Charlotte MacLeod/Alisa Craig wrote wonderful cozy mysteries with joyously eccentric characters, be they proper Bostonians, independent-minded Canadians, agricultural experts or Welsh musicians. They are comfort books to cuddle up with when life is winter-ish.

Trouble in the Brasses is a couple of books into the series of Detective Inspector Madoc Rhys (a Canadian Mountie) and his practical, charming bride, Janet.

Madoc’s Da is a famous conductor, and he’s having trouble with his orchestra. Madoc is called in to resolve the problems, but before he can there is murder, a plane crash, and enforced encampment in a ghost town. Rescue arrives in the unlikely form of Ace Bulligan, ancient aeronaut, and Madoc solves the mystery in fine style.

[I hope the wretched image I’ve linked from Amazon appears–it’s not in draft form. If it doesn’t, the white space ought to be a pretty picture of a blood stained musical score.]