The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller follows Freya Lockwood, divorced mom and former antique hunter, as she investigates the death of her former mentor.

While the mystery set-up was interesting, the book dragged out too much and suffered from an overabundance of point-of-view chapters. I found the head-hopping unnecessary since it pulled us away from Freya and didn't give us any good information that Freya didn't figure out on her own. Some of the surprise identities were rather obvious if you took a moment to think about them and why they would be included in the way they were.

I also found the huge time gap between the events in Cairo and the current timeline too large. It made a lot of things feel disconnected and made me question why characters waited so long to deal with things.

I did like Freya and her path to rediscovering her old, confident self. Her emotionally abusive ex wasn't really handled, but it wasn't mishandled. I just wish there was more straight on acknowledgement, or if that had been excised.

There's also a really forced romantic sub-subplot that an uninvolved character was pushing for, so it felt underdeveloped and more annoying. It might be developed more in future books (since this is set up to be the start of a series), but I just wasn't feeling it.

So, overall, although the premise was good, the writing style and pacing really brought this one down.

Rating: 2/5

*I received an eARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#theantiquehuntersguidetomurder #clmiller #mystery #bookreview

Freya receives a letter from her estranged former mentor, she is surprised by his warning she is in danger. When he dies unexpectedly (and suspiciously) a few days later, she and her aunt begin to investigate his death. Their investigation causes Freya to remember appearances can be deceiving and forces her to rejoin the dangerous world of antique hunting she thought she left far behind

This is a nicely written murder mystery novel. I found the story so engaging that I read it in one sitting. It wasn’t predictable and I enjoyed the various perspectives of the characters as the story progressed. The best part for me though was how the investigation lead Freya to regain her sense of identity and purpose. I’m also hoping this will be the start of a series. If so, I will definitely pick up future books.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All of the opinions offered in

The book had me hooked from the first chapter! I read quite a few mysteries and I have to say, this one is very, very high up the love list! If you enjoy mysteries you must read this book. I loved the Lara Croft/Indiana Jones vibes the book gave me mixed with the little English village vibes that I also love and we are also putting some inheritance games puzzle questions as well as the game clue in the mix. What an amazing combination that makes for a mystery book.

The characters were very interesting and I liked the main characters very much. Arthur Crockleford is the murder victim but is an active participant in the whole book. I love the name. His quirkiness is 100% reflected right there. Freya is the main character beside Arthur and I liked her a lot. She rediscovers herself and her passion for antique hunting while investigating the murder of Arthur. Carole is Freya’s aunt and helps her in the investigation. It is so entertaining how she can just ignore things that are happening around her and make a dreary situation lighter that way. The villains were also very well crafted and not easy to detect.

All in all, I really loved the book! I hope there will be a sequel very soon!

(A review will also be posted on my Goodreads account and instagram @anns.book.chronicles on pub day)

What a great debut by C.L Miller! I read this in one sitting!
This book brought me right into the story from the prologue, and kept me hooked till the end. While this book was set in present day, I really pictured everyone in 40s clothing, think Evie from The Mummy!
I loved this being a multiple POV. Hearing what was going on in Freya, Carole and the other characters heads kept really helped to keep me guessing.
This quirky murder mystery is a great read for anyone looking for something quick!
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!
3.75 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simone & Schuster Canada for an ARC of this book to read.

The plot of this archaeological mystery is grounded in a series of incidents taking place in Cairo some twenty years before. Although the details of those events are revealed slowly as the story develops, we know from the start that an elderly antique shop owner, Arthur Crockleford, a retired antiques hunter, Freya Lockwood, and Freya’s Aunt Carole, are the key characters. Arthur and Carole are best friends, Carole is Freya’s aunt and guardian since her parents’ early deaths in a house fire, and Arthur served as a surrogate uncle to Freya as well as her mentor at the start of her career.

Before the story actually starts, Arthur awaits his own murder and leaves a strangely worded request to Freya containing clues that only she and Carole will understand. It’s up to them to sleuth out who killed him and why.

So far, this is a good old-fashioned mystery. But the story becomes complicated when, after Arthur’s demise and the switch in POV to Freya, we learn that whatever happened 20 years prior ruined Freya’s career, precipitated an unhappy marriage and motherhood, and caused a permanent rift with Uncle Arthur and a distancing from Aunt Carole. Freya blames Arthur for all of it, especially the involvement and murder of her first true love, Amis. Arthur implies there is much more to the story, in ways that will exonerate him, but refuses to tell her or anyone. Aunt Carole is caught between an unquestioning love for her old friend and her lifelong devotion to the niece she has raised as her own child.

What follows as Freya and Carole take up the gauntlet and attempt to follow Arthur’s clues, which are not as clear to them as he had hoped, is a gathering of other characters tied in various ways to Arthur and the Cairo event, even the cold-blooded murder of Amis. They are to spend a weekend at a decrepit manor belonging to an associate of Arthur, an antique collector whose estate Arthur was to verify. This is the role he handed to Freya.

