There's a common story line to Publishable by Death, the first in the St. Marin's Cozy Mystery series by ACF Bookens: small town, small bookshop, can it make enough to survive? After that, it's just a nice, well written little mystery that I quite enjoyed. Book shop is in a former gas station, with a connection to the Underground Railway. Good characters, too, some with a connection to the time when mixed marriages were against the law. Loved the community feel with the other shop owners, and especially all the dogs. ;-)

The Gang of St Bride's, by Emily Organ, is the 9th in her Penny Green Mystery series. There is a lot going on here! Penny will soon be married, which means she will have to give up her job as a journalist because a married woman cannot have a job (more on this in the book). Her father has been found in the amazon (after a 10 year absence with no contact) but does not want to return home. Two bodies, both young women, are pulled from the river. And there is a gang of thieves busy at work ... they pick pockets, snatch purses or bundles ... usually from women ... and the thieves are all female ... ! Seems such gangs were not all that uncommon, be sure to read the historical notes!

Reading Hermit With Dog