Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries: Book 3
Publication Date: December 13, 2023
A Scottish shindig, a pretty pin, a cold corpse. When a well-liked and respected townsman is murdered on a snowy street in Fenwater, it’s up to Lois Stone to sift through a multitude of motives to find the killer.
Middle-aged widow Lois is beginning to feel part of the Fenwater community, and as winter sets in, she is getting ready for the town’s biggest Scottish event, the annual Burns Night supper. But when one of the committee members dies in suspicious circumstances, Lois has more to worry about than the fate of this year’s celebration. She tried unsuccessfully to revive the man and her friend Marge worked with him. So, they want to find his killer even though Lois promised her partner Bruce that she would stay out of police matters. But, what’s the harm in asking a few questions? Such as does someone want to safeguard their inheritance or give their business a boost? Will finding the motive for the murder lead them to the killer or maybe more?
And so begins a fortnight of slippery sidewalks, angst about ancestors, capable firemen and cunning firebugs, unreliable records, swirling Scottish music and swinging tartan kilts, calico cats and smouldering spooks set against the backdrop of snow glistening under streetlamps on serene streets, the comfort of ritual in a cold churchyard, the swish of skate blades in crisp night air and the tang of mouthwatering meatloaf in rural Canada in 1984.
The Century Cottage Mystery series is mainly set in rural Ontario, Canada during the early 1980s.
A tale for fans of Cindy Bell, Leighann Dobbs, Dianne Harman and Kathi Daley.
The Snow Job by Dianne Ashcroft is the third book in the Century Cottage Cozy Mystery series and the first one I read.
It took a while to get into this story, which is set in a small town in Canada, settled by Scots. There are a lot of senior citizens, amateur sleuths helping look for a murderer, Scottish lore, small businesses, and friendly neighbors. There’s also a goat who’s a ghost, several cats, and a dog, adding more layers to the story and some laughable moments.
Lois and Marge are close friends and seniors. Marge is always hellbent on getting answers, while Lois is more laid back and quiet. Her century cottage has the resident ghost and two knowing cats who seem to understand what’s happening around them. Several stories were stories related and woven together nicely. There were also numerous clues and details and all are important to figure out whodunnit. There are red herrings and aha moments. There are friendships and family who add a reality to the tale.
Of course, Marge and Lois meet with trouble while pursuing the murderer and I figured out whodunnit before they did. There’s a smattering of romance and friendships solidified. There are definitely more stories to tell, and I look forward to reading more in this series.
The Snow Job is a small town cozy mystery set in Canada with interesting characters and a murder to solve. But is that the only mystery to uncover? You’ll have to read it to find out!
Dianne Ascroft writes the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries, set in rural Canada, and The Yankee Years historical sagas, set in WWII Northern Ireland. She has a passion for Ireland and Canada, past and present. An ex-pat Canadian, Dianne lives on a small farm with her husband and an assortment of strong-willed animals.
Her previous fiction works include An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavor.
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Thanks for taking time to review The Snow Job, JoAnne. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Dianne