A thoroughly modern cozy!
As Charley Carpenter combs through the contents of Mulbridge House and the estate of wealthy Augusta Mulbridge, the most exciting thing she hopes to find is some interesting item for her vintage clothing store, Old Hat. Instead she witnesses a violent encounter between Augusta’s daughter Holland, who is planning to tear down the old mansion and develop the property, and Millie Peache, of Sustain Oakwood’s Architectural Past (SOAP), who asserts that Augusta left a missing will bequeathing the property to her organization. The violence gets worse when the auctioneer for the estate, Charlie’s mentor and long-time family friend Calvin Prescott, is found murdered. Charley takes this personally and vows to find out what is behind the violence, but her lover, Detective Marc Trenault orders her to leave the case to the professionals. You KNOW this isn’t going to happen!
The Antique House Murders has all the elements cozy fans love---a deserted mansion, a missing will, a cryptic clue, a feisty heroine, a fervid but sometimes rocky romantic relationship. What gives it its own character? One thing I loved about the book is that the author sets it in her real-life home town of Oakwood and portrays many of the small-town elements very accurately. I was especially intrigued by Oakwood’s Safety Department, which cross-trains all of its officers in police, fire, and EMT duties and where response time to any 911 call is about one minute. And while I know from personal experience that planning and zoning issues can become very emotional anywhere, I doubt that they often get as heated in the real-life Oakwood as they do in this book!
Cozy mysteries are conventionally thought of as rather traditional, evoking auras of Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey. Charley Carpenter is a thoroughly modern heroine in a very modern setting —sex, language, diverse characters. For example, when she encounters her handsome gay friend Dmitri “Charlie pinched his perfect ass.” Some descriptions of Charley’s relationship with Marc seem to mimic a Harlequin novel, and the language is somewhat less restrained than one would expect from Dame Agatha, but there is less of this as the plot really gets rolling. The cast of the novel is enlivened by considerably more diversity than we would find in many cozies, such as the gay Dmitri, who is a delightful character.
Some of the plot elements seemed a bit unlikely , but Leslie Nagel tied them up better than I had expected, even though I fingered the “bad guy” a bit early. I have not read the first book in this series, but with this book under my belt and a title like The Book Club Murders, I don’t think I will be able to resist!

Charley Carpenter is the owner of Old Hat Vintage Fashions, a clothing store selling gently used antique fashions. Charley finds herself at Mulbridge House after the owner, Augusta Mulbridge, had passed away and her children decided to have an estate sale when she overhears that there may have been a second will leaving the estate to become a historical site instead of to the children who seem like nothing but greedy heirs wanting to profit from Augusta passing tearing down their childhood home to build on the property.

After visiting Mulbridge house Charley knows her shop could use the clothing up for auction so she visits Calvin Prescott the auctioneer but what Charley walks into find is Calvin has been murdered. The police think Calvin’s death is linked to a series of recent break ins in the neighborhood but Charley knows that the crime very possibly could be linked to the shady land deals and the greedy heirs of Mulbridge House so she sets out to prove her theories.

The Antique House Murders is the second book in the Oakwood Mystery series by Leslie Nagel. While Charley, her shop and other characters in the stories were introduced in the first book it may not be totally necessary to have read the first book to enjoy the second with only a slight bit of character/world building being missing. This installment features a new case that Charley is determined to solve so the story could be read as a standalone if desired.

I’ve read both books in this series and have enjoyed this cozy mystery series so far. Charley is a strong and determined female lead character that I’ve found very likable and she is dating a police detective so that gives her opportunities to further her own investigating. There are plenty of twists to keep engaged in the story throughout while trying to figure out just why the murder had taken place. Will look forward to any additional books added to this series to see just what Charley gets herself involved in next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

If you are a fan of American cozy mysteries, and if you especially like the spunky heroine-hunky detective trope, you will definitely enjoy Antique House Murders. This was well-written with a decent plot that kept me reading. I enjoyed the characters, although they are pretty much what you'd expect in this type of story. Will I actively seek out more in this series? Probably not. However, if I was on vacation, browsing in a used bookstore, and saw others in this series, I'd definitely buy them up then retreat to a shady spot and read them all.

When I finished The Antique House Murders I wanted to pick up another one in the series and just keep reading. SO good!

The Antique House Murders is a good follow-up to the first book in this cozy mystery series. This book has main character Charley Carpenter purchasing some vintage fashions from an estate sale handled by her friend, Calvin. When Charley goes to pick up the items and finds Calvin dead in his office, the hunt is on for his killer. His death appears to be tangled with some recent burglaries, according to Charley's beau, Detective Marc Renault. Charley soon finds that this may not be the case, and the murder may be tied to a significant land development deal. For Charley, everything is on the line if this killer isn't found quickly.

