The scenic Malvern Hills feature once more with a lively cast of characters. If you have not read any of the Tamsin Kernick Cozy English Mysteries, you are still welcome and befriended. Several names reappear from earlier books, but the ones to follow are housemates Tamsin and Emerald, who get involved in CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND CANINE CAPERS.

Lucy Emblem turns out these short mystery novellas at a great pace, which doesn’t help me reduce my pile of books to read. They’re enjoyable and cheerful, so I’d recommend picking up one of the dog-trainer mystery stories during bad weather. Along with friendly faces, we see a hive of activity as the town of Nether Trotley prepares for Christmas. The market in Great Malvern, the bigger town nearby, is thriving with all kinds of homemade goods for sale. We’ve previously met bakers, cake makers, fabric sellers and goats’ milk cheese makers. Some of the good folks join in carol singing, an organised trip around the houses and inns. They are collecting for charity, and tradition requires hospitality where they stop.

The pleasant churchwarden Peter Threlgood always welcomes carol-singing, but this year someone collapses in his house. What I don’t understand is why nobody at all tries to revive the unfortunate person, but leaves them lying and calls the police and an ambulance. There’s no outward sign of violence and nobody tries to give chest compressions, put a blanket over them or anything else. Nobody knows at this time if it would or would not do any good. I recommend a New Year resolution for dog trainer Tamsin and yoga instructor Emerald would be to take first-aid courses.

The lead-up to Christmas is short but the intrepid ladies manage to get around all the persons present during the next week, asking where they were, and what they saw or heard. This gives us a look around the market town and of course, the cake shop. The well-trained dogs are a major part of the adventure. CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND CANINE CAPERS does what it says on the pack.