The Winter Mystery, first published as A Fatal Fall of Snow in 2011 under Faith Martin's pen name Joyce Cato, is another fantastic addition to the Jenny Starling cosy mystery series. In this second book, amateur sleuth and travelling cook Ms Starling dreams of a relaxing Christmas in a country farmhouse surrounded by snow but her version of utopia soon turns to dystopia when a murder is committed. I couldn't think of a more perfect read than this as the nights draw in, it becomes chillier and Christmas is just around the corner. I didn't exactly warm to Jenny straight away in the first book, but I am beginning to like her nature and her integrity when investigating a murder that is baffling everyone around her.

The pace is ideal, not too fast, not too slow and the characters are well drawn as ever. These novels pay homage to the greats of classic crime such as Agatha Christie and have the same feeling and atmosphere as many of her stories. You can't really go wrong, and this will be especially enjoyable to those who prefer clean reads with no profanity or graphic violence. The writing pulls you into the book after the first few paragraphs and holds your interest until the very end. Through the twists and turns, I followed the clues alongside Ms Starling as I enjoy using my powers of deduction to identify the killer. The ending is satisfying and ties everything up neatly.

Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.