Dead Men Don’t Decorate

Old Town Antiques Mystery #1

by Cordy Abbott

Art, murder, and a secret dating back centuries collide in Cordy Abbott’s delightful cozy mystery series debut, perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland.

Roberto Fratelli, proprietor of the antiques store Waited4You, is the meanest man in Marthasville, Virginia. So when he puts the business up for sale, the other merchants in town are overjoyed. And now the business has a prospective buyer: local resident and the newly elected mayor's mom, Camille Benson, who’s thrilled at the prospect of getting into the antiques business. During a celebration in honor of Camille’s new venture, her best friend, Opal, tells her about finding a letter, purportedly from Sally Fairfax to George Washington, dated 1756, hidden under a chair in the shop. When they return to retrieve the cache, they find Roberto’s lifeless body on the floor and no letter.

Police question Ella Coleman, Roberto’s ex-wife, and discover that her current husband supplied Roberto with oh-so-faux Victorian furniture. Did the two cheat the wrong customer? Or could the murder be connected to an earlier theft of rare books from the shop—a theft Roberto never reported?

As Camille prepares to confront these questions and investigate the murder, she knows she might become the latest knock-off.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Contemporary, Fiction, Amateur Sleuth, Murder Mystery

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Camille Benson is a 55 year old art history teacher who enjoys decorating on the side. Her parents owned an antique store when she was growing up—Waited4You—in the seaport town of Marthasville—a suburb of Washington, D.C. When her best friend, Opal Wells tells her the store is for sale, Camille decides to buy it. Her son, Paul, an attorney, has just been elected mayor, and is also looking out for his mother’s interests.

When Camille and Opal discover a dead body in the store on the night Camille closed on the store purchase; several discrepancies in the previous owner’s inventory, and a missing letter possibly written to George Washington in the mid-19th century; the two friends become deeply involved in the murder investigation plus the search for the letter. Clues are skillfully imbedded throughout the plot, and fingers can be pointed at several alleged suspects until something clicks into place in Camille’s memory and she realizes the murderer’s identity.

I enjoyed this light, easy read. I’m interested in seeing where the author takes the next story. I was thrilled the author chose two standard schnauzers as the pets and protectors of Camille. I look forward to reading future stories in the Old Town Antiques Mystery series.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the beginning of a new series that I think will be a fun one to read. Camille Benson lives in Marthasville, Virginia near DC. She grew up spending her time in her parents' antique store and when it comes on the market, she decides to buy it and not return to her job as a college professor. The ink is barely dry on the sale when the past, grumpy owner who had turned over the keys to her, is found murdered inside the shop. Camille and her best friend Opal put their heads together to figure out what is going on and there are several different odds things that cannot be explained. As in most small towns, most people know each other, and Camille and Opal know people with the police force and are close to the commonwealth attorney, Janie, who feeds them information from the investigation. Camille's son has just been elected mayor. Opal is a little wacky but adds quirkiness to the situation. Fun read with a good, multilayered mystery and a small pool of suspects. Big stars of the book are Camille's pups and Janie and her boyfriend and police detective Nick's pup, who all steal the show. For cozy mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy those with canines. I received a complimentary copy from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts are mine only.

[Emmalynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, however there was sooooo much over explaining and pages and pages of historical text, I felt I was either reading a history book or textbook at times. Secondly, most of the characters were just blah. Camille, the main character a professor who quits her job to purchase the antique shop her parents previously owned, is just ehhh.. Opal her best friend is over the top and not funny; it’s as if the 123 of cozy mystery formula was being followed but it just didn’t work in this case.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

History meets mystery in Dead Men Don't Decorate when antique store Waited4You gets a new owner. Camile Benson's parents were the original owners of the store and she is thrilled to get it back into the family's hands. The other merchants around town are thrilled that they will no longer be subjected to "the meanest man in Marthasville", Roberto Fratelli's, tirades.

While celebrating her purchase, Camille's best friend Opal shares that she found a letter that looks to have been sent to George Washington by Sally Fairfax in 1756 while at the store. She didn't want to draw attention to the potentially valuable piece until the previous owner was off the premises. Excited they decide to return right away but the previous owner was still there . . . dead on the floor . . . and the letter was long gone.

Now as Camille updates the store to her vision she has to worry about a killer and a missing letter. Was the letter really from 1756? Is that why Roberto was killed? Could she be next?

