Barbara Allan has written a niche cozy mystery series dealing with an antiques hunter and her family. Think not Antiques Roadshow and Christie's auctions but more Storage Wars. Vivian Borne and her daughter Brandy not only live together they have an antiques selling business together. This situation allows them to get into all kinds of trouble. They have recently been joined by the third member of the family, Peggy Sue, who is getting over the untimely and sudden death of her husband. He left her a mountain of debt so she has moved in with her mother and sister. Also residing in the family home is Sushi, a blind Shih Tzu belonging to Brandy.
The book has a different style to it. While the story line moves forward in a straight manner, alternating chapters are written either by Brandy or her mother. There are many asides and snarky comments spread throughout the book and they can distract from the story. What I really liked about the book was the tip at the end of every chapter relating to antiques sales. In this book Brandy and her mother have purchased a storage unit, so the tips relate to that type of antiquing.
After purchasing the unit Brandy and her mother move some of the items back to their house, including a cornet allegedly belonging to Bix Beiderbecke. When they return for a second load, they find the locker empty except for the dead body of the owner of the storage facility. The police arrive and they are not happy to see Brandy and her mother. The book makes numerous references to other titles in the series, but I had no trouble following the story without reading any of the earlier books. The story line winds it's way through the investigation, an attack on Peggy Sue and Sushi and more murders all related to the cornet.
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