Tiles and Tribulations (Den of Antiquity Mysteries)

Abigail Timberlake Washburn would rather be anywhere else on a muggy Charleston summer evening -- even putting in extra hours at her antiques shop -- than at a séance. But her best friend, "Calamity Jane," thinks a spirit -- or "Apparition American," as ectoplasmically-correct Abby puts it -- lurks in the eighteenth-century Georgian mansion, complete with priceless, seventeenth-century Portuguese kitchen tiles, that C.J. just bought as a fixer-upper. Luckily, Abby's mama located a psychic in the yellow pages -- a certain Madame Woo-Woo -- and, together with a motley group of feisty retirees known as the "Heavenly Hustlers," they all get down to give an unwanted spook the heave-ho. But, for all her extrasensory abilities, the Madame didn't foresee that she, herself, would be forced over to the other side prematurely. Suddenly Abby fears there's more than a specter haunting C.J. And they’d better exorcise a flesh-and-blood killer fast before the recently departed Woo-Woo gets company.

Abigail Timberlake Washburn would rather be anywhere else on a muggy Charleston summer evening — even putting in extra hours at her antiques shop — than at a séance. But her best friend, "Calamity Jane," thinks a spirit — or "Apparition American," as ectoplasmically-correct Abby puts it — lurks in the eighteenth-century Georgian mansion, complete with priceless, seventeenth-century Portuguese kitchen tiles, that C.J. just bought as a fixer-upper. Luckily, Abby's mama located a psychic in the yellow pages — a certain Madame Woo-Woo — and, together with a motley group of feisty retirees known as the "Heavenly Hustlers," they all get down to give an unwanted spook the heave-ho. But, for all her extrasensory abilities, the Madame didn't foresee that she, herself, would be forced over to the other side prematurely. Suddenly Abby fears there's more than a specter haunting C.J. And they’d better exorcise a flesh-and-blood killer fast before the recently departed Woo-Woo gets company.

Publishers Weekly

Drenched in Southern charm, this hilarious new installment in Myers's Den of Antiquity mystery series (after Splendor in the Grass) finds pint-sized antiques dealer-cum-amateur sleuth Abigail Timberlake hot on the trail of another murderer. When Abby's best friend begins to suspect that a ghost is haunting her newly acquired mansion, she hires Madam Woo-Woo, psychic to Charleston's well-heeled antique collectors, to conduct a seance. Shortly after the seance, Madam Woo-Woo passes from the world of the living, apparently having been poisoned. At first, Abby is more interested in the cache of 17th-century Portuguese tiles that she finds plastered to a wall inside the mansion than the psychic's demise-until human remains are discovered behind the same wall. Abby's usual entourage-new hubby Greg, ex-hubby Buford, best friend C.J., the gay Rob-Bobs, and Mama, the quintessential Southern Belle-make appearances and infuse the tale with wild antics and witty banter. Fans of laugh-out-loud mystery fare and all things old and rare are sure to find this an exceptional delight. (Mar. 25) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

Abigail Timberlake Washburn would rather be anywhere else on a muggy Charleston summer evening — even putting in extra hours at her antiques shop — than at a seance. But her best friend, "Calamity Jane," thinks a spirit — or "Apparition American," as ectoplasmically-correct Abby puts it — lurks in the eighteenth-century Georgian mansion, complete with priceless, seventeenth-century Portuguese kitchen tiles, that C.J. just bought as a fixer-upper. Luckily, Abby's mama located a psychic in the yellow pages — a certain Madame Woo-Woo — and, together with a motley group of feisty retirees known as the "Heavenly Hustlers," they all get down to give an unwanted spook the heave-ho. But, for all her extrasensory abilities, the Madame didn't foresee that she, herself, would be forced over to the other side prematurely. Suddenly Abby fears there's more than a specter haunting C.J. And they'd better exorcise a flesh-and-blood killer fast before the recently departed Woo-Woo gets company. After her best friend buys a reputedly haunted house, Abigail Timberlake Washburn reluctantly agrees to attend a séance to exorcise the unwanted apparition, but events turn dangerous after the psychic, Madame Woo-Woo, is killed After her best friend buys a reputedly haunted house, Abigail Timberlake Washburn reluctantly agrees to attend a seance to exorcise the unwanted apparition, but events turn dangerous after the psychic, Madame Woo-Woo, is killed Title from PDF title page (viewed on Mar. 21, 2007).