Short stories are often fun, and a good collection may be found in Christmas Crimes At The Mysterious Bookshop, edited by Otto Penzler. Mr. Penzler owns a books shop: The Mysterious Bookshop. It is in New York. Seems it is huge and offers new, used, rare and out-of-print books. Thirty some years ago he started a tradition of asking an authors to write a short story which was published in booklet form and used as a gift to some of his regular customers. There were just three requirements for the stories: they were set at Christmas time, had a mystery, and at least some of the action took place in The Mysterious Bookshop. This is a collection of some of those stories. They are sad, and grim, happy, heart warming, funny ... a wonderful way to start a chilly December morning with a cup of tea. You may always wonder why that bottle of brandy seems to taste a little ... different ... :-)

It took a while for this to come out, but it was worth the wait. The Judas Monk Murders, the fourth in the Homefront Sleuths Mystery series by father/daughter team of Anna Elliott and Charles Veley. A soldier is found dead in the ruins of an old abbey. The military say it was an accident, but our Homefront Sleuths feel otherwise. Adding to the mystery is the story of a monk, a monk who was a traitor (hence the name, Judas Monk). Is there a connection, and if so, what? Don't miss the historical notes at the end.

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I thought I'd see if I could include a winter or holiday mystery with the fiction postings this month. Today it is a book by Martin Edwards: Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife. Several people have been invited to a 'retreat' in a remote area of England. There are almost as many 'staff' as guests. What do they all have in common? There is some connection to the literary world: an author, a publisher, an agent, a critic. They have been invited to solve a puzzle, the prize is a lot of money. You, as the reader, are also given the necessary clues to solve the mystery. It's Christmas, they are snowed in, there is no contact with the outside world and no chance of leaving. Then bodies start to pile up. Just who is everyone, and why are they there? Rather traditional, in the old style (see the Cluefinder chapter at the end), a nice read.

Things are coming to a head in book 7 of the Dales Detective series by Julia Chapman, Death with Betrayal. Samson is working on several cases in his detective business, refusing to be stopped by a death threat. Delilah, on the other hand, is trying to figure out how to protect him. One of the problems for her is, who can she trust? This leads to a great story! Lots of twists and turns, ideas good and bad, and the coming together of a wonderful community. (I wondered if the author used a flow chart or spread sheet to keep everyone straight)! I managed to figure out one wee bit. :-)

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It starts with just a missing person, a much loved missing person, one who served with great purpose during WWII. Vera Bodine might be elderly, and a shut-in, but her mind was as sharp as ever, and perhaps that's the reason she is missing. She knows things, all kinds of things, about a local law firm, about a recent murder, and about Nazi spies. As always, Pentecost and Parker are on the trail, but events from their pasts will sidetrack them, making this adventure: Murder Crossed Her Mind, by Stephen Spotswood, hard to put down. It is the fourth Pentecost and Parker Mystery.

A body has been found. On Halloween. In the forest. The number 37 is tattooed on the sole of one foot. Detective Norman has a new boss (we can only hope it's temporary), who is convinced it's the local 'pagans' who held a ritual in the forest that night. He is SURE the case is solved and closed. It's not, and his interference is not helping. The Body in the Forest is the seventh in the West Wales Murder Mystery series by P.F. Ford.

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I picked up The Candy Cane Caper because I wanted a holiday/Christmas read. It is part of the series A Cozy Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack, but the synopsis said it works as a stand alone, too, so not knowing a lot about the characters is okay. :-) It includes recipes. It was a very nice read, a real 'cozy' ... no body, no death ... the mystery that needs solving is the theft of some old, extremely valuable tree ornaments. And Sadie intends to do just that. They were on the tree of her good friend, the elderly and mostly blind, Mary. There is great sentimental value here, too. Mary is in an assisted care facility so there's no shortage of staff and friends to question. In addition, for the first time since she got married, all of both families are coming for Christmas. She will be busy!

