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Dead Men Don't Decorate
(2022)(The first book in the Old Town Antique series)
A novel by Cordy Abbott
Art, murder, and a secret dating back centuries collide in Cordy Abbott’s delightful cozy mystery series debut, perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland.
Roberto Fratelli, proprietor of the antiques store Waited4You, is the meanest man in Marthasville, Virginia. So when he puts the business up for sale, the other merchants in town are overjoyed. And now the business has a prospective buyer: local resident and the newly elected mayor's mom, Camille Benson, who’s thrilled at the prospect of getting into the antiques business. During a celebration in honor of Camille’s new venture, her best friend, Opal, tells her about finding a letter, purportedly from Sally Fairfax to George Washington, dated 1756, hidden under a chair in the shop. When they return to retrieve the cache, they find Roberto’s lifeless body on the floor and no letter.
Police question Ella Coleman, Roberto’s ex-wife, and discover that her current husband supplied Roberto with oh-so-faux Victorian furniture. Did the two cheat the wrong customer? Or could the murder be connected to an earlier theft of rare books from the shop—a theft Roberto never reported?
As Camille prepares to confront these questions and investigate the murder, she knows she might become the latest knock-off.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Roberto Fratelli, proprietor of the antiques store Waited4You, is the meanest man in Marthasville, Virginia. So when he puts the business up for sale, the other merchants in town are overjoyed. And now the business has a prospective buyer: local resident and the newly elected mayor's mom, Camille Benson, who’s thrilled at the prospect of getting into the antiques business. During a celebration in honor of Camille’s new venture, her best friend, Opal, tells her about finding a letter, purportedly from Sally Fairfax to George Washington, dated 1756, hidden under a chair in the shop. When they return to retrieve the cache, they find Roberto’s lifeless body on the floor and no letter.
Police question Ella Coleman, Roberto’s ex-wife, and discover that her current husband supplied Roberto with oh-so-faux Victorian furniture. Did the two cheat the wrong customer? Or could the murder be connected to an earlier theft of rare books from the shop—a theft Roberto never reported?
As Camille prepares to confront these questions and investigate the murder, she knows she might become the latest knock-off.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Praise for this book
"Readers will have a fun time getting to know the characters in Abbott's new series, including shopkeeper Camille and her best friend Opal. The ladies square off against the local police chief when the former owner of Camille's antique shop turns up dead, and a possibly valuable letter goes missing. With quirky characters, a delightful small-town setting, and a realistic murder on the books, Dead Men Don't Decorate layers on the charm." - Sandra Bretting
"Cordy Abbott delivers a don't-miss, delightful series debut." - Elizabeth Spann Craig
"Dead Men Don't Decorate is an entertaining first installment to a new cozy series with an engaging main character, twisty mystery, and immersive Virginia setting that begs to be savored." - Trish Esden
"A fun thrill ride laced with antiques, design, and nostalgic nineties music, as seen through the eyes of smart, sensible Camille and her plucky wing woman Opal. Dead Men Don't Decorate is packed full of charming characters along with plot twists and turns that will captivate the reader in this delightful series debut." - Tracy Gardner
"Antiques, history, and more than one mystery keep Camille Benson and her friends on the run in Dead Men Don't Decorate. A little romance, humor, and a delectable fictional version of historic Alexandria, Virginia will keep readers turning pages to the very last one." - Sherry Harris
"Anyone with a lifelong bestie will recognise the sparks and snarks of Camille and Opal in Cordy Abbott's delightful series debut. But the real treasure in Dead Men Don't Decorate is how the antiques business (with a side of design) is stitched right into the twisty plot, fascinating and authentic. A winner!" - Catriona McPherson
"Combining new clues and historical keepsakes, Cordy Abbot crafts a charming debut cozy. The antique shop premise promises new mysteries around every corner, and the characters feel like old friends. Don't let the dust settle on your empty bookshelves--decorate with this series starter today!" - Diane Vallere
"Cordy Abbott delivers a don't-miss, delightful series debut." - Elizabeth Spann Craig
"Dead Men Don't Decorate is an entertaining first installment to a new cozy series with an engaging main character, twisty mystery, and immersive Virginia setting that begs to be savored." - Trish Esden
"A fun thrill ride laced with antiques, design, and nostalgic nineties music, as seen through the eyes of smart, sensible Camille and her plucky wing woman Opal. Dead Men Don't Decorate is packed full of charming characters along with plot twists and turns that will captivate the reader in this delightful series debut." - Tracy Gardner
"Antiques, history, and more than one mystery keep Camille Benson and her friends on the run in Dead Men Don't Decorate. A little romance, humor, and a delectable fictional version of historic Alexandria, Virginia will keep readers turning pages to the very last one." - Sherry Harris
"Anyone with a lifelong bestie will recognise the sparks and snarks of Camille and Opal in Cordy Abbott's delightful series debut. But the real treasure in Dead Men Don't Decorate is how the antiques business (with a side of design) is stitched right into the twisty plot, fascinating and authentic. A winner!" - Catriona McPherson
"Combining new clues and historical keepsakes, Cordy Abbot crafts a charming debut cozy. The antique shop premise promises new mysteries around every corner, and the characters feel like old friends. Don't let the dust settle on your empty bookshelves--decorate with this series starter today!" - Diane Vallere
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