A Carol for a Corpse by Claudia Bishop
A Holiday Cozy from the Inn at Hemlock Falls Series
Oct 8, 2008
Although it's the holiday season in lovely, snow-covered Hemlock Falls in upstate New York, it's anything but merry at the Inn run by sisters, Meg and Sara "Quill" Quilliam. Meg, a gourmet chef, runs the kitchen while "Quill" runs the Inn. Never a big money-maker, the Inn's finances have taken a disastrous turn for the worse and the sisters face the bank calling in their loan if they can't find an investor--fast. To make matters more stressful, the bank has sent an efficiency expert to review their books and operations--a man with all of the charm of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Courting a Food Magazine
The sisters have set their hopes of keeping the Inn at Hemlock Falls on snagging a high-profile promotion with a glossy food and wine magazine, "L'Aperitif" that has an accompanying television channel. The plan is that the show will feature the inn with a magazine tie-in. The editor, Lydia Kingsfield, her real estate mogul husband, and the magazine crew descend on the Inn, with all of the disruption and chaos that comes with a big photo shoot.
Death in the Valley
However, shortly after the New Yorkers arrive, tragedy strikes. Lydia's husband, Zeke Kingsfield is found dead at the foot of one of the Inn's new cross country ski runs, the result of an apparent accident. The widow vows to cancel the shoot and sue the Inn, another disaster. The Quilliam sisters begin investigating the death to avoid the lawsuit...and find murder.
A Carol for a Corpse, like the other novels in the "Inn at Hemlock Falls" series is a tightly-written, enjoyable cozy with likeable characters and a plausible plot. As always the book includes a few of "Meg's" tasty recipes. This book also includes a few ornament and holiday decorating tips as well.
About Claudia Bishop
Claudia Bishop is the author of fifteen "Inn at Hemlock Falls" mysteries and three in her new series, featuring veterinarian Dr. Austin McKenzie. Under her real name, Mary Stanton, she is the author of a series of young adult fantasy novels. Ms. Bishop (Stanton) divides her time between the Finger Lakes region of New York and West Palm Beach. According to her Web site, she is currently working on the next novel in the Inn at Hemlock Falls series.
Related Articles
- The Case of the Roasted Onion -- the first Dr. McKenzie mystery by Claudia Bishop
- Ground to a Halt, another Inn at Hemlock Falls mystery
- Claudia Bishop Web site
- Dark Tort - a recommended cozy by Diane Mott Davidson
- The Chick and the Dead - another recommended cozy mystery
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