ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING A Father Christmas Mystery

This Father Christmas cozy finds Father Tom and tween daughter Miranda, a.k.a. Nancy Drew, visiting the English village of Thornford Regis. After he says grace at the annual Robert Burns supper, he learns that the hotel’s proprietor has been found dead in the hotel’s tower. Steve West and Jean Gilpin’s exceptional narrations use English accents as well as Scots and Irish brogues to characterize a charming mix of personalities. Gilpin’s artful portrayals of the villagers’ gossip and speculations are laugh-out-loud funny. West’s delivery of a wide-ranging cast of characters keeps listeners intrigued, especially during the scenes of forbidden trysts. The best depictions are those of Father Christmas’s investigative techniques. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2012]