Silent Auction

by Jane K. Cleland

Book Overview

Agatha finalist Cleland's writing is top-notch; her plotting and pace smooth and assured. This antiquing series is in mint condition (Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of "I Shall Not Want").

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312586558
• ISBN13: 9780312586553
• Release Date: April 2010
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 291 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Good Addition to an Intelligent Series

Josie Prescott is happy that her antiques business is doing so well. In SILENT AUCTION, she is asked to appraise the very valuable maritime collection of a millionaire couple and can't wait to get started. She agrees to meet caretaker Frankie at the couple's lighthouse, but instead finds Frankie dead on the floor, his head bashed in with a rolling pin. As she stares in horror at the blood on the floor, she realizes that someone is trying to get into the house. After running into the woods behind the house, she is able to call police on her cell phone. Frankie was the nephew of her neighbor and best friend, Zoë. He had a troubled past with drugs and arrests, but seemed to have been turning his life around. Neither Josie nor Zoë can believe he was back in with his bad old associates. When she is able to return to the lighthouse and the couple's records, Josie learns about a scrimmed tooth that was supposed to be in the collection. She did not help the couple buy it, and there is no history or provenance proving it was from a famous artist. It turns out to have been sold through a gallery in town whose owner has always given Josie the creeps with his phoniness. Information from local mysterious pickers and eccentric scrimshaw artists indicate that there are many layers of lies and crimes in this situation. As these issues come to light, Josie is called upon by the new Chief of Police to help provide background on the antiques business. She is also asked to look at a possible Homer print never before seen. Is it possible that so many extremely valuable antiques from masters are appearing in her town at this time? Josie very much doubts it. She relies on local reporter Wes to keep her in the loop, and sends him information she also gleans. This clever device helps move the plot and investigation forward in an unobtrusive manner. Jane K. Cleland maintains a very intelligent series with fascinating background on the antiques business and strong characters. Josie and her employees are three-dimensional, even when they only have limited scenes. For example, Eric, who runs the tag-sale room, went out socially with Frankie, and readers learn about their church and dating experiences in a few sentences. While detailed description and history is unavoidable in a series about antiques, the background on maritime artists and, in particular, scrimshaw is at times hard to read through and slows down the plot. Still, collectors of those particular areas may find this element to add to the value of the reading experience. The killer may be apparent to savvy readers who know that Cleland supplies all clues, however subtle. There is no springing new information in a later interview in these traditional tales. But that does not take away from this excellent series.

A winner

Antiques dealer Josie Prescott is preparing for the annual Rocky Point Harvest Festival. Josie's receptionist reminds Josie that Guy Whitestone has a meeting with her to go over his Maritime collection for appraisal. Frankie Winterelli is the Whitestone's caretaker, part time employee of Josie's and nephew to Josie's good friend, Zoe. Josie calls Frankie as he is ten minutes late but he doesn't answer his phone. She lets himself into his home and discovers Frankie dead on the kitchen floor. Some one has bashed his skull in. There is a new sheriff in town...literally. Josie's ex-boyfriend was the sheriff but he let town. Today is Chief Ellis Hunter first day on the job. Ellis won't have much time to get his feet wet as he has a murder to solve. Silent Auction is the fifth Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery novel. Though, it can be read as a stand alone novel. This book just happens to be the first time I have read anything by this author. After reading this book, I have to wonder why I haven't tried one of the books in this series sooner. I like that Josie didn't just sit back and wait for the police to take their time solving Frankie's murder. Josie was right in the action, conducting her own investigation with the help of Zoe. They make a good team together. Author, Jane K. Cleland shows me why I love who-dun-it mystery novels. They are simple and fun to read. Don't let your next book choice be silent but instead pick up a copy of Silent Auction. You won't be sorry.

REAL OR A REPRODUCTION?

This is the 5th of the Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. Josie finds her handy man dead in the lighthouse owned by the mega-rich Whitestones. It unfolds into art theft, fraud, grand larceny and a revealing of the true nature of many of the townfolk. A new Chief of Police is introduced.

[...].

With the crisp, cool air of an autumn breeze blowing, Josie Prescott is ready to start her day as an antiques appraiser in the charming coastal town of Rocky Point, New Hampshire. Known as the authority of priceless objects, she is summoned to a lighthouse estate for an appraisal. Realizing her pristine reputation cannot rest solely on her good business sense, she is prepared to get to work to uncover the past and put a value on its future. Upon arriving, she stumbles upon a ghastly scene involving the bludgeoned body of her dear friend Zoë's nephew, Frankie. Within a blink of an eye, the police arrive and the investigation is quickly underway. Reeling from the fact that she has just witnessed the gruesome aftermath of a killing, Josie does her best to step aside as the town's officials take over. What started out as just an ordinary job for Josie has now become a personal vendetta to help find Frankie's killer. Before long, Josie makes a connection between the lighthouse's valuable works of art and the mysterious murder. After careful inspection, it is discovered that a rare scrimshaw tooth is missing. As Josie tries to put the pieces together, it becomes quite obvious that her business colleagues may be hiding something. With her ever faithful sidekick Wes, the conscientious newspaper reporter, Josie dons her super sleuth hat in order to put this most unsettling case to rest. SILENT AUCTION is the fifth installment of Cleland's highly praised Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery Series. Her latest adventure is entertaining yet educational, as she explores the intricate workings of scrimshaw. As we have come to expect, Cleland's superb knowledge of the antiques business coupled with her wit and charm make this newly released mystery a prized contender.

terrific cozy

Antiques dealer Josie Prescott arrives at the Rocky Point, New Hampshire lighthouse for an appraisal. However, instead of a friendly greeting from Frankie the caretaker, nephew of her dear friend Zoe, she finds him lying dead on the kitchen floor with a blow to his head that left a major indentation on his skull. Josie realizes that along with the murder there was also a theft. Specifically, someone stole a valuable scrimshaw tooth from the collection. The police investigate while Josie provides antiquing consulting services to help them with their case. The latest Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery (see Killer Keepsakes) is a terrific cozy in which the heroine is not a more successful than the police amateur sleuth competing against the cops, but instead provides consulting services especially into scrimshaw. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Josie stumbles over the corpse of Frankie (an occupational hazard of the sub-genre). The audience will enjoy Josie's escapades as the whodunit seems genuine and clearly fun as are the antiques tips and glimpses behind the scenes of a dealer. Harriet Klausner