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Isle of Man #19
Aunt Bessie Solves
Aunt Bessie solves murders with alarming regularity.
Elizabeth Cubbon, known as Bessie to nearly everyone, has been caught up in far too many murder investigations lately. When a friend from the UK, police inspector Andrew Cheatham, comes to visit, she can’t help but take an interest in a cold case he mentions, however.
Aunt Bessie solves his case, or at least presents him with an intriguing new avenue to investigate. Andrew is excited about the possible solution to the thirty-year-old case, but he’s also eager to spend some time working on a cold case that is puzzling Inspector John Rockwell.
Can Aunt Bessie solve both cases and still find time to show Andrew around the island she loves?
Elizabeth Cubbon, known as Bessie to nearly everyone, has been caught up in far too many murder investigations lately. When a friend from the UK, police inspector Andrew Cheatham, comes to visit, she can’t help but take an interest in a cold case he mentions, however.
Aunt Bessie solves his case, or at least presents him with an intriguing new avenue to investigate. Andrew is excited about the possible solution to the thirty-year-old case, but he’s also eager to spend some time working on a cold case that is puzzling Inspector John Rockwell.
Can Aunt Bessie solve both cases and still find time to show Andrew around the island she loves?
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 19, 2018
About the author
Diana Xarissa
272 books271 followersDiana 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 10, 2025
In which Aunt Bessie helps solve not one but two cold cases. One of them is due to a visit from a character met in an earlier book, ex Scotland Yard detective Andrew Cheetham. He and Betty spend his holiday eating out at a variety of restaurants, visiting the local sites of interest and working on both cases. There is a hint of romantic interest too.
It was a good story with two interesting mysteries but it ended very quickly and I am still not sure how one of the cases was actually finalised! Still a small price to pay for a very enjoyable read. And I still have seven more books in the series to read.
It was a good story with two interesting mysteries but it ended very quickly and I am still not sure how one of the cases was actually finalised! Still a small price to pay for a very enjoyable read. And I still have seven more books in the series to read.
November 29, 2024
Aunt Bessie solves? Does she ever!
Clever spinster Elizabeth Cubbon — usually called Aunt Bessie — has lived in Laxey longer than most people on the Isle of Man have been alive. She’s sharp witted, and she has an excellent memory and detailed diaries of her time on the island. She’s already solved two cold cases in Aunt Bessie Likes and Aunt Bessie Provides. Now she’s presented with two more.
In this, the 19th book in the series, retired Scotland Yard man Andrew Cheatham (who we met in Aunt Bessie’s Holiday while both vacationed in England) keeps his promise to visit Aunt Bessie. But he’s also looking into a 30-year-old unsolved murder case that occurred at an exclusive Swiss ski resort.
At the same time, Bessie’s good friend Inspector John Rockwell is looking into his own cold murder case: Five years, a woman was killed with prescription medicines in an attempt to make it look like suicide.
Bessie and Andrew do a bit of poking around in both cases, leading to a charming but clever cozy that I quickly devoured.
Clever spinster Elizabeth Cubbon — usually called Aunt Bessie — has lived in Laxey longer than most people on the Isle of Man have been alive. She’s sharp witted, and she has an excellent memory and detailed diaries of her time on the island. She’s already solved two cold cases in Aunt Bessie Likes and Aunt Bessie Provides. Now she’s presented with two more.
In this, the 19th book in the series, retired Scotland Yard man Andrew Cheatham (who we met in Aunt Bessie’s Holiday while both vacationed in England) keeps his promise to visit Aunt Bessie. But he’s also looking into a 30-year-old unsolved murder case that occurred at an exclusive Swiss ski resort.
At the same time, Bessie’s good friend Inspector John Rockwell is looking into his own cold murder case: Five years, a woman was killed with prescription medicines in an attempt to make it look like suicide.
Bessie and Andrew do a bit of poking around in both cases, leading to a charming but clever cozy that I quickly devoured.
October 25, 2018
This was a weak effort. The concept of a book built around solving cold cases, one of which took place in Swtzerland, is an idea that may at first glance seem intriguing but turns out to be very awkward in execution. Add to this Diana Xarissa's constant talk about "puddings" and when and where to have lunch/dinner and you have a very tiresome and uninvolving reading experience. I love the Aunt Bessie series. But, Xarissa owes it to those of us readers who have stuck with the series through nineteen books to up her game. And, for goodness sake, please stop using talk of food as a device to pad the page count of the novel. Also, Diana, please take notice that after nineteen books, your readers have a pretty clear idea of word usage that differs from American terms. Is there a valid, literary purpose for using the word, "pudding" so many times in each of your Aunt Bessie books?
