A brand-new book in the Antiques & Collectibles Mystery Series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs. In the world of antiques and collectibles, it helps to have a sharp eye for quality, a good ear for gossip, and a nose for murder. When a retired Hollywood A-lister decides to auction off part of his enviable collection of antiques, reporter Molly … Appleby is thrilled to be covering the event for Collector’s Weekly, and she’s certain it will secure the reputation of the dealer handling it, a friend of hers. But soon after the final gavel comes down, the actor’s secretary vanishes and the antiques dealer is found dead, apparently having taken his own life. Molly’s not sold on the coroner’s verdict of suicide, though, and she can’t help but start digging for clues to what she suspects is foul play. As she begins to delve into the private life of her friend and his connections with the actor’s staff, Molly slowly discovers that the dealer was far more unscrupulous than she ever imagined and that nearly everyone who knew him had a motive for murder. And when another body turns up and the devious killer begins leaving mysterious clues to taunt Molly and the police, Molly finds herself facing a cunning culprit who wants to see her going, going, gone . . . “A wonderfully written, captivating cozy novel with likeable main characters and an interesting plot!” —Goodreads review on A Treacherous Trader
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A Bidder End returns us to Molly Appleby who is happily married to Matt Harrison, a surgical resident, and they are enjoying their ten month old son, Tyler Jerome Harrison. Molly is thankful for Matt’s niece, Starling Harrison who agreed to be their nanny (I am not sure how they can afford her). Molly is thrilled to cover the auction of actor, Atlas Dolan’s antique collection. Atlas, as it turns out, is a fan of Molly’s articles (and her sleuthing). Atlas does not want to sell any of his collection, but his latest wife, Whitney was insistent (she is not a fan of antiques). This auction will put Brett Hamilton’s business on the map. Brett was quite lucky to get this opportunity. It helped that he hired Atlas’s daughter and is dating Atlas’s personal assistant (talk about stacking the deck in your favor). When Brett is found hanging from an old beam in his home, suicide it the automatic assumption. Molly, though, is not buying it. She jumps right into investigative mode and begins questioning those who knew Brett the best. There are multiple suspects in this whodunit and misdirection. I liked the addition of the cookie jars and game pieces which relate back to a board game. I am grateful that Molly works with Detective T. Lombardi and that he is a pleasant character (what a nice change from cozy mysteries I have read recently). Avid mystery readers, though, will have no problem solving this crime long before the reveal (which was disappointing). I enjoyed the friendly characters, the antiques described, the details on the board game and the lovely setting. A Bidder End is well-written, engaging and proceeds at a steady pace. I enjoyed the cozy moments as Molly interacts with her family and friends. A Bidder End can be read as a standalone if you have not read the previous books in An Antiques & Collectibles Mystery series. A Bidder End is a charming cozy mystery with realistic characters, beautiful antiques, and a multi-faceted mystery.
An intriguing spin for this murder mystery! Is it a murder or a suicide? Is someone taunting the police with vintage collectibles? A creative take on a cozy mystery that will have you turning pages or staying up way too late listening to the audio version to see what happens next and who the guilty party is! Excellent characters, great plot and a happy ending make for a great read!
I’m disappointed in this book. I’ve been listening to the audio books of this whole series, all in a row, and have enjoyed them very much up to this point. This book just feels off from the others. The interaction/relationship between Molly and Detective Lombardi is very differently toned than in the others. It threw off the rhythm of the whole series for me. (Side note, if you are reading you wouldn’t hear this, but Detective Lombardi also was given a different accent in this one, even though the narrator was the same as previous books in the series.)
Molly Appleby is excited to be covering the auction of a former Hollywood A-lister’s antiques for Collector’s Weekly. The auction dealer is a friend of Molly’s so when he is found dead and the actor’s secretary goes missing, Molly doesn’t believe that everything is as it appears. Molly starts to ask questions under the ruse she is working on her article. Can Molly find out what is really going on before someone decide she has to be stopped?
