The Quinn File

Aunt Bessie Cold Case Mystery #17

by Diana Xarissa

Andrew’s surgery is scheduled for mid-February, so the cold case unit that he runs needs to meet in London for a change. Bessie, John, Doona, and Hugh make the journey, where they are given rooms in a luxury hotel near the Tower of London. While Bessie manages to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing in the European capital, Hugh spends nearly every spare minute on the phone with Grace, his wife, who is expecting another baby any day now. But they all need to focus on the unit’s next cold case.



It's murder again, and a murder that took place in a private London club. While the unit members can’t interview the suspects themselves, this month they can visit the location where the murder took place, which is a first for the unit. As they dig into the case, though, Bessie finds herself caught up in another investigation.



First one, then another, of the hotel’s front desk staff disappear. Bessie can’t help but be concerned about the two missing women. Given a chance to do a bit of investigating, Bessie drags Doona and John along with her and tries to find the missing women before anyone else vanishes. Being in London takes Bessie outside her comfort zone in a big way, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t going to do everything in her power to solve both cases before Andrew’s operation.

Genres: Mystery

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2025

About the author

Diana started self-publishing in 2013 and over a decade later she now has over a hundred books available for readers. Writing remains her passion and she has no plans to stop writing in the foreseeable future.

Diana grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, and earned a history degree from Allegheny College. She met her husband, an Englishman, while living and working in Washington, DC. Following their marriage, she moved to Derbyshire. A short while later, the happy couple moved to the Isle of Man.

During their years on the island, Diana and her husband welcomed two children, and Diana completed a master’s degree in the history of the island. In 2008, the family made the decision to move to the US. Now empty-nesters, Diana and her husband are living in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, and contemplating moving somewhere that doesn’t get snow.

Diana also writes mystery/thrillers set in the not-too-distant future as Diana X. Dunn and Young Adult fiction as D.X. Dunn.

Reviews

[A G A VAN DEN BOS · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you have read any of the previous books in this series, you can skip the first two chapters, which simply (and typically) regurgitates introducing the main characters. This leaves only thirteen chapters, with one being a purely social diatribe and another four being another story, reemphasizing the author’s inability to provide sufficient and unique material of interest to sustain even one mystery for the self-prescribed quota of fifteen chapters.
On this occasion, it is not even a cold case, but an ongoing investigation which again of course, relies upon a semi-professional team asking questions which, the reader is asked to believe, was not previously asked, due to ineffective police investigation. Of course, typically, the quintessential Bessie was again able to identify (well before the books ending), who the guilty person was. All that remained was how and why.

[Charline Romine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Look in the Newspaper Archives

Aunt Bessie is so instinctive in this story. A pre-meditated murderer found because she had a “feeling” something was wrong. The second story taking place was really interesting about the hotel receptionist who didn’t show up for work. Great sleuthing! Andrew had his surgery and Hugh had to hurry home. Both good outcomes.

[☼Bookish in Virginia☼]

I'm going to be so sad when this series ends. These little books are just so soothing with characters I feel I know very well. Alas, they also aren't books that I think can be read a second time as they are too familiar.

Free with KindleUnlimited. (This is the second set of books so look for Isle of Mann series first)

[Barbara Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one !!!!

I have really enjoyed getting lost in these mysteries. Characters are all interesting. Especially Aunt Bessie. Cannot wait to read her next adventure.

[Carola Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different and interesting

I enjoyed the group meeting in London. It was different but I still prefer the meetings in the Island. The part of the disappearing employees was very good, I enjoyed that part.