We chat with author C.L. Miller about The Antique Hunter’s Murder at the Castle, which is the third novel in the Antique Hunter Series and finds Freya, Aunt Carole, and friends searching for a missing colleague in picturesque Scotland.
Hi, C.L.! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a crime writer with a lifelong fascination for antiques, history, and the stories hidden inside old objects. I grew up surrounded by the world of antiques through my family; my mother was an expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow which meant auction houses, dealers, and collectors were part of my everyday life. That world – with all its eccentric characters and occasional rivalries – felt like the perfect setting for a mystery series. My Antique Hunter books combine that insider perspective with classic whodunits, a little humour, and a love of uncovering secrets from the past.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve loved stories for as long as I can remember. As a child I was an obsessive reader, living in a large family I enjoyed disappearing into the quiet adventure of books for entire afternoons. I was especially drawn to mysteries – there’s something irresistible about puzzles, clues, and the satisfaction of putting the pieces together. Writing came later, but once I started creating my own mysteries it felt like a natural extension of that childhood love of storytelling.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Probably one of the Secret Seven adventures as those books were pure escapism for me as a child.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I don’t think there was a single book, but discovering classic crime writers like Nagio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha Christie, definitely made me want to try writing mysteries of my own. And playing Clue with my children through the Covid Lockdown.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I read it in my twenties and it’s one of those novels that lingers long after you’ve finished it.
Your latest novel, The Antique Hunter’s Murder at the Castle, is the third installment in your Antique Hunter’s series and it’s out March 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Secrets, antiques, murder, rivalry, revelation.
For those who haven’t picked up your Antique Hunter’s series, what can readers expect?
The series follows Freya Lockwood, an antique hunter who is drawn back into the world she once left behind after the mysterious death of her mentor. Alongside her formidable and excentric Aunt Carole, she travels through the secretive underworld of antiques – uncovering crimes that are tied to rare and valuable objects. Readers can expect twisty mysteries, unusual antiques, colourful characters, and plenty of secrets hidden in plain sight.
And for those who have, what’s to come in The Antique Hunter’s Murder at the Castle?
In this instalment, Freya and Carole find themselves racing to scottland after one of their team members goes missing while following a clue. When they arrive at a castle where she was last seen they uncover a dead laird beneath the snow.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
I always love writing Freya but Aunt Carole is also such fun to write – she’s wonderfully direct, fiercely loyal, and never afraid to say exactly what she thinks. She brings a lot of humour to the series. In this book, I particularly enjoyed exploring the dynamics between the various team members and how they work together.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing this latest installment? How did you overcome them?
With any mystery, the biggest challenge is making sure the puzzle works. You want the clues to be there for the reader, but not so obvious that the solution is immediately clear. This book also involves a cast of characters in a very contained setting, which meant keeping track of everyone’s motives and movements very carefully. Lots of a spreadsheet and notes helped keep everything straight.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m working on something top secret that hopefully I will get to announce later in the year.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
My reading pile is always dangerously tall. But The Secret Lives of Murder’s Wives by Elizabeth Arnott, Kristen Perrin’s next instalment in the Castle Knolls Files and the Queen of Fives by Alex Hay are high on my list.
