AMERICAN COZIES

Short takes on a few mysteries.

Death in the cards: a stain-busting mystery by Sharon Gwyn Short

Josie Toadfern, who runs a Laundromat in small town Paradise, Ohio, finds murder and mystery when a psychic fair comes to town. One of the psychics predicts danger, and when Josie stumbles over a body, conservative town residents confront the New Agers.

The gourdmother by Maggie Bruce

Lili Marino, a gourd artist from the big city, moves to upstate New York and gets involved in solving the murder of the high school football coach. Bigotry, football rivalries, and old feuds surface. The author slips in information about the history of gourd craft, and instructions on various techniques used to work the gourds.

Gunpowder green by Laura Childs

Theodosia Browning owns a tea shop, and gets involved in a murder investigation when a starting pistol explodes at a yacht race. Way too much information about tea for me, but otherwise a pleasant enough read.