A Cold Christmas
Although Hampstead, Kansas, may be similar in size to fictional Mayberry, Police Chief Susan Wren has a lot more on her plate than Andy Griffith ever did. As Christmas approaches, half of the town's police force is out with the flu, and a series of burglaries is confounding those still standing. Meanwhile, Wren is nervous about her long-overdue trip home to San Francisco, where her cantankerous parents await, along with her old boss, determined to hire her back. The last thing Wren needs is a murder, but tell that to whoever killed furnace repairman Tim Holiday, whose grotesque corpse, hands and face burned off in the furnace, is discovered in the basement of church organist Caley James' house. A murder is also the last thing needed by flu-weakened James, who is struggling to avoid her cheating ex-husband and support her young children. In addition to the highly sympathetic Wren, Weir fashions fascinating portraits of James and her oldest son, Zach. A cliff-hanger ending will have fans anxiously awaiting the next installment of this endearing cozy.Jenny McLarinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved