I truly enjoyed this book, the second in a series featuring antiques dealer Edie Brown, whose business is on the brink of collapse. Her mother is in jail for art fraud and Edie is a convicted felon herself, having (unintentionally) sold stolen art to an undercover agent. This series set up happens in book one, The Art of the Decoy (2022). I was able to jump right in with little trouble, though I do want to go back and read the first book.

The book opens with a description of what it means to be an “outsider” artist (think Grandma Moses). For the novel, Esden creates an outsider artist named Vespa, an elderly woman whose disturbing, complicated collages have taken the art world by storm. When Edie and her uncle Tuck head over to do an appraisal and purchase a few items from a woman named Annie, Edie is surprised to see what she thinks in an original Vespa on the wall. Annie is clearing out her mother’s house, and insists the work is her brother’s “craft project.”

Edie isn’t so sure, and she and her uncle leave with a few pieces to sell but with many questions. More urgently, back at the shop slash home, the septic tank in the back yard has overflowed and Edie and the business simply don’t have the necessary funds to repair and replace it. One of the threads in the book is simply wondering how Edie will keep her antiques business afloat, but the strongest thread is the mystery of the collage on Annie’s wall.

Park of Edie and Tuck’s team is a young woman named Kala, who basically works for room and board and is luckily something of a tech genius. Her research skills prove invaluable. As Edie investigates Vespa’s origins as well as the life story of Annie’s brother, a brain damaged man who lives in a nursing facility, she begins to uncover what she thinks might be the truth.

The deaths that occur in this novel are in the past, but as the story progresses there’s no doubt someone is after Edie as several different events take place. However, it is truly a mystery novel, as Edie uses her skills as an antique and art expert – calling on other experts when needed – to solve this case and to figure out exactly what’s going on with Vespa’s collages. Esden has put together a complex and fascinating story with the backdrop of the antiques market in all its many incarnations, from Christie’s to the type of local antiques store owned by Edie and her family.

This novel has a light, fun tone that’s underpinned with a bit of darkness, moving the book into what I think of as a “hard” cozy – there are cozy elements, but many of the themes aren’t so cozy. (Some examples of “hard” cozy writers would include Ellen Hart, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Paula Munier and Paige Shelton with her Alaska series). The characters are well delineated and interesting, and I learned a bit more about art and a good way to look at and approach a work of art, thanks to a call Edie has with her mother about three quarters of the way through the novel. This was a fun read, making me eager for more in this series.

Edie, her Uncle Tuck and friend/employee Kala return in another well crafted arts and antiques themed mystery. Set in Scandal Mountain, Vermont, Edie has lots of baggage and a challenge in the present. With her forger mother behind bars and the family antiques business hanging on by a thread, she is on the lookout 24/7 for items that will boost their sagging bottom line.
In the first book of the series, The Art of the Decoy, it was a valuable collection of duck decoys. This time the mystery revolves around a strange collage by an artist only known as Vespa. As Edie does some sleuthing to verify its provenance, her efforts uncover a dark side of the art world. If she isn't careful the people who harbor close kept dark secrets will come after her to prevent exposure. With the help of Uncle Tuck and Kala she may be able to shed light on those secrets.
I won't say more for fear of spoilers. If you like mysteries with strong family connections, a hint of romance, a well constructed puzzle to solve and an art/antiques theme, this is a series you should try.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the second book in the Scandal Mountain series. I could not get into this book, and I just did not connect to any of the characters. I have to say this is a slow moving book, and I found it not to pull me into the story. I ended up DNFing this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

"A Wealth of Deception" is the second book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series, but I read it before the first book without difficulty.. I was interested in the subject of the mystery because I write an art series. I loved Esden's well-researched information about the antiques world and her creation of a mystery surrounding a dark collage antique-dealer Edy Brown found in a woman's estate sale. The mystery begins when Edy questions the authenticity of the collage. The artist is a mysterious reclusive person known as Vespa. Since Edy knows quite a bit about "outsider art," she questions the provenance of this piece of artwork.
Along with her Uncle Tuck and tech genius Kala, Edy has contacts in the antiques world that take her on a twisty journey of discovery. But others want the secrets surrounding this collage to remain secret, and Edy finds her life in danger when she asks too many questions. A cold case murder adds to the richness of the plot, and a subplot involving a boyfriend--to keep or not to keep--also has the reader asking if this is going to be an authentic long-term possibility. Authentic artwork? Authentic boyfriend?
I enjoyed the interesting characters, the thorough research, and the Vermont setting of this book. The dialogue was believable and the plot moved smoothly along. Loved the cover design.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read this on NetGalley.