I love the characters in this series, especially Charley. I was a little upset with Marc near the end of this one, but was over it by the time the book ended. I love the Oakwood setting, and thought that the plot was interesting and entertaining. This one was a winner for me!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The Antique House Murders is the second book in The Oakwood Mystery Series. It follows the typical cozy mystery formula - small town where everyone knows each other, strong female protagonist, minimal sex and violence, although the sex scenes were a little more suggestive than I usually find, but still tame. Unlike some cozies, I didn't feel that not reading the first book was a detriment to reading the second. Nothing important seemed to be missing from the story, although the first looks interesting and I will try to find it.

The main character, Charley, runs her own shop called Old Hat Vintage Fashions and is a strong figure. Her friends are quirky and varied, willing to aid her whenever or whatever she needs. Personally, I liked Dmitri the best. The only character that I did not find likable was the love interest, Marc. Between his condescension and arrogance, I really wanted to find him and smack him. He redeems himself at the end, but I still have reservations.

The story included multiple mysteries - a murder, burglaries, a missing will, and drug deals. There was plenty to flush out and lots of intrigue. There was also a good bit of action, and while I guessed who the mastermind was, it was a bit of a surprise.

Not my favorite cozy ever, but highly entertaining. I'm interested in reading the next book!

The Antique House Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series
Author: Leslie Nagel
Publisher: Alibi

Charley Carpenter has become almost famous in the town of Oakwood, Ohio. Not because she is a celebrity, but because she helped solve the case of a serial killer. It seems that history has a way of repeating itself and it doesn’t take long before Charley becomes embroiled in another murder mystery.

Her business, Old Hat Vintage Fashions is dependent on the misfortunes of others most of the time, and even she has to admit rummaging through the property of dead people to find items for her shop is a bit morbid. However, when Mulbridge House goes on the chopping block to make way for a new housing development, she isn’t against acquiring some of the late Augusta Mulbridges clothing and accessories to add to her store stock.

Trouble begins when Charley finds auctioneer and long time family friend Calvin Prescott crumpled on the floor of his office. Murder is evident from the pool of blood surrounding his head as Charley dials 911. Detective Marcus Trenault quickly takes charge.

Charley discovers a link to a land swindle worth millions, and a drug ring operating on Mulbridge House property, as well as a string of unsolved home invasions. She is positive all the crimes are connected and hurries to find the killer before it is too late.

--
Charley Carpenter is stubborn and at times an obnoxious shop owner with a penchant for getting involved in criminal investigations and her boyfriend, Marc’s job. Her friends and family worry she will get in far too deep and end up getting hurt or killed.

This isn’t the first time Charley has gotten involved in a murder case, and no matter how many times or people tell her to stay out of it, she doesn’t listen. Charlet consistently puts herself in danger, without considering the fact that she also puts everyone around her at risk as well. But Charley is head strong and insists that she can handle anything that comes up, even when her life is in danger because she didn’t take the advice of those around her.

This book has a storyline with an excellent plot and is well written. There are plenty of, twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages. Leslie Nagel is a talented writer who bases her setting on a real town and places within that town which make her story more interesting to the reader. There is a small amount of adult language and sexual innuendo throughout the book, but this should not detract from the overall story and enjoyment of the reader. The unveiling of the killer and the motive for the crimes involved were somewhat convoluted but believable.

Overall this is an interesting and entertaining story that is fast paced and detail oriented. It will appeal to lovers of cozies that have multiple facets with characters that are well rounded and fun to learn about. This book is highly recommended.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book

After decades of neglect, with the passing of the family matriarch, the contents of Mulbridge House are to be auctioned off so the heirs can demolish the historic home to make way for a new real estate development. When Charley stumbles upon a dead body, it's up to her and the local police to determine how many of Oakwood's recent crimes are linked to the murder -- and how.

The first book in this series left me feeling rather so-so, but I wanted to give the series one more shot before writing it off completely, and I'm glad I did. I liked this installment a lot more than the first. I like the family and friend relationships among the characters, although the setting seems to be a rather upscale small town, which is hard for many readers to identify with. I guessed the identity of the murderer early in the story, and even figured out a possible motive. Those rarely happen, and I'm not sure if that bodes well for this book or not. Either way, I will keep an eye out for the next book in the series.

I will echo what other reviewers have said about this book being considerably more "racy" and profanity-laced than many cozy mysteries, and would caution readers who are turned off by that sort of thing.

This book is the second in a series, and because I have not read the first book, I had a lot of trouble keeping track of who some of the characters were, and where they fit into the heroine's life. I would recommend that any interested prospective readers get hold of the first book and read the series in order.

Having said all that ... it's a fairly decent read, if you like nosy amateur sleuths who "just happen" to uncover vital clues that the police have been unable to. The plot moves along at a pretty fast clip, events happen one after another, with plenty of twists and turns. As is usual for me, I didn't guess who the killer was, although by now, with as much reading as I do, you'd think I would know to look for the least-obvious suspect. I know that in pretty much every case it's not going to be the "red herring" person, but beyond that, I usually am not able to figure it out.

