"Josie Prescott's discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance-and murder-in the next installment of this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland's Hidden Treasure. Josie Prescott, owner of Prescott's Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband Ty have finally found their dream home-a Victorian beauty on the beach, known in the town of Rocky Point as "The Gingerbread House." It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her ...
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"Josie Prescott's discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance-and murder-in the next installment of this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland's Hidden Treasure. Josie Prescott, owner of Prescott's Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband Ty have finally found their dream home-a Victorian beauty on the beach, known in the town of Rocky Point as "The Gingerbread House." It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her into a nearby assisted living facility. Josie befriends Maudie, who seems surprisingly sharp, considering her family's doubts about her soundness of mind. As Josie and Ty joyfully begin renovations on The Gingerbread House, the nieces report that Maudie, in her forgetfulness, may have left behind an old trunk, which she's desperate to get back. Sure enough, Josie finds the trunk inside a hidden dumbwaiter, and within it a jewel-encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat. Josie can understand the sense of urgency about getting the objects back-they look valuable, and not just in the sentimental sense. But when Josie goes to return the box to Maudie, the woman has vanished. And on the floor of her empty apartment lies the body of someone bludgeoned to death. Sick with worry for Maudie's safety, Josie begins to piece together the clues to the murder. Everyone around her seems to want to pitch in, from Maudie's family, to the receptionist at the facility, to the young couple helping Josie with her renovations. But when the killer may be lurking nearby, Josie can't let her guard down around anyone"--
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Add this copy of Hidden Treasure: a Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery to cart. $53.32, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2020 by Minotaur Books.
Hidden Treasure by Jane K. Cleland has Josie Prescott and her husband, Ty purchasing their dream home in Rocky Point. It is a gorgeous Victorian named ââ?¬Å"Gingerbread Houseââ?¬Â? that needs some work before the couple move in. Josie receives a call from Celia, a niece of the former owner, stating that her aunt has gotten forgetful in her age. Celia claims that her aunt, Maudie Wilson left behind a trunk containing a valuable family heirloom. Josie promises to keep an eye out. Josie is going through the house when Maudieââ?¬â?¢s other niece, Stacy arrives inquiring about the trunk. Stacy wishes to look around the house one more time, but she has no luck even in the far recesses of the attic. When the trunk is finally located, Josie will only turn it over to Maudie who is rightful owner. She finds Maudie to be active, bright woman who regrets letting others push her into doing things such as moving into the retirement facility. If the item in the trunk is as valuable as Josie expects, it will allow Maudie to travel as she has always dreamed (instead of handing it over to her greedy nieces). Josie responds to a phone call to return to Maudieââ?¬â?¢s apartment where she finds a woman dead and Maudie has disappeared. Josie sets out to solve the crime. I thought Hidden Treasure was well-written with developed, realistic characters. When not sleuthing, Josie is running her antiques business which allows us to get reacquainted with her staff, spending time with friends (Zoe needs her), dealing with the renovations of her new home, and spending time with her husband. I enjoyed solving this entertaining whodunit. There were viable suspects and good clues. I liked the authorââ?¬â?¢s descriptive writing that allowed me to visualize the characters and scenes. The author provided just the right amount of detail (not too much to bog down the book nor too little). I found the information provided on the antiques to be interesting. Hidden Treasure is the 13th A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery. While this is the 13th book in the series, it can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series, but it will take you a couple of chapters to get acclimated. This was a fast paced and engaging cozy mystery. Hidden Treasure is a charming tale with covetous kin, renovation realties, a cat carving, a lost trunk, an absent aunt, and an anxious antiques authority.