Several important ages this year: the Muppets (and therefor Kermit) are 70, the Sound of Music is 60, and Julie Andrews is 90. I found special issues of magazines for two.

From Time it was The Muppets, a wonderful issue full of Muppet history, lore, fun facts and so on. You'll learn how they got their start, what stars they met and worked with (!) ... remember, when you see them with someone, there's a lot going on behind the set! :-) You'll meet those behind the characters, behind the scenes, who wrote those wonderful songs (my favorite is Rainbow Connection) and more. Full of wonderful pictures. Side-note: Kermit was the commencement speaker at the University of Maryland this year, Jim Henson's Alma mater.

And from Life it is The Sound of Music: 60 Years Later, the Hills Are Still Alive. Because it's from Life there are lots of wonderful pictures, of course, but I would have liked a bit more about the movie and stage version. There's a lot on Julie Andrews, which was fine, and interesting, (and it is her 90th b'day, after all) but I knew more about the movie than was given here! Still, it was an enjoyable read.

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There is an excellent tv series called Murder in a Small Town that is based on a book series by the same title by L.R. Wright. It is set on the Sunshine Coast of B.C. so the scenery is very familiar. :-) The Suspect is the first of the Alberg & Cassandra mysteries in both book form and on tv. There are a few subtle changes, but mostly the show sticks to the books. An older resident of the small town finds a body when he goes to visit a friend, he is the one to report the crime. Follow along as Karl and Cassandra (and their budding new relationship) as they figure things out. Why would someone murder an 85 year old?

Leta is looking forward to the conference of crime-loving readers, and not just because her boyfriend (a long distance relationship until recently) will be there. She meets up with good friends, the panels and talks are fun ... until a body if found. There was an altercation earlier, could the murderer be that easy to find? That would actually be nice as that person is all too flirty and pushy with the men attending, including Leta's boyfriend. Then that person is also found dead. Leta and the Little Old Ladies' Detective Agency get to work to solve just what is going on. Pets, Pens, & Murder is the seventh book in the Dickens & Christie Mystery series by Kathy Manos Penn.

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I actually had two non-fiction books I was reading at the same time. Every morning, with my second cup of tea, I'd read a section from each of them. They ended up going well together! Both were about road trips, both very nostalgic in nature. Don't rush either book, they are worth the time.

The amount of work that went into The Great American Retro Road Trip: a Celebration of Roadside Americana, by Rolando Pujol is mind boggling! To start with is the road trip ... coast to coast and north to south, including much of Route 66. There are pictures, thousands of them, of roadside curiosities (giant lumberjacks) to neon signs advertising a business from across the decades. Then there was organizing and putting them all into this glorious romp for armchair travelers, as well as those who have driven some of these roads themselves. Many of the businesses, cafes, and gas stations are still open, some even owned by the same family. Others have a new owner and business, but kept the old historic neon signs (thankfully). Some are abandoned, sadly, and of course, some are gone. Loved the pictures and the history ... just an amazing book!

Welcome Home: Travels in Small-Town Canada, by Stuart McLean was written in the late 1980's. He sought out small towns that, say, had no ATM machine, a bowling alley where the pins were still set up by a human, schools that taught all grades from kindergarten to high school. You will learn about forestry, and herding cattle (and fences). Local businesses where you go get your own cup of coffee, as many as you want, with a bowl near the spoons for you to pay (owner never had a problem doing that). There is a town with a possible, very possible, link with royalty (albeit illegitimate). There is a hockey town ... small, but fierce in determination to keep it's hockey rink. You meet the locals, folks who have lived in the area all their lives as well as folks who have left and returned. Charming and sweet, it will make you smile.

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Here's a brand new author for you to try! Especially if you like a good mystery written in the 'noir' style. :-) The Bookscout and the Theosophist, by W.J.McHenry. Author used the first person narrative style, which was brilliant ... no need for what can be awkward dialogue, and no worries that quotation marks might not get properly closed! (a pet peeve of mine). Follow along as the bookscout finds an interesting book (and learn how that happens, what such a scout looks for at estate and garage sales and so on) ... a copy of Leaves of Grass. There are interesting notes and names written in the margins and on the end pages. There might even be a connection with ... well, I won't tell you, I've promised no spoilers! It is hopefully the first of many tales, which will eventually make up a collection of short stories. Be here at the very beginning. Find the book on amazon, and yes, it's short, just 22 pages, but worth it! (And yes, I do know the author). ;-)

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Hannah has been volunteering at the local hospital while the bookstore she and her Aunt Violet own and run is being rebuilt after the recent bombings. It is London, 1916. She arrives one morning to find a soldier, dead, in the small library. That's not all that is suspicious ... a young nurse is afraid she is being followed, and then disappears. Hannah is sure they are connected. Murder in the Library is the second Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery by Anita Davison. Smart, strong women here, something that is not always appreciated in that time! ;-) Police, among others can be reluctant to listen to them. They will regret that.

It might be fun to partner the above book with Murder in an English Village, set in 1920 London since some of the attitudes are the same ... and remember that as you read, there is one extremely annoying doctor! Having fallen on hard times Edwina is advertising for a lodger to help make ends meet. Those who have applied are just not acceptable, until, thank goodness, an old friend, an American (and most unconventional) woman sees that ad and, not ready to return to the States as yet, takes Edwina up on the offer. Then, to save the reputation of her friend, finds the biggest gossip in town and at a 'slip of the tongue' says that the ad was actually a coded message, that the two had worked together during the war, possibly for the King! Turns out, there is a sinister side to the small town, with folks with secrets to hide. Seems they worry about what Beryl and Edwina might find out. This, the first of the Beryl and Edwina Mystery books by Jessica Ellicott is a grand romp! Thanks to Canadian Reader for the recommendation.

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The Case for the Master Sleuths series, by Alex Wagner, is also one of those mysteries where the animals can talk. The twist here is that while they can all talk to each other (cats, dogs, birds, rodents, etc), humans cannot understand them. When they find clues, and/or solve the murder they then have to figure out how to tell those humans! There's a clue in the title of the second book in the series: Never Blame the Gardner. A professor has died, in a tragic accident. Or was it? There is a former employee that is much too interested in his estate, why?

It's summer, the busy season for Mackenzie (Mac) and her bike shop. She has an altercation with a local by the name of Jake. He later is found dead with a knife in his chest, one that looks a lot like one her brother owns. And said brother is now missing. The local police figure the case is closed but Mac knows better .. and she and the members of her book group, the Cozy Capers (they only read cozy mysteries) set out to prove the police are wrong. Murder on Cape Cod is the first in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery by Maddie Day. Fun characters, especially the grandmother.

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Before the Vinyl Cafe radio show (and maybe during) Stuart McLean was on a show called Morningside and this book The Morningside World of Stuart McLean is a collection of the essays he wrote for that. Here are stories about the pencil, the game Monopoly, the popsicle, the Jersey Cow, shoveling snow and more. One, about a groundskeeper for an old, grass baseball field (where you mowed, not vacuumed) was so interesting it sent me looking for a book on that very subject! This is a sweet, charming, nostalgic book and I opted to read just one essay every morning to make it last.

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London, 1915. After the recent bombings Hannah goes to check on the bookstore her Aunt inherited. Said Aunt is more interested in working on votes for women, and with the Red Cross, so a friend from her childhood has been hired to manage the store. He proves to be useless, so Hannah fires him and takes over. He is angry and the next morning Hannah arrives to find her best friend, Lily, dead in the store. The plot thickens, as the saying goes, when a coded message is found. Hannah has often thought Lily's husband was keeping secrets. Could he be a German spy? Murder in the Bookshop, by Anita Davison, is the first in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery series.

We've probably all heard of the Tour de France, yes? What about the Tour of Britain? Not so well known, although there are those who would like to change that. This is less likely to happen, or maybe not in the way originally thought, when there is a murder. The police think it is random, but Leta and the other members of the Little Old Ladie's Detective Agency do not and they investigate. They are helped by Leta Parker's cat and dog, who can talk to her and are always eager to help. Good characters and a touch of humor in the sixth book in the Dickens and Christie Mystery series by Kathy Manos Penn, Bicycles, Barking & Murder.

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A Guide to Solving a Murder, the first in the Finn and Briar Cozy Mystery series by Courtney McFarlin starts with a familiar theme ... an inheritance. One that will change Tessa's life dramatically. The difference here is what that inheritance is! Not a house, or a lot of money, but magic! Turns out, there is magic on her mothers side of the family. In Tessa's case, she is now able to understand her dog and cat! The legacy also includes dreams and when a dream is of a woman who was murdered she knows she (and her pets) will have to investigate.

Fake Death, by Victoria Tait is a new author for me. It's part of her series A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery. It's the first in the series, I checked several times as it felt like it was starting in the middle, or maybe at the end of 'something' ... the main character is recovering from a head injury and (to me) her co-workers are not always sympathetic. There is a body, of course, who looks familiar to several people (and yet, not quite). Turns out he is a man with several identities! Figuring all this out made for a mostly interesting read, and at the end, I learned you could learn more about what happened to Dotty in a 'prequel' but only if you also wanted to sign up for a newsletter and more, which I won't be doing (but you could)!

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I'm reading some books that take a bit of time at the moment so I am using an old favorite today ... one, to my surprise, I've not yet used. The Halloween Tree, by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury is a favorite author, after all! I don't have a copy on my shelf so will admit I went online for a synopsis to remind me of some of the details. What I do remember is Bradbury's beautiful writing style! It's Halloween so there are trick-or-treaters, eight to be exact. They are looking for a missing friend. It's Bradbury so you know it will not be a normal outing. A mysterious guide takes them on a journey through time and space including ancient Egypt, Notra Dame for the gargoyles, and Mexico for the Day of the Dead. Along the way you learn about the history of Halloween, why costumes, skeletons and so on. A grand read by a grand master.

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Murder in the Winter Woods is the 8th in the Julia Bird Mysteries by Katie Gayle (who is actually two women writing together). It's nearing Christmas in Berrywick, usually a busy time for the small town taxi driver. Sadly, his body is found when Julia is out for a walk. It seems at first to be an accident, but then something is found near the body that suggests otherwise. Turns out, he was not all that well liked, so that might be a motive? Then a local bee keeper, who IS well liked is also found dead. Julie believes the deaths to be linked, but how?

Here is is, the last of the Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy books by Diana Xarissa: Zephyrs and Zombies. Wedding planning is going on, one with a very short planning time so it is most incovenient when Fenalla first discovers that some sort of wild party was held on her land (and left a huge mess) and that there is a body. It's at one of her small cottages at the far end of the island ... and actually was set up in the wrong spot. Seems someone knew this, but didn't correct it. Just what is an undead party anyway? Motive and suspects emerge as the story progresses, the few (eight) attendees are not necessarily as they seem.

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Here's a fun read: The American Who Watched British Mysteries, by Arthur John. A body has been found, that of Lucy Dixon, and Detective Marlowe is investigating. It happens in a smaller, tightly knit neighborhood where everyone knows, well, everyone, so who committed such a horrible crime? Enter John Arthur (yes, like the name of the author, story was originally written as a gift for his wife)! Mr. Arthur is a widower who spends a lot of time watching, yes, British mysteries on tv! He also reads them, and has seen many on stage. Will his insights (often told in a rambling fashion) be a help or a hindrance? Title page lists this as Book One.

