Isabel Puddles abroad

Byrne's delightful if digressive third Mitten State mystery (after 2020's Isabel Puddles Investigates) takes Isabel Puddles on her first trip overseas, to visit pen pal and mystery author Teddy Mansfield, who lives outside a village in Cornwall, England. While out on a solo walk with Mansfield's two corgis, Isabel falls into a shrub, inadvertently letting go of their leashes. The dogs take off running and begin feverishly digging up Hyacinth Amesbury's flower bed, uncovering her dead body. With an inexperienced inspector assigned to the murder case, Isabel involves herself in an investigation complicated by a strained friendship between the dead woman and Teddy's sister over a lost love, a sabotaged scone Bake-Off in which Hyacinth won first place, and a growing list of suspects with a motive for murder. Despite fears that her life will remain tangled up in solving crimes, Isabel remains focused on sorting out who killed Hyacinth before returning safely home to Gull Harbor, Mich. Lively characters with serious personal flaws and vivid descriptions of Cornwall provide context and structure for a narrative largely focused on worldbuilding. Patient cozy readers will be rewarded. (Dec.)

A dream trip to Cornwall immerses Isabel Puddles in yet another case of murder. In her hometown of Gull Harbor, Michigan, Isabel has gained a reputation as a sleuth. Her best friend, Frances, doesn't think she should travel to England by herself, but it's too late, all is arranged, and Isabel is soon off to spend some time with her friend Teddy Mansfield, better known as the pseudonymous mystery novelist Archie Cavendish. Though Isabel's disappointed when a last-minute glitch prevents Teddy from meeting her in London, she makes the best of her stay before leaving for Cornwall, where Teddy introduces her to Tuppence, a formidable housekeeper who turns out to be a good friend to Isabel. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Teddy's unhappy sister, Matilde, who's decidedly unfriendly. Isabel and Teddy's delightful time together is marred when Tuppence loses a scone-baking contest to her archenemy, Hyacinth Amesbury, whom Matilde has kept as a friend even though Hyacinth stole her boyfriend and whose determination to win every battle knows no bounds. While Isabel is walking Teddy's corgis one day, they take off and start digging up Hyacinth's flower bed, where Hyacinth herself turns out to be planted. Fortunately, Inspector Barclay Carlyle, who has little experience with murder, is happy to let Isabel and Teddy help, and they quickly discover that Tuppence and Matilde are far from the only ones who might want Hyacinth dead. A highly enjoyable travelogue-cum-mystery that's just plain fun to read. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.