Murder in the Winter Woods is the 8th in the Julia Bird Mysteries by Katie Gayle (who is actually two women writing together). It's nearing Christmas in Berrywick, usually a busy time for the small town taxi driver. Sadly, his body is found when Julia is out for a walk. It seems at first to be an accident, but then something is found near the body that suggests otherwise. Turns out, he was not all that well liked, so that might be a motive? Then a local bee keeper, who IS well liked is also found dead. Julie believes the deaths to be linked, but how?

Here is is, the last of the Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy books by Diana Xarissa: Zephyrs and Zombies. Wedding planning is going on, one with a very short planning time so it is most incovenient when Fenalla first discovers that some sort of wild party was held on her land (and left a huge mess) and that there is a body. It's at one of her small cottages at the far end of the island ... and actually was set up in the wrong spot. Seems someone knew this, but didn't correct it. Just what is an undead party anyway? Motive and suspects emerge as the story progresses, the few (eight) attendees are not necessarily as they seem.

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Here's a fun read: The American Who Watched British Mysteries, by Arthur John. A body has been found, that of Lucy Dixon, and Detective Marlowe is investigating. It happens in a smaller, tightly knit neighborhood where everyone knows, well, everyone, so who committed such a horrible crime? Enter John Arthur (yes, like the name of the author, story was originally written as a gift for his wife)! Mr. Arthur is a widower who spends a lot of time watching, yes, British mysteries on tv! He also reads them, and has seen many on stage. Will his insights (often told in a rambling fashion) be a help or a hindrance? Title page lists this as Book One.

Here is book three of the Phyllida Bright Mystery series.  Murder by Invitation Only, by Colleen Cambridge features Agatha Christie's head housekeeper. She not only keeps the household running smoothly, but also solves murders. This time it is one of those murder parties gone wrong, the person playing the victim really does turn up dead. Phyllida attends not only because it sounds intriguing, but also to welcome the hosts (new to the area) on Mrs. Agatha's behalf (she and her husband are in London). When Inspector Cork cannot arrive immediately, Phyllida takes charge and helps the local constable through interviews, clues and so on. Turns out there is more to the script for the fake murder than one would think, there are clues to the actual past of the person playing the character. Many actually had reason to see their host dead. Interesting characters!

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When keeping an eye out for another 'period' book I came across this one: Atomic Kitchen: Gadgets and Inventions for Yesterday's Cook, by Brian S. Alexander. Things changed a lot after the war, there were many improvements to the kitchen. The pictures here are wonderful! However, some of the descriptions of something most interesting did not have a picture, and that I found frustrating! There were sets of pink cookware, and a horizontal, looks to be a wall mounted, refrigerator!

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Another new author/series for me: An Irish Bookshop Murder, first of the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series by Lucy Connelly. Mercy and her twin sister, Lizzie, own and run a bookshop they inherited from their grandfather. Things are going well until a neighbor, a judge, dies, on his doorstep, and accuses Mercy of killing him, loud enough for others to hear. She and her sister decide to investigate the 'why' here, why would he do such a thing? They hardly know each other. Going through his library of old books they discover letters ... turns out many folks had motive for doing the old judge in and it is up to them to figure out which one.

A large tract of land is up for sale. Two companies are interested, one will build hundreds of homes, the other a water park. The owner is looking at this as a means to support him in his retirement, and help with the medical care his ailing wife needs. His sister, who owns a part of the land is holding out, she does not want to sell. The small town nearby is not amused, they do NOT want this near them. Except for maybe one person, a policitian. The body of a surveyor is the first victim in The Case of Castle Meadow, one in the Inspector David Graham Mystery series by Alison Golden and Grace Dagnall. There are lots of secrets here, a 'find' that could change everything, another death ... all which makes things interesting for the first week a new employee at the police station ... Martin Standish. He moved his family here for a quieter life.

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Another new to me author is Julie Titterington, (lives here in the PNW), who is the author of The Dog Ladies. This book just seemed to get better and better and towards the end I was reading it while brushing my teeth! It starts with one of those murder game nights in the apartment complex where Priya, Gloria, and Ryan live (with their dogs). Things take a nasty turn when there is a real murder ... the custodian/handyman of said facility. The trio, two retired ladies and a young Gen Z gamer (with issues you will learn about as you read) band together to catch the killer. Lots of interesting twists and odd connections here!

It would have been fun to wait to read Murder in the Mistletoe Shoppe in December, but it's the 11th in Magda Alexander's Kitty Worthington Mystery series, and I have 12 already sitting on the shelf! It's London, 1924 and Kitty and Detective Sinclair will be celebrating their first Christmas together as a married couple. They planned to go to a family home in another town, but had to stay in London when a body was found and her hubby was assigned the case. The body was found in a Christmas shop, holding a marionette carved with the name of Kitty's best friend. Why? And what secrets did the victim take to the grave? Turns out 'other' things went on at the Mistletoe Shoppe during the war! Another great read in this series.

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A Village Theatre Murder is the seventh in the Julia Bird Mystery series by Katie Gayle (actually two women writing together). The murder happens on stage, in full few of an audience. First it's thought to be good acting, the play is a murder mystery after all, where someone gets shot. It's not, of course, and the prop gun turned out to be anything but ... It won't be easy to find the 'who', just about everyone in the small village had something to do with the play. Although the wife appears to be upset, Julia later sees her kissing another man, and learns that Graham (the victim) was about to serve divorce papers. Could it be that easy? Or was it the actor who was sure he deserved the lead role? When a member of the stage crew also ends up dead Julia determines there is more going on and sets out to figure out just what.

In the 1930's, in London, mystery books and stories were considered to be pulp fiction and not given much serious thought when it came to literary awards, or even notice. A group of authors set out to rectify that. Mostly men, but they did include a few women, who, quietly, brought that number up to five. Then they decided they should solve a real mystery to prove their worth. Queens of Crime, by Marie Benedict, is a blend of fact and fiction, be sure to read the notes at the back! I loved the process of them figuring things out, a case the police had dismissed, the victim being a young woman, on holiday, after all! A most interesting read.

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Here's a new author/series, one that was a great find! :-) Death on the Bookshelf, the first in The Pages and Paws Mystery series, by Poppy Bridgeman. Ginny has inherited a bookshop in Devon, one that has a lot of old files, records, and books, some that are valuable (and kept in a locked room). When a body (of someone not liked all that well) is found in her bookstore, she is the prime suspect. She needs to find out what really happened. She is 'helped' by her two Welsh Corgi dogs.

A Very Bookish Murder is the third Ally McKinley Mystery set in Scotland by Dee MacDonald. There is a writer's retreat being held nearby, featuring a well known novelist who will be talking about writing, plots, and so on. A novelist who has helped many of those attending with their books, referring them to publishers, and so on. Ally is happy to provide housing for attendees. The retreat has barely started though when that novelist is found dead in the ladies' restroom. She has been strangled. Everyone is shocked until secrets surface involving, among other things, plagiarism ... and then there are lots of suspects. This has been a great series.

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