Reading Ahead: December 2013, part 3

Here we go, folks, the last of the "big news" fiction being published in December.  The list for December, as I've mentioned, is short and sweet, since publishers have caught on that people tend to get really busy during the holiday season and simply can't carve out as much time to curl up with a book.  (Although I can't think of a better time of year, really.  A book, a quilt and a cup of hot tea?  Heaven!  But that might not be feasible for everyone.  I get that.) 

So to wrap up, just a couple of titles to look forward to.

Murder as a Second Language, by Joan Hess.  Hess continues her Claire Malloy mystery series (as opposed to her Maggody Mysteries), following small-town Arkansas bookstore owner Claire as she settles into married life.  Looking to stay busy, Claire tries her hand at volunteering, and promptly finds herself right in the middle of another homicide investigation when one of her ESL students is found murdered.  Critics are saying Hess is really on her game here, and as both series continue to steadily gain popularity, I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend it to the mystery readers out there.

A Christmas Hope, by Anne Perry.  Full of Christmas miracles and brimming with mystery, this tale of one lonely woman's search for meaning in her life is a sure bet for readers looking for a gripping story to go along with their dose of holiday cheer.  Life among the upper echelons of Victorian London society is more lonely than one might think, and for Claudine Burroughs, the holiday season brings nothing but dread at the thought of having to make merry with a cold and ambitious husband and a circle of status-minded friends. When she finds a spark of joy, meeting a young and talented poet at a yuletide gala, it is quickly snuffed when he is accused of murder.  Convinced of his innocence, Claudine finds her cause in proving his accusers wrong.  Perry does what she does best.

I'm back next week to talk about some titles to get you in a holiday frame of mind.  In the meantime, happy reading!