The Big Steal

Sterling Glass #2

by Emyl Jenkins

Hired to assess the value of broken and missing antiques following a suspicious burglary at a Virginia manor house, intrepid appraiser and amateur sleuth Sterling Glass finds that her job is more complicated than she'd anticipated. The antiques, she realizes, are not always what they seem: some are worth tens of thousands, others are well-done replicas.
Whether the well-traveled and well-heeled couple who once owned Wynderly could have been trafficking in fakes is what Sterling must unravel from the secret rooms, hidden treasures, uncovered diaries, and convoluted trail of paperwork and provenance. As our sharp-witted heroine sifts through details doled out by the museum's curators, board members, and the town's local residents, she discovers that objects, unlike people, do not lie.
"The Big Steal" is a delightful mystery that enhances readers' antiques acumen and provides an easy guide to identifying the most popular styles and periods in an illustrated appendix.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

366 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2009

About the author

Emyl Jenkins of Richmond, Virginia, born Mary Louise Joslin, was an internationally known antiques appraiser, prolific writer and author, and engaging speaker. She was a graduate of Mary Washington College and held a Masters in English from the University of Virginia. She was involved with many arts and cultural activities including the Library of Virginia, Virginia Governor's Mansion Citizen Advisory Committee, Garden Club of Virginia, James River Writers, Virginia Press Women, North Carolina Ballet, and the Arts Council of North Carolina State University.

She worked at two auction houses and wrote numerous books and articles on antiques, as well as a syndicated column. Jenkins's first antiques book, Why You're Richer Than You Think (later reissued as Emyl Jenkins' Appraisal Book) landed her a 3-day stint on Good Morning, America. She was the author of Emyl Jenkins’ Southern Christmas, The Book of American Traditions, and From Storebought to Homemade, among others.

A lady of superior accomplishments, Emyl brought happiness to the many people she encountered throughout her distinguished career. Emyl requested that her friends "think happy thoughts."

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more for the information on antiques than for the mystery. It does sound like fun to be exploring an old mansion with hidden rooms. After the death of the owners their house is turned into a museum. There is a theft and Sterling is called in to figure out what was taken and how the appraisal will be handled. She finds lots of secrets in the past before the thief is figured out.

[Jaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the book: a quote , supposedly from Edith Wharton's story "The Fullness of Life":

"I have sometimes thought that a woman's nature is like a great

house full of rooms: there is the hall, through which everyone

passes in going in and out; the drawing-room, where one

receives formal visits; the sitting-room, where the members

of the family come and go as they list; but beyond that, far

beyond, are other rooms, the handles of whose doors perhaps

are never turned; no one knows the way to them, no one

knows whither they lead; and in the innermost room, the

holy of holies, the soul sits alone and waits for a footstep that

never comes."

[Catherine Woodman]

Really my biggest complaint is that the mystery part of this murder mystery is completely lame, and that the titillating banter between Sterling and the two men is worse than boring--I couldn't care less--pick a guy, don't pick a guy, get on with it. So, two things that should move the story along are just ok. The antique appraiser come investigator is a good new spin for the genre, and that part of it is very good. The flow of the story is also good, so if you can overlook a lame ending, and would enjoy a book steeped in facts about antiques, this is one to try.

[Erin Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fine book, but I will likely not read it again. I read this one without reading the first one, and the only thing I was missing was an understanding of why she was in love with / attracted to her two love interests. The romantic tension feels a little bland, but otherwise everything made sense as a stand alone book.

[judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to close this book before hitting page 100. I made myself continue although I'm sorry I did. The author is a true expert on antiques, a former English teacher and a Southerner who understands their oddities. This book is a prime example of my mantra "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". She has all the pieces that might have made this book exceptional. Unfortunately, it was truly horrible. It lapsed into melodrama way too often. Her attempts to explain how wealthy Virginians from old families think and act were strained and clumsy. Since I was raised in Virginia I knew where she was going but she didn't get there. Her character(antique appraiser Sterling Glass [female:]) kept invoking what her mother told her every few pages. Her mother told her the usual stuff--nothing unique or witty. I kept wanting to scream "Think for yourself!" She did do a good job explaining various antiques and their origins. That might make some readers happy but it was TMI for me. Finally, the plot was tedious. I kept thinking the author needed an editor who would cut the book in half. This author is clearly well educated and a Southern lady. I do wish she would go back to writing factual guides to antiques (her forte)and leave the mystery fiction to others.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second Sterling Glass novel has the mystery, but most importantly Emyl Jenkins' expertise in antiques. Every chapter has a short article about antiques that provides interesting information and education. This, like her first Sterling Glass book, is steeped in Virginia history and speaks very clearly to those "from around here." The mention of Menokin's drawings being found in Mount Airy Plantation's attics had me online to see the restoration progress. Mount Airy was featured on HGTV's "American Rehab Virginia." The author's extensive knowledge about Virginia and antiques is expressed in these novels as well as her nonfiction books. Sadly, she passed away and we have lost future opportunities to explore her knowledge.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Maybe I was just in a bad mood but I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first in the series. The story never came together...too many characters, reveal of the "mystery" came too early and was not particularly clever or interesting. Plus Sterling is still hearing her dead mother's voice in her head, which is annoying and reminds me of Norman Bates in Psycho. I think I like the idea of a mystery series based on an antiques appraiser than I like the execution of it by this author.

