A very enjoyable book. It is a murder mystery set around the antique crime trade. Freya returns to her aunt, Carole when Carole's best friend Arthur is found dead. Arthur once mentored Freya on the dubious trade of stolen and fake items. Arthur leaves Freya a cryptic letter with clues, but not what she is searching for. Miller tidies up most of the loose ends but leaves enough for a sequel, the fate of the solicitor being one of them. It was only after I finished the book that I looked up Martin Brothers birds to discover that they are real.
I look forward to the next one if there is a sequel.

I like a murder mystery or thriller so I was excited to read this. I liked the premise of “what would drive an antiques expert to murder”, especially when the introduction said that the author grew up with antiques experts, her mother featuring on The Antiques Roadshow. This was clear in the descriptions of the antiques world, and I enjoyed looking up the Martin’s Brothers Birds, and I can’t help but agree - they’re ugly!

I found the characters hard to connect with and they didn’t have much to redeem them. Aunt Carole in particular drove me nuts! I found her characteristics conflicting, one moment she was exceptionally perceptive, the next her stubborn refusal to see anything from a point of view other than her own. Her steadfast belief in Arthur without caring to listen to a word her 'beloed niece' had to say about how he was responsible for the death of her true love. One moment she’s not speaking to Freya, the next all is forgiven and she doesn’t want to hear a word on the matter...let the poor woman have her say and some closure for crying out loud!!

Freya wasn’t much better. I found I couldn’t really care about her ex-husband selling the house, or come to a conclusion about what I thought of the daughter, she went from panicking about her mother to, okay that’s fine in an instant.

The story seemed to drag in places, and I found myself getting distracted. It was a good introduction to the antiques world with a great premise but, for me, it was forgettable and underwhelming.

An enjoyable and entertaining cosy crime novel, I’m intrigued to see where the author is going to go with this as I believe there’s going to be a sequel.
I liked Cassie but I really liked the dynamic between her and her aunt, Carole. The cast were all both plausible as the baddie, yet mostly likeable nonetheless.
There were some interesting descriptions and observations about the world of antiques, and I imagine it’s going to be a rich source for future stories.

I love a good mystery so obviously I had to read this one! I enjoyed the idea of the victim leaving a trail of clues to help solve his own murder. I also enjoyed the multiple POV we got throughout. The only thing that let the book down was how many unnecessary characters were introduced that added nothing to the story.

This was just brilliant. The characters were engaging and the setting wonderfully descriptive. The writing style was really immersive and I can't wait to read more!

Book review of The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller
Where to start reviewing this book? In essence it’s the story of an antiques hunter, Freya Lockwood who stops working as such following some initially unknown altercation with her now deceased mentor Arthur Crockleford. The link between the two Freya’s aunt Carole. There’s a mystery to be solved and from beyond the grave Arthur manages to involve Freya feeling she’s the only one who can get to the bottom of the dodgy dealing and death of the aristocratic Manor House owner.
So that’s a brief synopsis of the story but it’s a whole lot more than that. Im a detective story lover and have been since a young age. I voraciously read Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and oh The Famous Five! This book took me right back to those days, it enveloped me and swept me along in a nostalgic hug. Thats not to say the writing is aimed at young people or children. It is a clever story with beautifully developed characters with great backstories. More it has a wonderfully traditional feel without being twee - a modern day Blyton for the adults who grew up loving her work. I fell completely in love with this work and an so hopeful for more. If you enjoy a cosy crime this is a must read.

Freya returns home to the village she left behind a lifetime ago after her estranged former mentor, Antiques Dealer Arthur, passes away. She is drawn into a puzzle to solve his murder with the assistance of her Aunt, and along the way finds herself again ...

This is a fun, cozy mystery set in a small town, with reasonably good twists. It didn't manage to hook me though, and I found the characters a challenge to connect with. Not quite my cup of tea!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

CL Miller's debut novel is set in the world of antiques. Freya is summoned home by her aunt Carole after the death of the latter's oldest friend - and sometime mentor to Freya - Arthur. Estranged from Arthur, and therefore her old home, for twenty years, and facing the sale of her current home as a result of her divorce, Freya's mind is in no fit state to be solving puzzles. But that is what Arthur has left for her. And Carole i convinced that his death was no accident.

I enjoyed this very much, although I'm not sure that I followed all of Freya's thought processes as she unpicked the past. Who to trust was at the centre of the plot, and the reader was left still unsure at the end of the book. Clearly there is more to come. And that's a good thing.

I have been so looking forward to reading this one, ever since it was announced, and I'm thrilled to have been given a copy to read.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut. It's so phenomenal, well-written, well-crafted, that it reads of experience. It gives me so much excitement about future books she writes. Also, I think this is the first book of a series so I'm very pleased that there will be more in this vein.

I love antiques. I love watching all the antique programmes and used to frequent antique shops; I even attended filming of The Antiques Roadshow! There's something really wonderful about being surrounded by such historic pieces that can tell a story.

I also liked Judith Miller on The Antiques Roadshow, who just so happens to be Cara's mother, and it's clear how her knowledge, love and passion for antiques has worked its way down to her daughter. There is so much detail in some of the most mundane things, which was really lovely to read.

There are a lot of whodunnits, so called cosy crime novels about today and I love reading them, but you do start to wonder if they're going to get a bit samey, but that wasn't an issue here as she has chosen a novel way to write in this genre and it really works. You still get everything you want from a crime novel, and you never feel short-changed, but it's just got a bit of an edge which helps it stand out.

I would say the main characters are Freya, Carole, and Arthur. Freya is our main protagonist, a former antique hunter who has kept herself to herself and avoided her past for over two decades, with much of her trauma stemming from the village of Little Meddington and its inhabitants. I wasn't sure I was going to like her at first as I felt she very much had a chip on her shoulder and seemed blind to anyone else's views, but that quickly went away and she became such a fabulous main character to follow. And with her aunt Carole, they soon made a formidable pair. I must say, I really liked Carole. She's eccentric, devious (in the best way), passionate, a livewire, very much someone who sees the glass as half full. And then the third character is Arthur. He is Carole's best friend, and Freya's estranged mentor. I won't go into the whys and whatfores. It's a shame we only got to meet Arthur after he'd died, I would quite like to read a spin-off all about his life in the antiques business.

There are lots of characters in it, some bigger than others, but they've all got their secrets and their lies, and so it gives you a plethora of potential suspects, which was fun to go through. I had my suspicions but every time I thought about it, something else would happen which would throw those suspicions away. Even by the time it came to the reveal, I wasn't 100% sure I knew whodunnit.

I found myself going on a journey with them. You're reluctant at the start, much like Freya (for reasons I won't spoil), just wanting her to live her own life, but then the clues start to emerge and you're as intrigued as she is, and then you're there, looking round every corner. It's so addictive. I read it in less than 24 hours.

Each chapter beings with a quote from our Arthur Corckleford. They don't really affect the chapter's contents as such, but it was something extra that she didn't need to put in, but I'm glad she did. They gave us an insight into this character who we only really know after death.

I have found that in most crime novels, you explore the characters in order to uncover the crime, but in this, it was more how things (in this case, antiques) can help uncover a crime, which was an interesting route to take.

It's not just the suspicious deaths that are important here. It's a story about family, about love, about grief and loss, about hatred and anger, about broken relationships, about value and worth, about jobs and dreams; it's so much more than "just" a whodunnit. I think even people who aren't a huge fan of the genre will find something in this to like.

The ending - which I obviously won't give away - was very Agatha Christie/Miss Marple. So a big plus for me there. It can be difficult to do that without it sounding like an imitation. There's clearly the influence here but it's not an obvious duplicate. She's found her own voice.

It definitely reminded me of the classic whodunnits, and I kept expecting someone to put their head round a corner and shout "the game is afoot!"

Published 29 February 2024. This looks as if it is going to be the start of a new series and if future novels are in the same vein, it all bodes well for good time ahead. The author is the daughter of an antique expert and that knowledge comes through in the story - but not in a way that is off-putting. Our main character, Freya, a woman in her 40s, used to be an antique hunter. She worked with her mentor, Arthur, tracking down stolen items. Now Arthur is dead and Freya has been sent a mysterious letter from Arthur sending her to an antique weekend where everything is not as at it seems. With her aunt Carole accompanying her, she attends because she feels that Arthur was murdered and that his murderer will be there. The vibes of this novel are Agatha Christie/Knives are out. Aunt Carole is delightfully over the top and eccentric - I enjoyed every scene that she was in. There are a lot of characters in here - all seeming to have opportunity and motive. All in all a cosy, easy to read mystery.

When antiques dealer Arthur dies in somewhat suspicious circumstances, his former mentee Freya and her aunt Carole are drawn into the mystery by a letter sent by Arthur just before his death.

The trouble is that Freya has had no contact with Arthur for 20 years. Is she able to follow his clues, and do what he asks of her?

After a terrible falling out with her one-time mentor Arthur Crockleford two decades ago ago, when her life also fell apart, Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint village of Dedham Vale, where she grew up with her aunt Carole, after being orphaned.

Already burdened by the stresses of a divorce, and more recently, having to sell her home at her ex-husband's insistence after she became an empty-nester, Freya has enough on her plate. But her aunt is devastated at Arthur's sudden death. So when she asks Freya to return to the village in order to support her through a difficult time, the latter feels unable to refuse.

But then, it seems that Arthur's death under mysterious circumstances may actually have been a murder. And when Freya and Carole are given a letter he left for them with the local cafe owner, it becomes even more clear the there is something darker afoot. Reluctantly, Freya finds herself drawing on long-forgotten skills to begin sleuthing to find out what lies behind this mystery...

This one was definitely a mixed bag for me. I was actually expecting quite a lot from this book because it got such fantastic reviews. However, I found it a little hard to get into.

Freya is a relatable character but the repeated references to what happened in Cairo were a little annoying, to say the least. And it's ages before the reader is allowed to find out what that is all about!

I did like the quotes from Arthur that are scattered throughout the book, because it allowed us to put together a picture of his personality.

Overall, I found the story interesting enough, but it did not live up to the hype. This is one will be a good fit for antique lovers and cosy mystery fans.

Thanks to Pan Mac for the early access for an honest review. This does included spoilers so please don't read on if you haven't yet read it.

Unfortunately this one just didn't hit the mark for me. I was looking forward to it and thought the idea was great and things did start off well when we're introduced to the characters and the initial idea. Sadly however after the first few chapters things just fell apart. I found the whole plot a bit far fetched and unbelievable, there's never any real action or tension, and there is no real detail or substance. I would have loved to know more detail about the past of Freya and how she learnt the world of antiques, more on the dark underworld surrounding the plot and just more in general on every part of the book. The fact that a criminal mastermind lets an FBI agent, his wife and his informant have a secret folly on his land which they use as a den is totally unbelievable, and just the fact that the FBI are operating in England with no police involvement, and some how let two strangers lead a case is baffling. How these characters all end up at the manor is never explained in detail which could have actually been a really interesting part of the book. I really wanted to like this and for it to delve into the dark world of black market antique trading but sadly it just didn't go any where for me.

As always have a read for your self and see what you think!

I love a cosy mystery read and this one did not disappoint. This book is well written and had a good steady plot. I enjoyed all the characters and found them to be well written and likeable!
The book follows Freya an ex Antique hunter whose mentor Arthur has died under mysterious circumstances. Freya who hasn’t spoken to Arthur in years due to a falling out in Cairo is soon pulled in to investigate the death of her mentor. As she starts to investigate she ends up with more questions and soon finds herself unraveling lies and secrets.

It’s the start of a new series from this author and I look forward to what the next mystery will bring.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Agatha Christie meets BBC Antiques Roadshow in a Knives Out, Murdle-esque adventure. An absolutely cosy murder-mystery, Miller creates a familiarity within the reader, whether Antiques expert or novice (like myself) in an informative morsel-like way. I’m not much of a crime reader -aside from an obsession with Agatha Christie- but this felt like a little slice of whodunnit done right. I look forward to the series continuing and recommend it to fans of Richard Osman, Christie fans, and Richard Coles.Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for honest review.

