Rating: 
Summary: Abby and Mags, together at last!
Review: Abigail Timberlake's life seems to be going right. Her antique shop, the Den of Antiquity, is thriving. Her wedding to drop-dead gorgeous police detective Greg Washburn is two months away, and she has managed to outbid the other Charlotte antique dealers for a rare, one-of-a-kind silver English tea service. Her satisfaction turns to horror when her mother, on her way to join a convent, presents her with an early wedding gift - a rare, one-of-a-kind silver English tea service exactly like the one Abby just obtained. To make matters worse, Greg suspects Abby's been up to something: Billy Ray Teschel, a car wreck victim in Pennsylvania, has their engagement announcement, with Abby's pretty picture, tucked safely in his wallet. Abby gathers a few friends and heads north of the Mason-Dixon Line to clear her name, restore her virtue, find the source of the fake silver and maybe buy a couple of Amish quilts along the way. Readers of Tamar Myers' novels will be thrilled at her latest offering. Filled with the eccentric characters and humorous moments that Myers is known for, "So Faux, So Good" is her best mystery yet. Particularly fun is the way she merges her two series. While in Pennsylvania, Abby meets Magdalena Yoder, innkeeper to the stars and heroine of Myers' PennDutch series. Even though Abby tries to put one over on Magdalena in order to get a room at the famous PennDutch Inn, Magdalena takes pity on her and helps Abby with her search for the evil Teschel family, who may be involved in something more serious than fake antiques. "So Faux, So Good" is a well-plotted, fast moving story, and you'll want to read it in one sitting. Myers' tales are absorbing and delightful, sweeping the reader along on a rip tide of action. It's the perfect book for a muggy summer afternoon. When it's too hot to move, immerse yourself in Abby's world. It might not cool you off, but you won't mind the heat nearly as much!
Rating:
Summary: Abby and Mags, together at last!
Review: Abigail Timberlake's life seems to be going right. Her antique shop, the Den of Antiquity, is thriving. Her wedding to drop-dead gorgeous police detective Greg Washburn is two months away, and she has managed to outbid the other Charlotte antique dealers for a rare, one-of-a-kind silver English tea service. Her satisfaction turns to horror when her mother, on her way to join a convent, presents her with an early wedding gift - a rare, one-of-a-kind silver English tea service exactly like the one Abby just obtained. To make matters worse, Greg suspects Abby's been up to something: Billy Ray Teschel, a car wreck victim in Pennsylvania, has their engagement announcement, with Abby's pretty picture, tucked safely in his wallet. Abby gathers a few friends and heads north of the Mason-Dixon Line to clear her name, restore her virtue, find the source of the fake silver and maybe buy a couple of Amish quilts along the way. Readers of Tamar Myers' novels will be thrilled at her latest offering. Filled with the eccentric characters and humorous moments that Myers is known for, "So Faux, So Good" is her best mystery yet. Particularly fun is the way she merges her two series. While in Pennsylvania, Abby meets Magdalena Yoder, innkeeper to the stars and heroine of Myers' PennDutch series. Even though Abby tries to put one over on Magdalena in order to get a room at the famous PennDutch Inn, Magdalena takes pity on her and helps Abby with her search for the evil Teschel family, who may be involved in something more serious than fake antiques. "So Faux, So Good" is a well-plotted, fast moving story, and you'll want to read it in one sitting. Myers' tales are absorbing and delightful, sweeping the reader along on a rip tide of action. It's the perfect book for a muggy summer afternoon. When it's too hot to move, immerse yourself in Abby's world. It might not cool you off, but you won't mind the heat nearly as much!
Rating: 
Summary: Faux Mystery
Review: After having read several of Tamar Myers' mysteries, I am coming to find them formulaic and a bit too self-conscious. While reading "So Faux," I found that I could predict what would happen next. Though the content differed from previous novels, the structural elements remained pretty much the same. Once again (as in another of Myers' novels), there was the reference to a "frizzy-haired" writer of mysteries, who I assume is to be the author, herself. This type of self-consciousness in a writer can distance the reader from her work and shatter the suspension of disbelief that is so necessary to the enjoyment of a book of this kind. Myers' humor failed to make up for the thin plot, the one-dimensional characters and the lack of a well-defined place. This was simply an unsatisfying read.
Rating:
Summary: Faux Mystery
Review: Author Tamar Myers hits her stride in this 4th. book of the Den of Antiquity series. Her heroine, Abigail Timberlake, is about to be married to a handsome detective. Her mother delivers a wedding present to her on her way to join a convent. Abby's joy turns to concern when she sees that the tea set she has just received is identical to one she purchased at an auction as a one-of-a-kind, expensive silver set. Her concern is deepened when her engagement announcement is found in the pocket of a dead man in Pennsylvania. Abby decides that she must investigate this situation up close and personal, so she and her three dearest friends drive to Pennsylvania to look into the matter and hopefully to puchase some antiques and quilts. Their culture shock at being "north of the Line" is very amusing as is the interaction of these roommates who were not made in heaven. The plot has the usual twists and turns and the guilty party is truly a surprise!
Rating:
Summary: So Funny, So Good
Review: Author Tamar Myers hits her stride in this 4th. book of the Den of Antiquity series. Her heroine, Abigail Timberlake, is about to be married to a handsome detective. Her mother delivers a wedding present to her on her way to join a convent. Abby's joy turns to concern when she sees that the tea set she has just received is identical to one she purchased at an auction as a one-of-a-kind, expensive silver set. Her concern is deepened when her engagement announcement is found in the pocket of a dead man in Pennsylvania. Abby decides that she must investigate this situation up close and personal, so she and her three dearest friends drive to Pennsylvania to look into the matter and hopefully to puchase some antiques and quilts. Their culture shock at being "north of the Line" is very amusing as is the interaction of these roommates who were not made in heaven. The plot has the usual twists and turns and the guilty party is truly a surprise!
Rating: 
Summary: Loose Plot in this one
Review: I have always found the Magdalena Yoder series to suffer from loose plot syndrome, but up to now the Den of Antiquity series didn't seem to have this problem, but it sure was apparent in this book. Ms. Myers' characterizations are usually quite good, and that doesn't disppoint in this book, but the plot is definitely disjointed, and when the real murderer is found I couldn't help but think, "Where did that come from?" There is simply no way that the story led to that murderer. It was a real surprise, but not a surprise that made any sense at all. The one unique thing about this book was that we got to see Abigail Timberlake and Magdalena Yoder in the same book, as Abby goes on a road trip to Hernia, Penssylvania on the trail of her murderer and forger.
Rating:
Summary: Loose Plot in this one
Review: I have always found the Magdalena Yoder series to suffer from loose plot syndrome, but up to now the Den of Antiquity series didn't seem to have this problem, but it sure was apparent in this book. Ms. Myers' characterizations are usually quite good, and that doesn't disppoint in this book, but the plot is definitely disjointed, and when the real murderer is found I couldn't help but think, "Where did that come from?" There is simply no way that the story led to that murderer. It was a real surprise, but not a surprise that made any sense at all. The one unique thing about this book was that we got to see Abigail Timberlake and Magdalena Yoder in the same book, as Abby goes on a road trip to Hernia, Penssylvania on the trail of her murderer and forger.
Rating:
Summary: So annoying
Review: If it weren't for the cat in this story, and the fact that I've actually read a worse mystery lately, this book would have gotten only 1 star.
Basically, the character is annoying and the writer is clearly overly enamored with herself. Abby lies for no reason, jumps to frustrating, ridiculous conclusions - getting huffy for no reason except, presumably, for the reader's amusement. It is not amusing. She's so annoying, I am not surprised her husband ran off with Tweetie.
The author clearly thinks she's a humorist - she is not. The combination of Abby and Magdelena is predictable, annoying (again), and pointless. Also, I'm so sick of the celebrity jokes/references in the Penn-Dutch mysteries I could scream.
I agree with the other reviewer who commented on the author inserting herself into the story line (and having Abby state she's a good writer no less). This behavior distances the writer from the reader. It is not cute and it is, yes, annoying.
What I'm finding more and more in cozies is that the heroine never actually solves the mystery. She just stumbles around with little or no plan and the bad persons identify themselves. What is this? Why can't we have the quirky characters AND a substantive mystery?
I encourage you to read a Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery instead (maybe "Burglars can't be choosers").
Rating: 
Summary: Escape into an American "Cozy" and a life to envy!
Review: The joy in reading "So Faux, So Good" is getting to experience the heroine's life. She's a smart, clever, wealthy antique shop dealer with a cat and many friends, both male and female. Her world is auctions, beautiful antiques, attending to her cat, having talks or outings or fun times with other clever, successful antique shop owners. Her mother gives her fabulous, expensive presents, lives her own life, and doesn't request or nag--and certainly entertains. She has a gorgeous, slightly jealous boyfriend, good jewelry, and kids who actually listen to her and obey her orders when she interacts with them (rarely). She manages to get rooms when none are available, cars when none are available, and to win competitive auctions. Her friends all want to come to her parties and go on trips with her. Men she doesn't even want are attracted to her and offer her special treatment. In other words, the fun of the novel is experiencing the fantasy of such a beautiful life, that of America's version of the local squire or his lady: a wealthy local business owner who has an important position in the community and lives the American dream. The murder and art fraud just add to the ambiance--this is the American version of a British cozy. If you value excellent plot and character development, this isn't the novel for you. This novel is for sitting down with a cup of tea, your cat, and your beautiful throw to enjoy "me time," savoring the pleasure of momentarily sharing the good life with the heroine. Even better, the killer is difficult to predict, and there are some good laughs along the way.
Rating:
Summary: Escape into an American "Cozy" and a life to envy!
Review: The joy in reading "So Faux, So Good" is getting to experience the heroine's life. She's a smart, clever, wealthy antique shop dealer with a cat and many friends, both male and female. Her world is auctions, beautiful antiques, attending to her cat, having talks or outings or fun times with other clever, successful antique shop owners. Her mother gives her fabulous, expensive presents, lives her own life, and doesn't request or nag--and certainly entertains. She has a gorgeous, slightly jealous boyfriend, good jewelry, and kids who actually listen to her and obey her orders when she interacts with them (rarely). She manages to get rooms when none are available, cars when none are available, and to win competitive auctions. Her friends all want to come to her parties and go on trips with her. Men she doesn't even want are attracted to her and offer her special treatment. In other words, the fun of the novel is experiencing the fantasy of such a beautiful life, that of America's version of the local squire or his lady: a wealthy local business owner who has an important position in the community and lives the American dream. The murder and art fraud just add to the ambiance--this is the American version of a British cozy. If you value excellent plot and character development, this isn't the novel for you. This novel is for sitting down with a cup of tea, your cat, and your beautiful throw to enjoy "me time," savoring the pleasure of momentarily sharing the good life with the heroine. Even better, the killer is difficult to predict, and there are some good laughs along the way.
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