Here's the first in a new-to-me series: A Body on the Beach. It is the first of the West Wales Murder Mysteries by P.F. Ford, and what a wonderful read it was! Detective Norman has been brought out of retirement to head up a group of 'misfits' (says so on the back cover) that have all been sent to a small town in Wales to get them out of the way. In the past all cases of any interest have been sent on to Inspector Hickstead, from Region (he's smarter than all of the misfits, after all) but this time, when a body is found on the beach, and with Detective Norman in charge that's all about to change. Turns out the 'misfits' have good instincts, and good training, but they've all run afoul of the powers that be at some point. Norman is good at letting people use their strengths, gives credit where it's due and so on. It's amazing what that can do for folks! An amazing start for what Canadian Reader said is an amazing series! :-)

I was always rather fond of Queen Elizabeth and was pleased when S.J. Bennett came out with the series Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. This one: A Death in Diamonds, is the fourth in the series and was a grand read. Strange things have been happening ... a speech goes missing, every copy .... EVERY copy, including the carbon copies that should be in files. Fortunately a young staff woman remembers the speech, word for word so can recreate it. The Queen likes Joan and asks her to fill in for someone who needs, hm ... well, you'll have to read the book to find that out ... The male staff do NOT like her (she's really, really good at her job). Then the Queen is served oysters when on tour. She loves them but never eats them when they don't come from her own kitchen, and staff know this, so who made this error? Could someone on her staff be out to 'get her' for some reason? Who can she trust? And what about those dead bodies, one wearing an expensive tiara?

Reading Hermit With Dog