A Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery Series

A con artist meets his end on a country road—and a lot of swindled senior citizens are suspects: “Hilarious…a delightful debut.”—Joan Hess   Determined to make a new start in her quaint hometown on the banks of the Mississippi, Brandy Borne never dreams she'll become the prime suspect in a murder case. . . Moving back in with her eccentric, larger-than-life mother, Brandy Borne finds small-town Serenity, Iowa, anything but serene. It seems an unscrupulous antiques dealer has swindled Vivian out of the family's heirlooms. But when he is found run over in a country lane, Brandy becomes Murder Suspect Number One--with her mother coming in a very close second. . . The list of other suspects is impressive--the victim's business seems to have been based on bilking seniors out of their possessions. And when the Borne "girls" uncover a few very unsavory Serenity secrets, they become targets for a murderer whose favorite hobby seems to be collecting victims.   “A likable heroine.”—Booklist   “Enormously entertaining.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Includes Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!

A mother-daughter team of antiques dealers finds a body rolled up in a rug in “another amusing mystery” in the popular series (Kirkus Reviews).   Storage wars erupt when Brandy Borne and her suspiciously well-informed mother, Vivian, win an abandoned storage unit’s mystery contents. The good news is a rare vintage cornet. The bad news is the recently stowed body of Big Jim Bob, Vivian's former tipster. Worse, an intruder steals into the Borne home to mete out some ruff justice to Brandy's ferociously fluffy shih tzu, Sushi, while making off with the heirloom horn. When the sleuthing duo finds another stashed victim, the hunt is on for a corpse-hoarding killer trying to blow “Taps” for all concerned…   “This humorous cozy is framed by life in small-town Iowa and teems with quirky characters. It will appeal to readers who enjoy Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow mysteries.”—Booklist   Includes Brandy Borne's Tips On Antiques! Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n' Treasures Mystery Series. . . "One of the funniest cozy series going." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine "Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops." --Joan Hess "Top pick! Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships." --Romantic Times Book Reviews

An antiques dealer browses for suspects: “Lively…this bubbly tongue-in-cheek cozy also includes flea market shopping tips and a recipe.”—Publishers Weekly   Winner of a Romantic Times Award for Most Humorous Mystery   As the Christmas season gets into full swing in the Mississippi River town of Serenity, Iowa, antiques connoisseur Brandy Borne finds herself in the midst of holiday mayhem when Walter Yeager, an old flame of her mother’s—and a fellow antiques dealer—becomes a victim of Yuletide homicide. And his precious first edition of Tarzan of the Apes has disappeared…   “Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess   “Surely one of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

A cozy mystery with “a fast-paced plot, plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, and tips on antique collecting” (Library Journal).   Spring has sprung a major leak in far-from-serene Serenity, as the Mississippi River drops in for an extended stay. With homes and businesses flooded, how better to help the town recover than by staging a church bazaar? Brandy Borne knows her mother Vivian's plan, however, is more likely to lean toward bizarre, especially when she hears Mother wheedle a reclusive Russian heiress into donating the last Faberge egg ever created! When the winning bidder turns up mortally scrambled, Brandy and Mother cook up a plan to crack the case of this killer. . .who is one seriously bad egg! Includes Miss Brandy Borne's Tips On Antiques!   “Auction tips and a recipe for spicy beef stew enhance this satirical cozy.”—Publishers Weekly  Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery Series. . . “Top pick! . . .thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships.”—Romantic Times Book Reviews “Engaging and utterly believable.”—Sara Paretsky “This is surely one of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

A mother-and-daughter team explore old furniture—and an old murder: “One of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Brandy Borne and her dramatically ditzy mother, Vivian, are stars of the new reality show Antiques Sleuths. The season opens in a perfect location—a quaint old house echoing with the unsolved whispers of a sixty-year-old axe murder. But when the show's producer meets a similarly grisly end, Brandy and Mother must chop around for clues, axe the right questions, and get the edge on a murderer's mysterious motives. Otherwise our sharp-witted sleuths may face cancellation—on the cutting room floor!   “The characters, both primary and secondary, shine with brassy humor.”—Publishers Weekly Don’t miss Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!   Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery Series. . . “Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships.”—Romantic Times Book Reviews “Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess “You'll laugh out loud.”—Mystery Scene

After her mom makes a counterfeit confession, an antiques dealer must find the real murderer: “A sure-fire winner.”—Publishers Weekly   Brandy Borne is pretty sure her “charmingly eccentric” (a.k.a. “off her meds”) mother, Vivian, didn't kill that viperous mousy-haired busybody Connie Grimes. But there's the small matter of her guilty plea. . ..While Mother blithely adapts to life behind bars by organizing a jailhouse theater troupe, seven-months-pregnant Brandy and her intrepid shih tzu, Sushi, trundle into a morass of fake antiques and faux collectibles. In the dog days of summer, they'd better not bark up the wrong tree—or a scheming killer just may put the bite on them… “An often amusing tale complete with lots of antiques-buying tips and an ending that may surprise you.”—Kirkus Reviews   "If you like laugh-out-loud mysteries, this one will make your day." --Romantic Times (4.5 stars) Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n' Treasures Mystery Series. . . "You'll laugh out loud as Brandy and Vivian bumble their way through murder investigations in far-from-serene Serenity, Iowa." --Mystery Scene "One of the funniest cozy series going." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