Aunt Bessie Solves is a boring book. Xarissa pumps these books out every few months. I would prefer books coming out less frequently in order for interesting stories to be developed and written about. At the rate she's writing the new volumes, she is losing touch with interesting story lines. A shame.
Aunt Bessie Solves is a boring book. Xarissa pumps these books out every few months. I would prefer books coming out less frequently in order for interesting stories to be developed and written about. At the rate she's writing the new volumes, she is losing touch with interesting story lines. A shame.
October 25, 2018
Very Different from Others in the Series
The book is fair, but it does not have the spark of the other books. It was to fantastic for believing and the beloved characters really lacked any of their former pizazz. I end was so abrupt and I still do not know how either case ended. This may be my last one to read in the series, although I love the characters.
The book is fair, but it does not have the spark of the other books. It was to fantastic for believing and the beloved characters really lacked any of their former pizazz. I end was so abrupt and I still do not know how either case ended. This may be my last one to read in the series, although I love the characters.
October 23, 2018
Aunt Bessie is my favorite! This time she has a delightful gentleman visitor, which makes it even more fun. And they solve TWO cases together!
Lovely spending time with all the enjoyable “friends” from the Isle of Man again. 😊
Lovely spending time with all the enjoyable “friends” from the Isle of Man again. 😊
October 26, 2018
Aunt Bessie Solves: An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery, Book 19 is by Diana Xarissa. This is probably the weakest of the series as written yet. It just doesn’t have the power and thrill that her other books have had. Everything seems bland from the characters to the plot. There is no suspense nor any hint of danger to anyone in the book. Hopefully, Diana will go back to the drawing board for her next installment.
Aunt Bessie has a visitor from the UK, Andrew Cheatham. Aunt Bessie and Doona had met him on a holiday in the UK. They had become involved in solving a murder and Andrew was in the next room and helped them. He was a police officer in the UK at that time. Now, he had married and lost his wife and was now retired. He had tried to get his children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren to come on this holiday with him; but they all had excuses; so, he came on his own. Andrew had an ulterior motive in coming to the Isle of Man. He wanted to get John Rockwell and Aunt Bessie to take a look at a case a friend of his had worked. The friend has supposedly solved the case; but something feels wrong to him. He asked Andrew to look it over and he in turn takes it to Aunt Bessie and John. John, on the other hand, has a cold case of murder that he wants reopened. The case had involved the death of a young woman. with no apparent motive. She supposedly committed suicide; but she took pills with no water and no lingering bottles. It just didn’t seem right.
Can Aunt Bessie and Andrew Cheatham solve the cases without further harm to anyone?
Aunt Bessie has a visitor from the UK, Andrew Cheatham. Aunt Bessie and Doona had met him on a holiday in the UK. They had become involved in solving a murder and Andrew was in the next room and helped them. He was a police officer in the UK at that time. Now, he had married and lost his wife and was now retired. He had tried to get his children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren to come on this holiday with him; but they all had excuses; so, he came on his own. Andrew had an ulterior motive in coming to the Isle of Man. He wanted to get John Rockwell and Aunt Bessie to take a look at a case a friend of his had worked. The friend has supposedly solved the case; but something feels wrong to him. He asked Andrew to look it over and he in turn takes it to Aunt Bessie and John. John, on the other hand, has a cold case of murder that he wants reopened. The case had involved the death of a young woman. with no apparent motive. She supposedly committed suicide; but she took pills with no water and no lingering bottles. It just didn’t seem right.
Can Aunt Bessie and Andrew Cheatham solve the cases without further harm to anyone?
November 11, 2018
A series of 19 and every one is a winner!!!
My favorite author for sure! Her characters are so well developed they feel like people you know and her dialogue is exceptional as well. Her other series are just as good and I can highly recommend them too. She makes the Isle of Man makes me want to visit for it's beauty and it's people.
My favorite author for sure! Her characters are so well developed they feel like people you know and her dialogue is exceptional as well. Her other series are just as good and I can highly recommend them too. She makes the Isle of Man makes me want to visit for it's beauty and it's people.
January 31, 2024
Two mysteries in one... with a little potential romance thrown.
September 13, 2021
Aunt Bessie is looking forward to a visit from her friend, Andrew Cheatham, the retired police inspector she and Doona met when they were on holiday in the UK. Andrew knows Bessie has good insights into people, and he is eager to discuss a thirty-year-old cold case that has puzzled his friend "Lukas" in Switzerland.