So, to recap ... if you can get past heat and profanity, and you have read the first book in the series so you have a grasp of the cast of characters ... I can recommend this book. Otherwise, not so much.

I awarded four stars because of all the twists and turns. The intrigue was definitely not killed off early in the story. I withheld a star because at times I wondered if I were not reading a romance novel instead. It felt like literary fusion...Romystery, a new genre?

The Antique House Murders is the second installment in The Oakwood Mystery series featuring vintage clothing store owner Charley Carpenter. Charley's store Old Hat Vintage Fashions is making a name for itself in Oakwood, Ohio and she's excited to have scored a ton of valuable vintage clothing from the estate of Augusta Mulbridge thanks to family friend Calvin Prescott, estate appraiser and her father Bobby's close friend.

The decaying Mulbridge House has become the center of the Oakwood's discontent. The aging mansion is set for demolition to make room for a proposed housing development but surrounding landowners are up in arms over the traffic impact on the small neighborhood. President of Sustain Oakwood's Architectural Past (SOAP), Millicent Peache insists that Augusta had wanted the house left to the historical society, and Augusta's daughter Holland just wants the house gone so she can collect her money and go back to the city.

Charley is devastated to discover the bludgeoned body of Calvin and sets out to track down his killer despite all the warnings from her boyfriend Detective Marcus Trenault not to get involved. Her investigation quickly reveals that Mulbridge House is the epicenter of evil in Oakwood and Charley is soon fearing for her own life.

A fast paced storyline with plenty of plot twists and suspects. Returning characters include Charley's father Bobby and his caregiver Lawrence Whittman, her friends Dmitri St. James and Frankie Bright. A little edgier than most traditional cozies with foul language, sexual references and violence that might offend some, this series is a refreshing change from the norm. I for one, will be sure to stay tuned for more adventures with Charley.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley via Alibi an imprint of Random Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Charley Carpenter owns Old Hat Vintage Fashions and she has just scored a coup. Her good friend Calvin has allowed her to come in early and pick dresses, purses and hats formerly owned by the late Augsuta Mulbridge. The Mulbridge House is being emptied of all treasures (and there are many) and Charley feels very happy to have these clothes and accessories to add to her store's inventory.
When Calvin is found murdered, Charley dedicates herself to finding the murderer.
Charley lives in her home town in the house with her ill father and his health aide. She has an ongoing relationship with her high school crush. He is now Detective Marcus Trenault. He has asked, cajoled and threatened Charley to prevent her from putting herself in danger. Charley has not paid any attention to anything Marc has said.
This is the second in a series. Although I read the first book, I believe that any reader could easily follow this story and enjoy it. It works well as a stand alone read.
Charley and the other characters are pretty straight forward. All the secondary characters add texture to the story as well as present clues which move things along.
If I have a complaint, it is that Charley is not acting like a very bright woman. She lies to the man she loves, her father, and everyone else she knows. She continually puts herself in dangerous situations and then does not understand why Marc is upset. Her lies and ignoring facts she has gathered put others in danger. And she continually asks questions which are actually none of her business as well as taking things which do not belong to her.
After a time, that kind of reckless behavior would get her put in jail for interfering in an ongoing police investigation no matter who is her sleeping partner.
The plot moves along pretty quickly. At times it gets bogged down, but generally the reader is carried along with the action. There are a couple of mysteries which were not difficult to unravel. The book is entertaining and that is the goal of most cozies.
Ms Nagel writes a good mystery and she has created a small town which seems to have a great deal going on all at the same time.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all expressed opinions are my own.

Charley Carpenter, the heroine of Leslie Nagel’s The Antique House Murders, has a knack for picking up clues and solving mysteries. As a lifelong resident of the town of Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton, she  She is gifted with a quick mind and enjoys the thrill of the chase. The Antique House Murders often finds Charley at cross purposes with her boyfriend, Detective Marc Trenault, who repeatedly asks her to leave the solving of the murder of longtime family friend, Calvin Prescott, to the police. Charley takes umbrage to this directive and goes out of her way to deceive or out and out lie to Marc as she tries to solve the murder herself. While the book is a mostly enjoyable quick read, I had a couple of major issues with it. Charley’s manner of investigating occasionally crosses the lines into illegal territory or just dangerous stupidity. I also disliked how Charley lied to Marc. Though there is a large list of potential suspects, I had a strong (correct) hunch of who the real villain was early on.

This is a lightweight read for those who enjoy cozies and don’t mind a heroine rushing in where angels fear to tread. 

