The halls are decked with holly. But can anyone be jolly when a precious pet vanishes without a trace?

The Cotswolds. Leta Parker is happy the holidays are here again. Looking forward to a little relaxation after a harrowing murder case, the fifty-something widow can't wait to unwrap gifts with her beau. But the Yuletide cheer turns sour when her delightful doggo Dickens dashes out the door with a canine companion and doesn't return.

Distraught when none of her posted notices produces leads on the furry fugitives, Leta and the Little Old Ladies' Detective Agency turn their sleuthing skills toward sniffing out pooches. But with the trail going as cold as the late-December air and dastardly dognappers at large, she fears the only thing in her stocking this year will be coal.

Can Leta unravel the Christmas caper in time to make the season merry and bright?

Candy Canes, Canines & Crime is the entertaining eighth book in the Dickens & Christie cozy mystery series. If you like dedicated heroines, whip-smart seniors, and fabulously fun puzzles, then you'll love Kathy Manos Penn's splendid sleigh ride.