Divorce, single parenting, an empty nest, and the subsequent sale of your home, are high on the stress inducing chart and Freya Lockwood has faced them all in the past twenty years. Then her mentor from a career she'd loved and reluctantly left two decades earlier dies suddenly and Freya finds herself returning to her childhood home, and the aunt who'd raised her, something she'd thought would never happen.

Arthur Crockleford was an antique hunter of high regard who followed the clues wherever they led him until his untimely death. Now all Freya and her Aunt Carole have left is his antique shop, a lifetime of memories and a cryptic last letter which sets them off on the trail of something which may well have cost Arthur his life. As gradually the two women get closer to deciphering Arthur’s message and what he needed from them the danger begins to creep ever closer. Can they fulfil his final instructions or will they too become collateral damage in a case which has been twenty years and thousands of miles in the making?

I was surprised to learn this is C L Miller's debut novel, it definitely doesn't read that way. Freya and her Aunt Carole are main protagonists who are easy to like and although the other main characters can easily be imagined in a decades earlier Poirot or Miss Marple plot they were never so stereotypical that they gave anything away ahead of time. My only grumble is that there were an awful lot of them! This is the beginning of a new series and with its antique led mysteries the world is now Freya and Carole's oyster as they hone their unique investigating skills.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this and will be on the lookout for book two. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Probably closer to a 2.5/5 to be honest.

If you like the idea of reading an origin story involving a female version of Lovejoy teamed up with an octogenarian Hyacinth Bucket; this might be the book for you!

It was not the book for me though, I'm afraid.

The issue I have with debut authors trying to roll out a series from the get-go is that there is so much pressure to build the backstory and motivation for the actions of the characters that the story currently being told is often tenuous at best.

I would prefer a more well-rounded story, even if I'm unaware as to why the protagonists are making certain choices, that can then be filled in in a later book should I decide to stay with the series.

This is not a series that I will be revisiting, although, fundamentally, I had no real issue with it. I just didn't find it engaging.

Although I finished Cara Miller’s The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder, I almost abandoned it after a few chapters. I’m afraid I just didn’t care for, nor was I interested in, any of the characters. Freya keeps bleating on about not forgiving Arthur after “what happened in Cairo” but by the time we find out what did happen, in Chapter 22, I no longer cared. Each chapter has a character’s name at the head, but while Freya’s are narrated in the first person, the others are written in the third person and simply focus upon that character, which puzzled me until I realised that the name at the chapter head is pretty irrelevant.

I’m happy to accept that the author knows a lot about antiques but, unfortunately, a novelist’s ability to breathe life into their characters is far more important than any amount of specialist knowledge. There are several holes in the plot and the characters are cardboard.

I won’t be reading any more in the series.
#TheAntiqueHuntersGuidetoMurder #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for sending on this advanced copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

It starts with a murder that will send Freya and Carole on a hunt to find the killer. Freya has been out of the antique business for over twenty years but now she is being pulled back in when her ex-mentor, Arthur dies. She arrives back in town to attend the funeral but her aunt, Carole is convinced that something is afoot. Reluctant and hurt by how things ended over two decades ago, Freya finds herself unable to turn away from the mysterious death and suspicious circumstances.

This book will have you turning the pages faster than your eyes can read as you try to piece together what happened alongside Freya and Carole.

This is perfect for people that love a good murder mystery and an adventure to find lost treasure. Read this if you love ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’, ‘Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers’, Indiana Jones and Glass Onion.

I really enjoyed this book, for me it had the right amount of mystery and intrigue but also really easy to read. I enjoyed the different antiques elements and learning more about the industry and different items. I absolutely loved Carole she is definitely a character I could engage with. I liked that the chapters are fairly short and to the point as the story can keep unfolding quickly and fully.

Enjoyed the quotes from Arthur in each chapter, don’t think the name tagging in some chapters (ie when very specifically about or by that person) is necessarily needed.

Looking forward to reading more in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for letting me have an advanced reading copy of the book.