I was given a free copy of this book by Alibi and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

Setting: Mulbridge House, and other locations in and around Oakwood, Ohio

Main Characters

Charley Carpenter: small business owner, feisty amateur sleuth. Dating Marc.
Marcus Trenault: police detective - hard-nosed and sometimes hard-headed. Dating me, I mean, Charley.
Plot: Several months after the death of the reclusive Augusta Mulbridge, her estate is finally up for sale. Her house is a showpiece or, rather, it was a showpiece before time and neglect took their toll. As the owner of a small business dealing vintage apparel and accessories, Mulbridge House turns out to be a treasure trove for Charley. Her longtime family friend, Calvin Prescott, has set aside only the choicest pieces for Charley's inventory; the leftovers will join the other items for the public auction. Shortly after the auction has ended, Charley heads to Prescott Auctions to collect her inventory . . . only to find the body of her friend, Calvin, alongside the racks of designer dresses and boxes of handbags and hats. Devastated, she calls Marc to investigate, but she can't leave the matter with him alone. Despite Marc's pleas and warnings, Charley continues to try to figure out who killed Calvin - and how the Mulbridge estate, a string of break-ins and robberies, a contentious pending real estate deal, and a missing will might all be related. The more Charley learns, the less happy Marc becomes. When Charley refuses to give up, encouraged by the progress she is making so far, Marc's frustration boils over - and it might cost Charley her life.

Pacing: Quick

Predictability: Low

Wild Card: The Oakwood Mysteries by Leslie Nagel are new favorites of mine. I was absolutely enamored of the first book in this series and had been waiting with waning patience for this second story. And I was not disappointed. The Antique House Murders has so many twists and turns - you may want to keep a notebook handy to keep up with all of the developments! Charley is chock full of passion and heart; she's all good intention, even if those good intentions sometimes do, in fact, pave the road to trouble. And Marc is her perfect match - powerful and equally passionate, savvy and sharp. When they are together, the virtual pages practically crackle. To paraphrase Jane Austen, a good book is always over too soon - as this book certainly proves.

Hit, Miss, or Draw: A five-star hit!

Entertaining "cozy" mystery featuring Charley Carpenter, owner of a vintage clothing store and exceptionally skilled amateur detective. "Cozy" is in quotes because avid readers of these mysteries will find it's a bit racy compared to the genre's usual fare (again, racy compared exclusively to other cozy mysteries, not in the larger scope). I actually find this series so far to be different enough to be refreshing, though the mystery element wasn't exceptional (the perpetrator was pretty obvious early on). If you're looking for something a little out of the box for cozies, this may be a series to try!

Charley Carpenter is up to her neck in vintage gowns, purses, shoes and murder in The Antique House Murders. What starts out as a simple estate sale turns into a hunt for a killer and the drive to stop a huge development from spoiling Oakwood, Ohio. As usual Charley spars with Detective Marc Trenault on her path to solving the murders.

This is the second book in the Oakwood Mystery series (I recommend that you start with the first "The Book Club Murders") and takes up after the first book with Charley about recovered from the events of the first book and hot and heavy in her relationship with police detective Marc Trenault. This book definitely gets steamier in the romance which is a bit unusual for a cozy. I have no issue with it, although it seemed a bit out of place for the story.

In this one, Charlie pre-buys some designer clothing before an estate sale/auction from her family friend Calvin for her vintage clothing shop Old Hat. When picking up the merchandise from Calvin's office warehouse, Charlie and her friend Dimitri find him dead. It's murder of course and although Marc warns her away from the case, she wants to find out who killed Calvin. It also seems tied up in a land development deal and some gang-related activity in town.

I enjoy Charley's character, as well as Marc, her father and her friends and overall this is a solid offering to the series, although I liked the first book better as I felt that the mystery in this one was more obvious and I had it solved earlier than I would have liked. I found myself scolding Charley more too in this book--about getting a clue and solving the mystery and also about some of the more reckless choices she made while solving it. Still, I enjoyed it and I look forward to the next book.

The Antique House Murders by Leslie Nagel is the second book in her Oakwood Mystery series. I read it in exchange for a review. I also read the first book, The Book Club Murders, but it is not necessary to read them in order to enjoy this one. I liked this book. Charley is the owner of Old Hat, a vintage clothing shop, and an obsessive amateur sleuth. Her boyfriend is the local police, which creates opportunities but also conflicts. Charley has a special interest in investigating the latest murder because the victim is a friend. An interesting part of the story is the corruption involved in the process of securing building permits for a so far undeveloped part of town. I found this twist of particular interest as I have seen this type of abuse in person in my own neighborhood. In all, a good read.

I loved visiting Oakwood again and being inside the heads of some of it inhabitants! Charley is delightful and smart and insatiably curious, often to her detriment. Leslie Nagel does a perfect job of combining mystery, suspense, loving relationships and loss. If I could read the next in the series right now I would drop what I am doing and enjoy! Please keep them coming.