Holiday Gift Giving Guide

• Here are some ideas for gifts for the history and/or mystery lover in your life. (Note: We at Weird News B.N.I. already own all of these books, so if you are a friend or family member to the editors, do not get us this, look on our Amazon wish list for ideas. It’s the one that doesn’t look like it’s for a 2 year old.)
  
• “Hemlock at Vespers: Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries” By: Peter Tremayne Historic Fiction/Mystery/Short Stories 393 pages, 10th grade reading level, 1st printed 2000
  

This book is a collection of short stories of Sister Fidelma mysteries, a seventh century nun in the Celtic Church. The mysteries range from missing items to murder investigations. And the history of that time is a very important part of the story line. The writer is a Celtic scholar, and one learns much of that time in Ireland from the ancient law system still in place to the differences between the Celtic and Roman Churches at that time. He has also written many novels with the same characters, so if one loves this book, there are many more to read.

• “A Pawn for a Queen” By: Fiona Buckley Historic Fiction/Mystery 359 pages, 10 th grade reading level, 1st printed 2002
  

This book is actual the 6th in the series of Ursula Blanchard Mysteries, but one does not have to read any other book to enjoy this one. The book takes place during the rein of Queen Elizabeth I in England and Queen Mary in Scotland. Ursula is a spy for Queen Elizabeth who is asked by her family to help bring back her cousin from Scotland, where he has gone to help Queen Mary in her attempt to take over England. She arrives too late, and must find his killer, as she works out where her loyalty truly lies.

• “Maisie Dobbs” By: Jacqueline Winspear Historic Fiction/Mystery 294 pages, 8th grade reading level, 1st printed in 2003
  

This book stars Maisie Dobbs a British detective during the time between WWI and WWII. She solves mysteries big and small through out the book, while dealing with the aftermath of WWI and how the war changed live for the people that fought in it forever. It also has many flash backs to what life was like before and during the war. This book is the first in a series.


For the Junior Mystery and History Lover

• “Shadows on the Wall” By: Phyllis Reynold Naylor Children’s Historic Fiction/Mystery 165 pages 5th grade reading level, 1st printed in 1980
  
  This book is 1st in “the York Trilogy”. And one needs to read all three books. It is a story of a teen age boy who travels back in time to learn the story of his family. It takes place in modern times, and in Medieval England.