Here is book three of the Phyllida Bright Mystery series.  Murder by Invitation Only, by Colleen Cambridge features Agatha Christie's head housekeeper. She not only keeps the household running smoothly, but also solves murders. This time it is one of those murder parties gone wrong, the person playing the victim really does turn up dead. Phyllida attends not only because it sounds intriguing, but also to welcome the hosts (new to the area) on Mrs. Agatha's behalf (she and her husband are in London). When Inspector Cork cannot arrive immediately, Phyllida takes charge and helps the local constable through interviews, clues and so on. Turns out there is more to the script for the fake murder than one would think, there are clues to the actual past of the person playing the character. Many actually had reason to see their host dead. Interesting characters!

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When keeping an eye out for another 'period' book I came across this one: Atomic Kitchen: Gadgets and Inventions for Yesterday's Cook, by Brian S. Alexander. Things changed a lot after the war, there were many improvements to the kitchen. The pictures here are wonderful! However, some of the descriptions of something most interesting did not have a picture, and that I found frustrating! There were sets of pink cookware, and a horizontal, looks to be a wall mounted, refrigerator!

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Another new author/series for me: An Irish Bookshop Murder, first of the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series by Lucy Connelly. Mercy and her twin sister, Lizzie, own and run a bookshop they inherited from their grandfather. Things are going well until a neighbor, a judge, dies, on his doorstep, and accuses Mercy of killing him, loud enough for others to hear. She and her sister decide to investigate the 'why' here, why would he do such a thing? They hardly know each other. Going through his library of old books they discover letters ... turns out many folks had motive for doing the old judge in and it is up to them to figure out which one.

A large tract of land is up for sale. Two companies are interested, one will build hundreds of homes, the other a water park. The owner is looking at this as a means to support him in his retirement, and help with the medical care his ailing wife needs. His sister, who owns a part of the land is holding out, she does not want to sell. The small town nearby is not amused, they do NOT want this near them. Except for maybe one person, a policitian. The body of a surveyor is the first victim in The Case of Castle Meadow, one in the Inspector David Graham Mystery series by Alison Golden and Grace Dagnall. There are lots of secrets here, a 'find' that could change everything, another death ... all which makes things interesting for the first week a new employee at the police station ... Martin Standish. He moved his family here for a quieter life.

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Another new to me author is Julie Titterington, (lives here in the PNW), who is the author of The Dog Ladies. This book just seemed to get better and better and towards the end I was reading it while brushing my teeth! It starts with one of those murder game nights in the apartment complex where Priya, Gloria, and Ryan live (with their dogs). Things take a nasty turn when there is a real murder ... the custodian/handyman of said facility. The trio, two retired ladies and a young Gen Z gamer (with issues you will learn about as you read) band together to catch the killer. Lots of interesting twists and odd connections here!

It would have been fun to wait to read Murder in the Mistletoe Shoppe in December, but it's the 11th in Magda Alexander's Kitty Worthington Mystery series, and I have 12 already sitting on the shelf! It's London, 1924 and Kitty and Detective Sinclair will be celebrating their first Christmas together as a married couple. They planned to go to a family home in another town, but had to stay in London when a body was found and her hubby was assigned the case. The body was found in a Christmas shop, holding a marionette carved with the name of Kitty's best friend. Why? And what secrets did the victim take to the grave? Turns out 'other' things went on at the Mistletoe Shoppe during the war! Another great read in this series.

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A Village Theatre Murder is the seventh in the Julia Bird Mystery series by Katie Gayle (actually two women writing together). The murder happens on stage, in full few of an audience. First it's thought to be good acting, the play is a murder mystery after all, where someone gets shot. It's not, of course, and the prop gun turned out to be anything but ... It won't be easy to find the 'who', just about everyone in the small village had something to do with the play. Although the wife appears to be upset, Julia later sees her kissing another man, and learns that Graham (the victim) was about to serve divorce papers. Could it be that easy? Or was it the actor who was sure he deserved the lead role? When a member of the stage crew also ends up dead Julia determines there is more going on and sets out to figure out just what.

