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A Vintage Magic Mystery #2
Larceny And Lace
With all the stress of opening her new vintage clothing store (in a renovated old morgue) Madeira Cutler feels like a bag of bones--until she discovers the real deal, unearthed by an intruder, in an old body drawer. And the bones are as vintage as Maddie's stock, or so says Maddie's resident ghostly hunk, Dante Underhill.
Could the break-in have something to do with the local playhouse and its curator going down in flames? Somehow Maddie will have to juggle dressing the store, party planning, and crime solving. Add to the brew the local witch's costume ball, being held at her store, and Madeira is wishing she knew how to ride a broom right out of there...
Could the break-in have something to do with the local playhouse and its curator going down in flames? Somehow Maddie will have to juggle dressing the store, party planning, and crime solving. Add to the brew the local witch's costume ball, being held at her store, and Madeira is wishing she knew how to ride a broom right out of there...
276 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 4, 2009
8 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
About the author
Annette Blair
43 books1,007 followersAnnette Blair's romantic comedies owe their beginnings to a root canal and a reluctant trip to Salem Massachusetts. Though she had once proclaimed she'd never write a contemporary, she stumbled into the serendipitous role of Accidental Witch Writer on that trip. Funny how she managed to eat her words even with an aching jaw. Magic or destiny; Annette's Bewitching Romantic Comedies became her first National Bestsellers.
Her August '07 release, SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, the first in her Triplet Witch Trilogy, hit the #1 bestselling spot for contemporary romance-humorous on Barnes & Noble. It also hit B & N's overall bestseller lists for mass market and fiction mass market and #7 for romance mass market, topping Nielsen BookScan and Borders Bestseller lists as well.
Her August '07 release, SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, the first in her Triplet Witch Trilogy, hit the #1 bestselling spot for contemporary romance-humorous on Barnes & Noble. It also hit B & N's overall bestseller lists for mass market and fiction mass market and #7 for romance mass market, topping Nielsen BookScan and Borders Bestseller lists as well.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
September 12, 2009
Couldn't get into it. The excessive, fake, cutesy swearing really turned me off.
October 5, 2014
Annette Blair’s series about psychometry with old clothing caught my interest but I didn’t know what these books entailed and they sat for years. It turns out, I am rewarded in my search for an adult series with ghosts, along with subtle witches and became an immediate fan! Madeira Cutler resigned as assistant to a designer; ready to stand on her own. An empty funeral parlour was discreetly owned and maintained by her hundred year-old friend; looking like an eyesore on the outside and disputed by townsfolk for over 50 years. I love a sequential series that jumps off of previous stories and shows us the continuity of its characters.
With pleasure, we walk through her renovating plans for a shop and designing office. The vast space, scarcely explored in decades, can host a ball. They must hasten security measures because break-ins have occurred. The discovery of bones raise police priority and the latest fling of Madeira’s promiscuous friend is suspicious. A town politician and his assorted relatives baffle us convincingly and the destruction of a nearby town fixture ratchet up a palpable note of danger. So too does Madeira’s sleuthing at the politician’s woodsy house with Eve; the most exciting, atmospheric jaunt I’ve seen them embark upon thus far.
Her Dad thaws towards her Mom’s friend, Fiona, after the trauma of being trapped in funereal paraphernalia by a culprit. This is my favourite volume to date. The unique family, the old mystery belonging to the bones, and every setting in this novel are extraordinarily compelling. I churned through the pages like mad. Dolly’s visit with her old flame’s ghost, the funeral parlour founder, doesn’t pertain to the plot but is touching and augments our fondness of the cast. Seeing them reunite at the ball is the most enchanting part.
With pleasure, we walk through her renovating plans for a shop and designing office. The vast space, scarcely explored in decades, can host a ball. They must hasten security measures because break-ins have occurred. The discovery of bones raise police priority and the latest fling of Madeira’s promiscuous friend is suspicious. A town politician and his assorted relatives baffle us convincingly and the destruction of a nearby town fixture ratchet up a palpable note of danger. So too does Madeira’s sleuthing at the politician’s woodsy house with Eve; the most exciting, atmospheric jaunt I’ve seen them embark upon thus far.
