I enjoyed the first book in this series, Death and the Redheaded Woman, so I signed up for this blog tour expecting to like this book, and I was not disappointed. The story is a nice mix of mystery and romance, with the latter being a down-to-earth relationship that skips the does-he-or-doesn't-he drama of too many such stories. The mystery is solid, though I saw where it was going well before the official revelation (which is given to the reader ahead of the characters), and the writing is strong and well-edited, and the outcome of the mystery good for a smile and a tear.

My biggest gripe is the Hardy Boys-style set-up for the next book. You know the kind: "Frank and Joe didn't know that their next adventure awaited them in The Case of the Bewildered Bunny." Ms. Ross isn't that blatant, but I don't need the teaser in the final pages to want to come back and see more. Let the story wrap itself up in comfort.

I'm not sure this is as strong a book as the first, but it is definitely a series worth reading, and I'll be watching for Book 3. How could I not love a series where characters are named for Lord Peter Wimsey and places in Middle Earth?