Ella's pirate father-in-law is hosting the biggest Christmas bash Port Bass has ever seen. But when a guest is murdered, her husband is three sheets to the wind, and her boss is enamored with his new romance, it's left up to Ella to solve the murder—quietly.Can she enjoy the holidays while working—without pay?This is the seventh story in the Ella Westin Mysteries and is 42,118 words.

When Ella marries Joe Westin, she inherits a father-in-law who gets her into more trouble than the bad guys. As a former thief turned government agent, Ella thinks she’s up for any assignment that comes her way, but Jasper Westin just might be more than she can handle.Set in the 1820s, these three quick reads offer a fun glimpse into Ella’s family life.Ernest EffortMissing MonkeyClose QuartersWhen Ella marries Joe Westin, she inherits a father-in-law who gets her into more trouble than the bad guys. As a former thief turned government agent, Ella thinks she’s up for any assignment that comes her way, but Jasper Westin just might be more than she can handle.In Ernest Effort, a parrot-keeper is kidnapped, and a dangerous pirate orders Ella to find his son immediately. Not one to give in to demands, Ella makes an announcement that stuns everyone.In Missing Monkey, Jasper’s cohorts have misplaced their pet monkey, but the primate isn't the only thing that’s vanished. Ella needs to track the monkey down before nightfall or Jasper will pay the consequences.In Close Quarters, Ella is in a grim predicament—she and Jasper are about to be hanged for murder, and while she’s armed to the teeth, the only weapon at her disposal is her tongue. What could go wrong?Set in the 1820s, these three quick reads offer a fun glimpse into Ella’s new family life.Ernest Effort (2,205 words)Missing Monkey (1,479 words)Close Quarters (3,500 words)