Archie’s Antiques Mystery Puzzles: Book 2
Archie’s Antiques is a charming fictional antique shop set in a small town somewhere in Australia. And inside Archie’s are a wonderful group of characters: Sam, the knowledgeable owner of Archie’s, his clever friend, the retired policeman, Edward Destranger, and his young niece, Sandra. Also, you will find a surfeit of mysteries and puzzles.
Archie’s not only attracts all sorts of curious questions but also interesting people. It welcomes through its doors a parade of charlatans, frauds, and pranksters, who arrive with a variety of dishonest schemes and ingenious tricks. It also attracts ordinary townsfolk and Sam’s family and friends. Who bring their troubles and problems through its door in search of answers.
Robin Hillard’s Archie’s Antiques Mystery Puzzles books each contain twenty-eight small mysteries, or puzzles, that the shop’s staff, and you, the reader, can investigate and solve.
The mysteries in these books often include intriguing snippets of general knowledge that may entice you to look deeper into things, or they may involve exposing the type of scams that can easily take in the unwary.
As Sam, Edward, Sandra; their family and friends; and Archie’s customers struggle with these mysteries, you can try to match your brains against theirs in finding a way around every problem and a solution to every mystery.
Excerpt taken from Puzzle: 43. BUCK ’EM UP
When the Furbelow sisters came into Archie’s Antiques, Sandra remembered what her uncle had told her about the family.
That they used to be rich, but in the 60s old Furbelow decided to be a gentleman farmer. He bought a property because he was impressed with the old family home, but he didn’t know the first thing about working the land and he lost more money every year. It broke his heart and he faded away, leaving a dilapidated farm and an empty bank account.
The daughters were made of sterner stuff. Daphne and her younger sister, Jasmine, turned the unprofitable property into a thriving holiday resort, and since Daphne considered guests who paid for an expensive vacation deserved to be impressed with family heirlooms, she often came into Archie’s Antiques.
Today her attention was caught by the portrait of a Victorian gentleman in full military regalia, his chest ablaze with medals. Earlier Furbelows had overlooked the need to have themselves painted and Sandra wondered if Daphne was buying herself an ancestor.
“Just what we need in the hall,” Daphne enthused, while Jasmine praised his distinguished expression.
“Perhaps he can haunt the bedrooms,” Sandra suggested impishly. Daphne shook her head but looked as if she did not entirely discount the suggestion. She wanted her guests to get their money’s worth.
“And he can chase away the villains,” she said, scowling at her sister in what obviously was an ongoing argument. Jasmine was moved to protest that “kind Mr. Foley” was a good man.
“He certainly spun you a yarn,” Daphne said disgustedly, “With his mumbo jumbo and snake oil.”
“What vile tasting mix has the fellow fobbed off,” Sam asked, laughing. “And what is it supposed to do?”
