Christmas is coming, folks are going nuts and Melanie's friend, Claire, has a new business ... give her your list and she'll do the shopping for you! It's going well until she discovers the body of her newest client. She had been living in a rather run down house on the estate of a rich (very rich) recluse. Why? And is there a connection to their high school years? And, for fun, there are puppies! Three abandoned puppies add to the chaos in a house already filled with Poodles (and one mutt). Here Comes Santa Paws is a fun, short, seasonal addition to Laurien Berenson's Melanie Travis Canine Mystery series.

I picked this book: Christmas Calamity at the Vicarage because of the theme. It is part of the Churchill & Pemberley Mystery series by Emily Organ. I know that I jumped in to the middle of the series here, but a bit of background would have been nice (and it can be done without spoiling the earlier books, Diana Xarissa does this quite well). Seems Churchill and Pemberley are 'little old lady sleuths' so when a body is found during the annual party at the vicarage, they jump right in to find the murderer. There are some great 'nods' to the game of Clue, a fun 'hunt' for the mince pies, as well as the other necessary elements of a snow storm and an old house with .... secrets. Oh, and all the evidence is pointing towards Churchill and Pemberley. ;-)

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Robert Lopresti is a local author who writes some very nice mysteries. Turns out he also writes short stories which have been published in various magazines. Shanks on Crime is a collection of those, plus a few seen here for the first time. A thoroughly enjoyable read! There's not always a murder, sometimes it's something that happened long ago, and, there's even a nod to another pnw mystery writer! Great fun!

It's December now so I will soon be starting the Christmas/holiday mysteries I have on my 'to be read' shelf. I sort of jumped the gun with Death on the Danube: a New Year's Murder in Budapest, by Jennifer S. Alderson, but this is a new author for me and I was curious. Lana has been asked by a good friend who runs a tour business to take over as a guide (the original one had a accident and is in the hospital). Lana agrees, after all, she's always wanted to see Budapest! Then someone goes missing and the body is found floating in the Danube. Accident? Murder? Seems to be a lot of motive (everyone is from the Seattle area and there's lots of 'history' amongst those on the tour). This is the first in the Travel Can Be Murder series.

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We are near, very near, the last Aunt Bessie book (in fact, it's on order as I keyboard this). The 'yearning' in Aunt Bessie Yearns, is poor Bessie, wanting nothing more than a dull, quiet walk on the beach but instead comes across another body. She thinks he looks familiar ... who is he? Is there a connection to what is going on at Thie yn Traie? There is gathering of businessmen going on after all, so there really could be a connection, yes? I had to chuckle at the end, 'something' happened that I think has only happened one other time in all the mysteries I've read! This is part of the Isle of Man Cozy Mystery series by Diana Xarissa.

Stealing the Crown looks to be the first in a new series by TP Fielden, A Guy Harford Mystery. Let's hope so! This was another great read by this author. It's London, 1941. Someone has been shot in Buckingham Palace. Looks to be a suicide, except the gun found next to the body does not belong to the victim. (Not to mention that a body certainly cannot be found in the Palace)! Guy Harford has been assigned to the case (reluctantly). Remember, this is war time ... who can be trusted? Are people telling the truth? Who might be a spy? This is fiction, based on fact ... see the author's note at the end.

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Lots of women worked at the Disney studios starting in the '30's. Walt Disney sought them out ... that's the good part. They were rarely, if ever credited, and poorly paid. Not so good, but given the times, not surprising. There were a few who made it 'up the ladder' because their work was so good. Disney might have been impressed, but it was rough going working with the other, all male, artists. And again, it was a long time before any of them saw screen credit. These names may have vanished into the archives, never to be seen again (okay, maybe that was a bit over dramatic, but it could have happened!), but for the efforts of Nathalia Holt, author of The Queens of Animation: the Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History. This is wonderfully researched (scan the notes at the end, they are interesting), and well written book. It is powerful and depressing at the same time.

For one of those reads with short entries (you know, to read during the commercials) (!) try Interesting Stories for Curious People: A Collection of Fascinating Stories About History, Science, Pop Culture and Just About Anything Else You can Thing of, by Bill O'Neill. The sub-title pretty much says what I would have said! There are few incorrect names, but overall a fun collection.

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Charlotte Holmes is at it again ... posing as the representative for her (non-existent) invalid brother, Sherlock, she is out to clear the name of a friend who was caught, holding the gun, in a room with two dead men. A locked room. There is a great scene where I wanted to cheer as a widow takes over what is rightfully hers (and I'll say no more so you can cheer, too)! Murder on Cold Street is fifth in the Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas.

Why would anyone want to murder a librarian? (Okay, I guess I can think of a few reasons). And then go on to murder others? Find out in Murder by Dewey Decimal, one of the A Measurements of Murder Mystery books by Stephen B. Bagley. There have been break-ins too, both at the library and at houses in town (it's a small town). Obviously someone is looking for some thing, but what? Not a bad story, it kept me up very late one night!

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There are a variety of spins on the Sherlock Holmes books these days and one of my favorites is The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas. Charlotte Holmes, a consulting detective (acting for her sickly brother Sherlock, because, after all, a mere woman couldn't really do this, right?) has been tasked with retrieving some letters that requires the theft of a rather large piece of art. From a public place and during a public event. Just how she pulls this off, with the help of a wonderful collection of friends makes The Art of Theft of great read.

It seems a gathering of crime writers is not all the, er, fun, it was supposed to be. One of those attending is extremely unpopular among the other writers so when he is found dead in the local Victorian Bath, few are upset. The thing is, he had arranged for the private use of the Baths so no one else was around, and there is only one way in and out, and someone is behind the desk at all times. The Royal Baths Murder is one of the Yorkshire Murder Mystery books by J.R. Ellis. I'll offer up just one hint: think 'hiding in plain sight'. ;-)

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Since it's hard, and certainly not recommended to do much traveling at this time, here's a nice arm chair journey: Hidden Places, by Sarah Baxter and illustrated by Amy Grimes. It is one of the Inspired Traveller's Guide books. These are (mostly) little known places. Many are hard to reach, but all have an interesting history and this is an enjoyable read ... especially since you won't have to hike, climb, row, ride a mule, etc. to get there! The illustrations add to the enjoyment.

I knew 52 Women of Whatcom was due out and so was keeping an eye out for it. It's from the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County, and does not disappoint (well, except for one incorrect spelling of a name ....). There are short biographies and a picture of 52 women, from pioneer days to present time, who encouraged the building of schools, museums, hospitals and more. They were advocates of voting for women, and for basic human rights. Read it, share it, it's an excellent read!

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