"After her parents' deaths, Avery Ayers takes over the family business...Now living back at home with her younger sister Tilly and their newly moved-in eccentric Aunt Midge and her Afghan hound, Avery's life is filled with jewels, tapestries, paintings, and rare finds. But their world is rocked when Avery learns that the theft of a priceless ruby may be connected to her parents' demise"--
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"After her parents' deaths, Avery Ayers takes over the family business...Now living back at home with her younger sister Tilly and their newly moved-in eccentric Aunt Midge and her Afghan hound, Avery's life is filled with jewels, tapestries, paintings, and rare finds. But their world is rocked when Avery learns that the theft of a priceless ruby may be connected to her parents' demise"--
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Good. Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book.
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UsedVeryGood. Size: 5x1x8; Very Good condition. Crisp pages. Clean cover and pages. Book shows minimal shelf wear. No highlighting/marking. Not Satisfied? Contact us to get a refund.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Avery and Tillie Ayers were in the car when it crashed killing both their parents. Their Aunt Midge and her dog Halsten immediately moved from Manhatten to Lilac Grove where they all dealt with their grief and tried to move on. For Avery that meant stepping into her parent's shoes in the family business, Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised. The business has been hired to appraise and authenticate a large rare ruby. A ruby that may be the missing piece from a dragon medallion from the Xiang Dynasty currently being exhibited by the museum. A piece her parents appraised right before their deaths. Avery with assistance from her employee and friend Micah Abbott must first determine if the ruby is real and if it is, analyze if it is indeed the jewel missing from the dragon medallion.
While Avery is trying to concentrate on the jewel she receives a threatening note followed by other strange events including the murder of an art collector. Realizing the danger she faces she knows they must complete the appraisal as quickly as possible but then someone else is attacked. She finds help from an unusual source to keep her safe. They also work together to try to uncover the killer but their luck just may run out before they do . . .
Oh, this was an exciting story.
I am very appreciative that the author took the time to really introduce these characters and give us readers their back story. Avery is a complex protagonist because she is not only dealing with the deaths of her parents on a personal level but on a business level as well. She has some big shoes to fill and she knows it. It is a lot for a twenty-five-year-old to handle so I was happy to see that her mental health was addressed and that she is seeing a therapist. Tilly has a big audition coming up and it could mean a huge step as she starts her college life. She too is in therapy to help deal with her loss. Their Aunt Midge is their rock. She does anything she can for the girls and keeps the grief of losing her brother under wraps. They are a close family unit and for the most part, they are getting on with their lives. These characters all have a genuine feel and I felt it was very easy to care about what was happening in their lives.
The supporting cast features Micah, Sir Robert, and Art Smith. Micah and Sir Robert work for Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised and have known Avery and Tilly their whole lives. Micah comes across as caring and competent. He has suffered his own loss that turned his life upside down before losing his friends, Anne and William Ayers. Sir Robert seems to be very art smart but lacking in life knowledge. He just isn't really tuned in to what is happening around him at all times. Art Smith is a fantastic character. He is working as a security guard at the museum but he is so much more. Ms. Gardner did of nice job of letting these characters develop over the course of the story.
I love that this mystery was different from most of the cozy mysteries I read. The focus was truly on the ruby with a variety of tentacles building off of it. The mystery was truly challenging and riveting, The museum was a busy place, open for its regular exhibits plus there was a movie being shot in one wing. That added to the intrigue as more people came into play. It also adds to the suspect list. Ms. Gardner had me taking notes about all the connections and interactions as I tried my best to solve the mystery before all was revealed. I was still kept guessing right up until the very end and was thrilled by that.
A wonderfully entertaining mystery full of truly interesting characters inhabits the pages of Ruby Red Herring. I love Tracy Gardner's writing style and was delighted by the precise way she added humor and romance in all the right places. This book is a real gem! It checks all my cozy boxes!
Kristina
Jun 16, 2021
A delightful cozy mystery
Ruby Red Herring by Tracy Gardner is the debut of An Avery Ayers Antique Mystery series. I enjoyed this stimulating new cozy mystery. Avery Ayers and her sister, Tilly lost their parents in an auto accident a year ago. Their eccentric Aunt Midge moved in with them along with her dog, Halston. Avery began working at her parent�s business, Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised. Their latest assignment has the company appraising a rare ruby that could link to a dragon medallion currently on display at the museum. Before Avery can delve into the job, she receives a threatening note. This is just the beginning of strange incidents and threats. Avery has no intention of backing off the case. She is going to get answers and resolve this matter once and for all. I thought Ruby Red Herring was well-written with developed characters. The author takes the time to introduce our main characters and set the stage for the series. I like Avery, Tilly, and Aunt Midge. They are a close-knit unit. We get to spend time in their home as they go about their lives. Aunt Midge and Tilly provide humor and lightness. There is also Micah, Sir Robert, Art Smith, and Halston, Aunt Midge�s Afghan hound. I am glad the author gave us the characters backstory. The mystery was fascinating and complex. It involves lies, intrigue, threats, a large ruby, and murder. There was plenty of action that kept propelling the story forward toward the conclusion. I had a good time solving this whodunit (I love a challenging mystery). I like how everything tied together along with the satisfying conclusion. It was interesting learning about the appraisal process. It is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. I like how the author addressed Avery�s mental health issues after the death of her parents. She was grief stricken and felt their death was her fault. Avery also has anger management issues. She visits a therapist who gives her coping techniques. I could certainly understand her pain over her parents� death and the feelings of guilt. Ruby Red Herring is an intriguing cozy mystery with a stimulating stone, terrifying threats, cryptic clues, a cherished canine, an energetic teen, an affectionate aunt, and a murdered man.