I had mixed feelings about the first book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery series, but I absolutely loved the second one. Antique dealer Edie Brown is doing a woman a favor by seeing if the are any valuable antiques that shouldn't be underpriced at her mother's upcoming estate sale when she notices a disturbing collage hanging in the dead woman's bedroom. It's style is unlike anything else in the house and Edie is sure that she recognizes the work of Vespa, a prominent creator of "Outsider Art." The collage isn't for sale and the story that goes along with it doesn't make any sense. Edie keeps asking questions, probing for details that might explain what's actually going on. I still don't love her, but I've warmed up to Edie and her ways since the first book. The mystery held my interest and had me holding my breath until the end.

I read the first Scandal Mountain Antiques novel and waffled between requesting it or not. While the plot is good and the concepts well written, it was Edie Brown that almost made me pass this novel up.

In the first novel, Edie returned to her hometown and her familial antique store following the incarceration of her mother. Having managed to stave off the vultures so far, Edie is unsure as to how much longer she has when their septic tank becomes a major problem. Along the way, they have been asked to appraise a woman’s deceased mother’s items for any valuable antiques. Edie notices a collage that may be connected to a famous artist. Along with her uncle Tuck and Kala, she investigates and discovers more secrets than she anticipated.

I still do not like Edie Brown! She doesn’t listen to the people around her, which puts her and her loved ones in dangerous situations. She jumps to conclusions about Shane and bashes her mother almost every chance she gets. While I understand that her mother has let her down time and time again, I think it's time that she lets it go. I hope that after a critical conversation with certain people, she handles things better. I will have to wait for the 3rd novel to find out.

As for the mystery, it was perfect and flowed smoothly. Instead of a murder at the beginning, it starts with a possible art forgery investigation. The possible murder and the motivations came much later. If you are an artist in any style, an antique dealer, or in the medical field, this novel’s investigation will definitely intrigue you.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Loved the story of Edie Brown a art dealer in Vermont who discovers a collage painting by a famous painter called Vespa but is it real or a fake.
Edie teams up with Uncle Tuck and Kala to find out and what follows is full of twists and danger and Edie not knowing who she can trust.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a ARC.
would recommend.

The author did a great job in staging a mystery with a solid plot, a strong cast of characters, and a tale filled with intrigue throughout. The main protagonist, Edie Brown, gets involved when she sees a piece of work and suspects it is not what it should be. Therein lies the situations that she finds herself in. With support from her uncle Tuck and her assistant, Kala, she tries to solve the mystery surrounding the artwork and come across others with nefarious misdeeds and in the process an old murder case beckons to be solved. In between all her sleuthing, she’s also dealing with a boyfriend and her relationship with her convicted mother. The author also does a great job in giving us inside knowledge of the art and antiques world. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more antiquing with Edie and her friends in this pleasantly appealing series.

I read a lot of mysteries and this one felt fresh to me. I appreciated the small town Vermont antique/art dealer setting, which felt real instead of an author's idea of delightfully quirky. I also liked that the mystery involved the provenance of art, and not the discovery of a dead body that the main character decides to investigate for no good reason as in so many amateur sleuth mysteries. I enjoyed this novel and would definitely read more in the series.

I liked this one more than the first and was a compelling and highly entertaining read.
Glad to catch up with the fleshed out characters, a solid plot that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I was hoping to find myself a new series to enjoy, which by the way I don’t think the first one needs to be read before reading Wealth of Deception the second book in the series, Scandal Mountain Antiques stands on its own.

The Wealth of Deception fell flat for me, the mystery didn’t hold my interest, and for some reason, the number of characters seem to distract me and because of that, I did not find a connection that is essential for me.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions expressed are honest and mine.

