It was so nice to have Aunt Bessie books on my shelf again that I read another one fairly soon after the first one. Seems there are years of ... well ... who knows what stored in out buildings and store rooms of the Manx National Heritage at Peel Castle. In Aunt Bessie Volunteers, one of the Isle of Man Cozy Mystery series by Diana Xarissa, Bessie has offered to help sort through the boxes. While most of the stuff is old, broken, water damaged and so on, there are some interesting historical items. And a body, well, a skeleton. First thing is to determine if it is real (it is), and then, of course, the who and why it ended up where it did. It might take some time, the skeleton is thirty years old!

Here's another wonderful recommendation from Canadian Reader. She actually started with the second in the Laetitia Rodd Mystery Series, but I'm starting with the first: The Secrets of Wishtide, by Kate Saunders. Laetitia Rodd is a widow, one without much money. Her brother has ten children (and another on the way) so he cannot help much financially, but he can help her find work, work that is appropriate for her to do (times are stuffy folks, appearances are everything!) What she can do, and do well, is conduct quiet investigations with the utmost discretion. She is rather good at disguise, and can often get people to talk to her when they won't talk to the police. Charming and delightful!

Reading Hermit With Dog