Albert Smith, retired detective, widowed, and with little to do, decides he a) needs to learn how to cook, and b) see more of England. He embarks, along with his 'service' dog (he flunked police dog school) Rex Harrison on a tour of small towns that offer classes in cooking a local delicacy of some sort. (You know this can't go well, yes?) The mayhem has already begun by the time they arrive in Bakewell ... there's been a death and an 'accident' (but was it, really) ... and he learns that what he hopes to learn to bake is not a tart (don't ever, ever, call it that) but a pudding! Bakewell Tart Bludgeoning is the second of the Albert Smith's Culinary Capers, by Steve Higgs. Love the doggy version of things.

Lady Jane, and her Aunt Kate have come to a posh resort planning on a nice vacation. Instead, they are pulled into a mystery ... death, a missing person (a friend of theirs), lots of suspects, threats ... hardly relaxing, but certainly interesting! The Seaview Cottage Conspiracy, by B.D. Churston, is the second in the Lady James and Mrs. Forbes Mystery series.

Reading Hermit With Dog