Hello, and welcome back! We did get enough snow this last storm to finally cover the grass, but only just. I'm still hoping for a much better snowstorm here, one that will keep everyone snowbound for a day or two at least. A little extra reading time sounds like a fantastic idea, doesn't it? I have plenty of tea on hand, the hot chocolate is stocked, and the bread machine and soup pots are at the ready.

This time out, I have the latest from Jayne Ann Krentz, In Too Deep (Putnam, purchased), the first in a new trilogy within her 'Arcane Society' series called 'The Looking Glass' trilogy. Fallon Jones is used to working alone, but somehow, he's found himself with an assistant who aspires to be an investigator for Jones & Jones. Isabella Valdez has spent much of her life living under assumed names or moving into a new life at the drop of a hat. When she discovered her last boss was setting her up to take the blame for selling illegal weapons, she had to disappear fast. Now, though, she's settled into life in Scargill Cove very nicely, as if the small town of misfits was just waiting for her, and she really wants to take on a case of her own. Unfortunately, proving a house isn't haunted so the realtor on the case can sell it leads to a much bigger mystery and villains who come out of the woodwork on the hunt for the discovery Isabella and Fallon have made. This one is full of quirky characters, some of whom we've met in previous stories, as well as intriguing paranormal abilities and the chance to revisit old friends who starred in their own books. The one thing I felt it lacked was a deeper focus on the budding romance between Isabella and Fallon. Many of us have been waiting a long time for Fallon to meet his match, which he clearly has in Isabella, but we don't get nearly enough time to savor it, to fall in love along the way. Isabella's missing grandmother even lets us revisit a place I fell in love with many years ago in another Krentz trilogy, though I won't tell you which one and instead let you find out for yourself. I understand that before the story opens Fallon and Isabella have had 'off-screen' interaction, but I wanted to feel the growing emotions and desire along with them. Still, the story as a whole is a good read, just not my favorite Krentz. That's okay, as I can go dig out something I did love and do a re-read one of these days. I'm borrowing three and a half of Cupid's five arrows for this one.

Until next time, happy reading!