A lovely gentle read written with great insight by CL Miller whose parents Judith and Martin Miller were well known in the antiques world. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I liked the premise of this book, and it was an interesting setting for a mystery. Sadly, the writing leaves a lot to be desired, and I really struggled liking any of the characters.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who knew the antiques business could be this dangerous?

Antiques dealer Arthur is found dead at the bottom of the stairs of his shop. It seems he had a very good idea of what, and maybe even who, was coming for him and he has left instructions all over the place which should be followed to the letter in the event of his untimely death. His dearest friend Carole joins forces with her reluctant niece, Freya, to solve Arthur's clues. These will lead the ladies to a dark part of the antiques world, where danger lurks around every corner and nobody can be trusted.

Freya used to be an antique hunter herself. But something happened twenty years ago, which made her switch careers and never speak to Arthur again. The old Freya would be horrified if she could see the new Freya right now. Zero confidence in herself, no sparkle in her eyes, no vava-voom. Freya is a shell of the woman she used to be, run down by a despicable husband who left her feeling utterly worthless. Now the former husband has put her house up for sale, her daughter is away at university in America, and being sucked back into this world of antiques by her aunt only reminds Freya of what her life could have been like if Arthur hadn't interfered.

Freya will put aside her bitter thoughts about Arthur and be there for her aunt, because she loves Carole dearly. And I have no doubt you, the reader, will too. Carole is something else entirely. Despite her grief over losing Arthur, this woman is unstoppable. Oozing charm and seemingly finding the joy in every little thing, she often made me chuckle out loud. I adored her from the moment I met her on the page and she is definitely someone I wish I could hang out with.

I very much enjoyed my time with these two unlikely sleuths. I do however feel like the pace dropped somewhat and the plot became rather bogged down once Carole and Freya arrived at the retreat. Mainly, I think, because many of the characters Arthur also invited got their own POV. Personally, I didn't think that was necessary. It didn't seem to add much to the story, except to point out that everyone was hiding something and couldn't be trusted. But that was something Carole, Freya and the reader already knew from the start.

That said though, this is a wonderful introduction to this cosy crime series. Finding the clues and following them almost felt like an exciting treasure hunt, and it's something I very much like being a part of. I also really liked getting some of the stories behind the antique artefacts Freya comes across. History and its many objects, some that are still to be discovered I'm sure, has always interested me so this was definitely my cup of tea.

I have a feeling we may be seeing some of the retreat characters again at some point, since they mostly seem to move around in the same circles. And with Carole now getting a taste of all this excitement, she's surely already plotting their next adventure. I look forward to seeing what, or who, Carole and Freya will be hunting next.

Stand aside, Richard Osman, the new queen of cosy crime has arrived!
C.L. Miller's debut is hugely enjoyable with engaging characters and a fun, fast paced plot. I loved her attention to detail and came away both entertained and educated by this fascinating peek into the darker side of the world of antiques. This has great series (and prequel) potential and I can't wait to see what Freya and Aunt Carole get up to next!
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

Freya has spent the last 20 years being a wife and a mother. She is now divorced, her daughter is living in the US and her ex-husband is insisting on the family home being sold.
When she gets a call from her Aunt telling her that Arthur has died, she is compelled to return to Suffolk and face her past.
Her past when she was an Antique Hunter alongside Arthur until things went wrong.
So begins an adventure that kick starts her lust for adventure. But firstly she needs to find out who killed Arthur.

I found this well written and enjoyed the hunt with Freya and Carole.

I really did think I was alone in my thoughts on The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder but checking some of the reviews convinced me otherwise.

This story reads like it was written for the T&YA market which was a real pity as the "blurb" suggested all sorts of things that I sadly found missing; depth of plot, depth of characters, depth of anything really. This is a real pity as the scope for something rather good was there, the author's background implied that.

I did finish the book but can only think that I did because I was ever hopeful the author's background would win through and provide a first class denouement; sadly not.

A unique murder mystery!
It’s chaotic at times but I absolutely loved it! It definitely fits into the gentle of ‘cozy murder mystery’.
I would love to read more similar books by this author!

What a great story!! I think I’ve found my new crime fighting duo!!
Freya and her Aunt Carole come together when Arthur Crockleford, a close friend of Carole’s, and a once close friend of Freya’s, is found dead. He was an antique hunter, finding lost treasures and reuniting them with their owners. The trouble is that Carole believes Arthur was murdered and needs Freya to help prove this is so. They are then sent to a Manor House via a cryptic letter written by Arthur. …..
I thoroughly enjoyed the tale, the characters, the dog. There were clues which you could also follow to find the murderer! It was great! I can’t wait for book two!!!
Many thanks to PanMacmillan for the opportunity to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #PanMacmillan, #CLMillerWriter.

Murder mystery in the mansion, all the suspects under one roof.... *grabs fan*

This book was so interesting and it kept me totally on my toes. I adored Freya and would read more books with her. The antique talk terrified me at first as I thought I would be a bit bored, but honestly, I was interested every time something came up. Would recommend this one - I really enjoyed.

A cosy murder mystery in an isolated Manor house with the great cast of both suspects and villains and of course the antiques. Freya Lockwood is dragged back into her past when her former antique hunting mentor Arthur Crockleford dies in mysterious circumstances and he leaves her hidden clues to follow in order to solve his murder. This novel certainly has a number of wonderful characters including the flamboyant and eccentric Aunt Carol, who I just loved. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing to the end and the promise of more in the series, which I will will definitely be looking out for. I was lucky enough to be able to both read and listen to this mystery. The wonderful Emilia Fox narrates the audio, and this is it is a deft and fully characterised performance. In fact I could see her as Freya in a TV adaptation should one be made. Overall a thoroughly entertaining read and listen, which I recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to the audio. of this book in return for an honest review.

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in both ebook and audio formats in return for an honest review.

The narration for the audio book is brilliant and very well done.
Each character is amazingly well done and has their own voice.

My one and only complaint is Freya keeps referring to " The Cairo incident" Like the reader should know what happened. This does get explained but it really feels like it should be it's own story

That aside its a wonderfully written mystery. The characters are fun and well developed . I adore Aunt Carole she is a brilliant character and so over the top you can't help but smile . Freya took me awhile to warm up too but she too is brilliant and resourceful.

All in all this is the perfect cozy mystery. I loved it from start to finish. I look forward to the next adventure with Carole and Fraya Lockwood.

A cosy crime mystery set in the world of antiques. Fans of Antiques Road Show will like it but I found the writing flat and the narrative pace slow. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This book is part murder mystery and part adventure, although much more in the vein of The Famous Five than Indiana Jones.



This is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery!

Freya Lockwood is forced to return to the hometown she thought she'd left for god when she receives a strange letter. It is from her old mentor Arthur Crockleford asking her to investigate his death. Obviously sent just days before it happened. But she is intrigued and, despite her many misgivings, agrees to do just that.
She soon starts to realise that all is not well in the antiques business. Did I mention that Arthur was an antiques dealer and Freya was once his protege? Anyway, staying with her rather quirky Aunt Carole, Freya starts her investigations in earnest and they soon start to lead her towards an antiques enthusiast weekend at an old manor house. Freya's spidey senses are activated when she notices that most of the antiques in the manor are poor reproductions. And they are piqued even more by the furtive behaviour of some of the other guests...
For Freya, this invite couldn't have come at a better time as her daughter has recently flown the nest and her estranged husband wants her out of the house so it can be sold. This gives her the distraction she desperately needs and also a kick up the backside to get on with her life. It also answers a few questions about the why she broke away from Arthur in the first place and lays a few ghosts to rest. But it is the mystery that is the big sell and it's there that the book does fall a bit flat. It starts well enough, high intrigue, but then falls away in the middle third and then gets a bit messy towards the end, which didn't quite tick all the boxes I need to be wholly satisfied.
All that said, it does read like it might be the start of a series, one that needs to be set up, hence the groundwork and foundations herein. If it is, then I would definitely be up for reading the follow-up. Yes, the amateur sleuths - two women of differing ages - thing isn't a novel idea, however the antiques side of things could make it interesting.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery, with its roots in the antique trade. Yes there were a few dead bodies but no blood and gore. C L Miller certainly knows her antiques and the wider antique market and writes with a passion and professionalism.
It may not be the most polished of novels I have read, but it was interesting with good characters that hopefully have paved the way for a sequel which I would look forward to reading.

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a cosy mystery following Freya, a former antique hunter, as she joins her aunt in trying to work out what really happened to her uncle Arthur, who sent a strange letter to her just before he died. Her Aunt Carole is not convinced Arthur's death was really an accident, and their hunt leads Freya to return to Suffolk, where she lived with them both before she became estranged from him, and to an antiques weekend at a Manor House - where more drama takes place!

Miller's writing is engaging and easy to follow, with a cast of characters that bring the story to life - though I did feel I would have liked to learn more about the history of some of the supporting characters. Freya is a likeable and relatable protagonist, and her Aunt Carole adds a touch of humour and eccentricity to the narrative. I enjoyed the mystery elements and joining Freya as she discovers more about that fateful trip many years ago to Cairo, and how it might be linked to her Uncle's death. However, I felt the pacing was a bit off at points, and the middle part of the book started to drag for me. I found myself starting to lose interest in the plot, but it picked up again towards the end.

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder has classic crime vibes and is good fun. It didn't blow me away but I think I'm in the minority here as it has been a very popular choice in general. So if you're looking for a cosy mystery to curl up with on a cold day, this is a good choice!

Arthur Crockelford has been found dead in suspicious circumstances.
Freya has not spoken to him in twenty years but receives a letter from him leading her to his journals and she is on a mission to find out who killed him.

I was intrigued by the concept which I found interesting and original and I was looking forward to reading it, but I couldn’t quite get into it. I really wanted to like it, but I had trouble with the pace that I found sometimes too slow and the plot often dragging too much. Also, the writing didn’t really work for me and, at least for the first half of the book, I was often distracted. All in all, I liked how the story developed and I also started liking the characters more as the story progressed, but I can’t say it was what I expected.

I didn’t know what to expect when I requested this book just that I’d seen a bit of a buzz on Twitter about it. I was really hooked by this and hope to continue looking out for C L Miller. When Freya’s aunt Carole rings to tell her some unexpected news Freya has very mixed emotions about it. This draws her back into her old life when she was an antique hunter reclaiming stolen antiques and getting them back to their rightful owners. A real whodunnit which had me guessing right until the end, filled with bad guys and questionable antics it was a great read from start to finish.

Twisty antiques mystery. Great main characters of Freya and her Aunt Carole. Interesting backstory of events in Cairo.