Jane Jeffry mysteries

Life is hectic enough for suburban single mom Jane Jeffry this Christmas season-what with her having to survive cutthroat church bazaar politics and finish knitting the "afghan from Hell" at the same time. THe last thing the harried homemaker needs is an unwelcome visit from old acquaintance Phyllis Wagner and her ill-mannered brat of a teenage son. And the Wagner picture becomes even more complicated when a dead body is woven into the design. Solving...

Jane Jeffry, suburban sleuth extraordinare, and her friend, Detective Mel VanDyne, have braved a blizzard to join her friend Shelley at a Colorado ski resort. In spite of having all their kids along, Jane and Shelley imagine a few mindless days of relaxation. But their hopes are dashed on their first attempt to ski when Jane careens into a snowman that hides a very real--and every dead--body.

When a famous ego-squashing editor keels over at the speaker's podium at a mystery writers' convention, and a much-hated book-bashing journalist is himself bashed in the parking lot, it seems fairly certain that at least one real-life murderer is stalking the proceedings. Jane Jeffry is on the case, ready to snoop, eavesdrop, and gossip her way to a solution.

Jane and her best friend, Shelley, decide to take a class on women's safety at the urging of Jane's long-time beau, Mel. Before the course is concluded, their teacher, Miss Welbourne, is murdered by a blow to the head.