This is number 6 in the Inspector Morse series.  Morse is more reflective here, thinking of his past, perhaps lost opportunities at school and in love and even his relationship with Lewis.  The case involves a body pulled from the canal with all identifiying features removed, head, hands and even legs.  Everything points to a missing Oxford don named Browne-Smith, but the more Morse investigates the more muddied the case becomes.  Who was the body in the canal and who put him there?

This case is full of misdirections, links to the past briefly mentioned, red herrings and mistaken identity.  I definitely had to slow down my reading to follow what was happening.  There is some interesting discussion of “politics” at institutions of higher learning and the examination process.  There are also references to WWII and the repurcussions for certain characters.  A well done mystery and a really enjoying read.  I particularly liked the headings of the chapters giving you hints of what was to come.  I also appreciated getting this glimpse into the life events that have made Morse the man he is today.  A must read for Morse fans!

 I received a free ebook of this title, The Semi-Sweet Hereafter by Colette London, from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This caught my eye because of the chocolate and the setting.  I think my enjoyment of this was negatively impacted because it was the third in a series and I have not read the first two.   With that in mind, I want to be as fair as possible.

The protagonist Hayden Munday Moore is wealthy heiress and chocolate expert.  The terms of her Uncle’s will, the source of her wealth, are that she travels extensively, not settling down or getting too comfortable anywhere.  She is a chocolate “fixer” of sorts, visiting producers, restaurants,  tv sets and pastry shops solving chocolate problems.  In this book, she finds herself in London, working on a chocolate fix with a small pastry shop owner/celebrity whose husband ends up murdered.  Hayden finds herself smack in the middle of the investigation, relying primarily on her bodyguard and financial advisor as her sidekicks in the investigation.  There are at least three viable suspects and theories of the crime to follow along with as Hayden investigates.

There is an attempt to develop a sense of place here, with lots of explanation of British terms and customs.  There is also discussion of chocolate and some of the issues that Hayden solves and recipes are included.

A cozy for chocolate lovers and for those interested in an overseas travel theme.