Jenny Colgan: Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop

Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her boyfriend, Stephen, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can't wait. But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?

This was the logical follow-up book after all the other Jenny Colgan stories. In the end, I really did enjoy it and was very moved at times. But I also found this book more difficult to get into and at some point even asked myself if I should persist at all or not.

Jenny Colgan: Christmas at the Cupcake Café

Issy Randall, proud owner of the Cupcake Cafe, is in love and couldn't be happier. Her new business is thriving and she is surrounded by close friends, even if her cupcake colleagues Pearl and Caroline aren't quite as upbeat about the upcoming season of snow and merriment. But when her boyfriend Austin is scouted for a possible move to New York, Issy is forced to face up to the prospect of a long-distance romance. And when the Christmas rush at the cafe - with its increased demand for her delectable creations - begins to take its toll, Issy has to decide what she holds most dear. This December, Issy will have to rely on all her reserves of courage, good nature and cinnamon, to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas, one way or another . . .

I meant to read this story before Christmas, but I didn't get round to it. However, it was quite nice to read on about Issy and Austin, although the toing and froing between New York and London was perhaps a little too unrealistic.

Beate Maxian: Der Tod hinter dem Stephansdom

Die junge Journalistin Sarah Pauli hat es geschafft: Ihre Kolumne über Aberglauben beim „Wiener Boten“ hat eine treue Leserschaft. Dass den Leuten manchmal die Fantasie durchgeht, ist für Sarah nichts Neues, daher nimmt sie es auch nicht besonders ernst, als eine aufgebrachte Anruferin behauptet, die todbringende „schwarze Frau“ ginge im Blutgassenviertel hinter dem Stephansdom um. Doch schon am nächsten Tag sorgt der Tod eines angesehenen Unternehmers für Schlagzeilen – und gefunden wurde die Leiche in einer Wohnung in der Blutgasse …

Dieses Mal habe ich nicht so viel Wien erwartet, also konnte ich dahin gehend auch nicht enttäuscht werden. Eine interessante Geschichte mit etwas Aberglauben.