Mildred Mistletoe Rescues Christmas Second Mildred Mistletoe Holiday Story Mildred Mistletoe, the cat born in the manager under her family's Christmas tree, has her paws full. She needs to get her high school humans, Fergie and Frank, to get over being mad at each other about a silly school dance. And then she spots a deserted puppy in the snow! Will she be able to get her humans' attention in time to save it? With little help from Dog or the local mouse, Mildred has to take charge or Christmas may not be merry.

Mildred Mistletoe Fixes Christmas First Mildred Mistle Holiday Story Mildred Mistletoe may have been born under a Christmas tree, but that doesn't mean her life is problem-free. When her human, Fergie, is accused of stealing coins from a Christmas collection tub, Mildred needs to make things right. She also has to find a new home for Mittens, a socially awkward cat who belongs to twins Fergie and Frank's friend. And there isn’t much time before the town's Christmas Eve dinner. A story for middle and high school age through adult. Sure to warm your heart on a cold winter night.

Third Mildred Mistletoe Holiday Story This Christmas season is different. For one thing, Mildred's humans have two unexpected house guests. Cyndi, good friends with Mildred's owners Frank and Fergie, and her socially awkward cat, Mittens, can't stay at their home. Cyndi's dad has COVID. She wants to be home to help, but her parents don't want her to get sick. Mildred has her hands full keeping an eye on Mittens, getting her own puppy, Goofball, to avoid eating bubbles, and making sure Cyndi doesn't do anything foolish. On Christmas Eve, Mildred awakes to suspicious noises. She needs to get her humans out of bed and on a mission to help a friend who doesn't seem to know what's best for her.

Life for Melanie has returned to normal. She works as a gardener with friend Stooper, eats at Mason's Diner, and sits on her farmhouse porch with friends Syl and Sandi. Her biggest challenge is helping Mr. Tibbs get used to the still-unnamed black cat that sauntered into the household. And then she finds a body in the coat closet at the Farm Bureau dinner. The local grain operator had angered farmers with increased prices, but who kills for an extra few cents per bushel of corn? Tired of fingers pointing toward her and curious about why someone burned some of her late father's files, Mel does some poking on her own. The kidnapping of a local woman raises the stakes. With pets who have a nose for trouble, Melanie seeks a devious suspect. * * * * Melanie isn't much of a cook, but her mom was. Check out the recipes for banana bread and the Spaghetti and Chicken Casserole. Yum!

The reverberating bangs shake Melanie Perkins' nerves. Either someone's aiming at her truck, or they don't know fireworks are supposed to go upward. Could things get any worse? Yes. The next day she discovers a dead body in the barn on her late parents' farm, Sheriff's Deputy Granger's gun pointed at the chest of a primary suspect – someone she holds dear. Illegal merchandise flooding the small Iowa town of River's Edge, upcoming Fourth of July activities, and a half-finished manuscript all hinder her determined efforts to solve the crime before an innocent person is convicted of murder. In this, the second novel in cozy mystery writer Elaine Orr's River's Edge series, the author again offers humor, believable characters and tight prose as she carries the reader to an exciting climax.

"The Twain Does Meet" is a between-the-numbers book in the Jolie Gentil series, and while there are joys and problems to discover it's not a traditional cozy mystery. In book 10 (The Unexpected Resolution) Jolie solves a murder, she and Scoobie get married, and they gain a new family member--Scoobie's much-younger half-brother. Book 11 (Underground in Ocean Alley) takes place a few years later, and mystery solving is accompanied by their three-year old twins. I promised readers they would have the story of the twins' birth -- an anything-but-calm event -- but it didn't seem right to mix it with a murder. So, we have a 33,000 word novella that features laughs and angst with the Ocean Alley crew and more than a few surprises. A fun read with familiar characters.

“You're fired!” Grouchy news publisher Hal Morris sends reporter Melanie Perkins packing for taking too many photos of flowers. Panicked at being unemployed, she lands a job as a landscaper, but an ugly surprise greets her on her first day. A pile of mulch, a tangerine, and a stolen hoe cast suspicion on Melanie. Melanie’s efforts to find a murderer instead put a target on her back. Some of the aim is coming from law enforcement, but they aren’t the ones who want to silence her permanently. Life along the Des Moines River in Iowa can be peaceful, but a murderer has no problem disturbing her tranquility.