I'm always happy to read a mystery that both entertains me and educates me and I find both in the series by Jane. K.Cleland. In this, the 12th of the series, Josie is focused on Japanese woodblocks and guitars. Unfortunately murder is included when her friend, Mo - owner of the wood block - dies and Josie suspects it wasn't an accident. The mystery turns to art fraud, affairs and gambling, giving Josie plenty to investigate.
It was nice to spend time with Josie and her boyfriend, Ty and the rest of her friends. Her relationship with the police is real, give and take, with Josie respected for her knowledge of antiques. She's not just a nosy amateur. The mystery plays fair with the reader with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. No question, I will be reading the next entry as soon as it's available.

I enjoyed this latest Josie Prescott book, Every aspect of it, the appraisal work, the interaction with the police, etc is rich in details and well described. I loved the characters, new and old. You can feel the emotions from the murder all the way to the wedding at the end, which was perfect. #AntiqueBlues #NetGalley

I remember having read an instalment in this series and really liked it. I also liked this one even if I found some parts a bit tiring.
The style of writing was good, the heroine quite likeable. There was no plot hole and it kept me guessing till the end
The main problem was with the high number of characters that sometimes appear in the book but there no explenations of who they are..
Even if I had some problems in understanding who was who the book kept hooked till the end.
Recommended.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley

Antiques appraiser Josie Prescott is asked by her friend to appraise a Japanese wood bock print she purchased. The colors are so vivid, Josie has concerns for its authenticity. When her friend Mo dies in a fall, Josie is concerned there is a connection to the prints.

This book will be reviewed on April 19 on www.MapYourMystery.com blog

Classic cozy with antiques. Josie has found herself at somewhat of a crossroads but she's excited about appraising her friend Mo's woodblock print and then, sadly, Mo is found dead. Josie of course investigates and while the mystery isn't too complicated, it's a good fast read if you're interested in antiques. If you know a bit about the subject, you won't learn much but if you don't, this is worthwhile just for that. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'd not read the earlier books in the series but that didn't pose a problem for me.

Antique Blues is your typical cosy mystery book. The main plot started out somewhat early on into the book(if you're a cosies fan). The characters were not dynamic and needed a little more fleshing out, I found them to be quite stereotypical and frankly, bland(except maybe Wes, the journalist). They were also quite cheesy throughout the book. As far as plot and pacing goes, it was quite realistic. I didn't guess the right culprit but maybe my detective deductions isn't as good as I thought it was. The conclusion for the murder wasn't as satisfying if you're used to whodunnits and thrillers, but I'll have to admit is closer to what would've happened in a real-life scenario. And since the protagonist is engaged I guess the romance takes a back seat, make that several rows back. It felt like the author, in trying to incorporate the romance element, just tacked on some loving exchanges between the two that just felt contrived to me. Contrived I say because the writing was very...wooden, in a way. I just can't put my finger on why it seems so. The interactions between Josie Prescott and her fianceé, Ty, were soppy and syrupy. Could be because they're in the honeymoon phase.

As for Josie's character, I found her irritating from the get-go. She sat on a moral highhorse(like she KNEW she was morally superior) and was nosy as hell.

On the other hand, the insight on the antique industry was interesting. You get to learn some terms, such as 'provenance', and behind-the-scenes knowledge.

I looked up 'cosy mystery' on Wikipedia, and Antique Blues by Jane K. Cleland ticks all the boxes for this genre. So, if you're a cosy mystery buff, this might be a good, light read, as even I wanted to know the culprit despite the annoying main character.

(Full review shall be available on 18th April 2018 on http;//phantompaper.wordpress.com)

Joz and her team did a great job in keeping your attention on the facts about antiquing and appraisal.The murder mystery of her friend Mo, was shocking and puzzling, with lots of finger pointing going on. This tale was one that captivated you from start to finish, with its intriguing and interesting storyline, along with it's captivating characters. I enjoyed reading this book it got me so glued to its pages, I only wanted to put it down when I was finished, It was quite entertaining, great stuff.

Another wonderful Jane K. Cleland mystery in the Josie Prescott series. This one involves an appraisal of a Japanese woodblock print and a classic guitar. Of course she has help with her reporter friend, Wes, and Police Chief, Ellis. Love this series, her boyfriend and her staff. Looking forward to the next one.

I received a free copy of Antique Blues by Jane K. Cleland in exchange for an honest review. Antiques expert, television personality, and amateur sleuth Josie Prescott is pulled into another murder mystery. The investigation turns up affairs, art fraud, illegal gambling, what appears to be familial sociopathy, and other scandalous tidbits. When the prime suspect turns up dead, whodunit?

I enjoy the Josie Prescott series, and I enjoyed this book as well. This book signifies a major transition in Josie’s professional and personal lives. I look forward to the next novel.

#AntiqueBlues #NetGalley

When Josie's friend Mo acquires a Japanese woodblock print she is beyond thrilled. It was sold to her by her sister's boyfriend Cal, who approved its authenticity. Mo still wants Josie to appraise it. Before it could be done Mo ends up dead and Cal goes missing.
Charming classic mystery which takes us behind the scenes of antiques and malversations and teaches about art world.
It is well written with intelligent dialogue, well described and realistic characters and real life situations.
Even though it is a cozy it paints very real picture of how death of loved ones influence our lives

It is always a pleasure to spend time with Josie :Prescott and Prescott Antiques and this was an especially interesting story. One of the great pleasures of this series is the opportunity to learn more about different types of antiques and collectibles - in this case Japanese woodcuts and collectible guitars. It's also wonderful to see the growth in relationships between all of the major characters - Josie and Ty, Zoe and Ellis and even Wes becoming a father. When Josie's friend Mo brings a Japanese woodcut to her for appraisal which she has purchased from her sister's boyfriend Cal, Josie is upset to learn that it is not as he portrayed it. Then Mo is murdered and Cal disappears. Josie becomes involved in finding out what happened and how the antiques she has been asked to appraise are involved. I loved this book and highly recommend it.