A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery Series by Barbara Allan

Brandy Borne and her mother Vivian find themselves investigating the murder of a crooked antiques dealer who just happened to take Vivian for all she was worth. Now they are in a race to find the murderer before he or she strikes again because they could very well be next!

As autumn splashes colour across the small Mississippi River town of Serenity, newly divorced Brandy Borne is on the brink of going crazy after her ever-impossible mother quits the local theatre group. She comes up with a brilliant idea for preserving her sanity and keeping Mother busy: open their own booth at the new antiques mall in town. But they are about to cross paths with a killer.. moreAs autumn splashes colour across the small Mississippi River town of Serenity, newly divorced Brandy Borne is on the brink of going crazy after her ever-impossible mother quits the local theatre group. She comes up with a brilliant idea for preserving her sanity and keeping Mother busy: open their own booth at the new antiques mall in town. But they are about to cross paths with a killer...Brandy, along with Sushi, her spoiled Shih Tzu, pays a visit to the town's Chief of Police to ask about federal auctions of confiscated goods, a little-known source of great antiques and collectibles. Her buys at her first auction in Rockford, Illinois turn out to be a success. On the other hand, her first visit from ten-year-old son Jake, who has been living with his father, turns out to be a challenge.While Halloween looms large on the horizon, things turn grim when a body is found at the antiques mall. To the cops, the case seems pretty clear cut: the victim's dog, the normally good-natured Brad Pit Bull, mauled its owner to death. But Brandy knows her canines, and this dog has definitely been framed. Brandy and Mother are soon snooping into nooks, crannies, and cubby holes while stepping on assorted toes. As All Hallow's Eve shenanigans grow increasingly frightening, true terror unmasks itself when Jacob goes missing. Is his disappearance just a childish prank? Or are sinister forces bubble-bubble-toiling trouble in Serenity?Now Brandy and her over-the-top mom are on the hunt to find Jake before a devious killer mauls again... less

Moving back in with her mother, Vivian, Brandy Borne finds her life in the town of Serenity anything but serene, especially when their antiques booth at the mall is overwhelmed with holiday business and Vivian's former flame, an antiques dealer, is foundmurdered.

The fourth work in the widely acclaimed, laugh-out-loud Trash n' Treasures series by the husband-and-wife writing team, "New York Times"-bestselling author Max Allan Collins and mystery-writer Barbara Collins.Spring has sprung a major leak in far-from-serene Serenity, as the Mississippi River drops in for an extended stay... moreThe fourth work in the widely acclaimed, laugh-out-loud Trash n' Treasures series by the husband-and-wife writing team, "New York Times"-bestselling author Max Allan Collins and mystery-writer Barbara Collins.Spring has sprung a major leak in far-from-serene Serenity, as the Mississippi River drops in for an extended stay. With homes and businesses flooded, how better to help the town recover than by staging a church bazaar?Brandy Borne knows her mother Vivian's plan, however, is more likely to lean towards Bizarre, especially when she hears Mother wheedle a reclusive Russian heiress into donating the last Faberge egg ever created! When the winning bidder turns up mortally scrambled, Brandy and Mother cook up a plan to crack the case of this killer...who is one seriously bad egg! less

Brandy Borne is pretty sure her "charmingly eccentric" (a.k.a. "off her meds") mother, Vivian, didn't kill that viperous mousy-haired busybody Connie Grimes. But there's the small matter of her guilty plea...While Mother blithely adapts to life behind bars by organizing a jailhouse theatre troupe, seven-months-pregnant Brandy and her intrepid shih tzu, Sushi, trundle into a morass of fake antiques and faux collectibles... moreBrandy Borne is pretty sure her "charmingly eccentric" (a.k.a. "off her meds") mother, Vivian, didn't kill that viperous mousy-haired busybody Connie Grimes. But there's the small matter of her guilty plea...While Mother blithely adapts to life behind bars by organizing a jailhouse theatre troupe, seven-months-pregnant Brandy and her intrepid shih tzu, Sushi, trundle into a morass of fake antiques and faux collectibles. In the dog days of summer, they'd better not bark up the wrong tree - or a scheming killer just may put the bite on them! less

Brandy Borne and her suspiciously well-informed mother, Vivian, have the winning bid on an abandoned storage unit's mystery contents, which they discover includes a vintage cornet ... and a dead body. Murder turns to mayhem when an intruder steals the cornet.

Ho Ho HomicideThe Christmas rush is on as Brandy Borne and her quaintly quirky mother, Vivian, sniff out plum collectibles for resale, only to find the owner of a Santa's workshop worth of treasures has received some deadly tidings... moreHo Ho HomicideThe Christmas rush is on as Brandy Borne and her quaintly quirky mother, Vivian, sniff out plum collectibles for resale, only to find the owner of a Santa's workshop worth of treasures has received some deadly tidings. It’s beginning to look a lot like murder…but who wanted the deceased closed for the holidays—permanently? Maybe a rival antiques dealer, a Grinch who collects Christmas? Or the victim’s suspiciously frosty stepchildren? Brandy and Vivian check their list of who’s been naughty or nice, but it may take a Christmas miracle—and some help from Sushi, their elfin shih tzu—to tie a bow around the season’s most wanted killer!DON’T MISS BRANDY BORNE’S TIPS ON ANTIQUES! less

