Benedict Archer, who is manager of Thornton Antiques in Melbourne and who has been secretly helping Alexandra learn more about her family business, is also invited. Alexandra asks Benedict and Edith Blackburn, her friend since childhood, to be with her when she approaches her father.
When Edith claims that Benedict is in love with her, Alexandra can’t believe it. In all the time they’d been at Thornton Antiques together, he’d never said a word. Now, Alexandra looks at him differently. Can it be true?
Then a body found in the orchard and, before the weekend is over, a priceless artifact is stolen. Alexandra is determined to discover how these things are connected to the Ming dragon and the antiques her great-grandfather brought with him from Hong Kong so many years ago.
What secret has remained hidden at Thornton Park for the last eight years?
Karen’s Magic Review
Although the cover has attractive colours, I’ve never been a fan of cartoon characters, so it put me off for a long time. This book kept appearing on my Social Media platforms, and I continually heard good things about it. I also remembered that I did download it when it was free on a Kindle not too long ago, or maybe it was when I went on a book buying spree.
As soon as I began reading I knew instantly I would like this story. The author, Ellen Read has a good and easy writing style. When I got to page sixty-nine, I made a note and this is what it said:
I was enjoying the ambiance of the atmosphere and the gentler times with ladies in fine dresses and dapper gentlemen. Benedict and Alexandra had finally exchanged a kiss in the tower with fine views over Melbourne. All was good in the world, the story weaved its way into my heart and I was enjoying it.
Then wham! Someone was murdered. Why? Who? What was going on?
A love it when books does that, don’t you!
The storyline had taken a turn and I was intrigued to find out what was going on. I also came across the Parry family. That made my heart beat a little faster because before I married I was one of the Parry family. When Mr Parry was referred to, it made me think of my dad. It’s the first time I have come across my maiden name in a book like that. Having done my family history, some of the characters names appeared in my family tree. It just makes your warm to something even more.
Think Downton Abby with this book, the upstairs and the downstairs. Then add a really good storyline and you have one good, no, one great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and there was another bit of magic for me too, it is set in the author’s country of Australia. Seeing the Melbourne lights shimmering in the distance makes a change to the Manhattan or London skyline.
Another recommendation from me, and as always, if you do read it, please come back here and let me know what you think. I love discussing books!
Karen J. Mossman 
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