Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's - A Review

 Review

MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S
By Liz Ireland
The Fifth Mrs. Claus Mystery

Santaland is in a state of excitement as everyone sees Santa off on Christmas Eve. Now comes the time of year for fun and relaxation...and celebration. April Claus, however, is anything but relaxed. Her husband has just left for a trip around with world in an ancient sleigh with no seat belts! She can't help but worry, even though everyone keeps telling her that Santa always comes back. But soon everyone is worrying. Boots, an elf living near the Farthest Frozen Reaches, has just brought three injured strangers to town -humans! As the strangers recuperate in the hospital everyone works to transform the town into a normal Canadian town, so the strangers will have no idea where they really are. When one dies, however, April must add solving a murder to her to-do list!

Every time I sit down with a Mrs. Claus Mystery I know I am in for a good time. I laughed so hard at Butterbean's transformation of Christmastown into the Canadian Centretown. Hearing Anne Murray and Celine Dion instead of Christmas carols, having maple leafs and Canadian flags strung about, I'm still giggling about the suggestion to change the Tiny Gliders ice show from the Nutcracker into the greatest hits of Gordon Lightfoot! And the changes the elves had to endure! Perhaps I found everything extra funny living on a border town and being of a certain age (you'll understand when you read what the elves are wearing!), but I'm grinning as I write this, just picturing it.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S is more than just a funny mystery, albeit it is a very funny mystery. Relationship issues are highlighted while themes of belonging, fitting in, and self discovery make the book more than just fun. It's meaningful. There's also an intriguing mystery that ties everything together, along with the joy of Christmas and that special time between Christmas and New Year's.

Laugh out loud funny while simultaneously touching MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S is the perfect way to ring in the New Year!

A Fatal Honeymoon - A Review

 Review

A FATAL HONEYMOON by Kathleen Marple Kalb
The Fourth and a Half Ella Shane Mystery 

 

A honeymoon in Niagara Falls is a perfect getaway for Ella Shane and her Duke. The Grand Niagara Resort may be a bit stodgy and some of the other occupants unpleasant, but honeymooning incognito has its perks. An evening at the theatre is nothing new for the pair, but what's unusual is that Ella isn't performing. When a shot rings out onstage, the bullet is real and the victim, an audience member, is dead. Believing the actor who fired the gun to be innocent of murder, Ella and Gil will have to uncover the real killer.

A FATAL HONEYMOON may be a novella, but there's a lot of intrigue going on. In addition to the murder of the despicable Horace Maitland, there's the investigation that brought the honeymooners to the Falls in the first place-a favor for a friend of the Duke. While this mystery can certainly be read as a standalone novel readers familiar with the series will enjoy it even more, especially when it comes to the relationship between Ella and the Duke.

I've loved Ella Shane from the start. A street smart Irish-Jewish girl who rose from poverty with talent and a lot of hard work knows something about bigoted behavior and I am as angry as she at the attitude of some of the other hotel guests. Like Ella, I wouldn't have minded landing a good right cross if the opportunity arose. As for the thrilling fight...

 

Jam-packed with intrigue, action, and surprises A FATAL HONEYMOON is a marvelous mystery set against an iconic backdrop.

Village Fetes Can Be Murder - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book I just ran across that looks intriguing. Village Fetes Can Be Murder by Ann Sutton is the first book in the Saffron Weald Mystery series.

Blurb:

An old mystery, a murdered stranger and a notebook full of secrets turn a quaint village upside down with fear and suspicion.

At the reading of their mother’s will, the lives of twin sisters Imogen and Ophelia are changed forever. In addition to leaving them the family home in the quaint village of Saffron Weald, their mother’s last request is that they retire together in the cottage, Badger’s Hollow. Ophelia, a retired musician, and Imogen, a recently widowed mother of two grown children, jump at the chance since they are still in good health.

Their arrival coincides with the annual village fete, and they readily agree to lend a hand with the tug of war. However, when they go to the supply tent to retrieve the rope, they discover the body of a visiting young journalist. Before the arrival of the hapless village constable, the sisters scour the murder scene and discover several clues including a notebook in the girl’s bag filled with detailed notes on the villagers including one that hits shockingly close to home. Intrigued, the discovery propels them into investigating the murder themselves, taking them on a journey fraught with suspicion, startling revelations, and danger. 

