by Dianne Ascroft

A Short Story Review by Jackie Houchin

You’ll find several things that are “craved” in Dianne Ascroft’s cozy short story mystery, such as a whole marketplace of delectable sweet baked treats on sale at the annual Fenwater Flavor Festival in town. And then there’s the craving of a whole day of just sitting on a shady veranda and finally reading that special novel. The reading is what our heroine, Lois Stone craves. The sweets are what Greg Wend (and most of the town) would like to indulge in.

But these two are denied their wants when a burglar craves a very rare item of native Indian art – a carved Haida Indian bowl worth thousands – and sets out to get it.

The thief disrupts the festival by stealing one carved bowl from a shop owner and then attacks dear Mr. Wend at his home to get another. But the one special and expensive carved bowl is illusive.

Over coffee the quick-witted Lois proposes a plan and gets her friends Marge and Bruce on board. Together they, with a secret weapon concealed by Lois, catch the culprit. A CRAVING FOR CARVINGS is a fun, gentle, very short mystery, with no murder, and a slew of likable characters

FOUR 1/2 Stars

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