The suspense builds as the two women are increasingly imperilled: they are obviously unwanted guests, though each of the others has a different reason for wishing them out of the way. Each character is the possible murderer of Arthur, Amis, or both. Threads are dropped, new clues pop up, people come into and out of suspicion.

The sub-story about Freya’s failed marriage and the contentious sale of the family home seems a bit of an aside, showing something about Freya’s character but not really furthering the story. Her young adult daughter, recently moved to the United States to study, occasionally calls her but is otherwise also not part of the story. But Aunt Carole is wise and witty and beautifully drawn, and there are many pots of tea and drafty rooms and even a ‘folly’ that figures in the mystery, making this a very enjoyable read.

Unfortunately, The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Muder did not work for me. Despite the interesting premise, there were too many characters introduced with little to no backstory and I was more interested in the main character’s, Freya, past.

Freya is suddenly pulled back into her previous life as an antique hunter when her mentor, Arthur, is found dead in his shop. Arthur left clues that leads Freya to believe he was murdered. Freya teams up with her aunt to find the murderer.

The premise of this novel is interesting, however its execution is poor. Throughout the entire novel, I was more interested in Freya and Arthur’s past. The glimpses of her training and then the infamous Cairo adventure that left their partnership in ruin were the saving graces of the novel. Those flashbacks were more engaging than the present mystery.

As Freya and her aunt follow the clues, they are led to an antiques enthusiast’s retreat where others are in attendance. These new characters are introduced with little to no information or backstory. C.L. Miller does a poor job of giving these new characters any interesting personalities or quirks. It wasn’t until I was near the end of the novel that I was finally able to distinguish them.

Overall, The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder is a poor execution of an interesting premise. I think the story would have been better served had it taken place in the past as Freya was learning the antique business then eventually transition to the Cairo adventure.

What is queued up as a Knives-Out-esque mystery thriller ended up being more of an Eat Pray Love sort of situation.

Freya has been out of the Antique Hunting business for over twenty years after the betrayal of her mentor. However, when that mentor dies, she gets back on the hunt at a turning point in her life. Now forty-something, with her daughter off at school and ex-husband selling their house, she turns her mind to the mystery in front of her - who killed her mentor and why is he posthumously sending her and her aunt to an antique retreat in the country?

The premise enticed me, but the execution was messy. With disjointed sentences and a repetitive inner narrative, I dragged myself through the first half of this book. The turning point wasn't even something I really cared about by the time I got to it because one of the more impactful things hadn't even been mentioned until that moment. There was an air of mystery around it, but the moment didn't hit me in the way I think it was intended to.

The different perspectives really didn't lend much to the progression of the story, and as a result the plot felt stilted, even as the pace picked up in the second half. I'm very curious about the intentions behind adding the other characters' POVs because the value just wasn't there for me.

One thing I do appreciate is the fact that this book really was saying that life doesn't end after XYZ happens. Freya's daughter leaving for college, Freya losing her house; she was so morose over these events at the start of the story, but we see her tackle the mystery with renewed vigor as the story progressed. I don't think enough stories do this, so it was nice to see her getting on with her own life and rediscovering herself. That being said, I did find her own feelings about the events of her life overshadowed any of the mystery's fun and excitement. She was like a wet blanket over her own story, which is what gave it that soul-searching quality that was not quite what I'd signed up for.

At the end of the day, I can't say I was super invested in the mystery or in Freya's life. The writing being messy, repetivie, and disjointed didn't help my reading experience either. My hope is that the final version that sees the light of day is more polished and snappy, but we shall see I guess.

TW: death, murder, gun violence, blood, injury detail, alcohol; mentions fire, fire injury, death of parents; domestic abuse

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 3/5
Writing: 2/5
Pacing: 1/5
Overall: 2/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.

[arc review]
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder releases February 6, 2024

2.5

The death of Arthur — antiques dealer and estranged mentor — has Freya returning to her hometown 20 years later to investigate.

Carole and Freya — an aunt and niece duo — must follow clues left by Arthur and resume antiques hunting to find a valuable item that could end up changing Freya’s life/career.

This debut has the beginnings to be a blend of Indiana Jones and the Antiques Roadshow, though I longed for even more adventure and for the clues to be more intricate to keep me engaged and mentally stimulated.

I found that there were too many main pov’s (9) given to characters who played a very slim part in the story which took away from getting fully invested into Freya and Carole and their journey to uncovering the death of a close friend.

There was a point I reached very early on where I wasn’t even interested in the murder mystery anymore, and I just wanted to know what the valuable item was and if it was truly worth the 20 years.