It's a classic locked room case: five women snowed in at a Swiss chalet, one of them winds up murdered. Three of the women claimed they were asleep and didn't hear or see a thing; the fourth woman eventually confessed and went to prison for several years, but Lukas still feels something was "off" about the whole thing. Bessie is able to think "outside the box" and makes a suggestion that eventually solves the dilemma.
Meanwhile, Inspector John Rockwell also has a five-year-old cold case that he is not "officially" investigating. While showing Andrew around the island, Bessie is able to talk to the witnesses / suspects that were interviewed five years ago and discovers some inconsistencies regarding the character of the victim, Jeanne Stowe. This gives Inspector Rockwell a clue to the identity of the person who got away with murder for the last five years ...
It's a classic locked room case: five women snowed in at a Swiss chalet, one of them winds up murdered. Three of the women claimed they were asleep and didn't hear or see a thing; the fourth woman eventually confessed and went to prison for several years, but Lukas still feels something was "off" about the whole thing. Bessie is able to think "outside the box" and makes a suggestion that eventually solves the dilemma.
Meanwhile, Inspector John Rockwell also has a five-year-old cold case that he is not "officially" investigating. While showing Andrew around the island, Bessie is able to talk to the witnesses / suspects that were interviewed five years ago and discovers some inconsistencies regarding the character of the victim, Jeanne Stowe. This gives Inspector Rockwell a clue to the identity of the person who got away with murder for the last five years ...
October 27, 2018
Another mystery for Bessie
This is one of the more unusual Aunt Bessie books, in that the two cases are cold cases. Bessie greets an old friend who comes for a visit. He and John, her police inspector friend, are meeting over two cold cases, and Bessie gets involved trying to help the two inspectors. While low-key, the mystery is interesting, and it moves on to surprising solutions for each. I found the book to be better than the last one, which seemed tired and forced. It's good to have Bessie back with an interesting problem to solve.
This is one of the more unusual Aunt Bessie books, in that the two cases are cold cases. Bessie greets an old friend who comes for a visit. He and John, her police inspector friend, are meeting over two cold cases, and Bessie gets involved trying to help the two inspectors. While low-key, the mystery is interesting, and it moves on to surprising solutions for each. I found the book to be better than the last one, which seemed tired and forced. It's good to have Bessie back with an interesting problem to solve.
November 6, 2018
I'm a big Aunt Bessie (and Diana Xarissa) fan, but this book was sadly disappointing. The plot progresses very slowly, there was a lot of repetitive narrative, and I missed more involvement from the regular characters I've come to expect and enjoy. Andrew was a bore, the two mysteries didn't jive at all (and were often confusing), and I just don't get why more authors fail to use Kindle's X-ray feature which is oh-so reader friendly. Actually, this novel didn't much resemble Xarissa's previous Aunt Bessie books. Still, I look forward to Book 20 and hope for a better experience.
November 29, 2018
There are 2 things are totally unbelievable about the Aunt Bessie stories: 1) How much all the main characters eat. 2) We are supposed to believe that people are willing to tell all to a nosy busybody, who has no legal standing whatsoever. If I were in their place, I'd tell her to get lost. That said, the main I liked about this one compared to most of the others is that she didn't find the bodies since they were 'cold cases'. Frankly, when you find yourself involved in 18 murder cases in 2 years, the police should be looking at you!
October 23, 2018
And, The plot thickens
Aunt Bessie has a lovely visitor, Andrew, who she and Doona met at a holiday camp a few books further back in the Aunt Bessie series.
Both Andrew and Inspector have two cold cases that need solving. Andrew and Bessie pick up lots of information and Bessie gives information on Andrew’s case that cracks the case.
Is this a portent of a collaboration to come?
Dana Pratt
Aunt Bessie has a lovely visitor, Andrew, who she and Doona met at a holiday camp a few books further back in the Aunt Bessie series.
Both Andrew and Inspector have two cold cases that need solving. Andrew and Bessie pick up lots of information and Bessie gives information on Andrew’s case that cracks the case.
Is this a portent of a collaboration to come?
Dana Pratt
November 3, 2018
Not as good as usual....
I like this series ,but I had to more or less force myself to finish this one. It is totally unbelievable that all these people, who were involved in a police investigation 5 years ago, are volunteering all this information to a elderly woman with a reputation as a busy body and a retired inspector from the UK with no legal standing at all. The whole thing was just really unbelievable.
I will still order the next one and hope it is better.
I like this series ,but I had to more or less force myself to finish this one. It is totally unbelievable that all these people, who were involved in a police investigation 5 years ago, are volunteering all this information to a elderly woman with a reputation as a busy body and a retired inspector from the UK with no legal standing at all. The whole thing was just really unbelievable.
I will still order the next one and hope it is better.
