November Hunt by Jess Lourey is the seventh book in the “Murder-By-Month” mystery series. Publisher: Midnight Ink, March 2012

November in Battle Lake, Minnesota, is cold enough to freeze the balls off a pool table. lt’s also deer hunting season. When Tom Kicker is killed in a hunting accident, Mira James is hired to investigate—a job that brings her closer to a P.I. license. Braving subzero temps and shrieking blizzards, Mira uncovers a decades-old scandal that has never quite died, unlike the cold stiffs who are piling up in the town morgue. As she pieces together the clues, Mira discovers that Battle Lake’s good-old boys have been up to some bad business. But with threats and enemies around every icy corner, she may not live long enough to expose the truth.

I love this series. Mira is studying to be a PI when she gets her first case with Mrs Berns prodding. It seems that her client’s father was accidentally shot by his best friend, or was it an accident. Mira learns of a past indiscretion that may be connected and she’ll have to dig out the truth before someone else gets hurt. What a great read. This character-driven tale boasts an eccentric cast of characters that I enjoy immensely, great dialogue, and a mystery that moves the story along to an explosive finish. This is one of the best books in this wonderful series and I look forward to more of Mira’s journey with her friends in Battle Lake.