanese woodblock print. But before Josie's team can make progress, Mo is found murdered on the beach near her family home. Cal Lewis, who had sold Mo the print, has disappeared. Meanwhile Mo's father Frank has asked Josie to authenticate a rare 1930s guitar that was supposedly owned by the late blues musician Robert Johnson. Josie can't stop investigating Mo's death and is aided by
persistent reporter Wes Smith, and Rocky Point’s police chief, Ellis Hunter. Josie's upcoming wedding to Ty Alverez is also a key subplot in the story.

This was another reliable entry in the Josie Prescott Antiques mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Antique Blues by Jane K. Cleland is the 12th book in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, and my 2nd book by this author. I Really enjoyed this book/series. Very entertaining, and I couldn't put it down. I recommended, this book for all mystery lovers.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It's no big secret that I'm a fan of cozy mystery but what do I love almost as much? Art related mysteries! If there's a theft or a forgery to be had or a sketchy provenance there is no way I can resist. Now combine a cozy mystery with an art related mystery and the book is pretty much written for me. This series pretty much proves that point. While I don't remember if I read the 1st book I can guarantee you I'll be tracking it and the rest of the series down from this point on.

So what was so great? For starters Josie's business as an antiques expert and appraiser isn't just window dressing. She shows up at work and the reader actually sees some of the work that goes into determining if a piece of art is the real thing or not. I liked this investigation mixed in with just who the murderer was and why had Mo been killed. The murder investigation does take a starring role and I was pretty clueless for quite some time as to just who had done it. I spent a lot of time trying to deduce just what was a red herring and what wasn't which added to my enjoyment of the reading experience. As well there's a team work element between Josie, Wes and Ellis which I loved.

Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it had a lot of elements that I personally adore. This is a great mystery with likable characters that work well together. If you love antiques, art or mysteries this is a fun series that shouldn't be missed.