Murder Goes Mumming, 1981, by Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig). 2nd in the Janet Wadman/Madoc Rhys series.Janet and Madoc met in A Pint of Murder, and promptly fell in love. In this book, their love affair continues, with Janet finding out all sorts of unexpected facts about the man she thought was simply a diligent Mountie. The sweet young couple get invited to the estate of Janet’s boss for Christmas, and find themselves staying with a family of blonde giants who endlessly make boisterous jokes. It’s not all fun and games, however – there’s an elderly auntie who’s known for her momentous predictions of both love and death. When someone does die, Madoc is instantly certain that it wasn’t an accident and becomes the ardent crime hunter he’s always been, as well as the ardent fiancé he has become. Janet is portrayed as wonderfully demure, a perfect ladylike foil to all of the brash loud members of the family who has invited them as guests. Again, MacLeod’s sly sense of humour runs throughout the book, enlivening the conventional cosy locked-room mystery. More Christmassy than The Convivial Codfish, and with a dramatic Ghost Ship as well.
#2 in the RCMP Inspector Madoc Rhys series. This was one of the two Canadian situated mystery series (the other was The Grub and Stakers series)written by Charlotte MacLeod as Alisa Craig. These enjoyable mysteries are seasoned with humor and a touch of the absurd.RCMP Inspector Madoc Rhys and fiancé Janet Wadman are invited to spend the Christmas holidays at the Condrycke family estate in northern New Brunswick. Amid the jollity and frivolity, Granny is found dead. Madoc's doubts are confirmed when Aunt Addie is frozen to death on the next evening.
What do You think about Murder Goes Mumming (1981)?
In the second book of this series, newly engaged Inspector Madoc and Janet are spending Christmas snowed in a wild and crazy family who love practical jokes, overeating, and drinking excessively. (This invitation and acceptance was Madoc's mother's idea, not theirs!) Now, the family's matriarch is dead and Inspector Madoc thinks it's murder, not by natural causes like everyone else assumes. The family doesn't realize anything is wrong, or that they have a Mountie in their home who is quietly investigating. If only it would stop snowing... I swore I wasn't going to stay up late reading - but I just had to finish it to find out the killer! I loved learning about the English Christmas customs celebrated by the Canadians in the book. If possible, read "A Pint of Murder" first. This first book will fully introduce the reader to Janet and Madoc while telling the story of how they met - during a murder case of course! You will still enjoy the second book if you must read it first. I wish this author was still alive to write more than 5 books in the series. I'm buying them all! Happy Reading!
—xstitchfan
