Dead Men Don't Decorate (Old Town Antique Mystery, An)

Dead Men Don’t Decorate is the first book in the Old Town Antiques Mystery series by Cordy Abbott.

Camille is a local community college professor when she learns the antique store, Waited4You, is for sale. Her best friend Opal and several shops near the antique store suggest Camille buy and run the shop. Roberto Fratelli is a curmudgeon and rude to customers who enter the store. Camille finally decides to purchase the store. Camille and Opal are at a nearby bar when Camille notices their landlord, Brennan Adler. Camille invites him to join them. Shortly after, Adler joins them, and Opal informs Camille that there was a letter pouch under one of the chairs in the store that had a letter to George dated 1700 something. Upon leaving, show more Camille and Opal return to Waited4You to retrieve the letter. But instead, they find the lifeless body of Fratelli on the floor of the shop, and the letter is no longer there. As Camille rearranges items in the store, she comes across a table that Fratelli has listed as Victorian. She examines the table closer and realizes it is not from the Victorian period. She begins to wonder if Fratelli was killed for the letter, which, if it were real, would be a very valuable find, or if he was killed by someone to whom he sold fake antiques.

This first book in the Old Town Antique Mystery series was fascinating. Miss Abbott did an excellent job describing Marthasville. The story is well-written and plotted and reads at a nice pace. The character is well-developed and interesting. I particularly enjoyed reading about Camille’s two Schnauzers, Stickley and Morris. It will be interesting to see if Camille and Brennan can put their disagreement aside. show less

I’m so excited by author Cordy Abbot’s cozy that opens a fantastic new series.

Camille Benson lives in Marthasville, Virginia, and now the election is over, her son Paul elected Mayor, and she’s thrown the thank you celebration to those that supported her during the months preceding the election. So what’s next? Opal Wells assumes Camille will again answer to the name of Dr. Benson teaching art history at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) when a new semester begins after the Christmas holidays. But it looks like a new possibility is available as current proprietor Roberto Fratelli, of the antiques store Waited4You has put the business up for sale. The very same store that Camille’s parents had owned until her show more father’s death.

Camille has the keys and with Opal can’t wait until Monday morning to investigate an item that Opal saw in the store that Camille hadn’t seen yet. They are shocked to discover the body of the old storeowner. Did he keep a key? Why? No one liked him due to his disposition but murder?

This story expands on the definition of cozy in the best of ways! It delights with the friendship of women spanning 50 years, the hints of romance, the names of local businesses in the small town, and the intertwining connections of the characters. Then it moves a step beyond and that is invigorating. There are multiple clues related to the antique furniture store from a missing letter to an earlier unreported theft of rare books. It is the author’s presentation through the investigation that heightened the intrigue seamlessly interweaving American history with creativity. I’ve never read a touch of historical fiction within a cozy. There’s even a link between the letter and the name of the community name and location. This is a reviewer’s moment when I wish I could give more than 5 Stars.

As I don’t give any spoilers away in my reviews, I’ll simply give you a hint to tickle your curiosity and hopefully your fingers too for the suggestion to click on over to the website of author Lane Stone and be sure to read the tab, “Meet Lane.” I think you’ll be smiling as I did in learning what (or is it who?) sparked the pen name and why there is strong authenticity in her writing.

My sincere thanks to Cordy Abbott, and Crooked Lane Books for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

#DeadMenDontDecorate #NetGalley show less

second-career, Standard Schnauzer, small-business, small-town, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, lawyers, craft-furniture, amateur-sleuth, antiquities-trade, theft, lies, secrets, misrepresentations, ephemera, fakes, archivist, greed, Virginia*****

Good story with lots of things to learn about authentication of books, ephemera, and even furniture! Camille (owned by a pair of standard Schnauzers) is burned out on her long-time job as professor at the local community college and takes the opportunity to purchase the antique shop once owned by her parents. The most recent owner turns up dead in the shop and she finds herself (with a few good friends) sleuthing around a seemingly indifferent police situation. I really liked it show more and found it to be much better than most first in series books.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you! show less

Dead Men Don’t Decorate by Cordy Abbott is the beginning of An Old Town Antique Mysteries. I found myself struggling to get through this cozy mystery. Readers are introduced to several characters right away. It can be hard to tell the characters apart especially with all the dialogue. I felt that some of the characterizations did not make sense. The man who is Camille’s love interest seems to go back and forth between good guy and bad guy (Camille likes him and then she suspects him). I would love just one cozy mystery without romance. I would have preferred it if the story had been told in the third person instead of the first person. I like the premise of the story which has Camille Benson starting a new career in her fifties. I show more am pleased that the author gave us an older protagonist (someone my own age). I enjoyed the descriptions of the antiques having grown up surrounded by them plus I have two aunts in the business (though, I would prefer if Camille did not make it sound like a lecture when she talks about them). The story moves along at a slow pace (snoozeville). The detailed descriptions do not help. The mystery happens at the beginning of the book. It was obvious who would die right from the beginning. He is a man that no one liked (I am surprised anyone wanted to solve his murder). Camille happens upon helpful information that plays a part in solving the whodunit. There are several suspects along with a red herring or two. There are clues to help readers solve the crime. The reveal was a little long. I like that there was a complete wrap up of the crime at the end. It was interesting how antiques played a part in the mystery. I especially enjoyed the section about old paper versus new paper. The author gave us a unique setting in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. There are good descriptions of the area as well as the monuments. There are repetitive details such as Camille’s son, Paul being the newly elected mayor (it was mentioned at least once in every chapter). I was glad when I finished Dead Men Don’t Decorate. The writing style was not for me, and I really did not like any of the characters. Dead men Don’t Decorate has a curious Camille, a pilfered letter, a murdered man, a surplus of suspects, sweet schnauzers, and a caught killer. show less