[Becky Benishek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I actually did. Great premise, and the promise of settling into a juicy house mystery.

I was left feeling that I'd missed the climax, somehow--all the uncovering of who-did-what-and-why was kind of hand-waved off at the end. I really should have put it down halfway through.

The antiques tips at the start of each chapter were more wittily written than the rest of the book.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would've given this one star except that at the start of each chapter was a hint about antiques. The mystery itself left me cold as did the main character, Sterling Glass. Obviously the author knows a lot about antiques, but writing about that and creating a good story aren't the same thing.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out with promise but I was terribly bored towards the middle and more or less skimmed the last couple of chapters

[Leslie Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the stuff about antiques. She is obviously very learned about them. Characters were likeable. not enough of a mystery; some loose ends.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sterling Glass is an antique appraiser called to investigate a burglary and damaged antiques in a mansion in Virginia. Not only does she meet unusual characters but the story of the original owners becomes part of a mystery she wants to solve.
Each chapter starts with a letter asking about an antique, and Jenkins, as Glass, gives an answer. Some of the antiques discussed in these letters caused me to check what they really looked like. Also, at the end of the book was a section explaining the differences in categories of antique furniture.
I enjoyed the mystery, and since I know next to nothing about antiques, the opening letter/answers were educational.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too cluttered, like the old Virginia estate that is the stage for this mystery. Too much “oh, which man will woo me”. Too conceited. Not enough mystery or plot. No more of these for me. Three is generous - only because the author is very competent.

[Emily Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 for writing, 3 for plot. It’s nice to read a mystery that isn’t about murder for once.

[Connie Becerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I enjoyed reading about the antiques in this book and the mystery surrounding these antiques was good, too.

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

You really need to care a great deal about old things and family lines as this story centers around far too much detail yet very little substance. The antique tips were fun.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different read. I really enjoyed it.

[Lorraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very slow and no storyline. Kept reading to find out the mystery, secrets and lies was so disappointed

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best mysteries I have ever read. It kept me guessing up until the end, it took me a while to realize what was going on. Very well written.

[Theobald Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Good appraisers are, by nature, detectives,” explains Sterling Glass in her second appearance as a sleuth and crime solver in THE BIG STEAL (Algonquin 2009). “I’ve always said it’s because we see so many fakes and frauds—both the inanimate and the two-legged variety—that we never take anything, or anyone, at face value.”

With that mindset, Sterling starts her investigation in the attic of Wynderly, a historic Virginia house museum that has been robbed and vandalized. Hired by an insurance company to assess the current value of the broken objects and to see what she could find out about the stolen ones, she almost immediately discovers that many of the antiques in the mansion are forgeries. Inevitably, she is drawn into the suspicious behavior of the museum’s curator who knows nothing about antiques and a Board with its own agenda. Had the wealthy Wyndfields who built the mansion a century earlier been taken advantage of by unscrupulous dealers? Or were the fakes a more recent substitution by a curator or board member? When Sterling literally stumbles into a secret room in the attic, she finds a curious stash of identical antique porcelain dogs. And wasn’t “dogs” the last word spoken on the deathbed of Mazie Wyndfield, the mansion’s original mistress who hated dogs? In the course of her investigation, Sterling manages to solve a historic mystery as well as the present-day robbery.

Author Emyl Jenkins was an appraiser and as such, published a number of best-selling nonfiction books on antiques and home decorating in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2007 she turned her talents to fiction with her first Sterling Glass mystery, STEALING WITH STYLE. Each chapter starts with a short, seemingly random Q&A on antiques that quickly ties into the plot. Both books are fun to read, with stories set in rural Virginia. They are not what I call “cozies” but there is little violence. Rather the mystery is the focus . . . and the antiques.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Steal is A Sterling Glass Mystery set in Orange county, Virginia. Sterling has been hired to appraise the contents of a place called Wynderly . The original owner, Hoyt and Mazie Wyndfield were the sort of couple everyone admired. They had furnished their Virginia manor house with beautiful antiques and rare treasures from exotic travels. It was expected that after their deaths, it would become a museum. A burglary exposed more than a simple theft and Sterling is hired to assess the value of the loss. She finds her job more complicated than she had anticipated as she talks to Michelle, a local woman who has been hired to oversee the house. Sterling goes upstairs to the attic and finds boxes that she starts going through. She finds Mazie's diary and becomes immersed in reading about the lives of Hoyt and Mazie. When she starts assessing the property, she finds that some of the items are fakes. She finds dogs Sleuthing around, she discovers a record book that Hoyt had kept with notations after entries. She meets Tracy Dumont who also owns a manor house who befriends her and helps her navigate among the makers and shakers in Orange County. She manages to solve the mystery of how many of the priceless antiques had been replaced with worthless counterfeits. The main character is engaging and keeps the reader reading along happily. An added bonus is a guide at the end that lists the most popular and often found antiques.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read the first Sterling Glass novel, but it wasn’t necessary. You miss a little of the background between Sterling and her two love interests, but it doesn’t take much to catch on. She gets a lot more than she bargained for when she accepts a job appraising the value of some antiques following a robbery. In fact, she does very little appraising, becoming more caught up in the politics of the foundation that owns the home and the intricacies of the unusual home itself. Sterling also writes a column where she answers questions about antiques, and there’s a question and answer at the start of each column. I felt like I learned quite a bit about antiques just by reading those questions.

