Book Review of Antique
Discovery
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Book Blurb:
Antique Discovery: Book 3
A vacation becomes complicated by murder,
discovery, and friendship. Danger lurks in too many directions. Alicia and her
friends will have to stay alive and sort through the clues carefully if they
want to save an innocent friend and prevent the destruction of an historic treasure.
Purchase from:
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
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Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
Antique Legacy: Book 4
Book Description
Publication Date: August 18, 2012
Magic, forgery, betrayal, and fabulous jewels surround Alicia as
she struggles to find the reason for her friend's death.
Purchase from:
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
Antique Magic: Book 1
Book Description
Publication Date: November 6, 2011
Antique dealer Alicia Trent is hired to appraise a huge collection
of treasures hoarded by a woman who has recently died in the town where Alicia
grew up.
The huge old house poses mystery after mystery from the moment she arrives, but the stakes become deadly when murder is added to the mix. The question then becomes, can she stay alive long enough to unmask the killer?
The huge old house poses mystery after mystery from the moment she arrives, but the stakes become deadly when murder is added to the mix. The question then becomes, can she stay alive long enough to unmask the killer?
Purchase from:
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes
& Noble (for Nook only)
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes
& Noble (for Nook only)
Antique Forgery: Book 2
Book Description
Publication Date: August 18, 2012
Magic, forgery, betrayal, and fabulous jewels surround Alicia as
she struggles to find the reason for her friend's death.
Purchase from:
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
Wings ePress (paperback & ebook)
Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook only)
Buy Links:
About the Author:
From living off the grid in the Arizona desert, Eileen has moved to the woods of upstate New York. She has authored a standalone adventure novel called Desert Shadow. She is also the author of Alicia Trent Series. The Black Cane : Dowager Diaries Book 1 is her latest release.
Stalk The Author
Excerpt/Other:
~ Antique Discovery ~
When
the ranch faded out of sight, I began to get nervous. There was always the
chance of an accident. The horse could step in a gopher hole and stumble, or a
million and one other problems could arise, but those possibilities weren't
bothering me. I had the unnerving feeling I wasn't alone out here. The nervous
tension didn't feel natural. It was more like a warning from outside myself. As
I had this thought, I could feel that the red pendant was much warmer than
normal. If it got much hotter, it would burn me. If the necklace was an early
warning system, that would be great, but from the things the shaman had said, I
didn't think it would turn out to be that simple.
The
dips, rises, and dry washes could hide someone from view, but they'd have to
know the desert like a native if I couldn't catch a glimpse of them. I could
have chalked my fears up to knowing the ranch was empty or that the isolation
had spooked me. I could have, but a little voice in the back of my mind kept
asking, “Did the pendant spook me or had it warned me of danger?” I didn't
know, but I turned the horse around and let him pick his own speed on the
return ride. He chose an all-out gallop, and he was so fast I felt almost like
I was flying.
A full
hour had passed for Nick to take care of his meet-and-greet responsibilities by
the time I rode the horse into the stable. David was still there. When he
turned and saw us, his jaw dropped. He said, “Wow, that's the last sight I ever
expected to see.”
I
said, “What are you still doing here? I thought you'd be out partying by now.”
I
climbed down off the horse and began gathering the equipment I needed to groom
Star. David said, “Let me do that. Star has decided to tolerate me again, and
it is my job, you know. Besides, you're all cleaned up for the party, and I
still have to get ready. I'm just finishing up here, so I'll rub down the horse
and take him back to the pasture. You go have fun, and I'll see you out there
later.”
I
thanked him and said, “By the way, what do Cobber and Corker do since the
cattle drive is over? I haven't seen them back at the compound.”
“You'd
be surprised. Their work is never done. Cattle are always grazing somewhere on
the ranch, and the dogs keep them more or less in the same area. Those guys are
pretty good at running off any predators too. There's always a cowboy or two
who stay at the line shack closest to where the cattle are, and they keep an
eye on both the herd and the dogs.”
My
curiosity satisfied, I thanked him again and went to find Nick.
I saw
him talking to the cooks. The barbeque was almost ready to serve, and as I got
closer the smell made my mouth water. Standing beside Nick was Laudine. She was
wearing a yellow skirt and a white blouse with a multicolored ruffle. She
looked about thirty years old. I said, “Don't you look great today? What are
you doing hanging around the cooking on your day off?”
“I'll
have you know the absolutely perfect barbeque sauce being used today is my own
special recipe. You didn't seriously think I'd leave all the cooking to a bunch
of cowboys, did you?”