Will the sisters succeed in bringing the ruthless murderer to justice or will they become victims of a predator desperate to keep their dark secrets hidden?

Join these delightful and amusing elderly sleuths on their first detecting adventure and meet a whole cast of colorful and quirky characters.

Fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple will fall in love with the smart and sassy sisters in this delightful new series.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading The Great Gatsby Murder Case by David Finkle. 

Daniel Freund is overjoyed when he discovers a 1953 edition of The Great Gatsby in a pile of free books. A collector, he had been on the look out for that particular edition. Hurrying home to reread the book, he begins to notice something strange. Certain words appear to glow. The text is sending him a message. Someone has been murdered. Taking it as a sign Daniel begins to investigate, but did the book belong to the victim? Or the murderer?

Madrigals and Mayhem - A Review

 Review

MADRIGALS AND MAYHEM by Elizabeth Penney
The Fourth Cambridge Bookshop Mystery

Molly Kimball is happily settling into life in Cambridge. A close set of friends, including a wonderful boyfriend, makes everything better and she's eagerly awaiting her first Christmas in England. As she, her aunt, and mother begin to deck out Marlowe - Manuscripts and Folios for the holidays the trio are delighted to see life in the toy shop across the way. Charlotte Pemberly is preparing to reopen the shop she inherited from her grandfather. Unfortunately, a very expensive doll is missing and Charlotte thinks her grandfather's new family is trying to steal it away from her. Add a break in and a poisoning and Molly is certain that Charlotte needs help. But is she truly an innocent victim? With a clear head and good friends by her side Molly will do what she can to uncover the truth and have a very happy Christmas!

I love the holiday season and really enjoy books set at this magical time. Adding a bookshop, a toy store, and a great group of friends increases that pleasure and setting it in England makes it even better. The characters in the Cambridge Bookshop series are a delight. They are people who really enjoy each other's company. They support and love each other bringing warmth even on a cold winter night. I like that Molly is eager to make a new friend, but doesn't blindly jump in, especially when murder is involved.

The mystery is as enjoyable as the characters, with various crimes and a treasure hunt. I loved how everything eventually came together with an amazing reveal!

New friends, frightful family, and the joys of Christmas along with a sprinkling of romance make MADRIGALS AND MAYHEM a delightful read at any time of year.

I'll Be Home for Mischief - A Spotlight

With just a few days before Christmas I thought I'd shine a spotlight on the most recent book in a series to which I'm woefully behind. I'll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost is the fifth book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series and was released last month.

Blurb:

It’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow’s body ends up in the batter.

When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.

When someone breaks into Holly’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?

The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist - A Book Blast!

 

The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist by Debbie De Louise

About The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist

The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 5th in Series
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published (November 19, 2024)
Paperback: ‎ 230 pages

Newlywed Cathy Jefferson is looking forward to a peaceful honeymoon on Long Island with her husband, Steve - until she discovers a body near their cottage. The victim is a former hotel employee who seems to have died from venomous snake bites. When the hotel manager pleads for Cathy’s help to clear his name, she reluctantly agrees, enlisting her friends Nancy and Mildred to join the investigation.

As Cathy and her friends dig deeper into the case, they uncover a tangled web of suspects, from Brenda’s ex-husband to eccentric reptile rescue volunteers and hotel staff with plenty to hide. The fifth book in Debbie De Louise's Buttercup Bend cozy mystery series, THE CASE OF THE REPTILE RESCUING RECEPTIONIST, will test Cathy’s sleuthing skills - and courage - like never before

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is a retired librarian. She’s the author of 20 novels including the six books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center. Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes articles for Catster.com and has published dozens of short stories and poems in anthologies. She’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She’s recently moved from Long Island to South Carolina with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Learn more about her and her books by visiting https://debbiedelouise.com.

Author Links: 

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/  

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise  

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ  

All Author: https://allauthor.com/author/debbiedelouise/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie_writer/  

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedelouise/  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise  

Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/\  

Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog: https://Sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com  

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