The Antique Store Detective and the Deadly Inheritance - (A Bella Winter Mystery) by Clare Chase (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A mysterious death and a missing ruby necklace... it's clearly a case for antique store owner and amateur sleuth Bella Winters!

Nobody was surprised when Clemmie Crowe passed away - she'd been sick for a long time. But Bella Winter isn't sure it's as simple as it seems. Why was Clemmie so agitated the day she died - and why did she ask a local policeman to call on her?

Bella's certain Clemmie knew something about her relatives, the powerful Powell family. They used to own half of Hope Eaton, but now they're planning to sell what remains... Including the Steps Café, owned by Bella's best friends.

The sale has to be stopped. Where else will Bella get her sausage sandwiches? Perhaps Clemmie's secret will be enough to put a spanner in the works. So when matriarch Althea Powell invites her to value their possessions, Bella jumps at the chance. She can find some gems, investigate Clemmie's death, and stymie the sale all at once.

It seems to be going swimmingly... until it's proved that Clemmie was murdered, and Althea's priceless ruby necklace vanishes. The list of suspects is as long as Bella's arm. Was it Althea's shady stepson, desperate for cash? His older brother, who wants to sell up? Or even her husband, who keeps changing his will?

Then Bella finds the necklace in the last place she expects, upsetting everything she thought she knew. Where there's a will, there's bound to be a quarrel. But can Bella figure out whose inheritance means murder, before things turn deadly for her?

A completely charming English cozy mystery. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love following the fiendish clues as Bella cracks her most puzzling case yet!

See what everyone's saying about the Bella Winter series:

'Absolutely brilliant... Addictive... Stunning... Absolutely fantastic... Clear your schedules as once you've picked this up you won't be able to put it down!!... Amazing... Addictive and page-turning... Fantastic!!!!' bookwormwhitlock86

'Fantastic... I loved it from cover to cover... Had me hooked right from the start... Outstanding.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Drew me in from the very first page... Really did keep me on my toes throughout... Perfect... I loved it.' Cal Turner Reviews

'Hooked from start to finish... I absolutely adored it!' Baker's Not So Secret Book Blog

'Loved this!... Highly recommend.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Pace that kept me wanting to keep reading like crazy.' Goodreads reviewer

'Charming and suspenseful... A delightful read for fans of clever puzzles!' NetGalley reviewer