Glow of Death

Jane K. Cleland weaves together antiquities, marital troubles and plenty of small-town charm in Glow of Death, her 11th mystery featuring antiques appraiser Josie Prescott. Josie is thrilled when she's asked to assess a Tiffany lamp owned by the Towsons, a wealthy couple in her small New Hampshire town. She's even more excited when the lamp turns out to be genuine. But when Ava Towson is found dead and Josie is called in to identify the body, she's shocked: the dead woman is an entirely different person from the one Josie met. As local police investigate the Towsons' marriage and finances, Josie conducts her own parallel investigation, determined to find out who played her for a fool, and why.

Cleland (Ornaments of Death) brings back many familiar series characters, including Josie's appraiser colleagues, police chief Ellis Hunter (Josie's good friend), local nosy reporter Wes Smith and Hank, the resident auction-house cat. A side plot involving a collection of valuable marbles provides interest, though it has no relation to the main story. Josie's tenacity tips over into bullheadedness at times, frustrating both Chief Hunter and the reader, but she ultimately digs up some useful insights into both the Towsons' marriage and the provenance of the Tiffany lamp. An elaborate, entertaining ruse (involving half of Josie's coworkers) helps to flush out the killer, and Cleland wraps up her story neatly, making this a satisfying read for cozy mystery lovers. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

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