A trip to a New York comic-book convention pits antiques dealers against a villain: “Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess   Small-town Iowa sleuths Brandy and Vivian Borne—with their trusty shih tzu, Sushi—head for a Big Apple comics convention to sell a rare 1940s Superman drawing. When an intruder breaks into their hotel suite, their madcap Manhattan misadventure is only beginning. Soon the out-of-towners stumble onto a murder victim impaled by a pen-shaped award. Villains abound—from cartoonists to crime bosses—creating a jumble of clues. But Brandy and Vivian will leave no comic-book page unturned in their race to trap a ruthless killer.   “The exploits of the ditzy heroines remain endlessly amusing.”—Kirkus Reviews   “Fans of the series will enjoy the banter between this pair of engaging characters.”—Booklist   “Humorous… Tips about comics collecting add to the cozy fun.”—Publishers Weekly   Don't miss Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!

The wife of a local tycoon is murdered, and there’s a wealth of suspects to choose from…“A madcap series with nonstop humor.”—RT Book Reviews It happened at Serenity's swap meet, right after Brandy Borne and her ever-more-eccentric mother, Vivian, finished shooting the pilot for their very own TV show, Antiques Sleuths. Brandy just, well, lost her balance and fell . . . into the helpful arms of an old flame, local tycoon Wesley Sinclair III. But did Brandy's innocent slip lead to the murder of Wesley's wife, Vanessa? Sure, Vanessa was furious that she caught Brandy in Wesley's embrace. And she did storm off threatening dire consequences for her humbled husband. So when Vanessa turns up very dead, the local tongue-wag is that Wesley may have permanently dethroned the queen of his castle. But Brandy—along with her notoriously nosy mother and their sleuthing shih tzu Sushi—is determined to dig for the whole truth. Each new clue points in a different direction. What about this suspicious Club of Eight, a super-secret high-society bridge group that supposedly has very liberal rules about “partners”? When a key witness joins the dead list, Brandy and Vivian know they've got to crack this case before the remorseless killer puts an end to their antiquing days—forever!   “A likable heroine.”—Booklist   “One of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Includes Brandy Borne's tips on swap meets!

An auction house becomes a crime scene in this rollicking mystery starring an “amusingly ditzy duo” (Kirkus Reviews).   With their reality TV series, Antiques Sleuths, Brandy Borne and her quaintly kooky mother, Vivian, have a real hit on their hands. But when the bidding turns deadly, Brandy finds herself ornately framed for murder. Aided only by Sushi, their loyal shih tzu, and police dog Rocky, the wacky mother-and-daughter sleuthing team races to determine how an empty antique frame can hold a deadly portrait, before they become the subjects of another masterpiece of murder.   Includes Brandy Borne’s tips on investing in antiques!   Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mysteries!   “If you delight in the absurd and enjoy manic humor, you’ll treasure the Trash ‘n’ Treasure mysteries.” —Mystery Scene   “The characters, both primary and secondary, shine with brassy humor.”—Publishers Weekly

A village festival offers a Shakespeare play, an antiques sale—and a murder: “Surely one of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine   Brandy Borne’s exceedingly eccentric mother, Vivian, has been invited to perform her one-woman interpretation of “the Scottish play” (sometimes called Macbeth)—with different hats for different characters—at the neighboring town of Old York's annual fête. The weekend festival celebrates the quaint village's English flavor. Brandy, sensing a possible theatrical disaster, and savvy shih tzu Sushi, sensing possible doggy treats, tag along with the scene-stealing septuagenarian. As soon as they arrive in the cozy hamlet, tragedy strikes: the theater owner drops dead onstage while giving Vivian the grand tour. That wasn't in the script and before they know it, Brandy and Vivian are entangled in a progressively perilous murder plot. Besides the cream teas and Chippendale chairs, it seems there are skeletons lurking among Old York's charming pubs and enticing antiques stalls … When a second victim turns up mysteriously murdered, the dynamic duo knows they've got to step into the spotlight. But the remorseless killer seems to be well rehearsed for the Borne girls…and won't leave even the smallest detail of their demise to fête!   “Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess Includes Brandy Borne's tips on antiques fairs!

