With summer just around the corner, Judith McMonigle Flynn had no extra time on her hands. Between preparing for guests at her Northwest bed & breakfast, caring for her elderly mother and listening to the never-ending complaints of her housekeeper, Judith didn't even have time to sit down and relax. But when her cousin Renie comes to call and brings back memories of an old mansion on Moonfleet Street, Judith must admit her curiosity is peeked.

Juggling her schedule and hiding her activities from her ex-cop husband, Judith decides to take a look at the old abandoned mansion that so filled Renie's fascination as a child. Soon however, Judith discovers while the mansion may look abandoned, it houses a family who guards their privacy fiercely.

As Judith's investigation into the Moonfleet Street mansion gets deeper, the family closes in, determined to protect their privacy at all costs. But when a dead body shows up in Judith's car and she becomes a prime suspect, Judith decides that she has to break down the barriers that hold the secrets in at the mansion. As the secrets began to unravel and Judith finds her life in danger, she begins to wonder if she should have left those secrets buried at the house on Moonfleet Street.

THIS OLD SOUSE is a wonderful read for all lovers of cozy mysteries. Readers are instantly drawn to the character of Judith Flynn. A strong female sleuth who is trying to run a business and a family of her own, but can't help but contain a strong curiosity that bubbles inside of her. Add to the mix a wonderfully funny cousin who goes along for the ride, and the reader finds themselves laughing as they flip the pages wondering who the murder is.

This is the 20th novel in the Bed & Breakfast series by Mary Daheim. While I jumped right into the middle of the series, I was able to quickly grasp each character and their back story. I had no trouble keeping up with the action and references to some of Judith's earlier cases made me want to run right out and buy all of Daheim's earlier books in the series.

This book is a definite read for any lover of the cozy mystery.