Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Antiques and Adversity in the Azores (Treasured Journey, Bk 1) on + 748 more book reviews This book is the first in a spin-off series of Victoria Tait's Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries.
Following the death of her husband and job, antiques expert Georgina Carey needs to move forward with her life and get her confidence back. An offer to inventory and value a deceased Portuguese collector's estate in the Azores may be what she needs to start to get her life on track, so she accepts. São Miguel Island is beautiful, and the lake estate where she will be staying feels more like a retreat than work. But before she can enjoy any of it and start the job she was hired to do, a body is found in the lake. Georgina learns there was a similar death over 30 years ago.
While Georgina wants to concentrate on the job she has been hired to do, the man who hired her is pretty laid back and encourages her to enjoy all the festivities happening in the small town of Furnas. Doing this, she meets several locals who are anxious to explain the events and island lore, and even disclose long forgotten secrets and details. Can she put all the clues together and solve two suspicious deaths? Will the information uncover a true heir of the deceased Portuguese collector's estate?
As a fan of Victoria Tait, I was delighted to see Georgina (George) star in a series of her own. Her life has been ripped apart, and she is at a crossroads. Getting away from the Cotswolds may help her find the clarity she needs. She is a complex character, the author has done an excellent job of developing her, peeling back layers while leaving space for growth as the series continues.
The mysteries within the story are very intriguing. While George is traveling around the island, trying to pull clues together, getting information from key individuals, and keeping her eyes and ears open, readers are taken on a tour around the island and its events and activities. â Yoga in a beautiful garden, parades with narrow streets filled with flowers, trips through the artisan market, and more. Whether working on the estate inventory or other activities, the deaths are always on George's mind. I truly enjoyed tagging along with her as she found items that solidified her theories.
Antiques and Adversity captivated me in so many ways. A secondary character from another series breaks out in believable ways to come to grips and find herself, a complicated mix of mysteries to solve, all set in a âCalgon take me awayâ locale that was so clearly envisioned by the author's prose, grabbed me and held on. It was a perfectly marvelous escape, and I am excited to read the next Treasured Journey Mystery, Mystique and Murder in Morocco, set to be released in October.
Karen S. (BoysMom) - My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Intriguing mystery and an appealing new amateur sleuth.
Antiques and Adversity in the Azores is the debut novel for Victoria Tait's new Treasured Journey Mystery series, a spin-off of the author's popular Dotty Sayers Antiques Mysteries and featuring her friend from Akeman's Antiques business, Georgina Carey. A recent widow in need of a change of scenery, Georgina takes a commission to evaluate the antiques of an estate on the island of Sao Miguel in the Portuguese Azores. Soon after arriving and beginning her work, an antagonistic local man with a knack for instigating ill will, Tomas de Avezeda, is found dead near the estate. While his death is assumed to be an accidental drowning after imbibing too much to drink at the festival the night before, everyone is surprised when police officials discover evidence he may have been the victim of foul play.
The main character, Georgina, comes off as quite aloof and cool initially, but I soon warmed up to her as she finally relaxed her guard enough to grieve how her marriage had turned out and allow herself to heal. Marcus had been a cheater in his marriage to Georgina and his business dealings as well; who eventually became the target of a murderer. Her commission for the Alexandre Silva estate is complex and interesting, but she is definitely up to the task and immediately uncovers long-held secrets.The plot moves quickly, with the victim stirring up trouble and proving himself to be one nasty piece of work from the start, including hinting about challenging the heirship of the estate Georgina is inventorying. The author introduces plenty of local characters to inspire suspicion and clues to keep readers on their toes. A highlight of this book is the beautiful, you-are-there descriptions of the island of Sao Miguel, especially during the Festa da Flor (Flower Festivals). I was immediately captivated by this setting and the story as a whole.
I recommend ANTIQUES AND ADVERSITY IN THE AZORES to cozy mystery readers.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
