A Wealth of Deception (A Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery)
Traditional Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Vermont
Crooked Lane Books (April 18, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Danger, art, and a touch of romance collide in Trish Esden’s second exquisitely crafted Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery, perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland and Connie Berry.

Some people are willing to die for their art. Others are willing to kill for it.

When Vermont antique and art dealer Edie Brown discovers an unsettlingly dark collage by the famed reclusive “outsider” artist known only as Vespa, she opens a Pandora’s Box of deception and danger.

Edie teams up with Uncle Tuck and Kala to investigate the background of the collage but only uncover secrets that are more disturbing than the artwork itself. As Edie tracks down the validity of the piece, she stumbles into an art underground where some people are willing to kill to keep their schemes a secret.

Esden expertly crafts a complex cast of characters, a breathtakingly gorgeous setting, and a twisty plot that often poses more questions than answers.

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

 

 

 

7 Tips From a Flea Market Shopping Pro

 

Like Edie Brown, the main character in my Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series, I’m a fulltime antique dealer. As such, I go to a lot of flea markets in search of good deals on antiques and art. Below are my top 7 tips for flea market shopping.

 

1. Shop Early. Arrive an hour before the flea market officially opens. Being first in line to get into an indoor flea market means you’ll have a better chance of getting your hands on the best buys. At an outdoor flea market, you may even be able to sneak in early and get to see things as the vendors unpack—aka before the best items are gone.
2. Shop Late. If you love something but it’s priced higher than you want to pay, returning a short time before the flea market closes can give you leverage to dicker down a price. But don’t get your heart set on it still being there. Most super popular, low price, or appealing items sell before noon on the first day.
3. Cash is favored by most flea market vendors. But don’t just bring larger denominations: ones, fives, tens, and twenties are preferrable. Cash will also allow you to make a faster transaction (debit and credit card transactions can be slow at remote locations). This will allow you to buy something and quickly move on. Be sure to use precautions to keep your wallet, phone, and credit cards safe from electronic or physical theft.
4. Dicker. Dickering over prices is expected. First, if there isn’t a price tag on something you wish to purchase, don’t tell the vendor how much you’re willing to pay—make them name their price first. Once they state a price, make a reasonable but low counteroffer. They’ll counteroffer that amount. Except it if it’s fair. If it’s not—walk away. If you change your mind, you can go back and accept or ask if they’d reconsider your offer. Also remember that some vendors have firm prices. Respect their right to not dicker.
5. Be polite. If the vendor wants to chat, then listen to their stories. If the story is about an item you’re interested in buying, then take it with a huge grain of salt. It could be a total fabrication. Don’t block booths or tables, preventing other shoppers from looking around. This is just plain rude. Don’t act like a know it all—even if your positive a vendor is wrong. People give better deals to people they like.
6. Clothing and shopping bags. Wear comfortable footwear—no high heels—you’ll be walking on uneven surfaces and perhaps even in mud or soft earth. Carry a shopping bag or backpack. Bring packing materials such as newspaper if you plan on buying breakable items. Don’t assume packing supplies will be offered by vendors. If you hope to buy a lot or heavier items, then a wagon or wheeled shopping cart is a good idea. Have cardboard boxes in your car for transporting items. The benefit of cardboard over plastic is that they can be broken down and laid flat if you start to run out of space in your car.
7. Look carefully for repairs, damage, and fakes. The best rule of thumb when looking at a flea market item is to assume there is a problem. Take your time and check closely for damage and sneaky repairs. It’s not uncommon for paint or markers to be used to hide chips or scratches. Similarly, unscrupulous people have been known to use magic markers to color in threadbare areas of rugs and carpets. But don’t rely on just your eyes. Run your hands along an item’s surfaces. Do you feel any roughness that shouldn’t be there? Chips? Cracks? A piece of glassware, pottery, or china should make a sharp ‘ping’ sound when you flick it with your fingers. A dull sound indicates there is damage, even if you can’t see it without the aid of a blacklight. Another rule here is to trust your gut. If it’s telling you something’s wrong, then it probably is. Better to not buy an item than to get it home and then see that you messed up.

 

Bonus Tip—Love at first sight is your enemy at the flea market. Falling hard and fast for something you haven’t examined yet is the easiest way to make mistakes. Sure, it’s wise to stake your claim on an item so other buyers will clearly know you found it first and are interested—but take your time while examining it and dicker the price.

 

Have fun! I hope these tips help on your next flea market shopping trip.

 

 

About the Author

 

Trish Esden loves museums, gardens, wilderness, dogs and birds, in various orders depending on the day. She lives in northern Vermont where she deals antiques with her husband, a profession she’s been involved with since her teens. Don’t ask what her favorite type of antique is. She loves hunting for old bottles and rusty barn junk as much as she enjoys fine art and furnishings. Trish is the author of the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series which explores the secretive and adrenaline-charged underbelly of the antique and art world.

 

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