the bird themed shop made an interesting center for this mystery story, well written, quirky, and enjoyable. The bird watching hips may come in handy yet.

Who would think that owning a shop featuring all things bird related in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business would lead to an avocation in murder investigation, but that is exactly what has happened to Amy Simms of Ruby Lake, North Carolina. Amy deals with the ups and downs of running her small business, Birds and Bees but each time a murder has been committed in her small town she has butted heads with Police chief Kennedy, but ultimately it has been Amy who has come up with the solution to the crime. Franklin Finch has recently purchase the Christmas House Village in Ruby Lake and has wasted no time in making enemies by firing the store's long time employees and replacing them with people who will work for less so when he is found murdered there is no shortage of viable suspects. This book will keep you guessing until the final reveal. It is a fun cozy with a well developed plot, quirky characters (especially Esther who I have come to love) and a great sense of humor. An added bonus to this series are the tips about birds and bird watching.

t’s almost Christmas in Ruby Lake, but no one is feeling very festive. Finch, the new owner of Christmas House Village is firing his employees to bring in cheaper help. Amy Simms, owner of Birds & Bees boutiques can’s stand the man either, after he sinks a business deal that they were supposed to have. Nobody likes the guy, so when he’s found dead, that are plenty of suspects. The local police may think he committed suicide, but Amy knows better and sets out to prove it. This is a nice departure from some of the more gruesome murder mysteries I read. Small town politics and grievances along with a sense of neighborliness rounds out this story nicely