The Big Steal, a Cozy Mystery by Emyl Jenkins

Antiques Appraiser & Sleuth Sterling Glass Exposes a Slew of Secrets

Nov 23, 2009 Lynn Brogan

In the antiques world, things are not always what they seem. Sterling Glass must sort truth from fiction and fake from real in this calm and cozy Virginia mystery.

Sometimes an antique gem is hidden under coats of old paint; sometimes a fake is pawned off as real. Sorting out fantastic forgeries from real pieces takes expert knowledge and attention to detail. Getting to the bottom of human motivations and secrets takes heart and understanding. Sterling Glass proves she has it all in The Big Steal.

The Big Steal Plot Summary

Sterling Glass, independent antiques appraiser, has been hired by the Babson and Michael insurance company to verify a claim made by the Wynderly Museum in rural Virginia. During an unsolved theft at the museum, some pieces were broken and several items reported missing. With the museum on the edge of bankruptcy, the insurance firm has concerns about the claim. Sterling’s job is to assess the current value of the antiques and determine what pieces were stolen.

Sterling’s task is made more difficult by the sheer volume of artifacts and the disorganization in the house. Wynderly was once the home of Mazie and Hoyt Wyndfield who collected American and World antiques. From the moment Sterling sees the deep green Tang Dynasty horses at Wynderly; her sixth sense tells her that something is not quite right.

As Sterling explores Wynderly's objects and its people, she finds one hidden layer after another in the paperwork, the house, and the human interactions and choices, including the long departed Hoyt and Maize.

Editorial Reviews for Emyl Jenkins’ Second Cozy Antiques Mystery

Publishers Weekly (May 4, 2009) called The Big Steal an “intriguing second mystery to feature the antiques expert [Sterling Glass].”

In The Big Steal, "real-life antiques appraiser Jenkins again imbues her sleuth, Sterling Glass, with knowledge and curiosity in equal parts, making this story as informative as it layered...The mystery is thoroughly involving, but the real fun is the characters: both Sterling and the supporting cast are well drawn and engaging...If you like light and breezy (but not silly), this one's for you." —Booklist starred review (May 1, 2009)

“Sure to appeal to cozy readers, especially those who enjoy Jane K. Cleland's antiques series,” reports Jo Ann Vicarel in the June 1, 2009 Library Journal.

Kirkus Review ((June 1, 2009) says, “Sterling’s second. ... is more puzzle than mystery, a leisurely, genteel story packed with information sure to please antique lovers.”

Brogan101 Review of The Big Steal

The Big Steal is a calm mystery with no gore and no dead bodies. The story is unveiled slowly and meticulously, as if Jenkins is gently removing layers of paint from an antique piece. Jenkins creates fascinating characters from the past and the present keeping the reader engaged.

The key to this mystery, of course, is in the details. Jenkins seamlessly drops clues and bits of information for the reader. The foreshadowing is deliciously tantalizing. Jenkins also does a masterful job in teaching the reader just enough about specific antiques in each chapter opener with her “Dear Antiques Expert” Q and A device that the clues in the chapter are meaningful.

Jenkins uses the first person, with Sterling as the narrator. The reader easily and comfortably identifies with Sterling. Because of the technical nature of the clues hidden within the antiques themselves and the expert knowledge needed to unearth these clues, it is important that the reader is in Sterling’s head. And naturally, the reader will wonder just how much of Emyl Jenkins is in Sterling Glass.

Strong Women Characters

The most important characters in the book are strong, independent women. From Maize Wyndfield who died in 1985, to young, inexperienced curator Michelle Hendrix, the women Jenkins creates are strong, smart, and independent. The reader learns how these women cope with the constraints of the times in which they lived. The older female characters are vibrant and lively. No feeble, befuddled ladies are found in Jenkins' world.

In a November, 2009 email interview, Jenkins confesses that her strong female characters surprised her a bit. “In truth, it was after I finished the book--sent it off to my editor,--that I realized that I'd really written the story of four women (Mazie, Miss Mary Sophie, Tracy, and Michelle) and how the times in which they lived and their upbringing influenced the choices they made in life. Such are the surprises and delights of writing fiction.”

A Scoop From Emyl Jenkins

Jenkins wants readers to know that she loves living in Richmond, Virginia and has decided that, Richmond is "so wonderful that I'm setting Sterling's next adventure here." (November, 2009 email interview)

About Emyl Jenkins

The author is a longtime antiques appraiser and auction house professional. She is the author of Emyl Jenkins’ Appraisal Book, Emyl Jenkins’ Southern Christmas, The Book of American Traditions, and From Storebought to Homemade, among others.

The Big Steal is a delightful cozy mystery that includes a bonus “Quick and Easy Guide to the Most Popular, and Often Found, Antiques“ at the end of the book.

Publisher: Algonquin Books; .2009

ISBN-10: 1565124464

ISBN-13: 978-1565124462

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The Big Steal by Emyl Jenkins