A new author, and a new series here (at least for me): A Very English Murder is the first in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright. Lady Swift has returned to England on the death of her uncle, who has left her everything. She is not your typical society lady of the 1920's ... she is a world traveler (helping to put together a travel guide) and has been to China (biked along the Silk Road), Africa (rode a camel), and India (rode an elephant), so when she witnesses a murder on a stormy night, she is not afraid to step in and investigate. It's a good thing she does as the local police do not believe her. (The body went missing). She has help from the staff of the manor house she has inherited, and learns, um, interesting things about her uncle, too.

A Cast of Vultures is another clever mystery by Judith Flanders. It's set in the world of publishing ... who'd expect it to be so dangerous? ;-) A neighbor have gone missing. Depending on who she talks to he is either the salt of the earth, or a drug dealer. Which is it? Watch out for the 'Thugs 'R' Us' that chase her (not a spoiler, it says this right there, on the back cover).

Reading Hermit With Dog