Her Dad thaws towards her Mom’s friend, Fiona, after the trauma of being trapped in funereal paraphernalia by a culprit. This is my favourite volume to date. The unique family, the old mystery belonging to the bones, and every setting in this novel are extraordinarily compelling. I churned through the pages like mad. Dolly’s visit with her old flame’s ghost, the funeral parlour founder, doesn’t pertain to the plot but is touching and augments our fondness of the cast. Seeing them reunite at the ball is the most enchanting part.
March 6, 2010
This book was tough. I enjoy reading quick mysteries and light 'romance mystery' type fiction things for down time at work or at home when my husband is watching something crappy on tv. this was not a 'quick mystery' it took me forever to finish.
Not because it was insightful or long, but because it was so poorly written, scattered with bad english and grammar, and full of over the top, unneccary characters. Where there should have been detail there was none, conversly there was WAY too much detail about silly stuff like her aunt and her dad hooking up (EWWW) and some d-bag boyfriend who leaves in the begining of the book.
Any way the suspension of belief factor was also WAY to high for me. Not because there are ghosts, or even because she can get visions from virtually any scrap of clothing in her vacinity, but because the author wants us to believe that her family, friends, and nieghbors would give her a shop, virtually finance the whole thing, set it up, do all the promotions, donate all the clothes for it and decorate it for her. All the main character, Maderia (stupidest name for a character EVER. I hate authors that dont have enough creativity to give characters real names and just use what ever is sitting around their house as 'inspiration) did was ride around and get gifts, presents, and parties in her honor for some unknown reason. Also she attempts to solve a murder.
I kept putting the book down and reading other stuff and coming back to it in between other books... bottom line it was hard to read, poorly written, boring, and insults the reader's intelligance. Oh and PS she should fire her editor.
Not because it was insightful or long, but because it was so poorly written, scattered with bad english and grammar, and full of over the top, unneccary characters. Where there should have been detail there was none, conversly there was WAY too much detail about silly stuff like her aunt and her dad hooking up (EWWW) and some d-bag boyfriend who leaves in the begining of the book.
Any way the suspension of belief factor was also WAY to high for me. Not because there are ghosts, or even because she can get visions from virtually any scrap of clothing in her vacinity, but because the author wants us to believe that her family, friends, and nieghbors would give her a shop, virtually finance the whole thing, set it up, do all the promotions, donate all the clothes for it and decorate it for her. All the main character, Maderia (stupidest name for a character EVER. I hate authors that dont have enough creativity to give characters real names and just use what ever is sitting around their house as 'inspiration) did was ride around and get gifts, presents, and parties in her honor for some unknown reason. Also she attempts to solve a murder.
I kept putting the book down and reading other stuff and coming back to it in between other books... bottom line it was hard to read, poorly written, boring, and insults the reader's intelligance. Oh and PS she should fire her editor.
December 20, 2014
Ok, let me just start off by saying I liked this book (book #2) of the Vintage Magic Mystery series, more than the first book. I wanted to give it 3.5 stars, but since that isn't an option, alas the four stars. I liked the storyline of this book much more than the first one and I also think I have begun to like main character Madeira Cutler more. In the first novel of the series I think I was still trying to decide if I liked her or I was trying to figure out her character, but I feel in this book she is more defined. I also, am secretly shipping that she gets together with the town detective Lytton Werner, I really enjoy the banter that they share and familiarity, that I am not getting from her somewhat love interest in the book Nick. Honestly, I think that is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book more was because of her dialogue and scenarios with Detective Werner. I feel like I almost like everyone a little bit more than Madeira, but she does have some spunk and sass that I enjoy as well. I don't know, either way it was a cute and fun read; with a cool storyline, so I will be starting book three of the series soon.
