A Killer’s Christmas in Wales: A Penny Brannigan Mystery

Duncan’s leisurely third Penny Brannigan mystery (after 2010’s A Brush with Death) finds the Welsh town of Llanelen dealing with heavy snow and ice as the townspeople prepare for Christmas. Penny and her business partner, Victoria Hopkirk, are absorbed with the grand opening of their new spa. Meanwhile, an American stranger, Harry Saunders, arrives in town and sweeps widow Evelyn Lloyd off her feet. A former dance instructor, Saunders is soon teaching ballroom dancing at the community center. Some suspect Saunders is taking advantage of Evelyn, so it’s no surprise when he goes missing with a healthy chunk of Evelyn’s money and is eventually found dead outside Conwy Castle. Since the entire Stretch and Sketch Club was there at the time, along with several other residents of Llanelen, there’s no dearth of suspects. Cozy fans for whom the crime solving is incidental will have fun. (Nov.)