Franklin's Emporium: The White Lace Gloves

A positive review of this book from an Amazon customer:

I am delighted with the Franklin’s Emporium books I have read, The Pet Shop Mystery and The White Lace Gloves. The books are attractively produced and from the first two sentences of each I was hooked, intrigued to discover how the stories unfolded. The personality of Alex comes alive in each adventure, as do the other characters. Fantasy and magic are woven into the tales in a way that is plausible and amusing, while Aleksei Bitskoff’s illustrations enhance Gill Vickery’s superb story-telling. I couldn’t put the books down and am sending copies to my niece and nephew, for I know they will love to read them. We eagerly await the next in the series.

 

 "...Franklin's was a huge art deco department store, built about eighty years ago when Golden Bay was what my mum called, "a playground for the wealthy." Then the town went out of fashion and Franklin's closed down. It was put up for sale and let it out in "units"."

 

"...Even though it looked like a squashed toad I recognized the scowl. The green dress flapping round the bony shoulders was familiar as well. And the lace gloves on its clenched hands.

This mummy-thing was... "

 

"...She sat on the bed as if her legs had suddenly turned to jelly and slithered down against the pillows.

"I think I'll have a little nap," she murmured and snuggled up to her pillow like a baby resting against its mum's shoulder."