September 7, 2016
Another enjoyable mystery. Still having trouble with the paranormal "thing" but that's my own issue. If you enjoy that and fashion as well as a good mystery, you'll enjoy this series.
July 22, 2020
I’m really liking this series! I never thought about it but vintage magic is perfect for me since it includes past events in the current story and that’s one of my favorite storylines. It also helps that the characters are very likable and fun. #readforkimberly
October 21, 2023
A good mystery but improbable in so many ways. The worst part is that I’m going to want to read the next one in the series no matter how improbable!
September 17, 2015
3.5 stars. Fun and better balanced than the first one. In fact, the first one really just felt like a setup to the series. The characters felt more real in this one. And some of the things that bugged in the first seemed toned down in this one (Mad's using sewing terms when cursing, for example). I also think the vintage clothing store helps. Mad setting it up was a nice touch. I still definitely prefer one of the two love interests. This one works better as a book, but I do think the mystery aspects were more than a little rough, particularly in the last 80 pages. And Mad does tend to display an overabundance of making stupid decisions to solve a mystery, without regard for her own safety. I mean, I know it's pretty much par for the course with these sorts of books, but still. It's why I rounded down.
April 27, 2012
I enjoyed this book just as much as the first book in the series, A Veiled deception. I loved the relationship between Mad and Werner, and kinda rooting for him now even though I still like nick. The struggle within Mad to embrace her mothers belief is intriguing because it comes so naturally but she is still unsure. The relationship shift between Harry and Fiona was also charming to read about. The characters just keep growing and you keep learning more about them. A few new characters were introduced in a crazy conspiracy that kept me reading the whole time. Annette Blair is an awesome writer and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
January 31, 2015
I'm really enjoying this series. I'm not sure how I feel about Nick. I don't see any redeeming features about him, especially as a love interest for Maddie. I am confused as to whether the author wants us to like Nick or Werner, but for Maddie I would definitely choose Werner. I love their constant bickering back and forth. Its definitely entertaining! Nick can go at any point and I would be fine with it!
The mysteries in the stories aren't the greatest, but the characters more than make up for it. I can't wait to read more!
The mysteries in the stories aren't the greatest, but the characters more than make up for it. I can't wait to read more!
November 16, 2019
I normally do not like the paranormal genre, but I really enjoyed this book.
This is book 2, and in this one, Madeira (or Mad) is close to opening her vintage clothing store, which is housed in a building she owns - the old morgue! The morgue comes complete with resident ghost, intruders, and in one of the drawers a quilt, which is being used as a wrapper for some bones. Madeira is also psychometric, and she picks up some vibes from the quilt which make her believe that the bones may belong to a murder victim. And why are intruders trying to break in anyway? What is worth stealing from the store? Mad has to investigate.
I found that even though this was book 2, I easily picked up the characters and relationships. I liked the style of writing and the dialog. The story grabbed me from the first few pages, and I enjoyed the writing around the visions Mad gets as she touches some (not all) vintage clothing. The relationship with Dante, her resident ghost, was well executed (hey, ghosts have feelings too).
All in all, this was a nice surprise. I liked the ending of the book and how the bad guys were identified (and the not so bad guys were exonerated). I will continue the series, and recommend it to anyone that likes the paranormal genre.
This is book 2, and in this one, Madeira (or Mad) is close to opening her vintage clothing store, which is housed in a building she owns - the old morgue! The morgue comes complete with resident ghost, intruders, and in one of the drawers a quilt, which is being used as a wrapper for some bones. Madeira is also psychometric, and she picks up some vibes from the quilt which make her believe that the bones may belong to a murder victim. And why are intruders trying to break in anyway? What is worth stealing from the store? Mad has to investigate.
I found that even though this was book 2, I easily picked up the characters and relationships. I liked the style of writing and the dialog. The story grabbed me from the first few pages, and I enjoyed the writing around the visions Mad gets as she touches some (not all) vintage clothing. The relationship with Dante, her resident ghost, was well executed (hey, ghosts have feelings too).