The mystery itself is almost unnecessarily complex, and there’s a twist of sort at the end that I didn’t real understand the purpose of. Regardless, I liked the story, and I would definitely read the first book (and any subsequent). But I have to confess... I found the name "Sterling Glass" *way* too kitschy.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author and am so disappointed to learn that she died before she could write more books. There is this one and one called Stealing with Style. Jenkins was an extremely knowledgeable antiques appraiser who wrote a syndicated column on antiques. The heroine is fun; the chicanery is believable, and there are lots of choice little nuggets of info about the antiques business. For instance, to tell if a piece is real ivory versus plastic or resin, hold it against your cheek. If it's cold, it may be ivory. then try to pierce it with a hot pin--which will pierce plastic but not ivory.

Favorite lines:
"As I'd learned long ago, money invariably brings out the worst in everyone."
"Just as the diamond symbolizes enduring love, the ruby symbolizes mutual love. Love given and love returned." Makes me so glad my "engagement ring" is a ruby--or at least looks like one. Turns out it may be a rubellite, a stone from Brazil that's a variety of tourmaline called Brazilian ruby.

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sterling Glass is an antiques appraiser who travels to Virginia for an insurance appraisal. She is met by suspicion and distrust by the board members and the staff at Wynderly. As she begins to look around, Sterling is struck by the bizarre mix of antiques and fabulous fakes she finds. As she digs deeper, she uncovers decades-old antique frauds she does not know how to report. Someone tries to run her off the road. Her friend, Peter, and her boss, Mark, decide to come to Wynderly to help her and suddenly Sterling is being courted by two attractive men and trying to decipher their mixed messages along with the cryptic diary of Mazie Wyndfield. If you like antiques and want to learn more about them, read this book.

[Alleluialu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I liked most about this book was that it was set in southern central Virginia - not far from Charlottesville. I love that area. There were several mysteries in this book and solving them made it interesting. You never knew what was around the next bend - or on the next page. Sterling, the antiques appraiser, was very good at what she did, but she was also very clever and could figure things out well. She took the time to learn about the people involved and how they thought. The house, Wynderly, seemed fascinating with its secret rooms and passageways. This was a very good book and I may search out other titles by Emyl Jenkins to read.

[Boots S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected a bit more of excitement in a book with a title such as this. The story concerned an appraiser, Sterling Glass, whose job entailed deciding the worth of broken and stolen items in a house full of antiques for the insurance company. . Anyone who is a fan of antiques should learn quite a bit from reading this book. (I like new things) Sterling finds and peruses the diary of the deceased lady of the house, Mazie, and concludes that Mazie's husband bought and sold forgeries of many of the items in the house. But she did not reveal this to any authority and the robbers were apprehended in a relatively simple way.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book only because I wanted to be clear on who-dun-it and why. I confess I skimmed the last 4 or 5 chapters. This book is not good. It could have been good - whack out about 100 pages by saying what must be said and no more, tighten up the story line, get rid of most of "Mother's Sayings", and be less repetitive. Nary a character was truly likeable. The love story within the bigger story added nothing. I did like the Q and A that began each chapter; antiques was Ms. Jenkins' strength. I was so disappointed by this book; I had greater expectations. And as a fellow Richmonder, I so wanted to like it. Alas, I did not.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in a series by antiques appraiser Emyl Jenkins. I read this before the first one, and found it to be an interesting, light mystery. My favorite part of the book would be the little Q & A at the beginning of each chapter concerning antiques, and each one ties in with the chapter it precedes. The protagonist is an antiques appraiser in VA (write about what you know!) and this story involves a large country mansion/museum. It works well; a light read, with a some interesting antiques information and mild love interest.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the first mysteries I've read in a long time that does not involve a murder. Sterling Glass is an antiques appraiser who's sent to a Virginia estate to appraise pieces that were recently broken in a robbery. While there, she uncovers a mystery involving the estate, Wynderly, and its former owners. The story didn't have the type of twists that I want in my mysteries but the factual antique information interwoven in the novel, makes for an interesting read.

[Jan Polep · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow but I learned a little about different kinds of antiques and collectibles. Set in Virginia, main character solves mystery of who is stealing antiques from mansion open to the public for tours. Ending was a bit abrupt. Usually I live everything that published Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill puts out, but this time...not so much