Statue of Limitations

Tamar Myers is back with her 11th delightful volume in the Den of Antiquity mystery series. Charleston antique shop owner Abigail Timberlake (a.k.a. Mrs. Greg Washburn) knows the importance of not mixing business and private life -- that's why she has two names, for crying out loud. But when Mrs. Washburn's best friend, Wynell, begs for a part in Ms. Timberlake's new venture -- redecorating a very upscale bed-and-breakfast -- Abby breaks that cardinal rule and agrees. Since Abby deals with interiors, and Wynnell is to handle the garden, personal and professional peace is maintained, at least until Abby points out the utter tastelessness of the replica of Michelangelo's David that Wynnell has chosen for the garden's focal point. After exchanging heated words, as only southern ladies can, the pair stop speaking to each other entirely -- until Wynnell calls Abby from jail, where she's under arrest for fatally attacking the B&B owner with the tacky statue! Wynnell's taste in garden sculpture may be deplorable, but that's hardly a criminal offense. To prove her friend's innocence, Abby turns her finely honed research skills on the other suspects at the scene of the crime, like the not-so-grieving widower or the strange guests. Until justice is done, Abby refuses to be distracted by her personal tribulations, which include her mother's decision to open a tearoom in Abby's home and the return of her prodigal brother, who is sporting a clerical collar and aggressively brandishing the new leaf he's supposedly turned over. Statue of Limitations is a wickedly funny, fast-paced look at southern lifestyles of the rich and dead. Sue Stone