The serendipitous discovery when you step into a local bookshop, nothing particular in mind to find, and wind up coming across the new British series you didn’t know you wanted to read.

Such was the case earlier this month when Nelle and I went wandering on a warm Saturday afternoon, slipped into Dudley’s Bookshop in downtown Bend and stumbled upon C.L. Miller’s Antique Hunter’s series.

Debuting in 2024, already she has a second book available, and while definitely fitting under the umbrella of ‘cosy’, it is a smart and fun read, especially if you appreciate antiques.

Freya Lockwood is the amateur sleuth, now in her forties, newly divorced and her only child now in college across the pond in the states. Having lived twenty years in London not entirely satisfied with her life (except for having her daughter), her aunt Carole shares the news of Arthur’s death, the original Antique Hunter in Freya’s life who taught her everything she knew until she could no longer work in a field she innately had a knack for. Arthur, a dear friend of Aunt Carole, has been killed, or so it seems, in the small village of Dedham Vale along the Suffolk and Essex border, and she insists that Freya’s keen investigative skill will help find who caused his death.

Without giving any more of the plot away of the first mystery – The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder, what ensues is both a sleuthing adventure with two women at the helm who are both incredibly likable, independent, one just returning to her appreciate the independence she gave up and the other, Aunt Carole, well-versed in holding her own in fantastic style and chutzpah, and Freya especially, whipsmart when it comes to discerning the real antiques from the forgeries. (Psst – the character of Aunt Carole is based on C.L. Miller’s real-life Aunt Carole, you can meet in the video shown on the author’s website homepage here.)

What makes C.L. Miller’s mysteries unique and ideal for the treasure hunter as many of TSLL readers, like myself, love to peruse a brocante, a flea market or yard sale to see what discoveries await to be found and brought home, is that the antiques she references, which are many, are the real deal.

With a unique background in working with antiques, Miller’s mother is Judith Miller, a woman who was an international antiques expert, regular specialist on BBC’s Antique Roadshow and the co-founder of the bestselling annual Miller’s Antiques Price Guide which began in 1979, and who wrote more than 120 books on antiques and interiors (learn more about this amazing woman who passed away all too soon at aged 71 in 2023 here). C.L. wrote her books in consultation with her mother with whom for decades she was the editorial assistant on the antique price guide.

Needless to say, this new mystery series which appears to have more books on the way after these first two, is a wonderful read set of primary characters that will have you returning again and again to see what treasures are tangled up with the mysteries they will inevitably solve. I would love for this to become a television series as I think there is rich details to provide a wide breath of interest for an audience.

Within five days, the first book was devoured, and I am now just beginning the second. Oh! And if you look closely at the covers, they may initially appear similar in the framed vine-like design, but within each one, small objects are included that play key roles in each mystery. A thoughtful cover and a wonderful caper. I think you will enjoy.

Purchase book #1 – The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder (2024)

—Purchase book #1 – The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder (2024)

—Purchase book #1 – The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder (2024)

The Antique Hunter‘s mystery series was chosen as the Petit Plaisir for episode #404 of The Simple Sophisticate podcast 11 Classic British Wardrobe Details for Effortless Style

~Explore all of TSLL’s Petits Plaisirs here, and all of the British-Themed podcast episodes and posts here.

Explore all of the posts shared during TSLL’s British Week this year