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Whisper of Treasure and Lies:
Some secrets die with their owners. Others hide in silence, waiting to be set free.
Edie Brown despises the bigwig antique and art dealer Felix Graham. She even suspects he had a hand in her mom being set up for the art forgery charge that sent her to prison. However, when Graham is drugged and robbed after purchasing a valuable antique bottle and a box of local historical items, Edie agrees to hunt down the thieves for him. In payment, she wants one everything Graham knows about her mom being set up—who was involved, how they did it…all the information that could lead to her mom’s freedom.
But the number of possible thieves is as plentiful as the potential motives. Graham’s womanizing ways and slippery business practices barely outweigh the stolen pieces’ rarity and value. As Edie, her uncle Tuck, and enigmatic employee, Kala, dive into the dangerous search, evidence that the crime is tied to the stolen pieces’ history surface. Both the bottle—known as the Glass Widow—and the box of ephemera are related to a tragedy that occurred the night before the grand opening of a Victorian-era hydropathic resort, a shocking fragment of Vermont history that involved a peculiar dowry, concealed murder, and a fire that claimed lives and gutted the lavish resort.
With her mom’s mental health rapidly declining in prison, Edie must fight against the clock to expose the thieves by untangling a mystery with roots that stretch from the Victorian-era to the recent robbery, and perhaps into Edie’s own past as well.
Edie Brown despises the bigwig antique and art dealer Felix Graham. She even suspects he had a hand in her mom being set up for the art forgery charge that sent her to prison. However, when Graham is drugged and robbed after purchasing a valuable antique bottle and a box of local historical items, Edie agrees to hunt down the thieves for him. In payment, she wants one everything Graham knows about her mom being set up—who was involved, how they did it…all the information that could lead to her mom’s freedom.
But the number of possible thieves is as plentiful as the potential motives. Graham’s womanizing ways and slippery business practices barely outweigh the stolen pieces’ rarity and value. As Edie, her uncle Tuck, and enigmatic employee, Kala, dive into the dangerous search, evidence that the crime is tied to the stolen pieces’ history surface. Both the bottle—known as the Glass Widow—and the box of ephemera are related to a tragedy that occurred the night before the grand opening of a Victorian-era hydropathic resort, a shocking fragment of Vermont history that involved a peculiar dowry, concealed murder, and a fire that claimed lives and gutted the lavish resort.
With her mom’s mental health rapidly declining in prison, Edie must fight against the clock to expose the thieves by untangling a mystery with roots that stretch from the Victorian-era to the recent robbery, and perhaps into Edie’s own past as well.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2025
2 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Trish Esden
6 books249 followersTrish is the award-winning author of twisty contemporary New England mysteries centered on feisty women who rise up with determination, heart, and a passion for justice when crime strikes their small-town communities.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 24, 2025
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this 3rd Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery, Edie Brown and her Uncle Tuck attend an auction of Bucky Sander’s estate. Bucky was a close friend of Edie’s grandparents and a mentor who taught her all about antique bottles, including the rare Maiden Springs Healing Water bottles. Up for auction is one of those bottles called the Glass Widow. It truly belongs in a museum, but the price climbed way out of the museum’s reach, and antique dealer, Felix Graham, took it for $110,000. Then he also outbid everyone for a late nineteenth-century Bible Box filled with local ephemera, a piece of which Edie is desperate to get her hands on.
The next day, Edie and her friend/roommate/employee search for Graham and find him making no sense outside his home. Appearing to be drugged, they help him into the house to learn he had been robbed of the Glass Widow and the Bible Box. While Graham is one of her least favorite people, and the fact that he was likely involved in her mother being set up for art forgery and being sent to prison, she agrees to try to track down the pieces and the people who stole them. But in return, she wants everything he knows about her mother’s so-called crime in hopes of getting her released.
With plenty of suspects, Edie, Tuck, and Kala use their skills to start a dangerous investigation. One that brings another historic crime to light. One that may connect with Edie’s own past.
Edie, Tuck, and Kala have become a family that not only keeps Scandal Mountain Fine Arts and Antiques running, but they also make a great team of amateur detectives when they put their minds to it. Each with their own strengths and tenaciousness to find the truth and do the right thing, they start searching for answers. Ms. Edsen has created these wonderful characters, and she continues to allow them to grow in realistic ways. She adds a canine to the mix this time with Sandra, a golden retriever with “soulful brown eyes” and talents of her own.
