This book is a locked room style mystery and it’s set in the British countryside. Carol is the eccentric aunt and a bit annoying because she’s an ✨ACTRESS✨ and therefore has to shine in every situation. In contrast, Freya’s personality has been beaten into submission for years. She doesn’t like to stand out or rock the boat in any way. I enjoyed watching her remember herself, regain her independence, and learn to not let others make her feel small again.

Since Arthur is dead, the only way we get to know him is through others and through the quotes that begin each chapter. Those quotes were meant to be nuggets of wisdom that he said to other characters but they just fell flat. The dialogue sometimes had that same tone, awkward and stilted which pulled me out of the story. I actually love cheesiness in movies but for some reason I react differently to cheesiness in a book format.

In the second half when the mystery picked up, it was more exciting and I was more engaged— I at least wanted to know what was going on. I am also pretty excited that I figured out part of the mystery (I never do so it was a fun rush to be right for once). This is either a pro or a con depending on personal preferences. It also briefly touched on the theme of repatriation of cultural artifacts which was interesting but I wish it delved a bit deeper into it.

It was a fun ride and an overall enjoyable read, if not extremely memorable. If you’re a fan of cozies or like going antiquing, I'd say give it a try! It just came out yesterday 😀 Thank you to #Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

I'll be honest with you, book covers are what attract me to books. I was right away attracted to this one and I knew I had to read it. Turns out I totally loved it. It was jam packed with action and juicy twists and turns. The whole antique life is really interesting . It gave me the vibe of a murder mystery dinner party which was totally fun. I really enjoyed this book and I think the author did awesome. if you like cozy mystery books this one's for you. Also I love the cover, it's so pretty and bright .

The author of this cozy mystery knows her antiques, which adds to the pleasure of reading this title. Here is a British mystery in which readers follow clues along with Freya and her aunt Carole.

They both knew an antiques dealer named Arthur. When he dies in a fall, it seems pretty clear that there is foul play. They will try their best to find out what happened.

Their detection leads them to a manor house with many antiques. Readers will want to find out more about them.

At the same time, Freya has past history with Arthur. Readers will be curious to find out what went wrong between them and if that played into the current events of the story.

Anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery will hope that this is just the author’s first book. Will another come soon?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries and this was just what I need!

The main character, Freya is an antique hunter and this mystery follows her and her aunt Carole as they try to discover who murdered thier old friend and antique dealer, Arthur. This is a mystery involving artifacts and art and of course, murder, so it was right up my alley!

I liked Carole and the supporting characters, but Freya annoyed me a little. I understand she has her own personal issues, but I felt like they were too dragged out. I'm interested to see how her character develops in the next books in the series. I did like the introduction of a romantic subplot, so im excited to see that develop!

The mystery itself was intriguing, however I did guess who the culprit was - a point for me! The pacing of the mystery was a little off for me though. I feel like there were some parts where the story did drag for me.

I did enjoy this book and I look forward to reading the rest in the series!

Pub date: 2/6

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is your fun basic who dunnit story set it in the secret world of rare antique trade and the antiques black market. This story was a fun read and a pretty easy one. I will say that the book needs from editing for sure as there are quite a few grammar issues and incomplete/repeated sentences. Additionally, the book was very repetitive, with far too many "let's go over what we know" scenes, even if there wasn't new information to review. It made the book overall longer than it needed to be and feel like it was written for a younger audience who couldn't remember the basic plot points well. However, despite these areas of improvement the book was still enjoyable and a good debut novel for this author. The characters were fun, quirky, and lovable. The story itself made me more interested in learning about the history of different artifacts and antiques, and over all wanting to be more immersed in the art world again. After reading it i'm left curious about what Freya's next adventure might be and would pick up a sequel if one were written.

This was a fun cozy mystery. I enjoyed the main character and it was fun to get little short chapters from the perspective of other characters. There was definitely a character that I misread and thought that was going to be the twist, but was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. There was a few parts that got a little slow, but not many. Overall, I would recommend if you enjoy a fun mystery.

