Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod review

Rest You Merry is the first in the Peter Shandy Mystery Series, and one of my favorites. It was first published in 1978.

It takes place at Christmas time, in Balaclava Junction, Massachusetts.  Many of the faculty of Balaclava  Agricultural College reside in college provided homes located on "The Crescent", and almost all participate in the Grand Illumination, with the exception of Peter Shandy, professor of Horticulture. His neighbors, especially Jemima Ames, for years have tried to get him to participate.

Finally reaching the end of his patience, he decides to participate--in the loudest, biggest, brightest and tackiest way he can imagine. He hires men to decorate his house in the most extreme manner, and then leaves on a cruise.  At first, he enjoys the thoughts of the havoc he is causing, but when his ship breaks down, he suddenly realizes how his behavior is going to affect him when he returns.  So he leaves his cruise early, returns home to face the music, and finds his annoying neighbor, Jemima, dead on his floor. 

The local authorities decide she has fallen from a step ladder while adjusting Shandy's decorations, and rule it an accident.  But Shandy and his best friend (and husband of the victim), Tim Ames, are sure Jemima was murdered.  Shandy decides to do a little undercover investigating, and ends up discovering yet another dead body.  This time, he convinces the authorities that it is murder, and continues his investigations until the perpetrator is found.

I love the quirky characters in this series, and find the stories easy to read and very enjoyable.  They are a little dated, but still fun to read!

Finished January 9, 2014.

This book counts for my 2014 Read it Again Sam Challenge
It is also for 2014 Vintage Mystery Bingo--Silver under R--Set in the USA.
And for the Read Around the USA Challenge --Massachusetts