December 3, 2019
At least twice, Andrew asks Aunt Bessie “what shall we talk about”? This may have perhaps reflected the authors mindset of what shall I write about when scripting the story. A very prolonged, thin storyline reliant on an unbelievable willingness of open expressionism and level of cooperativeness by all the suspect characters. Also relies considerably on an incredible amount of chance.
Reads substantially more as a travel guide than a murder mystery.
Reads substantially more as a travel guide than a murder mystery.
September 7, 2020
Aunt Bessie and friends are discussing a couple of cold cases in the hopes that maybe a fresh perspective will help provide some new clues. The premise sounded much more interesting than the book actually was. Most of the books was spent focusing on the many meals that were eaten and featured lots of ice cream eating. Eventually they get around to solving the cases but the book wraps up rather quickly and there isn't much satisfaction when it does.
March 12, 2019
Two curious murder mysteries
Love this one! Almost a romance with the handsome Andrew.
The cold case mysteries really hest up once those two get together.
I really hope he leaves the UK and buys a home near the new development. I like his character and she needs to live a little. Life's too short.
Love this one! Almost a romance with the handsome Andrew.
The cold case mysteries really hest up once those two get together.
I really hope he leaves the UK and buys a home near the new development. I like his character and she needs to live a little. Life's too short.
February 17, 2020
A gentleman visitor and two, very different, cold-cases made this another interesting read. I found myself worrying about Andrew Cheatham's health all the way through and have to admit that I still want to know exactly what did happen in the local cold-case but I guess, at least at the point of the investigation reached in the book, no-one but the perpetrator really knows.
June 28, 2020
Aunt Bessie
When Former police inspector Andrew Cheetah comes to visit he asks for Bessie's help with a cold case. Inspector John Rockwell also asks Andrew and Bessie to help him with a cold case as well. How the threatens up to solve the two cold cases makes for a very good mystery. Highly recommend this book and the series.
When Former police inspector Andrew Cheetah comes to visit he asks for Bessie's help with a cold case. Inspector John Rockwell also asks Andrew and Bessie to help him with a cold case as well. How the threatens up to solve the two cold cases makes for a very good mystery. Highly recommend this book and the series.
February 1, 2019
Love
I am enjoying this series of complicated mysteries, and the main characters have become good friends. Bessie and a friend from across are working on two unrelated cold cases during his holiday visit.
I am enjoying this series of complicated mysteries, and the main characters have become good friends. Bessie and a friend from across are working on two unrelated cold cases during his holiday visit.
April 11, 2019
Another great installment
Really liked that this was about 2 cold cases instead of Aunt Bessie finding another body. Liked reading about how Bessie and Andrew worked together to solve both crimes. Looking forward to the next book.
Really liked that this was about 2 cold cases instead of Aunt Bessie finding another body. Liked reading about how Bessie and Andrew worked together to solve both crimes. Looking forward to the next book.
October 15, 2020
Good, but...
Great mysteries in this one, but a lot of comments about children. The series, up to now has been a safe bet for anyone sensitive about infertility or childfree by circumstances or choice. If sensitive, fair warning.
Great mysteries in this one, but a lot of comments about children. The series, up to now has been a safe bet for anyone sensitive about infertility or childfree by circumstances or choice. If sensitive, fair warning.
September 29, 2023
This story was unusual for the series, in that Aunt Bessie didn't solve a recent murder but two cold cases, one from 30 years prior, and one from 5 years prior to the time of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 20, 2018
Leaves you wanting more!
I could read 100 more pages in each of the Aunt Bessie series, and am waiting for the next book!
I could read 100 more pages in each of the Aunt Bessie series, and am waiting for the next book!
October 27, 2018
It was enjoyable. It is a story of budding relationship of Bessie and Andrew trying to help solve two cold cases. It wasn't as captivating some of the other mysteries but definitely enjoyable.
October 27, 2018
Enjoyed
Enjoyed it very much. I would like to visit the Isle of Man. Cannot wait til the new book comes out in January.
Enjoyed it very much. I would like to visit the Isle of Man. Cannot wait til the new book comes out in January.
October 29, 2018
An old friend visits the island and they are able to solve 2 cold cases. Another nice visit with Bessie
and her mystery solving friends.
and her mystery solving friends.
November 10, 2018
I love the Aunt Bessie series. Interesting mysteries. Very "cozy". No sex, no four letter words, no blood & gore.
March 22, 2019
A cracking good read
A fantastic author , I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, the characters are really well written and enjoyable to read.
A fantastic author , I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, the characters are really well written and enjoyable to read.
July 7, 2019
Loved this book always love all Aunt Bessie books
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews