Brief, poignant holiday episode in Birdswalk is a pleasant entry into this quite different series. A gem of a Christmas story. ( )

This was a sweet, lovely short story following the events of Divorce Can Be Deadly. It was nice to see more interaction between the delectable Dr. Bones and the independent but not entirely confident Lady Juliet. Just enough to whet your appetite for more. ( )

This charming, if sometimes very poignant story, is set after the second book in the series, Divorce Can Be Deadly, and like the author, I strongly recommend reading that first. Otherwise, you may be a little bewildered by some of the changes since Marriage Can Be Murder. This is not a mystery, although a few secrets are revealed.

Dr. Bones, who hates Christmas, and his "attentive" neighbor, Mrs. Parry, step into the local junk shop to get out of the cold. The proprietor is out of town, and the friend tending the store looks like one of Santa's elves. He opens a box of better merchandise than the store usually carries, and Dr. Bones and Mrs. Parry find just what they are looking for. The price is a promise to help the next person in need. (This is where the poignant part comes in.)

The ending is happy, someone desperately in need of kindness is helped, and Dr. Bones decides that Christmas is a good time after all. ( )