“This humorous cozy—with its well-drawn, quirky characters—is a hoot.” —Booklist When a series of creepy crimes plagues an ill-fated Edgar Allan Poe festival, newly elected county sheriff Vivian Borne, along with her reluctant deputy daughter Brandy and spunky shih tzu Sushi, springs into action. A purloined tome, a black cat, a musty mausoleum, and mysterious disappearances—these tell the tale of a heartless murderer. But Vivian and Brandy Borne are determined to decipher the cryptic clues to make sure a ravin’-mad killer strikes “nevermore”!   Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on white elephant sales!   Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mysteries   “Plenty of plausible suspects make this one of the best in Allan's long-running series, which is always humorous and full of tips for antiques hunters.” —Kirkus Reviews   “Cozy fans will enjoy spending time with Vivian and Brandy and friends.” —Publishers Weekly  “A madcap series with non-stop humor.” —RT Book Reviews

A mother-and-daughter sleuthing team are on the trail of the bad guys in this “diverting” cozy mystery (Publishers Weekly).   As spring lassos small-town Serenity, Iowa, Brandy Borne’s crime-bustin’ mama, Vivian, hatches a harebrained scheme to run for county sheriff—ropin’ in her daughter as campaign manager. First stop: a local assisted-living home, the ideal place to round up some voters and some much-needed funds. But shortly after they snag a valuable donation, a signed photo of an old-timey cowboy actor, a massive explosion sends Brandy to the ER and the donor to the grave. Now the ditzy duo—aided by their clever shih tzu, Sushi—must lay down the law on a deadly renegade . . .    Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mysteries   “A hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess   “One of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine   “The exploits of the ditzy heroines remain endlessly amusing.”—Kirkus Reviews   “Plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor.”—Library Journal   Includes Brandy Borne’s tips on white elephant sales!

That local theater diva of a certain age, Vivian Borne—a.k.a. Brandy’s Mother—is sheriff of Serenity County now, but still hot on the trail of precious antiques. On a tour of the historic Wentworth Mansion, the two dedicated dealers are aglow at the treasure trove of priceless objects . . . never dreaming everything will turn to ashes, hours later.   A charred corpse in the ruins is identified as the mansion’s caretaker, a one-time flame of Vivian’s. But Tony Cassato—Brandy’s beau and Serenity’s Chief of Police—throws cold water on Sheriff Vivian’s suspicions of murder. Then Brandy spots a certain familiar item for sale on the Internet, and Mother suspects the fire is just a smoke screen.     When their doggie detective, Sushi the shih tzu, sniffs out a second body in the woods, Mother and Brandy turn up the heat on a homicidal torcher. Because any killer who takes on the Borne girls is playing with fire.   Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on buying and selling antiques on the internet!   Visit us at kensington.com  

A special holiday short story in the series starring “a hilarious team of snoops” (Joan Hess).    Hey Santa, get a clue . . .   Baby, it’s cold outside at the small town of Serenity’s annual Holiday Stroll festivities. But that doesn’t stop Brandy Borne and her theatrical mother, Vivian, from making merry. That is, until the two find something frosty in Santa’s workshop—the jolly man in red, dead as a doornail. And the goodies inside his donation bag have vanished like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. It’s up to Brandy and Mother—with spirited shih tzu Sushi in tow—to take the reins and start checking off their naughty list. But the sleuthing duo might have to reckon with some ghosts of Christmas past before finally unwrapping the murderer… “One of the funniest cozy series going.”—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on antiques!

A special Christmas short story in “one of the funniest cozy series going” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine). The Christmas rush is on as Brandy Borne and her quaintly quirky mother, Vivian, sniff out plum collectibles for resale, only to find the owner of a Santa's workshop worth of treasures has received some deadly tidings. It's beginning to look a lot like murder. . .but who wanted the deceased closed for the holidays—permanently? Maybe a rival antiques dealer, a Grinch who collects Christmas? Or the victim's suspiciously frosty stepchildren? Brandy and Vivian check their list of who's been naughty or nice, but it may take a Christmas miracle—and some help from Sushi, their elfin shih tzu—to tie a bow around the season's most wanted killer. Includes Brandy Borne’s tips on antiques! Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n' Treasures Mystery Series. . . "A humorous cozy that teems with quirky characters." —Booklist "Brandy and her eccentric mother make a hilarious team of snoops." —Joan Hess "Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships." —Romantic Times Book Reviews

It’s curtains at Christmas in a special short story:“If you delight in the absurd and enjoy manic humor, you’ll treasure the Trash ‘n’ Treasure mysteries.” —Mystery Scene During the dress rehearsal for a festive Christmas play in small-town Serenity, Iowa, star Madeline de Morlaye topples over—on stage!—after a bite of prop pastry. Since the frosty actress had earned plenty of enemies through her offstage dramatics, the cast of suspects is longer than Santa's "Naughty or Nice" list. Prop mistress Brandy Borne and her diva-turned-director mother, Vivian—assisted by their savvy shih tzu, Sushi—must solve this fruitcake fatality before it's curtains for anyone else. Includes A Tasty Recipe! Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n' Treasures Mystery Series "Plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor." —Library Journal "A humorous cozy that teems with quirky characters." —Booklist "Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships." —Romantic Times Book Reviews "A hilarious team of snoops." —Joan Hess