One of multiple series written by Elizabeth Spann Craig, the Myrtle Clover Mysteries focuses on octogenarian Myrtle Clover, who is a retired teacher with a penchant for memorized quotes and solving murders. With the help of her neighbour Miles and rather less willingly her son Red (a police officer) she uses her contacts in town to figure out the who done its. 

Myrtle also writes for the local paper, usually a home remedies piece (“After painting a room, put your leftover pain in an empty mustard or ketchup bottle to squeeze out and spread for touch-ups later.) but she also reports on the murders she solves (helps to butter up the editor to share any information he has, or to draw a wily killer out of hiding). With her cane in hand and her keen mind working Myrtle is a riot to follow as she works out the puzzles in her town. 

A Dyeing Shame (the first in the series) focuses on the death Tammy, the hair salon owner who had recently turned to alcohol abuse and the spilling of the town ladies’ secrets. While not overly missed her death has stirred things up. If you enjoy a good cozy murder mystery with an interesting sleuth in a town full of characters this is the perfect book for that snowy day. Settle down with a mug of hot chocolate and let Myrtle finagle her way to the solution.  

A Dyeing Shame

This short story by Gemma Halliday is a part of the High Heels Mystery series. I have yet to read the series itself and came across this as a freebie in the Amazon Kindle bookstore. Basically you are hanging out with the main character – Maddie and her yummy homicide detective boyfriend Jack Ramirez on Christmas Eve. Their first together, well their first where Jack has not been called off to some murder or other. 

With a phone ringing off the hook and a doorbell that is continuously in use you get a bit of a parade of what I assume are regular characters. And really they ARE characters. You get a glimpse of the romance, a giggle at the various visitors and callers and and ending that is just plain sweet. Personally, I am thinking I will have to hunt down the other books in the High Heel Mysteries and see if they are as entertaining in a full story as they have been in this short. 

Christmas in High Heels

As of Christmas Day I am the proud owner of a Kindle Fire. So now reading ebooks is so much easier! In fact, I just finished a book in record time! And it was a fun one! Haunted House For Sale by Jane Monson. A Haunted Paranormal Mystery Novella. You right off meet real estate agent Catherine who was in the middle of helping her friend Lori buy a new home.

After numerous houses the find a hidden gem with a low asking price. What a shock for Catherine when she walks in and sees a body in the middle of the floor… even more of a shock when Lori walks right through her completely oblivious to it all. Now she has to deal with a rather grotesque looking ghost who is determined to have Catherine solve her murder AND deal with selling the “murder house” to her determined friend.

Add in a dishy detective and you have the basis for a wee bit of romance as well. I enjoyed this novella though the description of the ghost is a little more gruesome than I am used to. The characters are engaging, the mystery interesting… all in all a rather enjoyable afternoon read.

Haunted House For Sale