The latest Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery from Jane Cleland is cozy mystery writing at its best. “Hidden Treasure” opens with a mystery that antiques lovers will particularly enjoy. Josie and her husband, Ty, have finally moved into their Victorian dream home, aka the “Gingerbread House,” and Josie soon is tasked with finding out whatever happened to a trunk that the previous owner believes she left behind. When the trunk is discovered, Josie, like the professional she is, documents it—and its contents—and tries to return the trunk to its rightful owner, Maudie Wilson, who has recently moved into an assisted living facility. But when Josie gets to the facility and Maudie’s apartment, Maudie is missing, and the body of a slain woman is discovered there instead.

With a heap of red herrings and nary a dull moment, the book kept me turning pages. The subplots of this book were especially enjoyable and helped flesh out some of the recurring characters. Cleland proves once again that she is a skilled cozy writer whose smart, clever heroine is easy to root for.

It has been ages since I read a Josie Prescott book but Cleland hasn't changed her one bit; except that she's gotten married and found her dream house which, of course, leads to murder. This is a good, clean whodunit that every mystery lover will enjoy. Take a dip with Josie and I'm sure you'll come back for more.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Josie Prescott is an antiques expert with her own popular television show and when she discovers an old trunk in the Victorian she and her husband are preparing to restore, she follows all of the proper procedures to reunite it with its rightful owner. That trunk belongs to the former owner of her house, not to the two nieces who show up demanding that Josie hand the trunk and its valuable contents over to them. Maudie Wilson is an adorable old lady and when a body is found in her apartment and there's no trace of Maudie herself, I was seriously worried. I don't know how I've managed to miss the Josie Prescott Antique Mysteries before now, but I definitely want to pick up the earlier books and spent more time with these characters.

A good addition to a pleasant cozy mystery series. Engaging characters. Loved Maudie. The antiques business becomes exciting with precious discoveries. The murder mystery culprit kept me guessing and was a surprise. Always good! Other characters added warmth and heart with their issues.

Josie and Ty have bought the Gingerbread House! Yay! Josie's been busy with her antiques business and her tv series but she's thrilled to be relocating with Ty. Maudie, who owned it, has moved into assisted living at the request of her nieces Celia and Stacey. Those same nieces demand that Josie return a trunk Maudie left behind - and when Josie explores it, savvy antique expert that she is, she finds the secret compartment that houses something quite valuable. All is fine up to here and then Celia is found murdered in Maudie's room and she's missing. Cozy readers know that Josie is going to investigate, that she's going to bond with some new characters, and that the person you first suspect won't be the one who did it. I've only read one of this long running series but I was fine with it as a standalone. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A fast fun read for cozy fans.

Hidden Treasure is a well written cozy mystery. Great plot and character development . I look forward to reading more books in this series. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Hidden Treasure by Jane K. Leland

This was a good book. We learned a lot about the antique industry. It also included a murder and a disappearance. Great, strong chapters. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

The very day Josie and Ty close on their purchase of the Gingerbread House, Josie gets a simple call that eventually leads to murder and theft. A small trunk containing valuables is missing, reports the niece of Maudie Wilson, the original homeowner.

Maudie’s nieces, Celia and Stacy, both want the trunk because they suggest Aunt Maudie is forgetful. Josie and Celia search the house from basement to attic with no luck locating the old chest. When Josie meets with the contractor to discuss the extensive renovations, Josie finds the antique trunk tightly wedged into a sealed-off dumbwaiter. Josie uses her phone to video the process of opening the chest and inventorying the contents: an Egyptian cat statue nestled in a black velvet pillow inside an elaborately designed presentation box.

Due to legal issues, Josie returns the trunk to Maudie, observing that her nieces misrepresented her condition. Later, she gets a call from Celia claiming that Aunt Maudie wants Josie to pick up the cat statue and box to sell. When Josie arrives at Belle Vista, she finds Celia dead, the trunk open but the cat and box missing. And where is Maudie?

Jane Cleland fabricates a clever mystery with compelling characters. The story’s pace keeps readers engaged and, most of all, curious. Well done for the 13th entry in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery.

It had been a while since I read a Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, but I am happy to report that this one is just as good as Glow of Death. I love the beautiful book covers that have really improved with each book. These stories offer up some nice details regarding antiques and this one is no different, from the incredible WW II era French chandelier from in Josie's new home to the mysterious box and cat statue belonging to Maudie, Josie's newest acquaintance and possible client. Josie instantly takes a liking to Maudie and feels a sort of kinship with the older lady who has decided that it is time to live her life the way she wants to by traveling and writing a blog. Maudie's nieces, Celia and Stacy, are not hip on the idea and in fact that act as though Maudie should be in a home being taken care of because she is forgetting things, like the fact that she wants to have the box and cat appraised and then sold. Josie quite literally stumbles upon the victim, who has been killed in Maudie's new apartment and Maudie seems to have disappeared along with the box and statue. Is this a robbery gone wrong or a bait and switch with a side of double cross? Plenty of people to suspect and plenty of clues to find.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-galley.

This is my first book in this series, but can be read as a stand alone. I am use to reading fast-paced thriller novels that have you wanting more but, this book was more calming and slow. It took some time for me to get past the first half of the book but in the end it was great, This type of mystery book is new to me and I still prefer thrillers but it was a nice read.

I had forgotten how much I liked this series so have missed a few. However, I liked the mystery and never felt lost in who the characters were. I will have to go back and find the ones I've missed.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 13th book in the series but the first I've read. Perhaps that's why I didn't engage with the characters. I felt that Josie was a know-it-all and a bit condescending. But maybe I needed to meet her 13 books ago. The mystery didn't interest me very much. The writing is of a high quality and I think I should try book 1.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I’ve mentioned before that cozy mysteries aren’t my favorite subgenre in the suspense/mystery category. But after reading several in the past year or so, I think they’re growing on me!