This was an ARC by NetGalley. This book comes out in April 2023. The second book of the Scandal Mountain series. I chose this book because the story line and the cover looked very intriguing.

Edie Brown is struggling with her antique and art store in the small town of Scandal Mountain. She comes across a collage that mirrors a famous one done by an well known artist. She discovers that the collage comes with a mystery in itself. Along with her friends she investigates. Much to her handsome lover's dismay she finds herself deep in a cover-up. She befriends the artist of the collage, Erik, who lives at an assisted living facility. She wants to get justice for him. The characters are believable and I loved Edie and Shane (cop/lover). Her friend, Kala reminded me of a nerd/hacker type that easily be anyone's friend. The plot of the book was well thought out and the mystery was good. I wished the mystery was a little bit harder to figure out. As for a cozy mystery, this book had a different take on the mystery since no one was murdered during the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for choosing me for the ARC. I enjoyed the book and will be reading more from this author.

Although A Wealth of Deception is Trish Esden’s second Scandal Mountain Antique Mystery, you can jump right into this series. If you’re a fan of Jane K. Cleland’s Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries, you’re probably going to like this series featuring another antiques expert who starts out on shaky ground.

Although Edie Brown’s Vermont family business, Scandal Mountain Fine Arts and Antiques, had an excellent reputation for years, her experiences and her mother’s have made some reputable dealers a little doubtful about them. Edie was once arrested for selling stolen goods when she rushed into a sale, but she received probation. However, her mother is now in prison for art forgery. Edie moved home to help her Uncle Tuck and his assistant, Kala, with the business. And, the family home and business are in trouble. There’s a failing septic system that will cost money, and, now, a delayed auction which means the money isn’t there at the moment.

When Tuck and Edie go to a woman’s house to appraise her mother’s collectibles, Edie spots a picture that catches her attention. It’s collage art that appears to be by an artist named Vespa, a well-known “outsider” artist. But, the client’s vague stories about her brother and the piece on the wall cause Edie to take a second look, and take some pictures. Edie’s interest and her prowling around for answers leads to a rehabilitation center, an art show, and trouble.

Like Cleland’s series, Esden’s mystery gives readers a glimpse into the work of art and collecting. It’s a dark mystery at times, dealing with mental health issues, art fraud, murder, and attempted murder. It’s a complex mystery with an appealing cast of support characters. Esden just needs a little more time to flesh out the characters. A Wealth of Deception is a fresh story taking the antique mystery world in a new direction.

I loved the vivid descriptions of works of art in this novel, and the way in which the art works—and the artist—were the central core of the mystery. The small-town antiques shop setting is not unusual, but this plot was not at all predictable. I read this book without realizing that it was the second book in a series and the events of the first book were alluded to numerous times, so I wasn’t lost. But I definitely want to go back and read book one now. This was an intriguing and engaging mystery, with a cast of interesting and eclectic characters. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

A Wealth of Deception is the second book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery series. This has an interesting twisty plot, likable characters, and had me hooked from page one! I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and netgalley for the advance cooy.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A thriller with the right amount of suspense.

I loved the first in the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mysteries series, but the second is even more impressive! I was absolutely blown away by the twisty art-related plot, this time focusing on some ultra-creative and disturbing collages by the trendy artist Vespa. One of Vermont art and antiques dealer Edie Brown's new customers has such a collage hanging on her wall and might be willing to sell it along with other items her recently deceased mother has left behind. But Edie quickly discovers that there is much more to the collage than her client knows. While her family business could use a quick infusion of cash that might result with a sale to a collector, Edie suspects that fraud might be afoot and takes it upon herself and her team to investigate. More details could lead to spoilers, which would be unfair to both the author and the reader. You need to read it for yourself!

In addition to the plot, I admired the nuanced character of Edie, in addition to her uncle, her quirky and crafty assistant, Edie's detective beau, fellow art dealers--some professional, some on the darker side--and some talented, disabled artists. Highly recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy well-developed characters, sophisticated plotting, and a bit of edginess and adventure in their mysteries.