The next in the Charles Lenox mysteries, by Charles Finch is The Inheritance. A curious message arrives from a former classmate, who then vanishes. There has always been mystery surrounding this person ... his tuition way back then, was paid by a mysterious benefactor who was never revealed. Now there is an inheritance, again from a mysterious source. Is it worth killing for?

Murder at the Waterfront, by Dianne Harman, is the next in her Northwest Cozy Mystery series. Responding to comments from readers she's given a bigger role to one of the side characters. This time the murder is at a new (and very expensive) condo. Owners, partners and others (maybe) have mob connections (maybe) so Al De Duco takes the lead on the investigation. Not bad, this is a fun series, but I miss the other characters!

Canadian Reader arrived with a lot of books, including the second book in the Lane Winslow Mystery series by Iona Whishaw: Death in a Darkening Mist. It's winter and Lane Winslow and a good friend are enjoying the waters of a local hot springs. At one point, Lane things she hears someone speaking Russian but that seems a bit unlikely .... until a body is found. Because she can speak Russian, Lane is able to help the police, but this opens up events from her past. Again, just an amazing read and just as hard to put down as the first book. (Canadian Reader noticed that I would wander to the door and back to let the dog in and out with the book in hand).

Reading Hermit With Dog