Antiques Fruitcake


Book Description

It’s curtains at Christmas in a special short story:“If you delight in the absurd and enjoy manic humor, you’ll treasure the Trash ‘n’ Treasure mysteries.” —Mystery Scene During the dress rehearsal for a festive Christmas play in small-town Serenity, Iowa, star Madeline de Morlaye topples over—on stage!—after a bite of prop pastry. Since the frosty actress had earned plenty of enemies through her offstage dramatics, the cast of suspects is longer than Santa's "Naughty or Nice" list. Prop mistress Brandy Borne and her diva-turned-director mother, Vivian—assisted by their savvy shih tzu, Sushi—must solve this fruitcake fatality before it's curtains for anyone else. Includes A Tasty Recipe! Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n' Treasures Mystery Series "Plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor." —Library Journal "A humorous cozy that teems with quirky characters." —Booklist "Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships." —Romantic Times Book Reviews "A hilarious team of snoops." —Joan Hess




Fruitcake


Book Description

Fruitcake: Heirloom Recipes and Memories of Truman Capote and Cousin Sook




Antiques Carry On


Book Description

Look out London - eccentric antiques dealer Vivian Borne and her daughter Brandy are bringing their own brand of mayhem and mischief to the British capital, in the fifteenth installment of the award-winning Trash 'n' Treasures cozy mystery series. Vivian Borne - true-crime author, antiques dealer and ex-sheriff of Serenity, Iowa - is looking forward to meeting her new editor in London. Flying first class, rooms at the Savoy . . . Her long-suffering co-author, daughter Brandy, worries the trip will bankrupt them both, but the alternative - Mother travelling alone - is unthinkable. Brandy's almost tempted to make her fiance, Tony - Serenity's Chief of Police - call Scotland Yard and warn them Vivian's coming. But even Brandy doesn't predict their vacation will end in murder . . . or that she and Mother will be unceremoniously ejected from the country, with an order to leave things well alone. Vivian and Brandy need a case to write about, and Mother doesn't care which one. But as the intrepid sleuths - ably supported by doggy detective Sushi - investigate a promising local prospect, they're plunged into a complex mystery that stretches right back to London . . . with no choice but to carry on. Looking for a laugh-out-loud, quirky mystery to brighten your mood? Trash 'n' Treasures is "one of the funniest cozy series going" (Ellery Queen Magazine) - and if you're new to the series, it's safe to jump right in.




Antiques Con


Book Description

Brandy and Vivian head to a comic-book convention to sell a rare 1940s Superman drawing. An intruder breaks into their hotel suite, and they suspect a felonious fan, over-eager to acquire the artwork. When Brandy and Mother stumble onto a murder victim impaled by a pen-shaped award, suspects range from comic-book collectors to crime kingpins, leading to a madcap Manhattan misadventure.




Antiques Liquidation


Book Description

Trouble's on the wind when an auctioneer turns up dead in the new Trash 'n' Treasures cozy mystery - "one of the funniest cozy series going" (Ellery Queen Magazine) Two o'clock in the morning is the perfect time to be asleep. So when long-suffering Brandy Borne is rudely awoken by her eccentric mother, Vivian, and invited on a surreptitious shopping trip, the idea is less than tempting. But if Vivian - Serenity's true-crime writing, septuagenarian super-sleuth - has a nose for sniffing out antiques, Brandy's sense of smell is just as good . . . and trouble's on the wind. A little light blackmail and one run-in with the police later, and Brandy and Vivian are the 'proud' owners of a selection of dead stock, liberated ahead of an upcoming warehouse sale from unsavory auctioneer Conrad Norris. Brandy's not convinced there's a fortune to be made in vintage toys, retro plates and pearl buttons - there's more mileage in their shop's new Halloween display, even though it's only August - but she supposes it could be worse. It soon is. After the auction's taken place, Vivian and Brandy make an unnerving discovery. It's not just the stock that's dead - so is the auctioneer . . . This light-hearted, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery also features Brandy and Vivian's humorous tips for buying and selling antiques, along with a selection of tasty recipes.