In the 1930's, in London, mystery books and stories were considered to be pulp fiction and not given much serious thought when it came to literary awards, or even notice. A group of authors set out to rectify that. Mostly men, but they did include a few women, who, quietly, brought that number up to five. Then they decided they should solve a real mystery to prove their worth. Queens of Crime, by Marie Benedict, is a blend of fact and fiction, be sure to read the notes at the back! I loved the process of them figuring things out, a case the police had dismissed, the victim being a young woman, on holiday, after all! A most interesting read.

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Here's a new author/series, one that was a great find! :-) Death on the Bookshelf, the first in The Pages and Paws Mystery series, by Poppy Bridgeman. Ginny has inherited a bookshop in Devon, one that has a lot of old files, records, and books, some that are valuable (and kept in a locked room). When a body (of someone not liked all that well) is found in her bookstore, she is the prime suspect. She needs to find out what really happened. She is 'helped' by her two Welsh Corgi dogs.

A Very Bookish Murder is the third Ally McKinley Mystery set in Scotland by Dee MacDonald. There is a writer's retreat being held nearby, featuring a well known novelist who will be talking about writing, plots, and so on. A novelist who has helped many of those attending with their books, referring them to publishers, and so on. Ally is happy to provide housing for attendees. The retreat has barely started though when that novelist is found dead in the ladies' restroom. She has been strangled. Everyone is shocked until secrets surface involving, among other things, plagiarism ... and then there are lots of suspects. This has been a great series.

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The Dickens & Christie Mystery series, by Kathy Manos Penn, book five, Castles, Catnip & Murder is just as good as the ones that came before. This time Leta is headed for a cat yoga retreat (!) for some relaxation. The dog comes along, too, as do the other women in the Little Old Ladies Detective Agency. When the corpse pose almost becomes permanent, and with the local police not all that interested, they jump in to solve the mystery. There's some fun Arthurian myths and legends, too.

The Homefront Sleuths Mystery series, by father/daughter team Anna Elliott and Charles Veley is called a "historical cozy mystery" right on the cover. This is an excellent description and I love all the history notes they include with their books. The third in the series, The Spitfire Murders, no surprise, explains how these planes were built during the war. Parts were manufactured 24 hours a day, mostly by women, with inspections and guards and so on to prevent sabotage, spies, etc. so when a night watchman ends up dead and then an inspector, it's worth checking out. Just what is in some of the boxes of parts being shipped out? What is that white powder? And why, in an abandoned house, is there evidence of boiling seaweed?

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Date with Deceit is the sixth in the Dales Detective Series by Julia Chapman. As expected it is well written and kept me up far into the night ... however ... it's also my least favorite at the moment because what is in the title ... 'deceit' ... is what happens and that is sad! The wife of the mayor comes to the detectives to see if her husband is having an affair. There are 'deals' going on that aren't what they seem, some involving land. Many of the story lines started in earlier books come to a head here, too.

I decided to partner The Otley Murders, one of the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series by J.R. Ellis with the above book because both deal with grim subjects. Well written, it will keep you reading, but it's a sad part of history concerning orphans/children's homes and the people who were there to take care of them. A dangerous criminal has managed to escape, one who threatened DCI Oldroyd ten years ago. Then, bodies start appearing ... bodies that are staged and with a message written on their foreheads. How is everything connected?

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The Pony Express is probably something we all remember from the history of the U.S. It is easy to conjure up an image of a young man on a fast horse racing across the country (and boy, is it big)!, braving weather, rough terrain, buffalo and Indians. (it's okay, that was the word used at the time);-) And yet, much of this is not true! Many accounts were written years or even decades after the fact, or from hearsay, or second and third hand accounts, even those who actually saw it like to embellish! Author Christopher Corbett has done a wonderful job of filtering through all this, pulling out what was actually true and what wasn't in Orphans Preferred: the Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express. There's a lot of the history of the West here, too. And some nice mini-biographies of names you will recognize such as Mark Twain and Buffalo Bill. A bit of a slog a couple of times, but overall a captivating read! My favorite image might be that of the Pony Express riders racing past the crew putting up the poles for the telegraph lines that would soon connect this vast country ... and of the buffalo who found them to be wonderful for scratching! :-)

Stuart McLean might be best known for The Vinyl Cafe, a show on CBC FM ... although maybe not so much anymore as he sadly died at much too young an age in 2017. He also wrote essays on everyday life. The Vinyl Cafe Notebooks is filled with beautiful, lyrical, thoughtful essays on everything from the daily newspaper (the 'real' one, in print, that could be found on bus seats, park benches, in the break room), the family piano, worms, various months, and so much more. I laughed (twice in public), I cried, I nodded in agreement ... spend some time here, don't rush, contemplate what you read.

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I'm not sure I agree with the blurb on the back of Paw & Order, the first in the Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery, by Chris Abernathy ... "What's better than a K-9 cop? A feline detective" but I will admit, I am a dog person. :-) Whiskers even has a badge! He helped the late husband of Sheila until his retirement, they'd even figured out a way to communicate with each other when Whiskers knew something Fred didn't. Alas, Sheila has not as yet picked up on how that was done, so when she becomes the main suspect in the retirement town where she now lives she has to figure things out for herself. A nice, light, cozy mystery.

This recommendation came from Canadian Reader, who likes We Solve Murders, by Richard Osman, better than his Thursday Murder Club series! It's an unusual team: Steve, retired, loves his pub quiz nights; Amy, working in personal security,her current client is a famous recluse, Rosie. When bodies start to show up, each with a bag of money, and with a connection to Amy, they become a team to figure who is behind the murders, and why Amy is a target. More of a thriller than a cozy, the adventure will take you all over the world. (Private jets must be really nice to have)! It's the first in Osman's new series.

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Nova Davies is new to the small Cornish town where she recently moved from London. She starts a book club at the local community center with hopes of gathering folks together. Well, she does do that, but all they seem to do is disagree! Then money was stolen, a lot of money, money needed for a new roof. Other issues arise, all seemingly pointing toward Nova, including the dead body that was found ... just what is going on? Is she really becoming so forgetful? And then there's Phyllis, an Agatha Christie superfan who is sure she can solve all these mysteries the way Miss Marple would. The Busybody Book Club, by Freya Sampson was a fun read with some clever twists to the plot.

A Most Puzzling Murder, by Bianca Marais proved to be a most interesting book. It's an interactive book, I'm told, in that there are puzzles to solve, and a few 'choose your own ending' chapters (remember those books??). There's a dark and stormy island where nothing electronic works, even though book is set in present day. There is a large, dysfunctional family and a spooky castle like home. There is a ghost. And a raccoon. Oh, and there's magic, lots and lots of magic, each family member having a talent at something different. The patriarch has called them all together (we know part of the reason, but the family does not). Yes, there is a murder, but I won't say too much more! Family secrets (and there are lots of them) emerge. I mostly liked this book, but thought it was too long, some of the story lines could have been shortened, or used in another book, perhaps.

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A story on war pianos sent me on a hunt for more information. They were upright, but smaller than the usual version, sat flat on the floor, and were made sturdy enough so they could be transported by jeep, or dropped by parachute out of a helicopter. They were made by Steinway. I found more information in one of the Images of America books, Steinway & Sons. This is a history of both the family and the pianos, it was fascinating! At the very end is chapter of many of the famous folks who played on a Steinway. You'd expect most of them ... Van Cliburn, Rachmaninoff, and Michael Feinstein ... but there is also a delightful picture of a young Elizabeth (the future Queen) and her sister Margaret who learned piano on an upright Steinway! I had to look that up ... seems they both continued to play throughout their lives.

British Culture 101, by Jeff Watson was mostly a fun read. You'll learn about things like money, government, conversation, the royal family, weather and more. Plan on doing a fair amount of chuckling! On the other had, I was surprised that there was no mention of the iconic red phone booths. Granted, few are in use as phone booths any more, but they are still visible! Many hold defibrillators and other first aid items, some are free libraries, some are mini tea shops, but they ARE still there! And, there were several requests that you scan those square codes for more, something I didn't do (but you might)!

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There seems to be a new trend of talking animals in mysteries, and this is true with Cats and Other Calamities, the first of the A Case for the Master Sleuths books by Alex Wagner. The twist here is that while the animals can all talk to each other (and we, as the readers 'hear' that), the humans just hear animal sounds. So, how do the animals communicate what they've found? To complicate that, the main character inherited Athos (a Malamute) when her father dies. This is her first pet ever so she is not good at picking up on animal body language. She is at a reunion when a friend and former class mate is killed. This friend came with her cat, who bonds with the dog and they become the master sleuths in the series title! A great start, the second book is already on my TBR pile.

I wasn't sure about this book at first ... The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, by Michelle Chouinard, but then at least two reviews called it 'quirky' and I decided to give it a try. Capri earns money giving just such tours of the area, taking the curious on tours of where murders happened, or the victims lived and so on. It doesn't hurt that she is the grand-daughter of a serial killer, did I mention that? (She's always thought he was innocent). Then there is a murder ... and a second ... that copy cat her grandfather's methods ... who? and why?

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The Last Word, by Elly Griffiths seems to be a stand alone book (she's written several series). At 84 Edwin is still working ... mostly in surveillance (after all, who notices an old person). His partner, Natalka, is much much younger and the two of them, with the help of Benedict (runs a coffee stand) the solve murders. Edwin likes to read obituaries (and do the puzzles) in several newspapers. He picks up on an odd connection and then, when asked to investigate the death a local priest with a secret (he writes romance fiction, pen name is female)(!) they decide to investigate. Other authors die, there is a connection to a writer's workshop, and the who and why .... all make for a read that kept me up past midnight. :-)

To be honest here, I did not end up liking this book at the end as much as I did when I started, but it has excellent reviews (except for a few) that say otherwise, so I leave you to make up your own mind. :-) The Examiner, by Janice Hallett is one of many books she's written, but the only one I've read. There are six students taking a course that is supposed to combine art and business and prove that art classes are still important (the university does not think so, and they are about to be cut completely). The six are very different in age, gender, race, abilities ... the teacher wanted this to prove there was wide interest in her class. It's told mostly in emails, texts, and written assignments. I never warmed up to any of the characters, but that might be what the author wanted. Things take a curious twist when an old radio is stolen from the business they are supposed to be helping with up to date advertising and so forth. Things then change dramatically in the last third of the book as you learn what really is going on. It is ... unexpected to say the least!

Reading Hermit With Dog

While not exactly a mystery, The Last Chance Library, by Freya Sampson, was still an engaging read. It's about the local, much loved, library in a small town ... such libraries are often marked for closure, because, after all, a book mobile would suffice, yes? This does not go over well as this library (as are many, I am sure) is more than just books. You will meet the many folks who use it on a regular basis, and why, and follow along as they rise up to save their library.

Tall Reader has grandkids. Grandkids who read ... real books as well as other forms, and they share the real books when they come to visit. Here's one that was a most interesting read: Restart, by Gordon Korman. Author has written a lot of teen/tween reads and won awards, and I can see why. Chase wakes up in the hospital, attached to all those wires and so on. Why is he there? And who is the strange woman crying? (It's his mother). Turns out, he fell off a roof and has been in an unconscious state for several days. Folks are relieved when he wakes up, but he remembers nothing of his former life ... nothing. How do you start over? When he goes back to school he learns he played football (was something of a star) and, with others was a bully and not a very nice person. This doesn't seem right to him anymore. Can he change? What would you do if you could start over with your life? There's much food for thought here.

Reading Hermit With Dog