Spotted Dog

It has been seven years since the last installment in the Corrina Chapman series by Kerry Greenwood. Corrina runs a bakery, Earthly Delights, in inner Melbourne. The bakery is situated in a building named Insula, containing small shops at ground level plus a series of apartments in which an unusual assortment of people live. The building that inspired Insula in the book is actually the Majorca Building on the corner of Flinders Lane and Centre Way between Swanston and Elizabeth streets.

In this seventh volume in the series Corrina and Daniel have several mysteries to solve. Who stole Geordie, a dog belonging to ex-serviceman, Alastair Sinlair? Who has been breaking into apartments at Insula and why? How did the malware get on the Cafe Delicious' computer? What is the mystery about Philomela, a new arrival at Insula, who is unable to walk or talk? Are these random events or are they related?

The first priority is to rescue the kidnapped dog and let the police investigate the other events, however the inhabitants of Insula manage to become involved in the bigger picture of events as well. I enjoy this books primarily for the portrayal of inner Melbourne and environs. The characters in the books are generally quirky and there are many reference to food throughout the book. The constant references to the relationship between Corrina and Daniel annoys me a little but I am sure that many other readers will enjoy this aspect of the book as well.

Cooking the books

The latest in Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman series set in Melbourne. Earthly Delights is closed for the summer holidays, Jason has gone surfing, Kylie and Goss have parts in a television soap opera and Daniel is investigating the theft of a bundle of bonds from a financial company. Corrina is meant to be having a break from baking but agrees to help with the catering for the television production on which the girls are working. Before long she and Daniel are involved in investigating a series of events threatening to undermine the television production or are the events aimed at destroying the business of the the catering company? Corinna and Daniel also spend much of the summer following a series of rhyming clues in order to resolve a corporate crime as well as help a young woman who is being bullied at the company where she is employed.

Forbidden fruit

Corinna Chapman is a baker and owner of the bakery, Earthly Delights. With Daniel she also is involved in solving mysteries - in this case locating a young pregnat girl who has run away from home. The books are set in Melbourne and although the exact location of the bakery is never provided many of the landmarks in the city are identified. The bakery is situated near Flinders Lane in a building containing a number of apartments. The interactions of the tenants in the building, Corina's staff and customers, the staff and volunteers of the soup run who spend their evenings helping the homeless and the people met when solving the mystery contibute to the character of inner city living and bustle, particularly with the approach of Christmas.

This is the fifth book in the series, the others being Earthly Delights, Heavenly Pleasure, Devil's Food and Trick or Treat.