Infinite Books

“Summers End” was an unusual, cozy mystery for me. All the characters are animals living in a world of animals—think modern-day Beatrice Potter creatures, Aesop’s fables, or the Hundred Acre Wood without Christopher Robin. I was curious about this mystery because my local bookstore mystery book club selected another one from the same series (A Shady Hollow Mystery) for discussion. I decided to check out what it was all about.

Vera Vixen – a fox – is an intelligent reporter and detective who agrees to chaperone a group of students on their annual field trip to Summers End, an important historical place, a tomb with a significant meaning, especially on the day when the sun is in such a position that the rays enter the tunnel. It’s a bit like the Stonehenge monument, but underground, a mystical and important landmark for the animals. Students are supposed to learn an appreciation for their ancestors; however, what awaits them at the underground stone altar is a body, obviously a recent murder victim. With her friends, Vera uncovers the mystery, not forgetting to discover all the charms of the local coffee shops; some descriptions of the excellent pastry in Summers End made me want to go to my local pastry shop.

I enjoyed this story very much. It’s a cozy mystery with a good plot and a rather unexpected ending. Vera, a lady fox detective, is a great character. Other memorable characters include a grumpy professor, a poet peacock, a brilliant raven Lenore, and a deer chief inspector. Reading this novel feels fresh and relaxing, just what one expects from a good mystery.

SUMMERS END by Juneau Black, published by Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor, 2024