Ms. Esden has written a multifaceted mystery that takes off from page one and holds the reader tightly until the very end. Each twist and turn is carefully plotted. Kayla is on the trail for information, and what she finds breaks the case wide open. Suddenly Edie and Tuck find themselves in a whole lotta trouble. Trouble that also answers questions about an incident in Edie’s past. A surprising takedown was amazing and perfect. The true guilty party was not even on my radar, but when all was explained, it made sense. There were more mysteries to solve, and again, Edie is up to the task. I had a great time following along with Edie every step of her journey.
Whisper of Treasure and Lies is a story of secrets. Secrets long kept and finally revealed. As Edie said, When secrets come to light, “sometimes you discover what you hoped. Other times that rough ground yields the unexpected. But in the end, isn’t it what we do with the secret that matters most?” The book itself is a treasure and a wonderful addition to this series. Kudos! Ms. Esden! This story is a Perfect Escape! One readers should escape into a quickly as possible. I can’t wait for Book #4!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
In this 3rd Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery, Edie Brown and her Uncle Tuck attend an auction of Bucky Sander’s estate. Bucky was a close friend of Edie’s grandparents and a mentor who taught her all about antique bottles, including the rare Maiden Springs Healing Water bottles. Up for auction is one of those bottles called the Glass Widow. It truly belongs in a museum, but the price climbed way out of the museum’s reach, and antique dealer, Felix Graham, took it for $110,000. Then he also outbid everyone for a late nineteenth-century Bible Box filled with local ephemera, a piece of which Edie is desperate to get her hands on.
The next day, Edie and her friend/roommate/employee search for Graham and find him making no sense outside his home. Appearing to be drugged, they help him into the house to learn he had been robbed of the Glass Widow and the Bible Box. While Graham is one of her least favorite people, and the fact that he was likely involved in her mother being set up for art forgery and being sent to prison, she agrees to try to track down the pieces and the people who stole them. But in return, she wants everything he knows about her mother’s so-called crime in hopes of getting her released.
With plenty of suspects, Edie, Tuck, and Kala use their skills to start a dangerous investigation. One that brings another historic crime to light. One that may connect with Edie’s own past.
Edie, Tuck, and Kala have become a family that not only keeps Scandal Mountain Fine Arts and Antiques running, but they also make a great team of amateur detectives when they put their minds to it. Each with their own strengths and tenaciousness to find the truth and do the right thing, they start searching for answers. Ms. Edsen has created these wonderful characters, and she continues to allow them to grow in realistic ways. She adds a canine to the mix this time with Sandra, a golden retriever with “soulful brown eyes” and talents of her own.
Ms. Esden has written a multifaceted mystery that takes off from page one and holds the reader tightly until the very end. Each twist and turn is carefully plotted. Kayla is on the trail for information, and what she finds breaks the case wide open. Suddenly Edie and Tuck find themselves in a whole lotta trouble. Trouble that also answers questions about an incident in Edie’s past. A surprising takedown was amazing and perfect. The true guilty party was not even on my radar, but when all was explained, it made sense. There were more mysteries to solve, and again, Edie is up to the task. I had a great time following along with Edie every step of her journey.
Whisper of Treasure and Lies is a story of secrets. Secrets long kept and finally revealed. As Edie said, When secrets come to light, “sometimes you discover what you hoped. Other times that rough ground yields the unexpected. But in the end, isn’t it what we do with the secret that matters most?” The book itself is a treasure and a wonderful addition to this series. Kudos! Ms. Esden! This story is a Perfect Escape! One readers should escape into a quickly as possible. I can’t wait for Book #4!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
May 7, 2025
This was a wonderful cozy mystery set in the world of antiques. I do find it funny that Nancy Drew is mentioned a few times in this book, because while I was reading it, I had the feeling of it being like a modern Adult Nancy Drew. Cozy mysteries are alright in general, but they aren’t my typical read. Usually because they are too predictable. This book however was not predictable, and I didn’t see the end coming. I had some other theory’s that didn’t pan out. It’s a talented author that can write a book that you love in a genre you don’t typically read. I really loved the descriptions of the town, Vermont, and all the antiques. This is the third book in the series, but the first one I read. You don’t need to read the others first in order to enjoy this book, however if you read it out of order, there are some spoilers from the previous books. Looking forward to reading more of these. Now to go back and read the first two….
