The Mystery of the Silver Dish: A cozy crime mystery set in an English village

by Judith Cutler

Antiques Roadshow meets Agatha Christie! Visit the cosiest corner of the Kent countryside in this page-turning whodunit featuring a funny, feisty antique dealer turned amateur sleuth.

Novice antique dealer Lina Townend is warm, independent and blessed with an uncanny nose for a bargain . . . and a talent for sniffing out trouble!

When Lina’s eccentric father, the disreputable Lord Elham, begs her to sell something from his overflowing hoard, she reluctantly agrees. He may only want cash to restock his champagne cellar, but after growing up in care Lina still hopes for a connection with the grouchy old rogue she barely knows.

Amid the cobwebs and clutter she unearths a tarnished silver dish that sets her instincts tingling. It looks like nothing much — but she knows better.

Her hunch is right. The dish is valuable. Too valuable. No sooner has she displayed it at a prestigious antique fair than the police swoop in, accusing her of handling stolen goods.

Suddenly Lina’s reputation — and the cosy life she’s been building with her beloved mentor Griff — are on the line. As more of Elham’s treasures vanish under suspicious circumstances, she’s forced to is her cantankerous father really a thief . . . and is someone dangerous setting her up to take the fall?

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 Silver Guilt, and has been lightly edited for language.

READERS LOVE THE MYSTERY OF THE SILVER DISH:

‘Readers will learn a lot about the British antiques world from Cutler’s clever mystery.’ Publishers Weekly

‘[For] fans of other antiques-based series by Jane K. Cleland, Sharon Fiffer, and Lea Wait.’ Booklist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘So good, I read most of the day which is very unusual and not good for getting my work done.’ K

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it. Going for the series.’ Carlin

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another smashing book from Judith Cutler. Good plot, characterisation and balance.’ Melville

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I enjoyed the background of the antiques trade and found it as interesting as the plot. As with all Judith Cutler's series this is well written and an entertaining read.’ Damaskcat

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I've fallen for Lina Townend . . . a flawed and charming young woman that I would love to mother, and that's something to write home about, since my maternal instincts normally only kick in with the furred and feathered.’ Cathy

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.

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2025

About the author

Judith Cutler was born and bred in the Midlands, and revels in using her birthplace, with its rich cultural life, as a background for her novels. After a long stint as an English lecturer at a run-down college of further education, Judith, a prize-winning short-story writer, has taught Creative Writing at Birmingham University, has run occasional writing course elsewhere (from a maximum security prison to an idyltic Greek island) and ministered to needy colleagues in her role as Secretary of the Crime Writers' Association.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I end up reading numerous books by this author because of the price. I do not want a repeat of this reading experience which mostly irritated me. The behavior of main character, the events and more was displeasing to me.

I know what happened. The description of the book claims Antiques Roadshow as example of what one might expect when reading. I do enjoy that show, so that's what roped me in.


Yes, just 99 cents.

[Elizabeth Sirett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harriet Lina Townend endured a hard, disrupted childhood. She is the illegitimate daughter of an alcoholic and promiscuous lord, and she never knew the identity of her mother, which meant that she had been brought up in foster care. Her luck changed when she went to live with her last foster mother, a kind woman who loved Lina and taught her how to love and provided her with sound moral standards. When Lina left foster care, her foster mother convinced her to live and work with Griff, an elderly, gay, antique dealer, who cares about Lina as if she was the granddaughter he never had.

At first Lina was Griff’s apprentice, but now she has progressed into being his junior partner. Lina is still learning about antiques, but she already knows a great deal about porcelain, and she is skilled at repairing it when it is damaged, but her greatest gift is an inherent one, she is able to sense valuable antiques in the way water diviners can discover water. Lina is now in contact with her father, Lord Eltham, who has accepted her as his daughter. Because of lack of money, Lord Eltham has had to sign most of his ancestral mansion over to a Trust and now lives in a rather decrepit wing of the house, existing on his preferred diet of champagne and Pot Noodles. Lina has taken steps to limit her father’s alcohol consumption and improve his diet; she also helps him to supplement his income by using her special talent to discover items of value amongst the old furniture and other items that Lord Eltham had managed to keep and sell them for him; however, in fairness to Griff and herself, she charges her father commission.

