Publisher's Synopsis
The Appleton Case: Janet Markham enjoyed meeting Bessie Cubbon on the Isle of Man when she and her sister, Joan, were on holiday there. (See Aunt Bessie Decides.) Janet especially enjoyed hearing about the different investigations Bessie had been involved with over the previous months. Now back in Derbyshire, Janet and Joan have just purchased a small bed and breakfast, Doveby House, but Janet finds herself doing her own investigating. Just how did the previous owner, Margaret Appleton, die? Margaret's son isn't happy that he was left out of his mother's will, but what's he so desperate to get inside Doveby House to find? And are there really ghosts in Janet's bedroom, the library and the coach house?
The Bennett Case: Janet and Joan Markham are starting to feel settled in their new home. Now Joan is ready to start welcoming guests to their bed and breakfast, but Janet isn't so sure. When an unexpected visitor turns up, the sisters can't agree on what exactly they should do with the man, who is just a little too charming for Janet's liking. When the sisters learn that an escaped criminal might be hiding in their small Derbyshire village, they can't help but wonder if their guest is the man in question. A sudden rush of new arrivals to the area, all men around the same age as the escaped convict, has the sisters viewing everyone with suspicion. Was their first paying guest romantically involved with the previous owner? Why is he working so hard to charm Janet? With so many strangers around, all seemingly hiding something, can Janet resist doing a little bit of her own investigating? The Chalmers Case: Now that Janet and Joan Markham have had their first (albeit unexpected) guest, Joan is eager to get the bed and breakfast running properly. A shopping trip for some paintings to decorate the guest rooms leaves Janet convinced that William Chalmers, a man she doesn't like anyway, is up to no good. When some of William's friends come to stay with the sisters, Janet's suspicions are heightened. A second set of guests keeps the women busy, but Janet can't help but wonder when the two couples become unlikely friends. What exactly is William Chalmers doing in the back room of his new antique shop? Are their disagreeable guests, the Stones, working with him on something criminal? And why can't all of their paying visitors be like the Harrisons, who are quiet and respectable? The Donaldson Case: Janet and Joan Markham are settling in to running their bed and breakfast and their new life in Doveby Dale. Janet is excited to discover a hidden panel and a piggy bank that holds a key. She's eager to find out what the key is for, but Joan isn't really interested. Joan is busy spending time with their handsome neighbour, Michael Donaldson. But Michael finds himself being investigated by the police after some problems at the local chemist shop and Janet is surprised to find that Joan is more anxious to snoop than she is. Can the sisters find time to snoop while the house is full of guests? Can they clear Michael's name? Can Janet find a lock to open with her key? These four stories are all novella length (around 25,000 words each) and are cozy mysteries without any dead bodies!