All in all, this was a nice surprise. I liked the ending of the book and how the bad guys were identified (and the not so bad guys were exonerated). I will continue the series, and recommend it to anyone that likes the paranormal genre.
January 5, 2012
Madeira Cutler is finally leaving her life and job in New York behind as she moves to her family hometown in Mystic, Connecticut. Maddie has huge plans which includes opening a vintage clothing store in a renovated morgue. The building needs much work, but Maddie is determined to have it completed by opening day. Unfortunately, an obstacle gets tossed in her way when an intruder breaks in and old bones are discovered in one of the morgue drawers.
Meanwhile, the building next door goes up in flames along with its owner. The police and Maddie begin to thing the two incidents are connected. Maddie and her best friend, Eve, decide to do some investigating on their own. They don’t want anything to get in the way of the store’s grand opening, which increases their desperation to uncover the truth.
Annette Blair gives her readers a great cast of characters in this second book of her “A Vintage Magic Mystery” series. Maddie is developing into a wonderful heroine, complete with supernatural powers – she touches vintage clothing and it opens the doorway for her to see directly into the past.
The rest of the cast vary in quirky to loveable to a few that aren’t quite so nice, including two men vying for Maddie’s attention. Toss in the morgue’s resident ghost and Maddie has her hands full. This is a fast-paced book which has readers going in a couple of different directions. The third book is already in my TBR waiting for me.
Meanwhile, the building next door goes up in flames along with its owner. The police and Maddie begin to thing the two incidents are connected. Maddie and her best friend, Eve, decide to do some investigating on their own. They don’t want anything to get in the way of the store’s grand opening, which increases their desperation to uncover the truth.
Annette Blair gives her readers a great cast of characters in this second book of her “A Vintage Magic Mystery” series. Maddie is developing into a wonderful heroine, complete with supernatural powers – she touches vintage clothing and it opens the doorway for her to see directly into the past.
The rest of the cast vary in quirky to loveable to a few that aren’t quite so nice, including two men vying for Maddie’s attention. Toss in the morgue’s resident ghost and Maddie has her hands full. This is a fast-paced book which has readers going in a couple of different directions. The third book is already in my TBR waiting for me.
November 16, 2009
Book synopsis:
Madeira Cutler is busy opening her new vintage clothing store in what was once the town's morgue when she discovers an intruder snooping around a bunch of bones in a body drawer. Now, she'll have to dig up more than the past to solve a crime.
This was one of the most strangest books that I have ever read. This author was way too distracting for me, she was all over the place. She has 5 different charters that did not add to the story, they didn't need to be in the book at all. They had no function other then to be distracting to the reader and the main charter, it made the book way to long. This Mystery was not a mystery at all, it was way too predictable. It wasn't suspenseful at all just distracting.
Madeira Cutler is busy opening her new vintage clothing store in what was once the town's morgue when she discovers an intruder snooping around a bunch of bones in a body drawer. Now, she'll have to dig up more than the past to solve a crime.
This was one of the most strangest books that I have ever read. This author was way too distracting for me, she was all over the place. She has 5 different charters that did not add to the story, they didn't need to be in the book at all. They had no function other then to be distracting to the reader and the main charter, it made the book way to long. This Mystery was not a mystery at all, it was way too predictable. It wasn't suspenseful at all just distracting.
May 24, 2015
Larceny and Lace is the 2nd book in the Vintage Magic series...Maddie Cutler has given up her job as a fashion designer in New York City and returned to Mystic Falls to open a vintage clothing shop. While getting her shop ready for the grand opening, a burglary occurs. Maddie
and Eve, her best friend and cohort in crime, find a vintage had made quilt with diamond engagement and wedding bands in a secret pocket. With help from Police Chief Werner and others, a decades old disappearance is solved, just in time for the local witch's gala ball! Just as
much fun to read as the first book...Can't wait to receive the 3rd in the series!
and Eve, her best friend and cohort in crime, find a vintage had made quilt with diamond engagement and wedding bands in a secret pocket. With help from Police Chief Werner and others, a decades old disappearance is solved, just in time for the local witch's gala ball! Just as
much fun to read as the first book...Can't wait to receive the 3rd in the series!
January 2, 2010
Vintage clothing shop owner Madeira Cutler has enough to contend with before the grand opening of her store, but finding some old bones leads her to a long ago murder. The killer is still alive, however, and determined that Maddie doesn’t get a clue about what happened. With the help of her psychic abilities and a resident ghost, she follows the threads, weaves the clues together, and gets to the cut of the crime. Cleverly magical.
May 2, 2016
Another great book in this series. I absolutely love Dolly and Dante they are two of my favorite characters from the book. I can't wait to see what happens in book 3.
January 23, 2013
too much product name dropping.
January 2, 2013
Cozy mystery - a girl comes home to open up her dream vintage dress shop, but murder happens.
November 13, 2019
I loved this book just as much as the first one. It had that same sense of self and humour. That same quaint feeling of fun and enjoyment. Something which I really enjoy in my reading and shelves. Especially after a long, serious day of hard work… it just makes me so incredibly happy. And you know that there is going to be an easy, simple happy ending… even if this is a mystery about death.
This Vintage Magic Mystery was quite a bit more sinister than A Veiled Deception. Especially considering the fact that unlike in the first novel, this one has people who are actively gunning for Maddie. She just can’t quite seem to keep her nose out of a good mystery, and that has gotten her into a whole lot more trouble than the previous story…. which of course made this all the more difficult to put down and forget about….
Nick is still in this story. There’s nothing in particular that I have against him… but he just isn’t a great fit. Anybody who is in an on again and off again relationship just doesn’t sit quite well. And he’s kind of dismissive of Maddie as a human being. Weiner on the other hand, I think is brilliant. He finds Maddie frustrating, irritating and, most importantly real. As someone who is a bit like Maddie, having a man that recognises all of your flaws is actually kind of amazing… and it also lets you be yourself. Weiner better be this for Maddie later in the series!!!
This story also featured the grand opening of Maddie’s shop. It kind of made me want my own little shop. One that I could let my passions run rampant and be my own boss. I don’t think that it’s a realistic dream… but still. I just loved the Maddie finds a way to live a full life that she wants. One that is filled with her passions and obsessions. Something that I think we could all strive for (even if for a lot of us, it isn’t super realistic).
This Vintage Magic Mystery was quite a bit more sinister than A Veiled Deception. Especially considering the fact that unlike in the first novel, this one has people who are actively gunning for Maddie. She just can’t quite seem to keep her nose out of a good mystery, and that has gotten her into a whole lot more trouble than the previous story…. which of course made this all the more difficult to put down and forget about….
Nick is still in this story. There’s nothing in particular that I have against him… but he just isn’t a great fit. Anybody who is in an on again and off again relationship just doesn’t sit quite well. And he’s kind of dismissive of Maddie as a human being. Weiner on the other hand, I think is brilliant. He finds Maddie frustrating, irritating and, most importantly real. As someone who is a bit like Maddie, having a man that recognises all of your flaws is actually kind of amazing… and it also lets you be yourself. Weiner better be this for Maddie later in the series!!!
This story also featured the grand opening of Maddie’s shop. It kind of made me want my own little shop. One that I could let my passions run rampant and be my own boss. I don’t think that it’s a realistic dream… but still. I just loved the Maddie finds a way to live a full life that she wants. One that is filled with her passions and obsessions. Something that I think we could all strive for (even if for a lot of us, it isn’t super realistic).
September 11, 2023
I found "Larceny and Lace" a tough read - not because of the constant vintage fashion references or the silly fake swearing - because it didn't make a lot of sense and, lazily, ultimately solved itself.
Also, if you have a ghost on your premises 24/7 you'd think he'd be a tad more helpful - Dante does, however, play an important role in the very touching ending (it would have been a 2 Star book otherwise).
As Mad works on getting the old undertakers ready for her grand opening as a vintage fashion emporium she finds an old quilt and human bones. It doesn't take long for her to use her visionary gift to come up with a scenario for the murder but that is followed by a long pause in which she doesn't really pursue the most obvious clue - i.e. who was Isobel?
The book flows quite well but the plotting is suspect.
3 Stars.
Also, if you have a ghost on your premises 24/7 you'd think he'd be a tad more helpful - Dante does, however, play an important role in the very touching ending (it would have been a 2 Star book otherwise).
As Mad works on getting the old undertakers ready for her grand opening as a vintage fashion emporium she finds an old quilt and human bones. It doesn't take long for her to use her visionary gift to come up with a scenario for the murder but that is followed by a long pause in which she doesn't really pursue the most obvious clue - i.e. who was Isobel?
The book flows quite well but the plotting is suspect.
3 Stars.
July 31, 2022
I am not a fashionista at all. So I genuinely surprised when I found myself sinking into this serious. I relate more with Eve (Maderia's best-friend and sleuthing partner) as far as fashion goes. Gotta give this one to Annette Blair she wrote a funny, very rich story and if you are giving the attention its due you will miss out! If you are cozy-mystery reader you should add this serious to your list and if not give a try it won't be waste of your time. This time Maderia starts a business, stumbles into a fire/murder scene and finds herself working on a conspiracy almost 30 years old. And trust me the obvious guilty party will keep you guessing.
October 21, 2020
I do enjoy this series a lot. Love the characters and the mystery was great. I was pretty sure about the culprits but kept second-guessing myself until very close to the reveal. The two things that drive me nuts are 1. the use of fashion terms for cuss words (seriously?) and 2. Maddie's need to be a fashion-plate at all times and the author's need to describe EVERY outfit in detail. I know it's kind of a thing in books with vintage clothes stores, but it gets old fast when you run more toward Eve's style.
August 28, 2022
This is a good mystery with a ghost. Set in an old morgue that Madeira is now turning into a vintage clothing store, the story takes off when she finds some human bones wrapped in a quilt in a body drawer in her building. The resident ghost helps her figure out what is happening, when the building across the street is torched and the owner burned to death. Maddie has to try to solve the crime at the same time as she is opening her store, and just coincidentally as a favor to her aunt, hosting a celebration of witches.
February 28, 2019
This series gets better. I love it. This has a bit of everything and a great story line. A playhouse burning down with the owner in it. Vintage clothing that tells Mad of another murder. A ghost called Dante, and of course all the friends and family and don't forget Weiner the cop. Great characters that work so well together though I am kind of tired of Nick who never seems to do anything but but show up for sex. GIve her a love story.
September 17, 2021
I read this book once before some years ago. I read some hater reviews but I really get a kick out of these books. I find them amusing as I would watching old tv sitcoms - I’m not looking for literary genius - just entertainment and good settings and amusing characters. My job is hard enough during the day and I just want light entertainment before bed. I like this series. I’m going to read the rest as well.
July 30, 2017
This cozy was somewhat difficult to follow. I liked the idea of the shop being housed in a former funeral home with a resident ghost, major points there, hence the two stars. Too many characters with complicated tie ins, I lost interest in who they actually were, including the main character and her crew.
I did enjoy the expletive "Scrap!". That was cute.
I did enjoy the expletive "Scrap!". That was cute.
February 24, 2018
Fun series! On to book number three.
March 16, 2018
Never quite sure which way some things will go and others are such easy guesses
May 15, 2018
Love it- can't wait to read book 3 in this series
October 10, 2018
Had a few continuity type errors and Huh?? moments. Cute series though. I'll keep with it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews