Deadly Threads

February 14, 2011
Near the start of Cleland's well-crafted sixth Josie Prescott Antiques mystery (after 2010's Silent Auction), Josie is preparing for a workshop on vintage shoes and handbags at her antiques shop in Rocky Point, N.H. When her guest speaker, Riley Jordan, fails to show, Josie decides to begin the class without her. A minute later, Josie discovers why Riley is late after looking under a display table, where she's horrified to see Riley's strangled body. Josie teams with Ellis Hunter, Rocky Point's police chief, and Wes Smith, an investigative reporter for the local newspaper, the Seacoast Star, to find the killer, who soon targets one of Josie's employees. Authentic details of vintage clothing and jewelry, vivid descriptions of coastal New Hampshire in the early spring, credible characters, and a dramatic conclusion make this cozy a winner. Author tour.

February 1, 2011

The coastal town of Rocky Point, N.H., would be a perfect site for a thriving antiques business if it weren't for the sky-high homicide rate.

The lecture series Josie Prescott is hosting on developing a vintage-clothing collection gets off to an inauspicious start when guest speaker Riley Jordan is found dead under a display table. Josie and her tight-knit staff are shocked by the loss. But it's not long before Josie, inevitably drawn into the case, uses her specialized knowledge to assist police chief Ellis Hunter. Riley was a caring, charming woman of wealth whose picture-perfect marriage to restaurant developer Bobby Jordan was besieged by rumors of his infidelities. The only clues are a pearl and platinum button found on the scene by the newest addition to the Prescott family, a Maine coon cat, and the glimpse Josie's assistant Gretchen's got of a silver car leaving their parking lot. When Josie learns that Bobby was cut out of Riley's will and that she has been left to administer Riley's fabulous collection and a good deal of money, she has even more reason for sleuthing. Although Bobby's a likely candidate, there are several other possibilities, including the unknown person who lost that pearl button.

Cleland (Silent Auction, 2010, etc.) combines a pleasing mystery with the obligatory antiques tidbits.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 15, 2011
When Riley Jordan, who was supposed to lead a vintage clothing and accessories workshop with Josie Prescott, owner of Prescotts Antiques & Auctions, doesnt show up, Josie begins the class on her own. But she quickly discovers Rileys body under one of the demonstration tables. Suspects include Rileys philandering husband, Bobby, who needs Rileys money to support his failing restaurant empire. Bobby hires Josie to appraise Rileys extensive estate, including her vast vintage clothing collection. To complicate matters, Josie learns that Rileys will names Josie as administrator of a foundation to promote fashion preservation and education. When Josies cat, Hank, finds a pearl and platinum rosette button where Riley was killed, Josies research into the button leads to a plan to trap the killer. Reporter Wes Smith and Josie again share thoughts on the murder and the suspects. Framed with interesting details concerning vintage clothing and the antiques appraisal business, this mystery boasts likable characters and a cozy small-town New Hampshire setting.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)