_______

Ms. Abbott has introduced a strong cast of core characters. Dr. Camille Benson is a 55-year-old art history teacher at Northern Virginia Community College who is ready for a change. She has always had a flair for decorating and grew up with her parents running an antique store Waited4You. Finding out her parent's store was again up for sale now seems like perfect timing.  Her "wing woman" Opal Wells is excited about Camille's new venture and is willing to do anything she can to help her. She is also quirky and crazy which makes her a fun character. Camille's son Paul, a lawyer, was just elected Mayor and is always nearby when she needs him.  We also meet Brennan Adler, the landlord of the Waited4You building. With the murder, we meet commonwealth attorney Janie Fairfax, Chief Harrod, and his son Nick. Our protagonist also has two schnauzer pups, Morris and Stickley and there is a collie pup named Rizzoli in the story too. The author has caught the small-town feel in both her characters and the way she describes Marthasville, Virginia. Everyone knows everyone's business.

I enjoyed the way the author plotted out the mysteries in this book. Camille has the knowledge and a great instinct for thinking clues and actions through. She shares theories and finds with the police immediately, for the most part, sometimes ruffling a few feathers. A motive for the murder was a little all over the place which made me a little crazy but Camille kept at it. When clues started to fall in place more than one person was in the wrong place at the wrong time setting up an exciting and scary conclusion. Camille really had to think on her feet. I loved that a canine character played an integral part.

I do enjoy the antique store theme of this series. That Camille is able to take over the shop formerly owned by her parents is a nice touch.

Dead Men Don't Decorate has engaging characters I want to get to know better and intriguing mysteries set in an interesting small town. Cordy Abbott has put forth an entertaining debut for her Old Town Antique Mystery Series. I am curious to see what she has in store for her characters next.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

There must be a checklist going around on what elements are needed for a cozy mystery – nosey amateur sleuth, business they inherit but are never there to run, cute small town (which is Old Town Alexandria – why bother to change the names if you’re not changing the street names or anything else), bumbling police department – really, it’s getting tiresome. I was hoping for something new and different in a setting that I know and love. Instead, this was slow with unlikeable characters and it felt like the author was just trying to throw random facts in all over – history, music, sports. I will not continue with this series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming fun start to a promising new cozy series. I enjoyed that the author wrote her protagnist and friends as older women. (I am so tired of cozies with 30 somethings described to be perfect size 6 women gleefully spending their trust funds. ) These are honest relatable charcters and independent smart well rounded women . Well done to the author.
Camilla is a likable protagnist and someone we all want to be friends with . She purchased her family's old antique store as a new late in life venture and soon after a murder occurs of a nefarious previous owner. The victim was not well liked and soon small town secrets come to light and her investigation takes a turn to show his darker side. A well crafted sleuth I enjoyed to conclusion. Well done to the author. Fun charcters I enjoyed getting to know and looking forward to the second in series.

[Lea Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this cozy! This is new to me author.

The story starts out with Camille Benson trying to figure out her life after her son is elected Mayor. She gets opportunity to buy back her parents antique store and decides to go for it and get her parents store back and run it not knowing the devious stuff the current proprietor Roberto is up to.

So Camille has to figure out mystery of missing letter written to George Washington and two murders before she becomes the next victim. And did I say she has two adorable pet dogs??😊

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
#cozyreading

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille Benson is a local community college professor in Northern Virginia when she hears that the antique shop, Waited4You, is for sale. Her best friend, Opal Wells, a cruise boat captain, and several shop owners near Waited4You suggest Camille buy and run the shop. They include Deb Burfoot, the owner of the children's clothing shop, and Noah and Helen Margalit from their gallery and framing shop, Margalit's. Roberto Fratelli is the man selling up. Camille's parents used to own Waited4You before Fratelli, so Camille decides to buy it. Brennan Adler owns the building occupied by Waited4You. Opal mentions the presence of a letter hidden in a leather case under a chair she saw which excites Camille, but when they go to the shop to retrieve it, they find Fratelli dead, in a large puddle of blood.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Marthasville in the company of fifty-five-year-old Camille and her dogs, Stickley and Morris, two standard schnauzers. The story is well plotted, the writing has a good natural flow and Camille is smart and savvy.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Camille Benson is a professor at the local community college. She helped her son Paul win the election for Mayor. When she thought about going back to teaching she felt sad. She heard that her parents antique store was up for sale. So she decided to buy it. One night her friend Opal and her went to check out the store and found the previous owner's dead body.

