Here's the first in a new series, by a new (at least to me) author: Murder for the Books, by Victoria Gilbert, the debut for her Blue Ridge Library mysteries. After a dramatic change in her life, Amy has moved in with her aunt who lives in a small town in Virginia. There is a decades old murder, seemingly solved, except for one person who believes his great-aunt was innocent who convinces Amy to do a little research. Enjoyed the 'sleuthing' here ... done with old newspapers, microfilm, and so forth. :-)

Nasty characters make an appearence in the third Writer's Apprentice Mystery (think back to the missing person from the second book). There's some rather scary stuff going on in A Dark and Twisting Path, by Julia Buckley. There are some nice (unexpected) family connections, too, though, and several wonderful pets.

It won't take long for some of you to realize that Boats and Bad Guys is the second book in the Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy series by Diana Xarissa. Feeling more settled in now, Fenella Woods is planning on taking the ferry 'across' (to the mainland) to do some research for the book she's writing. That all changes when she finds a dead body. In her cabin. While not pleased to be connected with another murder, she does end up helping with the investigation and learning more about the small town she now calls home along the way. Of course, her aunt, the ghost of the series, wants to help!

Reading Hermit With Dog