The Mystery of the Village Theatre: A cozy-crime mystery set in an English village (The Antique Shop Mysteries Book 5) (English Edition)

Antiques Roadshow meets Agatha Christie! Discover your next favourite cozy mystery series, featuring a funny, feisty antique dealer turned amateur sleuth who lives in the cosiest corner of Kent.

Warm-hearted novice antique dealer Lina Townend has a talent for sniffing out trouble — but even she doesn’t expect the local village play to turn deadly!

Things aren’t looking bright for Lina. A flashy new antique centre has opened in the Kentish village of Bredeham, stealing her customers and threatening the future of her beloved shop.

At least her dear friend and mentor, Griff Tripp, has something to smile about — he’s been cast as the lead in Curtain Call, a local amateur play. But when Lina reluctantly agrees to help behind the scenes, she quickly realises that something’s rotten in the oast-house theatre.

Tyres are slashed. Nasty messages appear. Someone hides a dead fish in a heating venting. And when a cast member collapses and dies mid-rehearsal, Lina knows this is more than harmless backstage drama.

Convinced Griff is in danger, she starts her own investigation, stepping into the spotlight — and straight into danger. Because behind the greasepaint and gossip lurks a killer. And unless she can unmask them before opening night, the final curtain will fall on more than just the play.

This delightful traditional mystery series is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Lovejoy, Clare Chase, M.C. Beaton, Simon Brett, Margaret Yorke and The Thursday Murder Club — and anyone who enjoys a good rummage in an antique shop!

Please note, this book was previously published as Guilt Trip, and has been lightly edited for language.

READERS LOVE THE MYSTERY OF THE VILLAGE THEATRE:

‘Lots of action and clever writing make this an exceptional addition to this traditional series.’ Publishers Weekly Starred Review

‘[Lina has] considerable charm’ Kirkus Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I found I was turning the pages faster and faster as the tension mounted in the last fifty pages of this entertaining and well written story.’ Damaskcat

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh no . . . I’m not ready for this one to be over!! It has such a unique set of characters you just want to know more and more about their lives.’ Carlin

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I have loved all of the books that I have read by this author.’ SM

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant book. All great.’ James

MEET LINA TOWNEND
Lina Townend is not your average antique dealer. Warm, clever, and endlessly curious, she has an uncanny ‘divvy’s nose’ for spotting treasures among the bric-a-brac, and a knack for sniffing out trouble where others see only clutter. Living and working alongside her eccentric mentor, Griff Tripp, who she loves as if he were her own grandfather, Lina spends her days at bustling village fairs, in her cosy shop, and trawling auctions for hidden gems. Lina grew up in the care system, and beneath her confident exterior she’s still piecing together the puzzle of her own past — a search that makes every rare find feel just a little more personal.

THE SETTING
Sleepy Bredeham might not be the prettiest of villages in rural Kent – though it boasts its share of thatched cottages and white-painted boarded houses – but it’s the kind of place where you can’t walk down the street without seeing someone you want to stop and chat with. Visitors will find not just a welcoming pub and a village shop, but also a chemist that doubles as a stationer and bookstore. And at the heart of it all sits the small, cluttered, yet inviting antique shop, packed with curios and treasures waiting to be discovered. Bredeham is a village full of warmth, community, and familiar faces — but, as Lina knows all too well, even the cosiest corner of Kent hides its share of crime!

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GLGWLDMR
Éditeur ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books cozy crime thriller, mystery and suspense
Accessibilité ‏ : ‎ En savoir plus
Date de publication ‏ : ‎ 4 mars 2026
Langue ‏ : ‎ Anglais
Taille du fichier ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
Lecteur d’écran  ‏ : ‎ Pris en charge
Confort de lecture ‏ : ‎ Activé
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Non activée
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Activé
Nombre de pages de l’édition imprimée  ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1805734994
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Activé
Livre 5 sur 6 ‏ : ‎ The Antique Shop Mysteries
Classement des meilleures ventes d’Amazon : 3 840 en Boutique Kindle (Voir les 100 premiers en Boutique Kindle) 13 en Mysteries 37 en Policier et suspense en langues étrangères 108 en Femmes détectives