Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review

From Shetland with Love at Christmas by Erin Green Continuing my Christmas-themed books, I finally read this one that has been in my TBR list for a while. The book is told from several characters' points of view. There's Verity, the middle-aged mother who takes a gap year to try and start a yarn store business on Shetland, far from her home and her sons and her bossy twin sister. There's Nessie, the groovy blacksmith whose hair color changes to match her moods. There's Isla, the talented young chef who is managing and baking at a cafe. They all have stables in which to create and sell their crafts at Lerwick Manor, whose owners are trying to create an artisan haven. There is also a cast of secondary characters who play important roles in each woman's emotional, artistic, and romantic journey. This book is a pleasingly cosy novel in which all troubles are wrapped up neatly and just in time for a snowy Shetland holiday. (NetGalley)

Middle Sister's November Reads

This month, my reading followed two themes: continuing my immersion into favorite fictional towns where I'd love to live by reading multiple books in the same series, back to back (something I rarely do), and holiday-themed mysteries. Tinsel and murderous mayhem--a perfect combination.

Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart This book presents three mystery short stories that each involve a Christmas-themed scarf. I've not anything by Carlene Connor, but her story, Christmas Scarf Murder, features Siobhan O'Sullivan, Garda, and her new husband, Detective Sergeant Macdara. They investigate what appears to be an accidental death involving a scarf and a tractor (yes, that's what I wrote) while they try to celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple. I thought this was the weakest of the three stories. In Scarfed Down by Maddie Day, Robbie Jordan, owner of the Pans 'N Pancakes diner, investigates the sudden death of one of the local knitters who was poisoned by the yarn with which she was knitting Eyes, that's what I wrote). Robbie appealed to this reader more than Siobhan, although the murder in this short story was just as unusual as that in the first short story. By the end of Scarfed Down, I was a little disappointed in the book and not holding out much hope that the third short story wouldn't also involve an almost preposterous murder scenario. Imagine my surprise when the third story turned out to be Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart. I've enjoyed the Pamela Paterson books I've read, and this short story is a lovely visit with our friends of her knitting group in Arborville. A scarf knitted for the library auction is found at a murder scene, and Pamela and her friends swing into action to solve the whodunnit. (NetGalley)

The Railway Detective's Christmas Case by Edward Marston Set in 1864 England, the Railway Detective undertakes to solve another mystery associated with one of England's railroads. The series features Scotland Yard Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming, this time not so ably assisted by their superior, Superintendent Edward Tallis. Tallis is determined to take as long as they need to solve the murder of Cyril Hubbleday, but Colbeck is equally determined to solve the murder and be hime by Christmas. I liked the main characters and the setting, and the pace and mystery were well plotted. I will be looking for more of the Railway Detective series. (Net Galley)

A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly This is the second in the Mountain Lodge series featuring Misty Murphy, who has relocated to the Blue Ridge Mountains to run the Mountaintop Lodge. A women's motorcycle group, the Dangerous Curves, have rented the entire lodge for a retreat. There is some friction between some of the riders, and the group leader is avoiding phone calls, so Misty is already dealing with some unpleasantness when one of the bikers is killed. Things escalate as someone starts stalking the lodge. I enjoyed the mystery, and liked Misty well enough. I wish her love interest wasn't named Rocky but he's written exactly like the kind of man I'd be interested in. The setting is described in enough detail to satisfy this reader, who loves to vacation through the books I read. The secondary characters are interesting and fleshed out sufficiently to add to the story. I enjoyed the book very much and will seek out more in this series. (Net Galley)

Palm for Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman In the fourth Mrs. Pollifax mystery (a series I am happily re-reading, or, in this instance, listening to as an audiobook), Mr. Carstairs sends Mrs. Pollifax to an exclusive resort in Switzerland. It was supposed to be an easy job, but as always happens, Mrs. Pollifax stumbles upon a far more dangerous and complicated situation than Carstairs and Bishop ever imagined. The original mission involved stolen plutonium, but a mysterious woman being held captive, a charming little boy, and a debonair jewel thief become intertwined with Mrs. Pollifax, and none of their lives will ever be the same again. Again, the series is now 30-plus years old, so the technology is dated, but the books are still as delightful as ever. This book was read by the marvelous Barbara Rosenblat, one of my favorite audiobook readers. 

The other fictional town I would love to live in is Sea Harbor, where Sally Goldenbaum has set her Seaside Knitters Society series. The series was originally published by a major mass market publisher, but after it was dropped, the series was picked up be Kensington, thank goodness. The earlier books can probably be found at a used bookstore, so that character backstories can be explored more deeply. I read two of the most recent in the series in November, and have the latest on tap for December. A Murderous Tangle (number 3 in the Kensington series) takes place in late winter, just before the holiday season, and the knitters are excited to participate in a hygge celebration at Izzy's yarn shop. Birdie's granddaughter and her classmates have been inspired by their new teacher, Tess, to spearhead and implement conservation measures to save the ocean. Tess is observed arguing with Bobby, owner of the new and trendy pub overlooking the ocean, and then Bobby is found dead. As winter sets in on Sea Harbor, and the weather gets colder and damper, the heat and pressure to find the murderer rises. In A Crime of a Different Stripe (number 4 in the series), Izzy's good friend Cass is expecting her baby imminently but is determined to attend the photography event that Nell and the Artist's Colony have mounted. Izzy's husband Sam is quietly reluctant to see his former teacher, a famous photographer, showcased, but agrees to chauffeur the man to the reception. When he is found dead the next day, the knitters try to uncover who would have wanted to kill a man who had never visited Sea Harbor before. Which means the motive is buried very deeply in someone's past. I love Sea Harbor and the women of the Knitters Society and wish I lived there so I could hang out with them, knit before the fireplace, attend Friday night dinners at Nell and Ben's, and take long walks along the shore with my dog. Perhaps someday I can find my own Sea Harbor...