Ellie Blix is busy, and as if juggling two jobs, and caring for her sick daughter isn't enough, her mother-in-law moves in. And she's separated from her husband. She's enjoying the carols at a seasonal service when one of them collapses, and dies. Since she and this woman have recently 'had words', Ellie is a suspect. With the help of her daughter and mother-in-law, she sets out to find the real killer. Murder at the Christmas Carols is the first in the Wooton Windmill Mystery series by Izzie Harper. The investigating detective is her estranged hubby, the deceased had recently updated her will, and there are several others who also had 'had words' with her so there are lots of suspects and motives. There's lots of snow. And a second body. Not a bad read.

The Christmas Appeal, by Janice Hallett started out as a bit hard (for me) to read ... it's almost all done with emails back and forth! Once I got comfortable with that it was almost a non-stop read. I do have company at the moment, and a dog, after all. ;-) What starts as a yearly, popular event that seems to be going well, changes quickly. It's a panto of Jack and the Beanstalk. Actors have been cast, sets have been painted, there's even an amazing beanstalk that has been rented for the production. However, there is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction, a candy purchase (for the kids, you know) that turns out to be drugs, and a rumor of asbestos in the beanstalk. That goes from bad to worse when said beanstalk splits open revealing a mummified body. This was a fun, holiday romp, but fair warning ... it was hard to put down!

Happy Holidays!

Reading Hermit With Dog