Twenty years ago, Freya Lockwood had been in the antiques business, finding and authenticating fabulous old pieces with her close friend, Arthur Crockleford. Despite being a well-respected pair, Arthur betrayed her one day in Cairo. A devastated Freya walked away from him --- and her career --- and hasn’t looked back since.

But now something has happened to Arthur. Freya’s Aunt Carole calls with the bad news and asks her to come back to her hometown of Little Meddington. He wasn’t just Freya’s friend, but also Carole’s, and she suspects his death was no accident. Will Freya please look into it?

"THE ANTIQUE HUNTER’S GUIDE TO MURDER is by no means just a romp in the English countryside. It’s also a gripping mystery.... There are plenty of twists, red herrings, chills and thrills --- and an ending to satisfy everyone."

When Freya gets to Little Meddington, it isn’t long before the first clue turns up. Arthur left a letter for Freya. He did not post it, as one would expect a person to do, for fear of it falling into the wrong hands. He knew Freya well enough to believe that she would find her way to it. She still remembers what happened in Cairo all those years ago and is reluctant to get involved.

The only reason she even considers it is because Carole assures her that Arthur’s death deserves investigating. And if she were to be honest with herself, there is really little to keep her tethered to her life in London. Her daughter, Jade, has gone to university in America, and her husband, James, is now her ex. Worse, James is insisting on selling their house, so Freya will have to move soon anyway. Besides, she's always had a soft spot for her kooky, flamboyant, half-crazy aunt.

Once Freya is on the scent, the old thrill of the hunt gets a firm hold on her. Arthur’s leads take them to Copthorn Manor, a once-grand estate that is now beginning to crumble. He has provided a program for the weekend and claims in his letter that Freya and Carole have reservations to attend. It is all quite cryptic, but that makes it so much more irresistible. Their accommodations at the isolated estate turn out to be a cottage behind the manor.

Naturally, they have arrived during a nasty storm, which soon knocks out the power --- at least to the main house. It happens during the meet and greet before dinner, but Freya did get a chance to see who else came along. The other guests include the recently deceased lord’s son and daughter, the son’s girlfriend, plus a gardener, a cook and the solicitor. Freya suspects one of them might be Arthur’s murderer. But which one?

It turns out that none of the people there are who they appear to be. And none of the “activities” on the program are entirely what they seem either. Freya must read between the lines and recall how Arthur operated in order to solve the case. If she messes up, there could be more dead bodies by the end of the weekend.

THE ANTIQUE HUNTER’S GUIDE TO MURDER is by no means just a romp in the English countryside. It’s also a gripping mystery. A touch of comic relief comes in the form of Aunt Carole, but everyone else is deadly serious. Author C. L. Miller gives readers a fair chance to untangle what happened, along with Freya, while still keeping them guessing. There are plenty of twists, red herrings, chills and thrills --- and an ending to satisfy everyone.