I am not the biggest fan of cozy mysteries, but I really did enjoy this one! The antiqe aspect of it was fun and something I've never read about before and I loved the characters. I would defintiely read from the author again.

Thank you to Atria Publishing, NetGalley, and author C. L. Miller for a delightful cozy mystery debut. This is a wonderful blend of Agatha Christie and Lara Croft, Tomb Raider in the very best sense of the word. Freyra is sent a letter from her estranged mentor just days before he’s murdered and after a 20 year absence from the field she has to job back into the antiques world and find out who is responsible for his death and why did he sabotage her career 20 years ago? The characters and settings are very well done and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them all. I look forward to seeing more adventures for Freyra and her lovable Aunt Carole. I definitely recommend it to anyone that loves Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters.

When Freya was in her early 20's she experienced an event that changed the course of her life. She was in Cairo, with her mentor Arthur. She was on the path to becoming an antiques expert and hunter. Arthur had an antiques shop, located in a quaint English village, he was also very good at tracking stolen antiques and artifacts, often hired by insurance companies. Instead of following along with Arthur, Freya retired from that life. Soon she was married and settled down to a quiet and uneventful life, with her smothering husband and her beloved daughter.
Now it is 20 years later and Freya is in her 40's. She is divorced and here daughter is grown and moved away. She learns that Arthur is dead. Was murdered in his shop. She goes back to comfort her grieving Aunt Carole. Arthur was her best friend. Soon Freya finds herself being directed by Arthur, to track down his killer and to get the answers to what happend in Cairo all those years ago. Can Freya get back her former confident and brave self that she had forgotten?

This is a fun cozy mystery. I lived Freya's Aunt Carole. She is definitely a character and knows how to provide needed distractions while appearing to be doing it unawares. A mysteries are resolved by the end of the story...but still, there is a hint that this may become a series?

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to enjoy this e-ARC

Freya Lockwood is going through a big change in her life. Her daughter has left for college in the US and her ex-husband is pressuring her to sell the family home.

Then she receives a letter from Arthur Crockleford, her upset mentor from when she worked with him as an antiques hunter, which brings her back to the town and life she left over twenty years ago. When Arthur dies in what seems like an accident in his shop, Freya is asked to come back home to help her Aunt Carole who is sad, and maybe also see what her future will be like.

She quickly becomes involved in Arthur's business and soon believes that his death was not just an accident. She and Carole received a letter from Arthur, who had made sure to leave it behind in case he passed away. The letter contains clues that the two of them can figure out to find out what happened and what secrets Arthur was keeping. They go to a weekend event to look at old objects, and meet some strange people. Because the story is told from different points of view, we get to know more about each character's plan than Freya and Carole do. The writer's viewpoint is unclear, so the reader doesn't know who the good and bad characters are, or if there are any good characters at all. As Freya unravels the hints to a terrible event from her past, she is also healing from it and making progress towards her new future. It was interesting to watch a woman who had her husband put her down and make her feel bad about herself, find a way to feel better as she deals with Arthur's death. I was really interested in Freya's characters and her battles. I was glad to see a smart and brave woman changing and improving herself.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc in exchange for my voluntary and honest review.

A cozy mystery; reminiscent of some of Agatha Christie's writing with plot twists galore.

Set in the British countryside, Freya and her Aunt Carole, are sent on a quest to uncover a murderer. A former 'antique hunter', Freya has been out of the game for quite some time and finds herself being pulled back in with the death (= of a grandfather-type figure, Arthur. However, her and Arthur have been on the outs for 20 years ever since events in Cairo turned their relationship south, so the real question is... Was Arthur murdered? And if so... why was he entrusting her to find out whodunit?

