One Gold Ring

Century Cottage Cozy Mystery novella

by

Dianne Ascroft

A missing ring, a frantic search, and an imperiled proposal.

One Gold Ring is a holiday-themed novella set in the fictional small Canadian town of Fenwater and part of author Dianne Ascroft’s delightful Century Cottage Cozy Mystery series. When Marge Kirkwood carelessly leaves Bruce Murray’s family heirloom, a vintage diamond and ruby gold engagement ring, lying unattended at their table at the local diner, it tragically goes missing just as the ring’s intended recipient, Marge’s best friend, Lois Stone, arrives to join them for breakfast. Frantic to recover the ring without spoiling the surprise of his upcoming yuletide proposal, Bruce and Marge go to great lengths tracking down possible suspects who had access to the ring, with Lois helping them every step of the way. 

This fun novella is a great introduction to this ongoing series, with many of Marge and Lois’s friends and neighbors making cameo appearances as they follow their suspects. A wild chase through the local market, packed with Christmas shoppers, is suspenseful but also studded with comic moments of near misses and unfortunate last-minute escapes. The story had me breathless, wondering if there would be a HEA ending! I enjoyed the characters, setting, and storytelling so much that I look forward to reading the earlier books in the series now. 

I recommend ONE GOLD RING to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy a holiday-themed story and small-town Canadian settings. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.