The Richards File

Aunt Bessie Cold Case Mystery #18

by Diana Xarissa

Andrew still isn’t fully recovered from his surgery, but he’s determined to hold the next cold case meeting anyway. While he’s spending much of his time sleeping, Bessie takes some time to help Helen look for the perfect office space and home on the island. Helen’s estate agent, though, has something besides properties that she wants to discuss with Bessie.

Noreen’s younger sister, Nicole, is missing, and the police aren’t really interested in looking for an adult who left the island voluntarily to meet a man in the US. Bessie does her best to find people to help, but what she really needs is a friend in Dallas, Texas.

Meanwhile, the members of the cold case unit find themselves struggling with a case where no one seems to have had a motive. Georgina Richards had some secrets, but working out which of the suspects knew about them proves difficult. Bessie is determined to find Nicole, identify Georgina’s killer, and get Andrew back on his feet in this latest installment of the series.

170 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

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]

Just when you may have thought the stories of this series could not get any worse, the author proves it can with this latest composition. The actual Richards file is not even introduced until the second third of the book, being preceded by a now established second unrelated story, this time about a very dysfunctional family, featuring a highly unprofessional real estate agent. Even when a chapter featuring the Richard’s case is eventually presented, the story continues only as piecemeal through subsequent chapters. There are of course also the usual claims that it would be [quote] “naïve or arrogant [of us] to assume that we can do better” (than the usual police force). However, of course, the author (and Cold Case group) is reliant upon [quote] “a lot of careless police work” to maintain their 100% success rate. A consistency the reader can rely upon for at least another eight occasions. No doubt then the Cold case team could be awarded the highest International Police Award available for achieving what no other could.

[Carola Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This one turned out to be one of my favourites. The case wasn’t really interesting but Nicole’s story was really good and I loved Hellen’s friend enlisting her ex Marine husband and buddies to help. I would have liked to see what the Police had to say. Good side story. I hope Andrew keeps getting better.

[Donna Coffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't spoil it for....

... for those that haven't read it yet, but get ready for something you thought might NEVER actually happen. And with that clue, you're just going to have to read the book to find out what it is! Another winner from Diana Xarissa 😄

[Sue Hampshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Marvelous Aunt Bessie Cold Case Mystery

This is another great novella in this series. A bonus this time is that there are two cases, a murder and a missing person. Did the cold case crew solve the cases? You’ll have to read to find out.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

liked this case quite a bit, along with the other that got solved within the story...