Combining intrigue and plot twists, Miller crafts a tale offering various points of view from a short list of dodgy characters who are hellbent on getting Freya and Carole out of the way -- even if it becomes permanent. Freya is clever and becomes more confident in herself and her abilities as the mystery builds to the penultimate moment before we understand who the true culprit is. As I become older, it's great to see an older female protaganist who can still have an adventure. While Freya makes a breakthrough in her life making consistent strides to becoming the person she was once and would like to be again, there is often a bit of a repetitiveness that waters down the power of her coming into her own. However, as her past and present collide, it's wonderful to see Freya shine.

I would highly recommend curling up on the couch with a big fluffy blanket and a cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and CL Miller for an advanced e-Copy of this book. Find it on shelves this February 2024.

If you vowed, to never return home again, what would you do if your old mentor asked you to come back and help? For Freya Lockwood, it was an easier choice than she expected given that both her mentor and her aunt asked her to come home when her mentor dies under mysterious circumstances.

What a mix of murder, antiques, cryptic clues, and some very strange people, Freya has her work cut out for her. Can she and aunt Carole Figure things out maybe joining Arthur?

First, in a new series, this one hold promise for further entries. I’m looking forward to more from this author and in this series.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I have seen this book talked about as an anticipated 2024 release so I was excited to be approved. This book read like a cozy mystery and had the feel of "Midsommer Murders" with the English village setting. I found the slightly zany characters to be fun and the descriptions and information about antiques to be a nice touch for an antique lover like me. I will say around the 65% point in the book the story dragged a bit and I could have done with a bit more suspense and excitement. I also found Freya's inner monologue surrounding her return to antique hunting to get a bit repetitive as she frequently reflected on what her younger self would have done. I wanted her to just embrace it and be confident again! Overall, a cute read, but not as suspenseful or enthralling as I originally expected.
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As someone who grew up around people who loved reading murder mysteries and also collected antiques, this premise and setting has a special place in my heart. It felt interesting, fun, and cozy. I can definitely see someone not quire enjoying it as much, but I found it intricate and delivered exactly what it had promised.

I loved this one. Very enjoyable cozy mystery with hints of a thriller mixed in. Let’s describe it as Murder, She Wrote mixed with Antiques Roadshow. I loved Freya and her aunt Carole, loved the setting of the English countryside and Copthorn Manor. And I didn’t fully guess the killer which is always a bonus for me. I think fans of English mysteries like Richard Oscan will like this book. I will definitely read the next book in the series. I know nothing about antiques but based on her bio the author certainly does.

Thanks to Atria books, the author, and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.

This book shows some promise for the author’s future work, like the tantalizing prologue, the excellent opening paragraph in Chapter 1, and the setup of young Freya working with her aunt Carole. There was even a delightful epigraph at the head of each paragraph supposedly written by the murder victim!
Ultimately, though, I was so very annoyed by the heavy-handed “teasing” references to what happened in Cairo and the events that shattered Freya’s career in antiques that I really did not want to finish the book. This type of teaser is great for stimulating the reader’s interest but has to be done a bit more subtly.

Summary
Arthur Crockleford was the owner of an antique shop in a lovely English village. When he was found dead at the bottom of the stairs to his apartment, it was assumed that his death was the result of a tragic accident. However, his closest friend, Carole, was not convinced that this was the case because the vases on the table in the window were the wrong vases. Though she didn’t know what that meant, she knew that something was wrong, and she knew in her heart that Arthur had been murdered. Carole knew just the person to help her find out what had happened; her niece, Freya.

Freya had been raised by Carole, and as a child she had been close to Arthur. He taught her about antiques, and trained her to be an antique hunter. Then, 20 years earlier, the two had had a serious falling out from which Freya had yet to recover. The two had never spoken again, and Freya had never returned to her aunt’s home. Nevertheless, she loved her aunt, and knew that it would be a comfort to Carole if she went to visit her. Little did she anticipate being drawn into a mystery that only she could solve.

My Thoughts

This mystery took a rather unusual format. Instead of having a group of suspects to interview, Arthur had left a string of riddles and clues. He knew that Carole would call Freya after his death, and he knew that Freya had the skills necessary to figure out what had happened and why.

