Deadly Appraisal (Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries)

Prescott Antiques is beginning to thrive and owner Josie Prescott is truly beginning to build a life for her self in New Hampshire. She is absolutely delighted to be hosting the annual fundraiser for the Portsmouth Women's Guild. The silent auction has gone well, and the fundraiser looks to be a huge success. But, just as he winners are about to be announced, event coordinator Maisy Gaylor dies on stage, the victim of poison. Josie had been working closely with Maisy to plan the event, and Josie can't think of a quieter, nicer woman. Who could have possibly wanted her dead? With boyfriend Ty Alvarez, the local chief of police, out of town, Josie finds herself dealing with the gruff and unfriendly Detective Rowcliff. Rowcliff seems to be treating her as a suspect until he makes a startling statement, Josie could have been the intended victim. At first it seems crazy, but then Josie learns that someone from her past in New York is out of jail. Who was supposed to drink the poison? And who is the killer? This second mystery in the series is fun. It took me a little while to get into the story, mainly because I was reading a few pages here and there. Once I did, I got hooked. I thought I had a clue who the killer was early on, but the constant red herrings kept making me forget about them. The characters are real, and the supporting cast is entertaining. Josie herself is often an emotional wreck. That's a change from the strong main characters I am used to who rarely show emotion. A couple times it got annoying. However, considering everything the character has been through, I find it much more realistic then the books I normally read. The book got stronger as it went along, and by the end, I couldn't put it down. This is another enjoyable entry in a fun series.

Josie Prescott is settling into her new life. She loves her business and has great employees. When she offers to do sponsor a Gala event for the Portsmouth Ladies Guild, she has nothing but great hopes for it. That all falls apart when one of the main members, Maisey dies suddenly on the stage before they can announce the winners of the different items auctioned. Josie is looked at as the prime suspect in the murder so she once again has to battle to clear her name. With her only support being her lawyer, she desperately does her best to hang in there. She has little successes throughout with her business but she wonders if she is just trying to do too much on her own. I enjoyed the second book in the series by Ms. Cleland. She has a wonderful way of portraying the characters that emotions are felt when you are reading it. I was swept up in this book and didn't want it to end. Boy I hope there is more! I loved seeing past characters finding their way into the story like Sasha, Gretchen, Eric, and Fred. They are wonderful employees to have and I loved seeing the relationship between them and Josie deepens further. I got really irritated with Detective Rowcliff. I know he was just doing his job. Max put it wonderfully when he said the Detective had a problem of "persistent jerkitis" on page 245. I could not have described it better. Max really came to the top for Josie. He had done so in the last book but I really felt you got a better sense of whom he is. Josie is a sweet person but gets overwhelmed easily but when uncertainty is all around it makes complete sense. I give this book a 5/5 because it carried the storylines from the previous book very well. I felt like I was coming home and I hope there are more to come. It was wonderfully written and expressed. I loved seeing how things changed and how Josie did get some more confidence. Great series and one I highly recommend but do please read Consigned to Death first.

Josie Prescott's new life in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is going well until a friend, and the benefit organizer, is poisoned at a gala benefit she's hosting. Detective Rowcliff isn't easy to deal with, especially since he isn't sure if Josie is a suspect, the intended victim, or is just holding back information. Unfortunately Josie's new love, Rocky Point Police Chief Ty Alvarez, is out of town taking care of a sick aunt and isn't much support or help to Josie in this situation. Soon Josie sees everyone as a potential suspect, even her staff. Plus she has some close calls herself. Also a valuable tureen goes missing from the benefit's auction. She knows she must help solve this murder quickly so that life can get back to normal. Reporter Wes Smith helps Josie get to the truth. Can Josie figure out who the murderer is before any more harm comes to her or her business? I love this series. Josie is such a fun character. Even though antiques are not my thing, I really enjoy this antiques mystery series. The mystery is very well crafted and the information about antiques does not hit us over the heads. The author has done a great job of this! I love the New Hampshire setting as well. Great place to set a mystery. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Jane Cleland used to own a rare book and antiques store in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and now lives in New York City with her husband. Jane is the President of the Mystery Writers of America, New York Chapter. Her witty web site has recipes, appraisal facts and challenges, interviews, and more. This book follows the first in the series, Consigned to Death. Josie Prescott's business, Prescott's Antiques, Auctions and Appraisals, is doing well. She has attracted a gala fundraising event for the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Women's Guild. The auction of antiques and the dinner are both going really well, until the organizer, Maisy Gaylor, chokes on her wine and dies. It is poison. Detective Rowcliff is antagonistic; he is not sure whether Josie is the murderer, or holding back important information, or is the intended victim. Josie's new love, Rocky Point Police Chief Ty Alverez, is out of town caring for a dying aunt in Los Angeles, and can only offer verbal support. Practically everyone in Josie's life is a potential suspect--her staff, Maisy's dour husband Walter, gala organizers Dora Reynolds and lawyer Britt Epps, and the caterer, Eddie. A missing valuable tureen, and an attack on Josie with a car, confuse the issue. Reporter Wes Smith tries to enlist Josie's help in finding the solution, and he does find some important clues. Josie is a wonderfully sympathetic, independent, and smart woman who recalls at times of stress adages from her dead father that inspire her and keep her going. Armchair Interviews says: A beautiful locale, absorbing characters, and unusual details make this mystery a particularly enjoyable read.

Though proven innocent of price fixing, antiques dealer Josie Prescott left New York City because she knows that her credibility remained stained at the Frisco Auction House in spite of being totally innocent; whistleblowers are undesirables regardless of ethics. She figured to start anew in her home state New Hampshire. Things work out quite well as her business is booming and she and the local Police Chief Ty Alverez are dating though he had been her prime suspect in the CONSIGNED TO DEATH homicide case. Josie sponsors a benefit to thank the Portsmouth community for their support. However, when Portsmouth Women's Guild member Maisy Gaylor drops dead in front of her, she assumes it is a stroke or heart attack. Detective Rowcliff informs her that the victim died from potassium cyanide poisoning that was probably targeting the antiques dealer. Not one to hide especially after the Manhattan fiasco, Josie begins her own inquiries using two possible scenarios: that Maisy was the intended victim or New York still wants her dead. Though she knows she should leave the investigation to the pros, Josie mistrusts cops after the Frisco fiasco and the CONSIGNED TO DEATH HOMICIDE even as she is attracted to them. Thus fans of amateur sleuth cozies obtain a delight whodunit starring a toughened heroine who's DEADLY APPRAISAL of the situation will keep readers changing their opinion as to who the target was. That is the key element that keeps fresh Jane K. Cleland's second New Hampshire Prescott thriller. Harriet Klausner