This is the first book in the series. I didn't necessarily like any of the characters. More backstory is needed. The book took me awhile to finish. The mystery was well thought out and the writing was good.

[Lacey Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new series An Old Town Antique Mystery. Camille Benson, bought back Waited4You an antique store that her parents had owned once. All the other merchants were thrilled to have her after dealing with the mean man that had owned the place. To bad for Camille that man was found dead in her store before her grand opening. Enjoyed and looking forward to the next one.
#DeadMenDontDecorate #NetGalley

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Men Don’t Decorate is the first book in the Old Town Antiques Mystery series by Cordy Abbott.

Camille is a local community college professor when she learns the antique store, Waited4You, is for sale. Her best friend Opal and several shops near the antique store suggest Camille buy and run the shop. Roberto Fratelli is a curmudgeon and rude to customers who enter the store. Camille finally decides to purchase the store. Camille and Opal are at a nearby bar when Camille notices their landlord, Brennan Adler. Camille invites him to join them. Shortly after, Adler joins them, and Opal informs Camille that there was a letter pouch under one of the chairs in the store that had a letter to George dated 1700 something. Upon leaving, Camille and Opal return to Waited4You to retrieve the letter. But instead, they find the lifeless body of Fratelli on the floor of the shop, and the letter is no longer there. As Camille rearranges items in the store, she comes across a table that Fratelli has listed as Victorian. She examines the table closer and realizes it is not from the Victorian period. She begins to wonder if Fratelli was killed for the letter, which, if it were real, would be a very valuable find, or if he was killed by someone to whom he sold fake antiques.

This first book in the Old Town Antique Mystery series was fascinating. Miss Abbott did an excellent job describing Marthasville. The story is well-written and plotted and reads at a nice pace. The character is well-developed and interesting. I particularly enjoyed reading about Camille’s two Schnauzers, Stickley and Morris. It will be interesting to see if Camille and Brennan can put their disagreement aside.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I began to read Dead Men Don’t Decorate, I struggled a bit with the storyline, but as I continued to read, the story became more fun.
I didn’t feel an immediate connection with any of the characters, but I hope that changes as this series develops.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
#DeadMenDontDecorate #NetGalley.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

The residents of Marthasville, Virginia, are happy to learn that the nasty owner of the town’s antique store is selling the business, and Camille is excited about buying the store her parents used to own. But when the former owner is found dead in the store, and potentially valuable items are missing, Camille and her friend, Opal, are curious enough to investigate.

This is the first book in a new series by a debut author. The descriptions of the town where the book is set remind me of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – full of historic sites and relying on tourist traffic to keep the town afloat. I learned a bit about antiques, sometimes more than I wanted to know, although the methods used to verify (or disprove) the authenticity of a document were interesting to read about.

I like that the MC and some of the other primary characters are older, retired women who still have brains in their heads and know how to use them. Given that the murdered man was very unpopular in town, there were a lot of potential suspects with good motives, and my mental list changed frequently as the book progressed. I was surprised by the identity of the killer, although not by the motive. I will look for the next book in this series and look forward to my next visit with Camille, Opal and the rest.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[The Cozy Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waited4You is for sale, and Camille is happy to buy back her parent’s old antique store. But before she can even get started on renovations, the previous owner’s body is found in the middle of the showroom. To make matters worse, it appears that an old letter from George Washington has gone missing from the shop. Now it is up to Camille and her sidekick, Opal, to discover if the letter was real or a fake; and who killed the former highly disliked shop owner.

In Dead Men Don’t Decorate, suspects come out of the woodwork in this debut book in the “An Old Town Antique Mystery” series. No one will miss the victim; he was universally disliked, even hated by some. The letter from George Washington may or may not be real, and if it is, it would be worth millions. Camille also discovers that not all the antiques in Waited4You are real. Evidence stacks up, but no one, not even the police, is sure who it points to. It could be another business owner who despised the victim, his ex-wife, or someone he swindled in a faux antique furniture deal, or even Camille’s new landlord.

Virginia is a beautiful state, and many series use it as the backdrop for murder and mystery. It is obvious that the author has lived and played in this picturesque location. Unfortunately, most of the characters in this first book are not likable. Camille is wishy-washy, her best friend is a little too easygoing, and her love interest for Camille is unlikely to go anywhere. The story gets bogged down in descriptions readers don’t need and not enough of the ones they do. Waited4You sounds lovely, but we don’t get a good sense of what it looks like or its history other than it once belonged to Camille’s parents. The little information the author gives readers about the past or the victim does not help solve the crime. The George Washington letter is important but doesn’t seem to be a priority for the police. Readers will know almost immediately who the killer is, with a motive that is also easy to figure out. And... I don’t think the title is fitting; it doesn’t really have anything to do with the storyline.

In general, Dead Men Don’t Decorate is an okay first book, but it’s nothing to write home about. Not that I won’t read the next one in the series. I hope Waited4You becomes more descriptive and integral to future plots and that no more letters are found to distract readers. I did not hate any of the characters, but I hope that they have a massive growth streak between this book and the next and that the writing becomes more fluid with less unneeded information and more action.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so excited by author Cordy Abbot’s cozy that opens a fantastic new series.

Camille Benson lives in Marthasville, Virginia, and now the election is over, her son Paul elected Mayor, and she’s thrown the thank you celebration to those that supported her during the months preceding the election. So what’s next? Opal Wells assumes Camille will again answer to the name of Dr. Benson teaching art history at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) when a new semester begins after the Christmas holidays. But it looks like a new possibility is available as current proprietor Roberto Fratelli, of the antiques store Waited4You has put the business up for sale. The very same store that Camille’s parents had owned until her father’s death.

Camille has the keys and with Opal can’t wait until Monday morning to investigate an item that Opal saw in the store that Camille hadn’t seen yet. They are shocked to discover the body of the old storeowner. Did he keep a key? Why? No one liked him due to his disposition but murder?

This story expands on the definition of cozy in the best of ways! It delights with the friendship of women spanning 50 years, the hints of romance, the names of local businesses in the small town, and the intertwining connections of the characters. Then it moves a step beyond and that is invigorating. There are multiple clues related to the antique furniture store from a missing letter to an earlier unreported theft of rare books. It is the author’s presentation through the investigation that heightened the intrigue seamlessly interweaving American history with creativity. I’ve never read a touch of historical fiction within a cozy. There’s even a link between the letter and the name of the community name and location. This is a reviewer’s moment when I wish I could give more than 5 Stars.

As I don’t give any spoilers away in my reviews, I’ll simply give you a hint to tickle your curiosity and hopefully your fingers too for the suggestion to click on over to the website of author Lane Stone and be sure to read the tab, “Meet Lane.” I think you’ll be smiling as I did in learning what (or is it who?) sparked the pen name and why there is strong authenticity in her writing.

My sincere thanks to Cordy Abbott, and Crooked Lane Books for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

#DeadMenDontDecorate #NetGalley

[Heidi Prockish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure at first, so I put it off for a bit, but I was hooked. Camille just purchased an antique shop that used to belong to her parents. The night it is finally hers, she finds a body of the previous owner. The characters were strong and fun to read their story. I liked that Camille is an older MC, I don't read that often. She did make some stupid decisions, but I loved how she stood up for those she believed to be innocent.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let’s just say if there is a sequel I won’t be reading it and leave it at that👎

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After having read this entertaining and well crafted cozy mystery I discovered that she has also written another series I enjoyed. She is Lane Stone who wrote the Pet Palace series. Be sure to check it out. She also has a post-graduate certificate in Antiquities Theft and Art Crime and it shows in this new series.
Camille Benson has the chance to buy Waited4You, the antiques store previously owned by her parents. The current owner decides to sell it and the majority of the town will be thrilled to see the back of him. That includes his ex-wife. After the celebration of Camille taking over the store he is found dead in the store and a valuable letter has gone missing. Things get interesting when it turns out that his ex-wife's current husband had business dealing with him and they weren't above board.
With the help of friends and family she sets out to find the killer and along the way we get to know Camille and her friend Opal, women we would like to call our friends. This is a mystery full of twists and turns and American history. I'll say no more for fear of spoilers but if you are looking for a great cozy from start to finish, give this one a try. I'm eager to find out what comes next.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up Cordy Abbott's Dead Men Don't Decorate, I was pleasantly surprised to discover she had set the story in Marthasville, Virginia—a fictionalized version of Alexandria. As a former resident of Alexandria, I was curious how a town I still have a genuine affection for would stack up in a mystery. And while visiting places like Duke Street and Seminary Hill via book did make me smile, I was even happier with how much more Abbott's debut cozy has to offer.