The quaint Midwestern town of Serenity is about to hit the small screen. Brandy Borne and her dramatically ditzy mother, Vivian, will be starring in Antique Sleuths, a reality TV show based on the duo's antiquarian adventures--and their troubling talent for solving deadly crimes... moreThe quaint Midwestern town of Serenity is about to hit the small screen. Brandy Borne and her dramatically ditzy mother, Vivian, will be starring in Antique Sleuths, a reality TV show based on the duo's antiquarian adventures--and their troubling talent for solving deadly crimes. What better shooting set than a creepy old house, the site of a 60-year-old unsolved axe murder?The location is perfect until Bruce Spring, the show's producer, meets a fatal axe-ident, mortally mauled just like the home's previous owner. The first suspect on the chopping block seems typecast for the role of killer--he was found at the scene of the attack, clutching a stained axe. But as Brandy and Vivian chop around for clues, plenty of other suspects stick out their necks...It seems the show's cameraman clashed with Bruce--could he be the culprit? What about the acrimony between Andrew, the harried homeowner, and Bruce, whose dirt-digging documentary all but accused Andrew of the original unsolved crime? And who's driving that blood-red Toyota that keeps making unscripted cameo appearances? If Brandy and Vivian are going to get to the bottom of this mystery, they'll have to be extra careful not to wind up on the cutting room floor--in pieces! less

Brandy Borne and her drama-queen mom, Vivian, take their antiques show on the road, for an off-Broadway farce mixing mirth and murder. A world away from small-town Serenity, the ditsy duo--chaperoned by their trusty shih tzu, Sushi--arrive in the Big Apple, blissfully unaware that they will soon cross paths with a rotten-to-the-core killer... moreBrandy Borne and her drama-queen mom, Vivian, take their antiques show on the road, for an off-Broadway farce mixing mirth and murder. A world away from small-town Serenity, the ditsy duo--chaperoned by their trusty shih tzu, Sushi--arrive in the Big Apple, blissfully unaware that they will soon cross paths with a rotten-to-the-core killer. As the dynamic dames descend upon a comic-book convention--to sell a rare 1940s Superman drawing--Vivian makes a show of keeping the valuable sketch locked to her wrist in a briefcase. When an intruder breaks into their hotel suite, they naturally suspect a felonious fan, over-eager to acquire their artwork. But this not-so-super villain proves less interested in the Man of Steel than in stealing a man's life, as Brandy and Mother stumble onto a murder victim impaled by a pen-shaped award. Suspects ranging from comic-book collectors to crime kingpins lead Brandy and Mother on a merry madcap Manhattan misadventure, taking them from convention hall to strip joint, from retirement home to precinct lock-up. Has the con been conned by a killer? If so, only Brandy, Mother and Sushi can stop this fatally foul funny-book fiend. Don't miss Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!Praise For Barbara Allan's Trash 'N' Treasures Mysteries!Antiques Chop"The characters shine with brassy humor . . . series fans will applaud." --Publishers WeeklyAntiques Disposal"A humorous cozy that teems with quirky characters." --BooklistAntiques Knock-Off"Scenes of Midwestern small-town life, informative tidbits about the antiques business, and clever dialog make this essential for those who like unusual amateur sleuths." --Library JournalAntiques Bizarre"If you delight in the absurd and enjoy manic humor, you'll treasure the Trash 'n' Treasure mysteries." --Mystery SceneAntiques Flee Market"Lively. . .this bubbly tongue-in-cheek cozy also includes flea market shopping tips and a recipe." --Publishers WeeklyAntiques Maul"Charming. A laugh-out-loud funny mystery." --Romantic Times Book Reviews (4 stars) less

It happened at Serenity's swap meet, right after Brandy Borne and her ever-more-eccentric mother Vivian finished shooting the pilot for their very own TV show, Antiques Sleuths. Brandy just, well, lost her balance and fell . . . into the helpful arms of an old flame, local tycoon Wesley Sinclair III. But did Brandy's innocent slip lead to the murder of Wesley's wife, Vanessa? Sure, Vanessa was furious that she caught Brandy in Wesley's embrace... moreIt happened at Serenity's swap meet, right after Brandy Borne and her ever-more-eccentric mother Vivian finished shooting the pilot for their very own TV show, Antiques Sleuths. Brandy just, well, lost her balance and fell . . . into the helpful arms of an old flame, local tycoon Wesley Sinclair III. But did Brandy's innocent slip lead to the murder of Wesley's wife, Vanessa? Sure, Vanessa was furious that she caught Brandy in Wesley's embrace. And she did storm off threatening dire consequences for her humbled husband. So when Vanessa turns up very dead, the local tongue-wag is that Wesley may have permanently dethroned the queen of his castle. But Brandy--along with her notoriously nosy mother and their sleuthing shih tzu Sushi--is determined to dig for the whole truth. Each new clue points in a different direction. What about this suspicious Club of Eight, a super-secret high-society bridge group that supposedly has very liberal rules about "partners"? When a key witness joins the dead list, Brandy and Vivian know they've got to crack this case before the remorseless killer puts an end to their antiquing days--forever! less