Antiques St. Nicked


Book Description

A special holiday short story in the series starring “a hilarious team of snoops” (Joan Hess). Hey Santa, get a clue . . . Baby, it’s cold outside at the small town of Serenity’s annual Holiday Stroll festivities. But that doesn’t stop Brandy Borne and her theatrical mother, Vivian, from making merry. That is, until the two find something frosty in Santa’s workshop—the jolly man in red, dead as a doornail. And the goodies inside his donation bag have vanished like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. It’s up to Brandy and Mother—with spirited shih tzu Sushi in tow—to take the reins and start checking off their naughty list. But the sleuthing duo might have to reckon with some ghosts of Christmas past before finally unwrapping the murderer… “One of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on antiques!




Antiques Fate


Book Description

A village festival offers a Shakespeare play, an antiques sale—and a murder: “Surely one of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Brandy Borne’s exceedingly eccentric mother, Vivian, has been invited to perform her one-woman interpretation of “the Scottish play” (sometimes called Macbeth)—with different hats for different characters—at the neighboring town of Old York's annual fête. The weekend festival celebrates the quaint village's English flavor. Brandy, sensing a possible theatrical disaster, and savvy shih tzu Sushi, sensing possible doggy treats, tag along with the scene-stealing septuagenarian. As soon as they arrive in the cozy hamlet, tragedy strikes: the theater owner drops dead onstage while giving Vivian the grand tour. That wasn't in the script and before they know it, Brandy and Vivian are entangled in a progressively perilous murder plot. Besides the cream teas and Chippendale chairs, it seems there are skeletons lurking among Old York's charming pubs and enticing antiques stalls … When a second victim turns up mysteriously murdered, the dynamic duo knows they've got to step into the spotlight. But the remorseless killer seems to be well rehearsed for the Borne girls…and won't leave even the smallest detail of their demise to fête! “Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess Includes Brandy Borne's tips on antiques fairs!




Antiques Ravin'


Book Description

“This humorous cozy—with its well-drawn, quirky characters—is a hoot.” —Booklist When a series of creepy crimes plagues an ill-fated Edgar Allan Poe festival, newly elected county sheriff Vivian Borne, along with her reluctant deputy daughter Brandy and spunky shih tzu Sushi, springs into action. A purloined tome, a black cat, a musty mausoleum, and mysterious disappearances—these tell the tale of a heartless murderer. But Vivian and Brandy Borne are determined to decipher the cryptic clues to make sure a ravin’-mad killer strikes “nevermore”! Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on white elephant sales! Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mysteries “Plenty of plausible suspects make this one of the best in Allan's long-running series, which is always humorous and full of tips for antiques hunters.” —Kirkus Reviews “Cozy fans will enjoy spending time with Vivian and Brandy and friends.” —Publishers Weekly “A madcap series with non-stop humor.” —RT Book Reviews




Antiques Swap


Book Description

When the jealous wife of a local tycoon is found dead, Brandy Borne, her ever-eccentric mother, and their sleuthing shih tzu investigate clues surrounding a super-secret high society bridge group.




Antiques Foe


Book Description

Eccentric antiques dealer and amateur sleuth Vivian Borne finds herself in jail - again! - when a podcast star is found dead in her hotel room in this new Trash 'n' Treasures cozy mystery - "one of the funniest cozy series going" (Ellery Queen Magazine) When popular podcaster Nicole Chatterton wants an interview for Killers Caught, true-crime author Vivian Borne is overjoyed. Finally, some recognition for the sleuthing skills the septuagenarian antiques dealer and her daughter Brandy have demonstrated, solving countless crimes in their small hometown of Serenity, Iowa! Dolled up and dressed to the nines, Vivian figures the interview is going swimmingly . . . until Nicole turns the tables, accusing the mother/daughter duo of committing the very crimes they solved. Shocked and affronted - and with a spiteful tirade captured by the cameras - Vivian breaks off the interview, ejecting the rude podcaster from the premises of the Trash 'n' Treasures shop. How dare the woman? Later, when Vivian pays the podcaster a follow-up visit at the woman's hotel - hoping to smooth things out and set the record straight - a very dead Nicole is waiting. Caught as the killer (true to the podcast's title) by producer Clare Shields, Vivian finds herself behind bars. Now it's up to Brandy to determine who really did the dire deed before their fiendish foe can strike again! Antiques Foe is a light-hearted, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery which also features mother-daughter sleuths Brandy and Vivian's witty tips for buying and selling antiques, along with a selection of tasty recipes.