The Irving File, one of the Aunt Bessie Cold Case Mystery books by Diana Xarissa had a bit of a twist ... yes, they are working on a cold case, but this time there is an observer from 'across' who wants to see how the team does what they do. He has been tasked with setting up something similar and hopes to learn why this team is so successful. Along with the case they are working on, Bessie is worried about a friend of hers ... a single woman (of a certain age) that suddenly learned of a nephew she never knew she had ... she owns property and has a bit of money ... is it a scam? Just a fun series.

And talk about a fun series! Here's another entry in the Miss Fortune Mystery series by Jana Deleon: Swamp Santa. It's Fortune's first Christmas in Sinful, and what a production it is! When Santa ends up dead the children are distracted by Gertie's parrot. (I have missed one book here, only available as an e-book, but know that Gertie now has a parrot. Owned by both drug dealers and nuns. Makes for interesting comments from said parrot). The man in the Santa suit is not who it's supposed to be (a good thing, actually, as it means the local person is still alive) ... but who is he and why is he in Sinful at all? And posing as Santa? Lots of twists here (with many laughs).

Reading Hermit With Dog