I sincerely hope this went through another round of edits, because it was bad enough to affect the reading experience.

decided to start the new year with a cozy mystery! i liked the premise of this and really enjoyed the characters (carole is the greatest sidekick), but overall it fell a bit flat for me. it took me a while to remember who everyone was which took me out of the story. i think this would make a great mini-series and would absolutely watch it! i'll give it credit for being a legitimately good mystery that kept me guessing, i just found some parts convoluted and unnecessary.

thanks to netgalley for my advance copy of the antique hunter's guide to murder by c.l. miller. all opinions are my own.

This is a fun little murder mystery. Upon the death of her former mentor, Freya is pulled back into the world of antique hunting, which she abandoned a few decades back when faced with tragedy and betrayal. Said mentor, Arthur, left behind some clues, hinting that his death may have been a murder and that all may not be as it seems. Freya and her aunt are set on a chase to discover buried secrets, which may just bring to light what truly happened that led to Freya’s frayed relationship with Arthur.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC.

This was a delightful book. It was nice to have an older protagonist, one who had gone through some rough times and doubted her own abilities. Freya is rather thrown into the thick of things when she is expected to solve two murders, one past and one present. It felt much like an Agatha Christie where you have a big country house and a limited amount of suspects to choose from, and everyone has a motive.

This was a fun, cozy mystery perfect for chilly autumn day, drinking tea and wrapped in a blanket. I'll second other reviewers saying it makes them pictured Emily Blunt as Freya and Helen Mirren as Carole. Could become a crackerjack series if the author is interested.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I LOVED THIS BOOK, so freaking much I cannot even begin to tell you. It is so fun, so quirky, so unique and it is just so damn devour-able. I very literally couldn't set this one down, as I love, love, loved the mystery of the secrets Arthur left behind for Freya to unravel.

Part cozy mystery, part whodunnit, part suspense, part locked door mystery.....it truly serves up just so much fun packaged in one plot. The added element of antiques to the mix made for great unique clues and I am now officially, completely enamored with antique hunting.

The characters are fun, dynamic, messy and complicated. The pacing is absolutely perfect and the mystery is so fun to solve. Truly I had such a blast with this book and I desperately hope this becomes a series, because I need more of everything this book had to serve up.

A true must for those mystery lovers out there this new year!

Freya Lockwood is a divorced empty-nester who used to be an antique hunter until she gave up her career. When her mentor in antiquing, Arthur, dies, Freya and her eccentric aunt Carole get drawn into a convoluted black market antique scheme. It turns out Arthur left clues for only Freya to solve – will she be able to decipher them in time?

I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun romp with thoroughly entertaining characters. As someone who doesn’t know antiques, it was not hard to follow. I liked the intersection of present and past flashbacks, and there were some twists and turns I didn’t see coming, which kept me on my toes. I love a good mystery and this one delivered!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"A former antique hunter investigates the suspicious death of her mentor at an isolated English manor, embroiling her back in the dangerous world of tracking stolen artifacts."

Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterca
for the arc! As soon as I heard English manor I knew I had to read this book - it's my favourite trope!

This was a fun mystery read, with twists and turns, that kept me guessing: him? her? them? 🤔 The reveals were satisfying, and this story would make for a great whodunnit movie, reminiscent of #knivesout 🔎

The one nitpick I had was that I wish there was more history told about the antiques.

Not sure if the author plans to make this series, but I'd definitely read more about Freya and her cool aunt! I aspire to be like both.

What a creative idea for a murder mystery! Enjoyed this author's voice although the pacing could be a little slow at times. Overall a great cozy mystery! A huge thank you to Atria Books and to NetGalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed this murder mystery.

It was well written, and I hope there are more books following this one where Freya and Carole are on another adventure.

It is a mystery where an antique store owner dies and leaves clues to solve his murder and crimes. It is kind of the Orient Express meets Clues.

I liked the characters with their curiosity, complicity and sincerity.

I went into this book mainly for the cover haha But ended up rather enjoying it.
We have some interesting characters that are being brought back together to solve a death. Was it a murder or not? And what are the clues left behind by Authur, our passed on character, telling our MC? It was fast paced enough that your attention is held throughout the story, and I enjoyed trying to solve the clues myself as the plot unraveled.
The characters were believable and the details clear, sometimes a book can be confusing with too many details thrown at you to try figure out the mystery, good book to curl up with.

This book pleasantly surprized me! While it was campy, the mystery did keep me interested - I found it wasn't all fluffy and predictable as I had expected! I feel like this could become a series.

3 stars!

This is a debut novel which takes place in a world of antiques & murder, very much à la Agatha Christie. I really thought the idea was interesting, however, the flow of the story needed some work. It felt a little awkward at times or confusing — or it just felt like it dragged on, especially to the half-point. The end felt a tad anticlimactic as well.

I did enjoy the spooky element of the book however; with it taking place in an Old English manor type of area. And the author clearly knows her way around the world of antiques and has a lot of knowledge. However, 3 stars because this has all the elements of a first novel; it’s clunky but with a really good idea, just needs more organization!