This is another in the growing genre of yoga mysteries. It is a bit different because it is set in an English village where Keely Carpenter has returned after ten years in America to set up her yoga cafe.  Unfortunately, before she can even begin renovations to the building, a body is found on the premises.

This is a perfect cozy that includes recipes, yoga advice, a semi-hot romance, and a mystery that remains intriguing to the end.  Those who enjoy gentle mysteries set in rural England will find this just their cup of tea.

I have not always been a great fan of the Bosch novels, but this one is an exception. Perhaps it is because Bosch has finally left the police force where he has been unhappy for years.  Very reluctantly he decides to help his half brother, Mickey Haller, by investigating the case of an accused man Haller believes to be innocent.

By crossing over to the defense side, he makes himself unpopular with many of his former colleagues.  Even worse the investigation puts him on the trail of two extremely dirty cops.

This is a meticulously researched novel that seems highly accurate in its depictions of police procedure.  It also offers believable characters on both sides of the law, and a plot that is gripping right up until the end.

A highly regarded Swedish crime writer, Nesser has given us a story with some surprises, convoluted twists and turns, and a heavy dose of atmospherics.  Told from multiple perspectives, we watch as a fatal hit and run leads the driver into a downward spiral of murder and personal disintegration.

The characters are clearly drawn and the plot pays fair with the reader, although one may wonder whether, in this age of terrorism, it is really so easy to travel on another’s passport.  Some readers may find the heavy helping of noir to be a bit more than they enjoy, but if you are a fan of Scandinavian crime novels, this should be perfect for you.