Something Old, Something New (Blandings Castle Book 1)

Ashe Marston is ready for a change in his life. He's suffered through the existence of starving comic book writer long enough, and is ready for something a bit more exciting than sitting around the apartment in his underwear. So when an irritable billionaire loses his cherished `Cheops', a surprisingly rare and valuable thing, given how ugly it is, Ashe leaps at the opportunity to retrieve rare artifact for the grumpy, old man--who’s willing to pay ten thousand dollars for the service! American!

Unfortunately for Ashe, his much smarter, and much more resourceful downstairs neighbor, Joan Valentine, is also on the scent of the lost collectible, and is now managing to stay two steps ahead of him.

Their quest for the elusive `Egyptian Blue Glass Scarab' leads them to Blandings Castle, where Joan's oldest and dearest friend, Aline, is intending to marry the son of the dimwitted Earl who lives there, a man who can't even remember if he put his shoes on that morning. But will this lost valuable tear Aline's relationship apart? Ruin her upcoming wedding? And will she be happier for it? False disguises, late night adventures, and a madman with a gun add to the excitement, and it's all fun and games until someone is killed.

And then it's even more fun and games!