It's officially mystery reading weather (brrrrr) so I thought I'd dig out one of my older books on the TBR pile. This is book #10 in the Den of Antiquity series featuring antique shop owner Abby Timberlake Washburn. It was originally published back in 2002 (or 2003) so it's definitely not a new release.
If you're looking for hard boiled detective novels or seriously complex whodunnits, this book is not for you. It's a solid cozy. Which means there's very little foul language, the characters are nearly all in the 40 and up age range, and the story is short on peril and long on characters. The mystery in this one isn't all that compelling. But I kept reading it anyway because the narrator (told in the 1st person by Abby) is so hysterically funny.
The book is set in Charleston, SC and the story is steeped in the culture of that city. And of the south in general. Myers nails the genteel snobbiness and snarkiness that is so uniquely southern. I could not put the book down after being introduced to "Apparition Americans." (Ghosts).
I'd honestly classify this as a caper rather than a mystery because the charm and appeal is mainly due to the crazy, wacky characters that populate the novel. Still, it's a cute, quick read that is perfect for snuggling up with by the fire on a rainy or snowy evening.
My grade: B-
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