This book caught my attention from the start, unlike another galley whose first chapter I couldn’t Book reads well on its own, while also nicely setting up the foundation for a series. I appreciated the focus on the protagonist and the mystery without being too heavy on the romance.

The premise is gripping and Freya, our main character, has an interesting voice and perspective. I did find that there were too many POVs which did slow down the pace a bit for me. I especially appreciated the more educational aspects of it and the way it combined tropes of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and a murder mystery.

I absolutely loved this fast-paced whodunit! Thrillers and mysteries are my absolute favourite genre, and I couldn't recommend this one more!!!

The basic setup of the Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a decent one. Freya, a woman in her forties coming to terms with her newly empty nest while solving a murder with Carole, an older, eccentric maternal figure, is a decent start. Unfortunately, the book loses a bit of steam by having too many different viewpoint characters. Most of the chapters are divided between Freya and Carole's viewpoints, but we also get viewpoints for random side characters. The book might have been better if the viewpoint only stuck with Freya as the switching didn't seem to add much. I'll also confess that the mystery was a bit too "cozy" for me. With a title like "Antique Hunters," I'll confess that I was expecting a mystery that was more adventurous and closer to Indiana Jones than to Arthur Crockleford. Additionally, the constant allusions to "what happened in Cairo" were a distraction. The story would have been better if we were told upfront what happened, since the book spent so much time building it up and it ended up being a reveal that didn't hit very hard. This review is based on an ARC received from NetGalley and the Atria Books.

Freya Lockwood is at an uncomfortable crossroad in her life. Her only child, Jade, has gone off to America and no longer needs her mother. After her parents' divorce, Jade and her mother continued to live in the family home. Now that Jade has left, Freya's ex-husband is demanding that the house be sold. It's at this unfortunate time that Freya receives a phone call from her beloved Aunt Carole. Carole's dearest friend and Freya's old antiques mentor, Arthur, has died. He apparently fell down the steps of his antique store. Carole is devastated but Freya has been estranged from Arthur since "that awful incident in Cairo all those years ago." It soon transpires that there's going to be a large antiques valuation fair, and Arthur has recommended that Freya attend as the valuer. Arthur has also left behind a cryptic letter with vague "clues" that Freya is sure will lead to the truth about Arthur's death and also unravel what really happened all those years ago in Cairo. Freya and Carole head out to a stately home for the weekend and there is no shortage of shifty characters there. Freya is also dismayed to see that most of the antiques in the stately home are poorly made replicas. As Freya attempts to figure out what is going on, she finds herself in danger from events both past and present.

I found the events in the book muddled and hard to follow. None of the characters really stood out or seemed to have personalities. Quite a few people remarked on how amazing and talented and relentless Freya was, but she mostly came across as listless and boring. Once they arrived at the manor house, there were a lot of chapters from many different points of view where not much of anything at all happened. The explanation of all that went down in Cairo, and how it was tied to the present, was also unenlightening. Just not my cup of tea (and there were plenty of cups of tea consumed by everyone in the book!) at all.

I strongly recommend this book for adults who enjoy cosy mysteries. Young adults, however, will not find this book to their personal taste because the main character is too old. They are looking for much younger characters. That said, I enjoyed the book from the adult perspective and would encourage my friends to read the book.

Fun to read and very engaging -- I'm hoping this is the first in what will be a series. Freya, the main character, is a former antiques expert, and has left that life behind. But when her mentor and former partner, Arthur, dies mysteriously, she and her eccentric Aunt Carole are on the case to investigate. First stop: a big old fashioned English house party billed as an "antiques retreat." I look forward to recommending this title.

What a delight this contemporary British mystery was from beginning to end! An Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder has it all: a personable amateur detective duo, an intriguing backstory, fine antiques, a friendly village, a foreboding country house, and even a secret passage concealing—well, you’ll have to read it to find out! As an antique lover I appreciated the famous names referenced through the story, and enjoyed looking up some I hadn’t heard of. But this mystery is more than a catalogue of fine antiques—readers will enjoy the fast pace, the interactions between characters, the international twist, and the well-balanced tone, which I would call ‘cozy with an edge.’

This was a fun mystery! Growing up, my parents collected antiques, and they sold them in a little shop. Reading this was nostalgic (you know, minus the murder...)
I really liked the main character, and I wouldn't be disappointed to see Freya take on another adventure!

The pace is a little slower than I like for mysteries, and I was able to predict the ending pretty early on.

If you liked National Treasure, I think you'll like this!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher. I love antiques. So, the title hooked me. I want to be Freya! Okay, maybe Carole is more my speed. Both characters are great. I wish I had known Arthur. This is a debut novel and I am so ready for the next book. Very well written. Freya is middle aged and has issues to work through but even though Arthur has passed he has left her a mystery to solve and a way to get back what she has been missing most of her life.

I thought this story was fairly typical. Nothing new, nothing exciting. I did enjoy the strength portrayed of the two main female characters but actually all the female characters were strong and decisive. Managing the men in the story with ease. Unfortunately, I was a bit bored by the half way point. It was slow going.
.A woman and her Aunt trying to solve the murder of a close friend and also finding out about a large antique thievery ring. I wanted more from this story. The locations were not defined well and the characters had no interesting traits, they were very one dimensional to me. The side stories of a daughter at college as well as a a mean ex husband, who is taking her home from her home was all pretty typical and not fledged out. I Felt it was paragraphs of unnecessary words to fill unnecessary pages.
The antiquity thefts could have been interesting but were very small in scope which kept is slow and uninteresting. The story was the same as I’ve read many times. The pacing was slow and laborious.

