If you like your mysteries to have a background in the world of art and antiques-- like the books by Connie Berry and Jane K. Cleland for instance-- you should enjoy the first Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery, The Art of the Decoy by Trish Esden.

Edie Brown and her mother are a bit unusual in the world of cozy mysteries due mainly to their both being in trouble with the law. Edie's mother-- now in prison for art forgery-- was responsible for Edie selling stolen property and being put on probation. And she's just the sort of mother that makes you want to roll your eyes: she refuses to admit that she's ever done anything wrong and is still full of hare-brained ideas for the business. Edie, on the other hand, has worked hard to become an expert in New England folk art and furnishings so that, if she can't revive her grandparents' antiques business, she'll still have a good shot at working for a top-notch auction house or museum.

Edie's family home was built in the 1830s, and its beautiful gardens are modeled after Monet's at Giverny. The mystery itself revolves around a legendary collection of waterfowl decoys that hasn't been seen for decades. With so many people either openly hostile or obviously up to no good, it takes Edie a while to sort them all out, and I appreciated learning about the antiques as the story unfolded.

Only two things bothered me. One, I don't care much for romance in my mysteries, and there was a bit too much burning and yearning between Edie and her Hollywood handsome ex-probation officer. (Aw come on... fall for a homely guy with sticky-out ears once in a blue moon!) The other thing that bothered me a bit was Edie and her mother's well-known tangles with the law. This is no secret, and I really can't see Edie being able to revive the family business. Also, I have a feeling that these troubles are going to rear their ugly heads over and over again in future books, and a little of that can go a long way.

So, although there's quite a lot of potential in The Art of the Decoy, I do have my concerns. I'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next book in the series.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

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Dollycas's Thoughts

Edie Brown and her mother were not seeing eye to eye in running the family's fine art and antiques business, but when a huge error had Edie arrested and put on probation for selling stolen goods it was the final straw. She left not only the town but the state.

Now her mother is in prison for art forgery and her uncle has called her home to help him so they don't lose the family business. He sends her to an event appraising items in folk art, her specialty. She meets a woman there with an interesting duck decoy and says she has access to a whole collection. An appraisal this big could be just what Edie needs to get the business back on firm footing.

Edie, her uncle, and Kala work hard to document each piece but when Edie returns to present the appraisal her world turns upside down. The collection has been stolen and the woman accuses her of the theft. Fearing she could end up sharing a cell with her mom she sets off on a quest to find the missing decoys. What she learns is that this robbery may be linked to another in Canada and that she may not be able to trust a man from her past who seems to want to get back together.

Edie has no choice. She teams up with her Uncle Tuck and their tech-savvy employee Kala to catch a thief before things run more "afowl" and her goose gets cooked by the FBI Art Crimes Division for stealing the duck decoys.

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First, I have to say the cover of this book is amazing. It draws the reader in and then we read about the beautiful home/grounds where we find Scandal Mountain Fine Arts and Antiques. "Nestled in the foothills of Mount Mansfield . . . just south of the Canadian border", Scandal Mountain is now enjoying a resurgence with new families moving in and new businesses opening and the author brings the town and area to life with her wonderful descriptions.  She also made it so easy to visualize the decoys.

Ms. Esden also introduces us to some wonderful characters in Edie, Tuck, and Kala. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and all developed nicely throughout the story while leaving plenty of room for growth in future books. I really enjoyed Kala and all her knowledge. All three are realistic and relatable.

There were also very interesting characters specific to this story, suspects and victims, and victims that may be suspects. They are mixed up in a complex mystery that grabbed me right away. I have always been interested in collecting antiques and this plot played right into that interest. It was so entertaining to follow along with Edie, Tuck, and Kala and the different ways they dug in and followed each clue. Their instincts were strong throughout the book. I was definitely made smarter by what I was reading. And the final page made me smile.

The Art of the Decoy is an intriguing and entertaining mystery. A sensational debut for this series.  I am really looking forward to reading A Wealth of Deception when it comes out next month.

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