Darcy Finnegan is a food writer currently making the most of a Christmas break in scenic Vienna, Austria. For once, nobody is viewing the dancing white horses. This mystery features an equally famous, but seasonal, market. MURDER AT CHRISTKINDLMARKT is well down the line of a series featuring Darcy, her friend Lizzie, trusty dog Mozart and a gentleman friend, Marcus Evans.

I’m a stranger here myself, as we say, with neither the location nor the characters being familiar. Because of this I don’t know Lizzie’s surname, I had to ask Google what breeding Mozart has – apparently a Schnoodle is a cross between a Schnauzer and a Poodle. And I didn’t know Marcus was an Interpol Agent until someone in the story told me. I still fitted in quickly, because a bustling Christmas market in a cold country where they enjoy butter pastries, has to be one of the most fun places on the planet.

The Christkindlmarkt features traditional handcrafted foods, gifts and toys, including a carousel. The unveiling of the newly constructed carousel attracts Darcy and Lizzie, but they overhear some tensions among the crew and sponsors of the market. All does not go smoothly. Perhaps the Krampus, a wicked spirit who tradition says should be frightened off or it will give children bad gifts, has been up to mischief. Klaus Kroner the cantankerous businessman stands too close to the mechanical ride. Otto the elderly mechanic and Lukas the apprentice are suspects when a major problem arises. But the cause could lie with Kluas’s half-hearted donations to a local orphanage, which he uses to show himself in a good light. This is a sort of Scrooge tale, in which regrets come too late and nobody likes the man with money.

While cuddling her Schnoodle, and enjoying a dignified courtship with Marcus Evans, when he’s not investigating, Darcy samples gluhwein, strudel, gingerbread and a sort of goulash, at regular intervals. Well, it is very cold, and she is a food writer. Lizzie is the industrious photographer, who records clues as well as meals. Mozart sniffs out clues in the trash.

I hope readers have a happier Christmas season than some of the characters. The wandering food critic is a great idea for a series, and Darcy will be off to beautiful Copenhagen next. I must catch up with some of Greta Sinclair’s earlier mysteries in the excellent Cozy Culinary Mystery series, as MURDER AT CHRISTKINDLMARKT whetted my appetite and provides a recipe as well. I can taste the brown butter pastries already.