I thought this book was a nice twist on the cozy mystery standard as it included an area not usually focused on: antique hunting. Though, they aren't looking for things to purchase, but to return to the country or owner of origin. I got a little turned around with all the different chapter narrators, but enjoyed many of the characters.

I received a copy of this book for free, all opinions are my own.

This book was really unique. I enjoyed it a lot and can't think of another book to use as a close comparison. I feel like at this point, we've written every story there is to write, so every book is reminiscent of something else, and I'm sure this book is too, but it is unique enough I can't think of anything,. Very impressive.

This was such a fun, educational murder mystery! Carole was the best character I’ve read in a while, and I love all the plot twists in finding out who was the murderer and why. The educational bits about the antiques discovered throughout the investigation definitely reminded me of the antique roadshow and the archeological aspects gave off an Indiana Jones feel as promised. I love how well everything was tied up in the end, leaving no room for plot holes. The storyline was well-written and the characters were all well developed. Thank you Netgalley for my ARC!

A former antique hunter tries to solve a suspicious death at an English manor. Freya Lockwood joins forces with her aunt to solve the murder while reliving some of her tragic past. A treasure hunt and murder mystery all in one books. Many clues; many guesses to figure out the killer.

Freya Lockwood once upon a time was an adventurous antique hunter. Now she’s a middle aged divorcee on the verge of losing her home and unbeknown to most… trying to solve a murder. Arthur Crockleford, once Freya’s mentor and boss as well as her Aunt Carole’s best friend, mysteriously dies and Freya and Carole believe it wasn’t an accident. They team up on an adventure to solve Arthur’s murder as well as solve a 20 year mystery. That mystery being the incident in Cairo that ruined Freya’s career.

This mystery was super cozy. I had a great time reading it. I thought I knew which way it was going many times but was still left second guessing myself until the reveal at the end. Aunt Carole seems like a hoot and I wish I had a quirky aunt like her. The entire time I envisioned Prue from The Great British Baking Show, which made her even more likable to me. I enjoyed and appreciated the multiple POV through all of the characters. I give this 4 stars because I had a great time trying to solve this mystery alongside Freya and Carole and will be picking up the next one if CL Miller decides to keep the adventures going.

I also think it’s super cute that CL Miller’s mother was on Antique Road Show so antiques have been a huge part of their lives and she was able to work with her mom on this book before she passed.

It was a fantastic adventure of following Freya and unlock the true murder of what happened with Arthur.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my honest review.
I know absolutely nothing about Antiques! But was attracted to this book because I enjoy a good mystery and thought I might learn a few things. And, I did!!! C.L. Miller has written a delightful debut novel in which the search for stolen antiques and antiquities collide with murders, and along the way we are treated to a host of characters from Freya, who is the lead protagonist of the story, to her Aunt Carole, her semi-grandfather Arthur who got her started in the antique profession over 20 years ago and who eventually caused her to leave the profession until she is suddenly pulled back in. Something is fishy about Arthurs's demise and Freya and Carole are on the hunt to figure out what all the clues lead to and what Arthur is trying to tell her from beyond the grave. The mystery takes us to an English Manor, and we learn about antique "banks" as we are joined by a shady group of characters who are all trying to find the valuables that appear to be hidden in the house. Nobody is as they appear, and everyone has their own agenda as the group meets for a weekend gathering where all things are hopefully going to be resolved. A very well plotted books with believable characters, this is a fast paced book that is easy to read and hard to put down. The author does a very good job of keeping us guessing as to the murderer, and I must admit that I was fooled!!! What I also like is that we know from the last chapter of the book that this appears to be the first of a series of books, and that there could be a group of repeat characters that we will follow as we delve into the world of antiques and murder. Top notch effort!!!!

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a well written mystery in the classic form, and the debut novel by C.L. Miller. Due out 6th Feb 2024 from Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a well rounded cozy(ish) mystery with surprising side plot-threads into skullduggery, international antiquities repatriation, murder, and black-market crime. It's got a classic limited-suspect pool, and much of the action occurs at an isolated country house. The characters are varied, quirky, well rendered, and with an amateur sleuth in the lead who has a complex back story revealed over the course of the book.

The author imbues the story with a great deal of background info on arts and antiquities, and is clearly well versed in the subject, which adds a nice bit of verisimilitude and interest to the storytelling. The nuts and bolts of the plot are well constructed, and although readers who are fans of the form will likely have much of the reveal worked out before the denouement, the author manages to toss a few nice twists in at the end, à la Christie.

The story is told in alternating chapters, with main character Freya's chapters in first person, and the other characters' PoV in 3rd person. A challenging form, but the author manages it well and the whole is readable and engaging.

Four stars. It would make a good choice for public library acquisition, as well as for mystery book club selection, and for fans of classic British mystery. Quite well written. The epilogue seems to point to further planned adventures for Freya and her quirky Aunt Carole.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN GOOD! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AMAZING! This fell so short for me, I wanted to love this