Although the book was primarily written from Freya’s point of view, different chapters were written from the points of view of other characters. It gave the readers a fair chance at trying to solve the mystery alongside Freya without having to know a great deal about antiques and antiquities, and the trade in both.
There is also a secondary mystery for the reader - what happened to cause the falling out between Arthur and Freya. That backstory is gradually revealed as the book progresses. It comes out very slowly, and though I have no doubt that for some it may come out too slowly, I thought their history was revealed at just the right time.

I read a lot of mysteries, but this is by far one of the best I have read recently. The pacing was perfect, the clues were clever, everyone was hiding secrets, and nobody could be trusted. It was exceptionally well-structured.

Freya was a wonderful protagonist. She starts the story as an angry and depressed woman who hates Arthur. Her emotionally abusive ex-husband was selling the house from underneath her. She was a woman with both physical and emotional scars, a woman who had experienced a great deal of loss in her life. Perhaps her greatest loss had been the loss of her identity. She had had a passion for antique hunting, and liked the person she was when she was antique hunting. As the story progresses, we see a woman who is reclaiming her identity and reclaiming her power. More than one character said of Freya “she sees things that others don’t”.

There was some degree of friction between Freya and Carole because Carole had sided with Arthur in the falling out that drove Freya from the village. Nevertheless, the two of them made a formidable team. Freya knew Krav Maga and Carole had a black belt in tae kwon do. Their personalities also complimented one another, with Carole being outgoing while Freya was more introspective.

I loved the final denouement. It was similar to those found in golden age mysteries where Freya explained all the clues that led her to her conclusions. The end was satisfying.

I very much look forward to more in this series.

I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder is a cozy mystery in the Richard Osman mould which I imagine will find an audience among fans of those books. The plot deals with a mysterious murder, forged antiques and organised crime in a country manor, all intersecting with an unsolved tragedy from the main character’s past.

You probably know exactly what this book is like. It is a competently written debut and setup for a new series. It’s fine.

An antique hunter finds herself investigating the murder of her mentor in this new novel. I liked the premise here, but I didn’t like that the multiple narrators. This felt like it was trying to be more like a cozy mystery (which I love) but I find multiple narrators doesn’t work as well for that genre.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Nothing could induce Freya Lockwood to return to the English village she grew up in. Ever since she and her mentor, Arthur Crockleford, fell out while on a dangerous case of tracing down a mysterious antique, Freya has left that world behind, both professionally and physically. But when Freya's Aunt Carole calls her back to reveal that the circumstances around Arthur's deal were mysterious, and to beg her to investigate what he was up to on his final case, she can't resist helping her beloved aunt. But when following the trail of clues takes them to a strange house party at an old manor house, Freya and Carole must decide whether the menace is real and who they can really trust. And can they find what Arthur was looking for before the killer gets to them first?

This was such a great premise: Indiana Jones meets Antiques Road Show with a bit of Marlowe Murder Club thrown in for good measure. It started well, with the excitement of the chase and an unspooling of Freya's childhood trauma and her path to being an antiques recovery agent. But loss and betrayal spooked her, so she made herself smaller to please the men around her and feel safe again. I appreciated the theme of a strong woman finding herself again, and growing from the source of her strength. But I felt that the excitement wasn't sustained. I was a little disappointed by how unbelievable and hard-to-follow that important plot points were. Of COURSE a suspension of reality is absolutely necessary in fiction, but this time I felt that the author didn’t make it easy to suspend and believe. Large parts of it were confused and too contrived, making it seem more like a non-comedic Murder Mystery or Clue than And Then There Were None or Indiana Jones. I also felt that Freya and Carole seemed a bit like stock or side characters, and were not as dynamic and well-developed as they deserved to be. I would have preferred to see Freya develop a bit more each time she had a revelation of self-discovery, but each time it was like a repetition of the time before and it seemed that she never really grew. It was a great premise, but in the end it wasn't the book for me.