I have found M.J. Lee's Jayne Sinclair series to be the perfect blend of history and mystery, with the added bonus being the fact that Jayne's life is very seldom ever in danger. (Sometimes I just don't want any blood and guts in the mystery I'm reading, thank you very much.)

Jayne is very close to her stepfather who moved to a nursing home when he was diagnosed with dementia. Once there, he met, fell in love with, and married another resident, and Jayne spends as much time with the pair as possible-- even planning this trip for all three of them to enjoy.

The Missing Father proves that it's never too late to learn about your ancestors, and Jayne takes readers through all the various methods to learn about your family history. Alice Taylor's case is a bit trickier since she was adopted and her name was changed but Jayne has many tricks up her sleeve and learns the truth. Finding out what happened to Alice's parents is more difficult, and I really began to wonder if Jayne was going to get the job done before the plane took off for Australia.

The Missing Father takes readers into the chaos of World War II and the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, and although Lee doesn't gloss over the facts or the horrors of war, he never goes over the top. (I do like it when authors let readers' imaginations fill in the blanks.) In one book after another, Lee has found fascinating little-known chapters of history to bring to life, and that's one of the many reasons why I enjoy this series so much.

If you like reading mysteries closer to the cozy end of the spectrum that also have a strong dash of history, consider reading M.J. Lee's Jayne Sinclair mysteries. Although it's better to read them in order, it's not absolutely necessary. Start anywhere, and don't be surprised if you find yourself looking for the earlier books in the series. ( )