What I Watched: New season 12 of the Brokenwood Mysteries. Here is the Tellyvisions review:

One of the pleasures of long-running cozy crime series is watching them adjust as societal mores around them shift. This has been especially true for shows that debuted in the early 2010s, as the radical realignment of what’s considered acceptable in public has swung towards progressivism and diversity. I’m not just talking American shows either– this shift has occurred globally, which is one reason why those attempting to stand athwart history yelling stop have failed.

The Brokenwood Mysteries is a perfect example of a show that’s slowly shifted with the times without making massive waves as these changes happened. Unlike Grantchester or Death in Paradise, which have used their running cast turnover to help course correct their all-white worlds, The Brokenwood Mysteries has remained stable, with Neill Rea as DSS Mike Shepherd and Fern Sutherland as Detective Kristin Sims still leading the show over a decade on. Moreover, the series has always had Māori characters, since it’s set in New Zealand.

Here is the trailer

What I Read: Managing the Vampire’s Mansion: Magiford Supernatural City by K. M. Shea. Here is the Amazon Blurb:

Starting over as a house manager in a charming small town sounded perfect. Until my new boss turned out to be a vampire. After burning myself out at my corporate career, I take a job managing a mansion in a picturesque tourist town to reset my life. The house is historic. The town is charming. The locals are welcoming. And, as I accidentally discover, my unfairly handsome employer, Beckett Kinge, is a vampire in hiding. Beckett prefers order, privacy, and absolutely no supernatural mishaps.

Unfortunately for both of us, a rogue vampire is attacking the locals. The same people who have been nothing but nice to me. As attacks escalate and secrets unravel, staying uninvolved is no longer an option. And somehow the only person who steps up to find the vampire is me—the mansion manager with poor people skills who knows absolutely nothing about supernaturals.  At least… I think I’m the only one working this case. But somewhere between tracking a killer and trying not to die, I realize Beckett isn’t just protecting his secret. He’s protecting me. And that might be far more dangerous for my emotional well-being. Regardless, the rampaging vamp has to be found, or no one in town will be safe. Not even me.

What I Listened To: .ford – Music Lights Color with a Beacon School; Teleman  – Family of Aliens; and Uche Yara – Sophie:

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