'Tis the time of year to read holiday, wintry, snowy stories! I found a few new authors, and even a 'first' in a new series! Karen Baugh Menuhin, Yehudi Menuhin's daughter- in-law, decided, at the age of 60, to write a book: Murder at Melrose Court. It is a wonderful start to her series involving Major Lennox, wondering what he might do now that the war is over. All the necessary elements are here: lots of snow, a body on the door step with a name on a slip of paper in a pocket, a gathering in a large mansion ... a very traditional setting ... but with some great twists and red herrings as Major Lennox figures out what he might do next. The second book is already on my shelf!

Another new-to-me author is Benedict Brown. This book: The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall: a 1920's Mystery, is one in his Lord Edginton Investigates mystery series. There some good things here: while it IS part of his series, he wrote it so that you don't have to have read all the earlier ones to enjoy this one. There is a list of characters at the back, which helps establish who they are. He promised (and delivered) there would be no spoilers (there are just vague references to earlier cases) so you can go back and start at the beginning of the series without knowing the endings. And again, lots of traditional elements: an invitation to a Christmas gathering. A large, remote, mansion. Snow. Phones lines are down, or cut. The owner is missing, and a note was found giving the staff (all of them, remember this) the week off. Why were these people all gathered together? Bodies are piling up. This was an excellent mystery, but I was seriously disappointed with one thing .... when you arrive at Mistletoe Hall, you park your car in a large open area. There is a stable nearby with two horses and a sleigh. The first to arrive hitched those horses to the sleigh and headed up to the Hall. The horses have been trained to return to the stable, where they are available for the next group of guests. The story takes place over several days. It is cold. And there was never any mention of anyone taking care of these horses! Now, maybe it's just me, but that really bothered me! I decided to go ahead and include this book here because it otherwise it really was a good mystery, but be warned!

Reading Hermit With Dog