"Tragedy strikes a wintry village"
Reviewed by Clare O'Beara
Posted December 11, 2024
Mystery Amateur Sleuth | Mystery Pet Lovers
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.
SUMMARY
A murdered churchwarden. An unlikely hotchpotch of carol-singing suspects. An orphaned dog … and a nosy dog trainer!
In the heart of England’s Malvern Hills, Tamsin Kernick faces more holiday havoc when a festive gathering of inept but well-meaning carol singers ends in murder. While it’s a silent night for the victim, the merry gentlemen (and gentlewomen) of the choir find themselves under intense scrutiny.
Eager to collar the criminal so her friends can enjoy their mince pies and Christmas holiday, dog trainer Tamsin and her super-sleuthing dogs race against the clock to get the culprit locked up before the Man in Red arrives. As the jingle bells of approaching police cars draw near, Tamsin is determined to restore sweet singing in the choir.
Can Tamsin and her canine companions unwrap the mystery and bring joy back to their cozy town?
Christmas Carols and Canine Capers! is the delightful seventh book in the Tamsin Kernick English Cozy Mystery series. If you love quirky characters, gentle clean mysteries, clever dogs, and a dash of Christmas cheer, you'll adore this festive caper.
Buy Christmas Carols and Canine Capers! now and cozy up with some festive fun - for lovers of Agatha Christie and James Herriot.
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