I received this book as an ARC. My review is voluntary and my own honest opinion.
I received this book as an ARC. My review is voluntary and my own honest opinion.
August 17, 2025
I absolutely loved Whisper of Treasure and Lies by Trish Esden! Her characters are completely relatable…you love them for their quirks, their strengths, and even their weaknesses. And the writing leaves you wondering about even the minor characters’ secrets and keeps you turning the pages until the end. This mystery is crafted in a way that takes something seemingly mundane—old glass bottles—and spins them into a tale of intrigue and danger set in the high-stakes world of antiques and art. This one hit home for me as, in my youth in Michigan, we used to dig through our neighbor’s farm dump—a gulley in the woods. I remember finding little blue and green glass vials! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, not only to learn about some other collectible, but to find out what is going on with Edie’s mom and Graham!
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
April 22, 2025
Trish Esden is back with the third book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques series. While not necessary to enjoy the book, having read the previous two books will help the reader understand references from those books. If you don't have a working knowledge of antiques (which I don't) you might need to Google at least one description of items at the auction, emphera. This is important, as this description is central to the story. The book grabs and keeps your attention from beginning to end. You're not likely to guess the name of the villain. And if you are a dog lover, you will enjoy the addition of Sandra, the golden retriever. All in all, Whisper of Treasure and Lies is a well written, enjoyable read. Now comes the hard part, waiting for book number four!
May 5, 2025
Whisper of Treasure and Lies is the third book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series. Edie Brown, her uncle Tuck, and their employee Kala look into a case of stolen antiques of rival store owner Felix Graham. Felix may have information as to who set up Edie’s mom for art forgery. Edie doesn’t like the idea of helping Felix, but she wants to know who tipped off the authorities that landed her mom in prison.
There are several side stories involved including new information about the fatal plane crash that killed Edie’s grandparents. Along the way, Edie becomes the dog sitter for Sandra, a strange dog! There were lots of possible suspects, and extra characters that it took a minute to remember who everyone was.
The author describes life in Scandal Mountain, Vermont. Edie, Tuck, and Kala are great characters. With each book in the series we get to see more of their talents for solving cases. I can picture this being a TV series!
I received an ARC from the author, all opinions are my own.
There are several side stories involved including new information about the fatal plane crash that killed Edie’s grandparents. Along the way, Edie becomes the dog sitter for Sandra, a strange dog! There were lots of possible suspects, and extra characters that it took a minute to remember who everyone was.
The author describes life in Scandal Mountain, Vermont. Edie, Tuck, and Kala are great characters. With each book in the series we get to see more of their talents for solving cases. I can picture this being a TV series!
I received an ARC from the author, all opinions are my own.
April 25, 2025
Antique dealer Edie Brown is back in Whisper of Treasure and Lies, book three of the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series. The story hits the ground running with a high-pressure auction, and the tension never lets up. The stakes are high as Edie has to cut a deal with the unsavory Felix Graham, agreeing to search for a highly valuable antique in exchange for information about her mother's false imprisonment. It's an incredibly fun read that kept me guessing through to the end, my favorite of the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series so far.
November 10, 2025
Trish Esden, herself an antiques dealer, brings her expertise to a complex plot set in the small town of Scandal Mountain, Vermont. At the auction of her old friend and mentor's estate, Edie Brown comes across new evidence in the 1883 burning of the local spa and murder of its owner--evidence that also sheds light on the "accident" that killed her grandparents. An attractive family of choice, a good boyfriend relationship (complicated because he's a policeman), and a fast-moving adventure. Fans of thrifting and Antiques Roadshow will thrill to the fun of the antiques chase.
April 23, 2025
The thrill of the hunt! Antique hunters and mystery solvers know the attraction, the draw, the obsession that the thrill of the hunt brings. Trish Esden and her cast of characters bring the reader smack dab in the middle of the page-turning adventure from page one! Then add the vivid description of picturesque Vermont and the pages turn even faster. I loved Esden’s previous Vermont based antique adventures, but “Whisper of Treasure and Lies” is my favorite!
December 6, 2025
Smart, suspenseful, and emotionally compelling, Whisper of Treasure and Lies is a wonderful installment in this beautifully crafted series by talented author Trish Esden!
January 11, 2026
I'm following this series. It's local to my area, offers a lot of soft-serve information that I find tantalizing, and the author keeps me guessing. It's a win win win.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews