Body in the Woods — Alison Golden; Jamie Vougeot

Buried bones. A boy. And tales of lost love.

When a young boy is running home through the woods, he finds a bone: a forearm to be precise; a human forearm. This discovery sets in motion the reopening of a cold case that Reverend Annabelle Dixon, it seems, simply can't leave alone.

In the quiet and relatively uneventful village of Upton St. Mary, gossip arises as word spreads that a body has been found in the woods. Once the investigation begins, the forensic team believes that it has been there for over a decade. But the question remains: who was buried there all those years ago?

In the sequel to Murder at the Mansion, Reverend Annabelle finds herself in amongst the thick of the investigation. With her knack for gaining people's trust, winkling out their secrets, and piecing clues together, Annabelle is determined to solve the mystery.

In Body in the Woods, there are laugh out loud moments as Annabelle gets herself into plenty of scrapes. There is also a newcomer to the village with his heart set on love, antagonism with her crush, Inspector Nicholls, and Philippa, her church secretary, once more supplying Annabelle with gossip, cake, and her own little puzzle that gets Annabelle a-thinking.

Included in this book are recipes for:

Interview with the Creator of the Series

Q â€" So, what makes the Reverend Annabelle Dixon series special?

A â€" Annabelle. When I set out to write these books, I wanted to create a series that featured a heart-warming, smart, sometimes ditzy, ultimately good protagonist that we all undisputedly adore. It is Annabelle â€" her humanity, her empathy, her big heart â€" who makes the series so special. With her sometimes partner, sometimes antagonist, Inspector Mike Nicholls, they create some fun and drama as the small town mysteries unfold with humor and intrigue.

If you enjoy the TV series, The Vicar of Dibley, Miranda, or Midsomer Murders, I think you will enjoy the Reverend Annabelle cozy mysteries.

Q â€" In what order should I read the books?

A â€" The Reverend Annabelle Dixon cozy mysteries can be read, and enjoyed, in any order. The prequel, Death at the Café is set in London and takes place a few years before the rest in the series.

If you do want to read them in order, I'd suggest the following sequence:

Q â€" Why should readers give these books a try?

A â€" Because the Reverend Annabelle series is a gentle, but colorful romp through the beautiful English countryside in a place that is picturesque and peaceful on the outside but one filled with amoral and snobbish eccentrics with all kinds of vices on the inside.

Annabelle is a fun, uncomplicated character who is soulful, devout, smart, and funny with penchant for cake. Both Jamie and I feature many English countryside rituals, institutions and customs in these stories.

Ultimately, readers who enjoy gentle pacing with a plot that twists and turns, features much fun, drama, quintessential Britishness, and small town murder, will get a kick out of this series. It will make you laugh and you will, I hope, become invested in the characters, rooting for them to come out on top.

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