Bea Reviews Hidden Treasure by Jane K. Cleland

Series: Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery #13
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 8th, 2020
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Blurb from goodreads:

The discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance--and murder--in the latest in this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland's Hidden Treasure.

When antiques expert Josie Prescott finds a mysterious trunk, no one thinks it could lead to murder. Josie, the owner of Prescott's Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband, Ty, have finally found their dream home, a Victorian beauty on the beach known in the town of Rocky Point as the "Gingerbread House." It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her into a nearby assisted living facility. Josie befriends Maudie, who seems surprisingly sharp, considering her family's doubts about her soundness of mind.

As Josie and Ty joyfully begin renovations on the Gingerbread House, the nieces report that Maudie, in her forgetfulness, may have left behind an old trunk, which she's desperate to get back. Sure enough, Josie finds the trunk inside a hidden compartment, and within it a jewel-encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat. Josie can understand the sense of urgency about getting the objects back--they look valuable, and not just in the sentimental sense.

But when Josie goes to return the box to Maudie, the woman has vanished. And on the floor of her empty apartment lies a corpse, a woman bludgeoned to death. Sick with worry for Maudie's safety, Josie begins to piece together the clues to the murder. Everyone around her seems to want to pitch in, from Maudie's family, to the receptionist at the facility, to the young couple helping Josie with her renovations, but with the killer so close to home, Josie has to be on her guard.

My Thoughts:

First I want to say what a fantastic job the author did making this a stand alone. I was about 10% into the book when I had to look something up on Goodreads and discovered that it's the thirteenth book in the series. I knew it wasn't the first book but thought it was only a few into the series. Not thirteen! And she did it without any info dumps! Kudos, Ms. Cleland. 

The book begins with Josie and her husband Ty preparing to renovate the old house they just bought. They are interrupted by the sister of the house's former owner, wondering if they had found a chest that may have been left behind. From there, many mysteries sprout and multiply. It was overwhelming at times and I didn't buy into the facts behind Maudie's disappearance. But the various mysteries kept me both entertained and guessing. I was pleased that I figured out some, though not all. Josie is a typical cozy mystery heroine in that she sticks her noise everywhere and literally cannot mind her own business. Though she does have some connection considering she found the trunk and knows antiques. I really enjoyed the antique aspect even though I'm not big on antiques. It was interesting seeing her evaluate antiques, run her antiques house, and work on her TV show about antiques. Add in a friend going through a crisis and the various mysteries she was helping solve and the new house, and she was a very busy woman!

"Hidden Treasure" was a fun and engaging story. It strained credulity at times, especially how much info Josie shared with the reporter, but characters and details were well-developed and the story kept me reading. I had to know what would happen next. I enjoyed trying to figure out the mysteries and identifying the villains. While Josie was occasionally over the top nosy, she had a knack for questioning people and  figuring out clues. I loved her devotion to her family and friends and her expertise at her work. I want to read more in the series.