Stealing with Style

"Stealing with Style" introduces antiques appraiser Sterling Glass, as we follow her trying to solve the mystery of a number of missing items from a large estate. Sterling is a genuine and likable appraiser based in the mythical small town of Leemont, Virginia. Author Emyl Jenkins is an antiques appraiser herself, and her knowledge of the subject of antiques shines through, making the story informative as well as very believable. Sterling travels back and forth between her Virginia home and the famous antiques auction houses of New York City, trying to find the culprit who stole the antiques, and also to reunite the precious objects with the heirs of the family. Along the way, Sterling gets involved with a delightful older gentleman in Brooklyn who has some amazing family treasures of his own that he wants to sell for top dollar. Jenkins skillfully weaves all the story lines togeter to make an elegant and intelligent story. I'll be looking forward to the next case of stolen antiques that Ms. Glass takes on.

An astonishing fictional debut from someone who knows the dusty world of antiques and the curious lot that trade in them. I was particularly won over by the fiercely determined--and wonderfully witty--protagonist, Miss Sterling Glass. One can only envision this dame walking a crime scene with a divining rod! The subtlety of this little gem, the southern ethos that pulses throughout, ultimately burst forth into a breathtakingly clean sweep of a caper. Pure bravura!

The antiques market is a lot like the stock market.Glamorous on the surface. Sizzling and seething just one layer down. (p.2) Emyl Jenkins writes a hard-to-put-down novel that shows the reader both layers of the antiques world. When I started reading Stealing With Style, I wantd to hurry and find out what was going to happen next. At the same time, I wanted to read slowly to appreciate how well-written it is. Each chapter begins with a question sent to Sterling Glass, an antiques advice columnist and the book's main character. Her response is a clever way to give background information that is helpful to the reader who might not have knowledge of antiques. The questions and answers are also a foreshadowing of things to come so the reader can play detective. They are educational in a fun way. Jenkins pays close attention to detail and description. Both give important clues to the personalites of her characters. For example, her southern characters use idiomatic expressions that are amusing and can be heard on the streets of any small southern town. We know that Jenkins has been to the places she is describing and has met people like those in the book. Jenkins has skillfully intervowen truth and fiction and leaves the reader wondering, "Did that really happen?" The middle-aged main character in Stealing With Style is constantly reminded of advice from her now-deceased mother which helps us know and understand Sterling. Just as antiques are a reflection, a mirror, of our lives and the lives of those who have gone before us (p.74) so are the words of wisdom that we inherit from our parents. It is obvious that Jenkins is as well-educated in literature and other areas as she is in antiques appraisal. She frequently quotes well-known literary figures such as Milton, Yeats, Hemingway, Bacon, Dante, and Tennyson. "...when you know antiques, you know everything--history, technology, culture." (p.74)That mixture of knowledge from many different areas makes this book more than a mystery. It's important to read this book now because I'm sure this is only the first of many in a series of Sterling Glass mysteries. Jenkins hints at that when she introduces interesting minor characters like Barefoot Bagman who is homeless but might have a very valuable antique book in his possession. Readers will want to know more about Matt Yardley from the insurace company. He wants to hire Sterling as a consulting appraiser-adjuster in remote areas of the world and he might have a romantic interest in her. Read this book now because I predict more are coming!

My wife could not put this book down, so I had to give it a shot. I'm not much for fiction, but this book literally sucked me in. Pick it up and start reading... the next thing you'll know you'll be in the middle of a great story. Stealing with Style also taught me a lot about the antiques world. The story is so fresh and new, you'll be telling all your friends about it. And the insights it gives into southern society - Virginia style - are alone worth reading the book for. It's a great read!

I enjoy Southern novels and writers almost as much as I enjoy chocolate. It is nirvana for me to be introduced to a new Southern novelist. Stealing with Style is Emyl Jenkins' debut novel. And a stunning debut it is. The storyline is interesting, the characters are inviting and the information about antiques is absolutely intriguing. I will be extremely disappointed if there isn't another Sterling Glass novel. I particularly enjoyed the bright, knowledgeable and interesting middle-aged heroine, Sterling Glass. Sterling Glass is a divorced antiques appraiser from a small town in Virginia. Her life has a certain simple rhythm that is satisfying. But when several rare and valuable items begin appearing at the local Salvation Army store, she uncovers an intricate plot involving old Virginia families, their valued treasures, and some people of dubious character in and out of the antique world. And if that isn't enough, she finds herself helping an elderly New York man preserve his family heritage. But to help him she must enter the world of greed and danger. Sterling Glass is savvy when it comes to antiques. But that skill doesn't always transfer to people, especially dishonest people with hidden agendas. It's that part of her character that makes her all the more interesting and special. There is also the small promise of a future romance. But I'm not sure at this point if the obvious romance choice is so obvious. If you want an extremely satisfying read, this is the book. You will enjoy it. Mark my words, Emyl Jenkins is going to be a star!