The Cane Mutiny: A Den of Antiquity Mystery    by Tamar Myers Order:  USA  Can Avon, 2006 (2006) Paperback     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth With a clever title, Tamar Myers is back writing of southern antiques dealer Abigail Timberlake Washburn. Diminutive in size, but not in brains, she becomes suspicious when losing bidders at an auction show interest in what she acquired in a blind bid. While Abbie is tiny, her assistant, and soon-to-be sister-in-law, is more than life size. Both their statures are pointed out many times in The Cane Mutiny, maybe a few too many times. Nevertheless, the assistant CJ is chatty, her words almost foaming from her mouth. It would seem that those words are not from her brain, for she is very gullible and believes whatever she is told. Even to the extent of being disappointed that the family goat has a different DNA than the rest of her family. Humor is paramount, although the action moves along very quickly. Never a dull moment. Characterizations are right on the mark, with the southern attitude toward Yankees seeping out at times. Abbie has a mother who is actively looking for a man and wears 50s crinoline skirts. Barring the odd corpse or two and the discovery of a human skull, Abbie's sleuthing gets her in as much trouble as can be expected. CJ's rendering of her family's habits and rituals makes the reader stop for breath - laughing can cause breathlessness. All in all, The Cane Mutiny is a fun book, surely a great beach read. Tamar Myers is also the author of a series taking place in Amish country. That protagonist is known far and wide for the size of her feet. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews