Remember Katie Gayle? The author that is actually two people? Here's her, er, their, fourth book in the Julia Bird Mysteries, Murder at the Inn. Tuesday nights are for quiz night at the local pub, and players take it seriously. Too seriously, it seems, when one of the competitors is found dead. Local DI Hayley Gobson (and main character) is home with a broken leg so someone is brought in from a nearby town to head the investigation. Someone incompetent. And a bit of a bully, who denies Hayley access to any information because HE is in charge. Then another quiz member is attacked and Hayley is sure he is on the wrong track and decides to run her own investigation, without his help. A great cozy.

It all started when the local park was overbooked ... two big events scheduled for the same day ... the church picnic, and a wedding. Let's just say the bride was not amused to discover her 'perfect' wedding would be to the accompaniment of noisy children! Tempers flare. The bride is stung by a bee (or was she?), she has severe allergies and collapses. The epi-pen, that should have saved her life made things worse. She dies. Mallory, from the church, has had some success with her, um, investigations (this is the second in the series) and jumps in to help out again. There is a connection with the church ... the double booking was intentional ... the bride's family is not happy with the groom, the groom's family doesn't like, well, pretty much anybody. And just what are they growing under that enormous tarp? And, there is a cat. In a cast! Not a bad romp. Murder at the Church Picnic, by Denise Jaden is from the author's Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Caper mysteries.

Reading Hermit With Dog