This is my first book to read in this series even though it is book 7. I had no problem following the story so it can definitely be enjoyed as a stand-alone book. The characters are interesting and Molly is a likable protagonist. The mystery is full of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing whodunit. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans. I know I will be reading other books in this series in the near future.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
A Bidder End by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs is a well-written story featuring Molly Appleby who is a writer for Collector’s Weekly magazine, which is a gift because it allows her to live in Vermont with her husband and her 10-month old son despite the fact that the magazine is in North Carolina. Her project today is to visit the barn (auction house) of a friend, Brett, who is auctioning off some of the collection of movie star, Atlas Dolan. As she arrives she runs into Julian Wright. Brett’s right hand man and good guy. He shows her an 1861 revolver that Brett is saving for a special buyer, one who collects antique firearms. A fabulous start to a great auction day. Plenty for Molly to write about, not to mention meeting the famous Atlas Dolan. Sadly, the next day Brett is found dead and his girlfriend, Atlas Dolan’s assistant is nowhere to be found.
This story is about a bunch of people with problems of various sorts. Makes for a fabulous book, but a bunch of miserable people who turn into suspects. There are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings but Molly wends her way through it all. Some of her most interesting articles have been the ones where she solves a crime and showcases collectables. This is a good mystery that kept me turning the pages. Molly is a terrific character who has a supportive husband. This can be a rarity for people who put themselves in dangerous situations. It’s always fun to read about a particular pastime and nothing is better than antiques and collectables. I recommend it as a fast and satisfying read.
I received a free ATC of A Bidder End in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #abidderend
A Bidder End by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs is book 7 the Antiques and Collectibles series. This was the first in the series for me though. I was able to get up to speed quickly.
I enjoyed this book as the setting was great and the characters relatable. What I loved was the protagonist was married with a child. There were plenty of suspects to keep you guessing until the end.
I also enjoyed the antiques and hearing about the history. The one thing that stood out with me was the using of the cookie jars. I loved the fact McCoy Pottery and Brush Pottery were used as, I live in the town they were started.
I can’t wait for book 8 to come out.
I was given an ARC via Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an honest review.
I do believe Ellery Adams could write a book on accounting and I would find it an amazing read. I have yet to be disappointed in any of her books. I am definitely interested in researching other books by Parker Riggs.
I have only read the first book in the Antiques & Collectibles Mystery Series but was able to pick right up with book 7. That right there shows the true talent of an amazing author. I never once felt lost or confused.
A Bidder End was full of twists and turns that keep me interested right up until the last page. A bonus is learning about the antique and collectible world. I will be moving this series right up my TBR pile so I’ll be ready for book 8.
I received a complimentary copy from Beyond the Page Publishing through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Molly is excited to be writing an article about a retired movie star who is auctioning off some of his things through a local antique’s dealer. While at the auction Molly gets to meet the famous star and learns that he is a fan of her work. At the end of the auction most everything has sold and it looks like her friend may have put himself on the map as not only a seller of antiques but the place to go to sell your collectables. When Molly goes to visit her friend and finds him dead of what looks like a suicide she just doesn’t understand. He had no reason to kill himself, the auction went of beautifully, business was looking good, and he was dating someone new. Molly know her friend and doesn’t think it was a suicide but a murder set up to look like one. The police have to look at the evidence and go with what they find so Molly decides to look into things on her own. She just needs to figure out why someone would have wanted to kill the man. As she digs into his life she begins to find clues that just may lead her to a killer. The only problem is sifting through the numerous suspects she has found herself looking at. Will she be able to find a killer or will the end result truly be a suicide. Follow along and see if you can figure it out before you get to the end!!!
Cozy Collectible Murder Mystery
This cozy mystery is set in Vermont with Antique and Collectibles Sales as the backdrop. This book is the 7th of a series, but the first that I have read. This novel stands alone perfectly. I never felt lost for lack of background, nor did I felt smothered in too much background. These authors found a perfect balance. In fact, they maintained great balance throughout the entire book. The plot never bogs down and the reader is kept engaged throughout. There are many suspects, no obvious red herrings and plenty of motives to go around. This was a fun novel to read and I plan on reading the rest of the series. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, reporter
***** I really love the sleuth in this series that is new to me! A southern transplant to Vermont, Molly is a happily married reporter for a niche magazine and friend to a local police detective. The plot is original and the characters are very interesting. Cue murder of another friend and let the sleuthing begin! The publisher’s blurb is well done and so is the story, so no spoilers here, just a rave review.
I requested and received a free ebook from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!