In it, Camille Benson is looking for a change when Roberto Fratelli, maybe the meanest man in Northern Virginia, decides to sell his antiques store, Waited4You. After Camille takes over the shop, her friend Opal discovers a scandalous letter from Sally Fairfax to George Washington. However, before Camille retrieve the letter herself, she's shocked to discover the dead body of Roberto right out on the sales floor.

A corpse is certainly one way of making a history-changing letter feel like the least important thing going on in your life. Yet Abbott's sense of mystery keeps both of these storylines working in compelling tandem. After Camille is dragged into the investigation, Abbott sets her off on a wild chase involving stolen rare books, motives for seemingly everyone, and a potential love interest who may or may not be a murderer. Even with all of this, the letter and its potential inauthenticity are always brought back around in a way that feels equally important. Abbott has crafted a twisty whodunit, and I was never quite sure who was going to be unmasked as the killer—or exactly how the letter tied into things—until the final genuinely pulse-pounding reveal.

While the mystery and sleuthing elements are incredibly strong, Abbott deserves even more praise for her quirky cast of characters. Camille is a fifty-something woman who lives on the quieter side, but Abbott naturally justifies her swerve into the dangerous world of investigating because she craves change. She's backed up by Opal, her best friend, who offers plenty of comic relief and her occasionally over-the-top antics are often funny. They fit easily in with the rest of the Marthasville denizens who ultimately make their rather large Old Town neighborhood feel like a tight little community.

Starting Dead Men Don't Decorate was like having a day trip to an old haunt. But with a solid mystery, charming characters, and a ton of laughs, it ended with something even better. It's given me a great author to watch out for in the future.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Review also published at pluckedfromthestacks.wordpress.com/

[Melmo2610 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 2.5 for me rounded up to a 3 for Goodreads. I liked parts of this book. The MC buying back her parents' old antique story was a cool premise for the story. The mystery itself was good and had potential but I feel like it could have been done better. The characters were only okay for me. I didn't really connect with them and there a few times that I wasn't wild with the direction the case was taking or something that a character said. I'll read the next book and see if it comes together a little bit better for me than this one.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start for a new cozy series, I enjoyed it and the solid mystery kept me guessing. I liked the well developed characters and the setting.
Can't wait to read the next
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Antiques, interior design, and dogs! Fun cozy mystery.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publication Nov. 8, 2022

Camille Benson seems to be floundering a bit as the story opens, wondering what's next for her. Her son has just been elected mayor of their historic town and after the excitement of the campaign, heading back to her safe, no-longer challenging teaching job isn't appealing. Suddenly presented with the possibility of buying back her parent's former antique shop, she hesitates, however. Then, in almost the blink of an eye, she's buying the shop and preparing to open it on her own. Who knew things would get complicated when she and her friend Opal discover the body of the much disliked previous owner in the shop when they go to investigate an old letter Opal reports finding? And, where is that perhaps valuable letter, reportedly written from George Washington to Sally Fairfax in 1756?

To be honest, I initially had trouble connecting to both Camille and Opal. Opal comes across as unrestrained, apt to blurt out things at the worst possible time. Camille, on the other hand, while coming across initially as low key and even lacking in self-confidence, suddenly starts aggressively peppering the police chief with investigative type questions. Yet, when back in the store and it is confirmed that it was murder, her first action is to turn away from the chief and look for the chair where Opal reported the Washington letter being hidden, even physically turning the somewhat heavy chair upside-down for a better look. No segue to this this action. She just does it.

Yet, as the story goes on, I did find myself warming up to Camille. I mean, she loves her dogs. She's raised a son capable of governing a town. She's smart and savvy about history and art. She's also impulsive, a tendency that always seems to get amateur sleuths in trouble. Her quick thinking, however, could save a life. She doesn't panic easily, which is good when she puts herself in a dangerous situation. Like Opal, she's honest, even if her honesty is sometimes harsh. In other words, she's human, full of contradictions. She turns out to be a darn good sleuth, too.

Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the invite to Alex--- er, Marthasville. Camille has intrigued me enough that I'll be back. 3.5 rounded to a 4.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Dead Men Don’t Decorate is the first book in a new series and the series is very promising. Our sleuth is Camille Benson, a 55 year old art history teacher, who wants to buy the antiques store Waited4You which is currently owned by the meanest man in Marthasville, Roberto Fratelli, but was once owned by her own parents. But when Roberto is found dead in Waited4You and a wild story about a letter, supposedly from Sally Fairfax to George Washington, dated 1756, which was hidden under a chair in the shop the first beginnings for Camille trying to bring life back to Waited4You are halted. She tries to do all she can to reopen the store quickly and tries to find out as much as she can about Roberto and discovers he had some oh-so-faux Victorian furniture......

I wanted to give the book 3.5 stars, but I went for 3 as it wasn't closer to a 4 for me. The premise of the story seemed so interesting, but the story progression went very, very slowly. I also did not feel connected to the characters at the start, however I do LOVE that our sleuth isn't a 20 or 30-something and Camille started growing one me! Also Camille did not look to help the police solve the murder, but just finds out a few things left and right. As I said, the series is very promising, but I would like it if it had a bit more pace and I hope to see more in depth antique stories as I did find the whole old versus new paper (which was important in the murder solving!) very interesting.
Again, not a 3, not a 4 but a 3.5 stars from me, but I can't give that here in Goodreads. I am very curious to a next book if another one comes out as I really loved seeing Camille start a whole new career at her age and enjoying it!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this cozy set in Alexandria, VA and the author does a superb job describing the setting. But that actually created a problem - for whatever reason, the author chose to describe Alexandria exactly as it is, but changed the name to "Marthasville". Every time I saw a reference to "Marthasville" it threw me out of the story. Every. Single. Time. And there were a lot of mentions.

The plot was okay. I mostly had the murderer right though I expected it to be a duo. But the characters were either flat or obnoxious or stupid so I didn't like any of them. And if I don't like the characters, the book doesn't work.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Camille Benson finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Someone killed the former proprietor of her antiques store. Roberto Fratelli may have been a mean man and involved in dealing fake furniture, but he does deserve justice. Camille and her friend Opal begin an informal investigation that's hampered by a reticent lawyer and a cagey detective.
I like the antiques angle and the dogs! The author also includes fun music references. But the writing style is choppy and abrupt. I had to push through to read until the end.

[Dottie Powers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was unable to get into this book and did not finish it.

[Christine Nasr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The story premise was interesting but the writing felt a bit amateurish. And I found three typo/grammar errors. Who does their proofing?!!?

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In appreciation for this ARC provided by the author & publisher via NetGalley, this is my review of Dead Men Don't Decorate. All opinions/thoughts are mine alone.

In Marthasville, VA, local curmudgeon Roberto Fratelli is the owner of antiques store Waited4You. He's miserable to customers and fellow merchants alike. Waited4You is up for sale and the buyer is Camille Benson, whose parents originally owned the shop. Her son Paul is also the newly elected Mayor of Marthasville.
Camille is informed of a valuable letter related to George Washington and a little-known aspect of his life taped to the bottom of a chair by her best friend Opal Wells, who assisted her with conducting inventory of the shop as part of the purchase. When they return to the shop to obtain the letter, Roberto Fratelli is found murdered and the letter is missing. Camille becomes a reluctant sleuth to solve the mystery of Fratelli's murder and the missing letter--is it real or fake?

I found this book from a new-to-me author charming and fun! I easily identified with MC Camille Benson, who is actually close to me in age (usually, the cozies I read have their female protagonist to be in their late 20s - early 30s). It's mentioned once in the book that she's 55 years old and has white hair--otherwise, there's not much time being spent on her age or looks. Camille is a classic rock fan, as it's noted she plays The Police and Pink Floyd (a woman after my heart).

I liked the relationship between Camille and Opal--it reminds me so much of the relationship between myself and two of my closest friends. I could also identify with Camille's relationship with her son Paul: wanting the best for her son, hoping he finds someone to share his life with. I felt the world-building was done well and Marthasville (which appears to be based on Alexandria, VA) is a place I would like to visit. I had guessed the culprit rather early, but I enjoyed the twists and turns while heading to the aria. There were times I laughed out loud at Opal's antics throughout the book.

I enjoyed this book overall and plan to read additional books by the author.