book cover of Ruby Red Herring
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Ruby Red Herring

(2021)
(The first book in the Avery Ayers Mystery series)
A novel by

 
 
A 2022 MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD Nominee
 
In this Avery Ayers Antique Mystery series debut, perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Jane K. Cleland, an antiques appraiser hunts a missing gem while probing her parents' deaths.

After her parents' deaths, Avery Ayers takes over the family business, Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised, from the home office in Lilac Grove and a branch in Manhattan. Now living back at home with her younger sister Tilly and their newly moved-in, eccentric Aunt Midge and her Afghan hound, Avery's life is filled with jewels, tapestries, paintings, and rare finds. But their world is rocked when Avery learns that the theft of a priceless ruby may be connected to her parents' demise.

The trouble starts when the Museum of Antiquities hires Avery to appraise a rare, resplendent ruby. It bears a striking similarity to a solitary stone in the museum's prized Xiang Dynasty bejeweled dragon medallion exhibit, which has long been missing one of its ruby eyes. Now, Avery and her colleagues--ostentatious Sir Robert Lane and fatherly Micah Abbott--suspect they may have the missing gem. But facets of the case remain cloudy. Security guard Art Smith is always underfoot but is not what he appears. Another body turns up connected to the appraisal. And Avery receives mysterious notes that begin to put her life in danger.

Avery enlists possible ally Art's help in cutting the list of suspects who might have polished off her parents and swiped the jewel. Was it art collector Oliver Renell? Curator Nate Brennan? Acquisitions Liaison Francesca Giolitti? Actor Tyler Chadwick? Was the crime impersonal or perpetrated by someone all too close to Avery? If she can't find the culprit, lovely Lilac Grove may be the setting for Avery's own death.



Genre: Cozy Mystery

Praise for this book

"Tracy Gardner has created a complex mystery with delightful characters while giving us the coziness of a small town and the glamour of New York City." - Sharon Dunn

"Ruby Red Herring was a delightfully charming and unique cozy. With great characters, lots of twists, and an intriguing premise, it was a pleasure to read." - Jody Holford

"Don’t miss this wonderful mystery with a main character you’ll adore. I loved this book. It’s a real gem!" - Paige Shelton

"RUBY RED HERRING shimmers and sparkles like the mysterious gemstone at the center of this cozy mystery. Full of twists and turns, I loved every page." - Teri Wilson


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