I had not read any of Jane K. Cleland’s Josie Prescott series, but it didn’t take long for Josie to win me over. There are a lot of characters introduced, but Cleland does a good job establishing who’s who without unnecessary backstory fluff.

Josie’s profession as an antiques dealer means she observes many complex family dynamics as relatives deal with possessions, etc. She has some great insights into why Maudie Wilson’s nieces, Celia and Stacy, are bickering and vying for dominance in the family, and as she mentions to her husband Ty, it’s sad. The only thing to do, she says, is to stay out of it. As someone who’s watched this dynamic play out in extended family, her insights ring true to me.

But will Josie be able to stay clear of Celia and Stacy and Maud’s drama? The answer: nope. We wouldn’t get this charming mystery if she minded her own business!

Josie is warm-hearted and immensely likable. She’s a winning heroine: thorough, professionally knowledgeable, curious, and sympathetic to other people. While she’s a bit of a busybody, she has a kind heart. It’s a great combination.

The story flows forward, tugging me into its power, but not like a thriller would, with heart stopping moments of action. But in true cozy fashion, it embraces the reader with a warm tone, interesting details, and keen insights into the human heart.

A few of the plot points didn’t quite make sense. The method (or rather the reasoning behind using this method) that the police use to capture a suspect is illogical. It also doesn’t make sense that Ellie, the police chief, asks Josie to help question a person of interest, even if she is the expert in an area he wants that person to discuss. Nor does it make sense for her to share any investigative information with a pesky reporter.

As with all cozy mysteries, I have to suspend my disbelief in certain aspects, such as people being willing to talk about a friend to a non-law enforcement stranger. At least in this book, a few people push back and refuse to talk to Josie. After all, she is not law enforcement, and as the police chief Ellis reminds her, she has no business investigating.

All in all, though, the book is well-written. I enjoyed wiling away the hours with Josie Prescott. The ending is a sweet one that scores points for being heart-warming without being sentimental and sappy. A solid four stars.

ONE FAVORITE THING . . .
I felt that the author is quite knowledgeable about the antique business. Though I’m not terribly interested in antiques per se, her descriptions are beautiful. It’s fascinating to watch Josie and her colleagues assess pieces and what makes one piece valuable and others not-so-valuable. I felt Josie’s excitement over the old pieces that others might not see as impressive.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Note #2: This review will appear on my blog on 20 November 2020.

Josie Prescott is over the moon excited about her new house. Her and her husband Ty bought a beautiful house in New Hampshire lovingly named the Gingerbread house. When the past owners niece comes looking for an antique trunk Josie agrees. When she finds the aunts trunk and meets her Josie has an instant liking to Maudie. Her nieces both who needed money wasn’t happy she wouldn’t sell the antiques without Maudie’s permission. When one ends up dead and the antiques gone Josie is on the case. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one!

Another winning book in the series.
Interesting characters and a well paced whodunit.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

While renovations are being done on Josie and husband Ty's new home, she is contacted by the niece of the former owner regarding a trunk that was accidentally left behind. When the trunk is opened, a cat statute is enclosed in a box - the question is if it's an antique or a knockoff. Before it can be determined, there is a murder and the owner of the statue is missing. Interesting cast of suspects and motives. Good addition to the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-galley.
This is my first book in this series; although It is pretty far into the series, it was not hard to follow the characters for the most part. I read a few chapters from this book in The Cozy Sampler #10 and I’m very pleased I got this early read.
It was fairly easy to tell whodunnit almost from the time the culprit was introduced but that did not detract from my enjoyment of this well written mystery. It was very atmospheric and I loved the descriptions of Josie’s new home, the antiques and antiquities, and the bits about her business and TV show. It was a little hard to keep track of all her employees because there were so many of them and they did not show up very often. I even teared up at the ending because it was very touching.
Two minor gripes: Wes, the reporter is a pain but I guess there has to be a fly in the ointment. The other thing is that Maudie is 68, not 88, and it seemed that Josie questioned her mental acuity too easily.
I will go back and try some of the earlier books in this pleasant series. This was the epitome of a cozy.

This book can be read as a stand alone. It is part of the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, about book 8 or 9 I think. This is the first in the series I've read and I enjoyed it . Slightly darker than some humorous cozys but still a good mystery. I enjoyed the information on antiques and finding treasures in unexpected places. Ty and Josie have purchased a new home and the old owner's family is hounding them about a missing chest full of antiques. As the story unfolds, murder's happen. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book by Jane Cleland. I am a big fan of cozy mysteries and locale is as important to me as storyline. The New Hampshire setting is especially enjoyable and I love the antiques storyline. I am going to read some of the earlier books and get to know other members of Josie’s circle of friends and associates. This series is a good choice for the cozy fans at my library.

While inspecting her new home, Josie Prescott discovers a trunk evidently left behind when the house was cleared. A widow named Maudie Wilson was the former owner of the house and she now resides in a nearby assisted living facility. Maudie's nieces believe she is unable to care for herself and have forced her into the facility, but when Josie meets Maudie, she is not so sure the diagnosis is correct. Maudie seems sharp and upbeat and anxious to have the trunk returned to her. When Josie opens the trunk, she finds a jewel encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat, Josie thinks she may have something valuable. She returns to discuss her findings with Maudie only to find her missing and a body on the apartment floor. As she researches the cat and box, she finds she does indeed have something valuable and possibly from ancient Egypt. This discovery leads Josie on a merry chase to find Maudie.Another ingenious plot in this excellent series.