I knew it was going to be a stressful weekend and wanted something to transport me away to somewhere safe and familiar. This is the 24th of these books I've read so I knew what I was getting and it really fit the bill. Simple stories/plots, not especially "sophisticated" murders, but most importantly, an easy to get into society that has become like family every time I return. Since the main protagonist, Jim Qwilleran, is independently wealthy he has a fairly stress-free existence doing just what he wants to do. And even though it's not exactly what I'd pick for myself, I sure would like to be in his shoes.

As for the story, itself, I found it much like the last few books in the series; i.e. more about life in the northern areas around Moose County than about actual murder solving. In fact, in this book the murders happen off stage and almost without impact on the main characters, like an afterthought to the rest of the book. This is probably not the best book for murder mystery lovers but still enjoyable for a quick read to escape a holiday weekend with the relatives :)