The sequel to The Gourdmother (also reviewed on this site) is another winner. Ms. Bruce combines the pros and cons of living in a small town, Lili’s numerous relationships with family, friends and colleagues with a tortuous plot (I didn’t even begin to guess whodunit and neither will you) and the picking up of many long-running threads. Not least of these is the mysterious donor of Lili’s home and the circle of poker-playing women who make up "the gourdfellas." Stir in some gourding tips and allow to settle... then sit back in a favorite chair and enjoy. Although this is a cozy like the first book it is not a humorous frolic, as Ms Bruce continues to show us raw emotion and plenty of it, from a woman dying of cancer to people in mediation sessions, to complex families. This is not a puzzle alone, as we are never in any doubt that these are real people (in the best book sense) suffering from being murder suspects, or being injured, or the possibility of having their beloved town destroyed. Reading it was actually quite exhausting, and all in under 300 pages. A pattern book for other would-be writers to show how it can be done. One of my very favorite cozy series.