A
Fatal Appraisal
A
Collectible Mystery with Molly Appleby
J.
B. Stanley
Berkley
Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-425-21264-5 (0425212645)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21264-6 (9780425212646)
Publication Date: October 2006
List Price: $6.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Amateur sleuth Molly Appleby has a keen knowledge of
antiques, a special fondness for collectibles, and a canny acquaintance
with the criminal mind ...
Molly Appleby is in Richmond, Virginia, to cover a taping of the hit
antiques show Hidden Treasures. But after the show's main appraiser
inspects an 18th-century desk with hidden compartments, she finds him
dead. Molly thinks that the antique desk holds the key to this
21st-century crime. It's up to her to collect the clues before more new
blood is shed over old rarities.
Review:
A
Fatal Appraisal is the second
mystery in this series to feature Molly Appleby, a reporter for
Collector's Weekly. The series also features collecting and appraisal
tips.
Molly is in Richmond (VA) to cover a television show patterned after
the real TV series, Antiques Roadshow. There are the alliterative
experts (Frank for furniture, Alicia for art, Clarke for china, Tony
for toys, and so on), a host, a producer, and others that are part of
the drama. Inevitably, one is found dead (was it murder?), and it's up
to Molly to determine who was responsible.
A
Fatal Appraisal starts off
strong. Molly Appleby is a very appealing, energetic character. She is
not only good at her job, she seems to enjoy it despite a less than
desirable boss. She probably eats a bit too much and her figure shows,
but life is full of compromises. She's trying to find time to develop a
relationship with that special someone and is convinced he's worth the
effort. In short, a very strong, well developed, lead character for the
series.
The other characters associated with the show are varied and serve the
plot adequately as suspects when Frank the furniture expert is found
dead under mysterious circumstances.
It is at this point in the book that the story starts to meander, never
quite finding its way back to its promising premise. Contributing
factors include the general lack of motivation for anyone to kill
Frank, the murder "weapon" (as it were) that is hardly a guarantee for
success, and, in an odd way, the appearance of Molly's mother, who
seems to dominate the latter half of the book.
Scattered between chapters is a side story that takes place in 1776
involving one of the pieces of furniture currently being displayed on
the fictional Hidden Treasures show. It's actually rather interesting
and does provide a unifying thread tying the past to the present.
Finally, the examples of hidden compartments in furniture provided at
the end are marred by the small size and poor quality of photos. A link
to a website with larger photos, in color, would have been a nice touch.
Special thanks to Breakthrough Promotions for providing a copy of A Fatal Appraisal for this review.
Review Copyright © 2006 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read A Fatal Appraisal? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
A
Killer Collection
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), January 2006
ISBN-10: 0-425-20745-5 (0425207455)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-20745-1 (9780425207451)
A Fatal Appraisal
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), October 2006
ISBN-10: 0-425-21264-5 (0425212645)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21264-6 (9780425212646)
A
Deadly Dealer
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), August 2007
ISBN-10: 0-425-21670-5 (0425216705)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21670-5 (9780425216705)
Omnimystery
keywords for A Fatal Appraisal
...
Location(s) referenced: Richmond,
Virginia.