Lina is only just beginning to learn about antique silver, but her special gift leads her to the discovery of a silver dish in one of Lord Eltham’s rooms. It is dirty and discoloured, but Lina knows it is valuable, even though she does not know its provenance or exactly what it is. This silver dish brings Lina into contact with Nella, a high-end antiques dealer, and the sister of Griff’s lover, Aidan. Lina does not get on very well with Aidan, although she tries to conceal this rather than hurt Griff; she is even less comfortable with Nella, who is very aware of her status as Lady Petronella Cordingly, and behaves in a cold and condescending manner to Lina. Unfortunately, Lina is destined to spend a lot more time with Nella, who asks to ‘borrow’ Lina to assist at a prestigious antiques fair. Griff encourages Lina to accept this invitation, because it will be good experience for her. Attending this event leads Lina into a very unpleasant situation, which could seriously damage her professional reputation. Unsurprisingly, Nella is willing to throw Lina to the wolves, but two police officers from the Metropolitan Police Fine Art Unit come to investigate and they help Lina to establish her innocence.

Another person who attempts to come to Lina’s aid is a young man called Piers, who is just starting out in the lower end of the antiques business. Lina and Piers begin a relationship, although it has to be long-distance as they do not live near to each other, and often only meet at antiques fairs. She also sees quite a lot of Detective Sergeant Morris, who makes it clear that he likes and admires her. Morris hopes to use her quick wits and expertise in antiques to help him solve several thefts of valuable antiques. Lina is willing to do this, especially as she realises that some of the thefts are striking too close to home and involve the house that Lord Eltham has handed over to the Trust, and even the theft of Lord Eltham’s personal property.

Lina has good reason to help Morris investigate the thefts, but, to her horror. she realises that the closer she gets to thwarting the thieves’ plans, the greater the danger to herself and those she loves.
The Mystery of the Silver Dish is the second book featuring Lina Townend. It is an engaging mystery, with an interesting background in the antiques industry, and a lively cast of eccentric characters. Lina is a delightful protagonist, young, warm-hearted, and eager to learn, with a remarkable moral sense, despite her turbulent early life. This is a enjoyable cosy crime read, which I recommend.
------
Reviewer: Carol Westron
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
This book was previously published as Silver Guilt, in 2012.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another enjoyable cozy mystery where a silver dish leads to trouble.

Lina is a likeable character as is Griff, and I love their relationship, each knowing the importance of the other. I also appreciated the peek into the antiques business.

Well-written with twists, turns and surprises with enough tension for even more interest. I liked the first-person narrative, the humour and its poignancy.

Engaging and recommended.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say that I'm enjoying these little mystery books. Some of the outcomes are a little obvious sure, but on the whole I like the main characters. Lina is a likeable girl, and the author writes well about her and her overcoming her lack of education and word power.
I will no doubt read the next in the series. Before tsk8ng on another heavier book.

[Mamareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

great characters very clever plot

This is the second book in this series. I have come to love the characters in these books. And yes, they are characters! The writing is very well done. Looking forward to next book.

[Robert Polhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

comfy mystery

I do like the characters in the story and Lina seems to have been through the mill but very st wise. You have to keep turning the pages as it does keep you wondering what happens next. Yes, definitely worth a read

[MS M ADAMS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m getting quite hooked on this series I hope there are more to come.

Once again a little bit of peril, a bit of sadness, a crime or crimes to resolve and the ongoing matters of the heart! It just gets better!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Easy read . Nice pase. The ending of the crime part of the story a bit tame . But the characters lives and stories made up for that . You need to read the first as if you just read this you probably wouldn't bother with the next .

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[John Loadman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off-best humour in an unusual tale. Good read.

Enjoyable read with a humorous style running through it which makes the fairly obvious plot a simple pleasure to drift through.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cracking little gem.

A lovely easy read with a few twists, great insight into flawed characters and personal growth. Comfort reading at its best.

[Ruth Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as boik 1

[Ninja* · Rating 4 out of 5]

ich mag die Charaktere und die Schreibart, inhaltlich ist oft ein wenig viel gleichzeitig los, aber ansonsten ganz nett zu lesen.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the series, this book gives an interesting look at a different kind of antiques fair and items less familiar to Lina. This read much more easily than the first book.