One of
the cooks at the grill said, “Hey, watch it, lady, or we'll have you out at the
cook wagon on our next roundup.”
I
laughed at their banter and said, “I should have known. If this food tastes as
good as it smells, we are all in for a treat.”
We
weren't quite ready to eat yet, so we rounded up Lawrence and walked out behind
the recreation room to check out the activities. I rounded the corner and
stopped dead in my tracks. I said, “Good grief, I had no idea a full carnival
was camped out here. This is as big as most carnival midways, including the
rides!”
Nick
said, “We try to have something spectacular and different each year. This not
only looks like a carnival, it actually is a carnival. The owner is a friend of
Lawrence's, so he set this up.”
I
said, “Lawrence, you have hidden talents. How in the world did you ever become
such good friends with a carnival owner?”
“It's
a long story and a good one, but I don't think we have time for it today. One
night when we're sitting around a good fire, I'll tell you about the first time
I ran into Hannibus Carson. Right now I challenge you all to a game of breaking
balloons.”
Nick
was picking up the tab for the carnival, and all the games were free to
party-goers. We began by throwing darts and progressed around the circle of
booths. I love carnival food and was tempted to eat at all the food booths we
passed, but I resisted in anticipation of the barbeque. Hopefully I could try
these goodies later. It wasn't long until we'd worked up an appetite and headed
back to the food tables. We loaded our plates with barbequed ribs, potato
salad, homemade French fries, and anything else that struck our fancy from the
dozens of choices. One of my favorites was the cowboy beans, usually made with
pinto beans, but the cook wasn't above throwing in any other type of beans he
happened to have around. I knew this dish always had ham or bacon for
flavoring. I didn't know what else they added, but I planned to ask before I
went home. I wanted to be able to make this dish myself when I got a craving
for the delicious smoky taste.
Once
our plates were full, we found table space in the rec room and settled down to
some serious eating. Laudine and I only managed to get through our first plateful,
but when Nick and Lawrence went back for seconds, we had them bring us peach
pie for dessert. Each piece was a huge slab, and Laudine and I could easily
have shared one, but when the men brought us each a piece of our own, we ate
every bite. The peaches were fresh from a local grower, the crust flaky, and
the juice still slightly warm. All the food I tasted seemed way above the
normal quality for a gathering of this type. When we couldn't hold another
bite, our friends went off to visit with Hannibus Carson and Nick and I decided
on a walk to help digest the food. People were still coming up to talk to Nick,
but now it was just friendly chatter. We strolled around from group to group,
and sooner or later I saw almost everyone I knew. Betty and Cameron had been in
the rec room while we ate. I saw David and Cody together at the carnival
surrounded by a group of flirting girls. Becky Cloud, the assistant cook I'd
met in the restaurant break room, stood close to David, smiling up at him like
he'd hung the moon. The sheriff and his wife were piling plates with food, and
the Herreras were still competing, but this time it was at one of the games on
the midway. I saw Hwan with a tall, good-looking guy and steered Nick their
direction. She introduced her friend as someone she had met in one of her
classes at the university. I only caught his first name, which was Tony. Hwan
was stunning in jade green jeans and a shimmering pearl-colored top. As we were
moving to the next group, Reed walked up to chat with Hwan. Olivia Denning was
there wearing a beautiful pleated squaw dress and barely resembled the
efficient head housekeeper I'd met previously. Both the guests and the
employees seemed to be having a great time. Even the Banner twins were here
with a group of kids their own age and were behaving like normal teenagers.
It was
just getting dark when we heard the band start its first number. We decided to
have a go at dancing. Nick assured me it wouldn't hurt his leg. We'd danced
together a few times before, and we both loved it. The second number was a
two-step and we were doing pretty well when I stumbled slightly and said, “Oh,
damn, you need to come outside with me now.”
Review:
This was a fabulous third book in
the Ali mysteries. I enjoy the small
elements of magic, and cannot wait to learn more about the newest one, but love
that it also maintains the element of reality.
In this story Ali and Nick go on vacation, but as always mystery seems
to follow Ali and a murder is committed.
However this story is about more than mystery and murder, it is about
friendship and family. The only thing I
didn’t like was the complication in one of Ali’s relationships. I hope that doesn’t end up being a major plot
twist because I like her current relationship.
I give this story 4.5 out of 5
clouds.
This
product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my
opinions or reviews.
