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Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas–Rudolph, a tourist destination
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
by Vicki Delany
I am disappointed when I read an apparently Christmas themed book that has little to do with Christmas. Sometimes the only Christmasy aspect is a beautiful cover. Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is NOT in that category! From start to finish the book depends on a Christmas theme because its setting is Rudolph, New York, a town that aspires to be known as “America’s Christmas Town.” In a show of unity, the business owners specialize in shops with cute names and sponsor town-wide Christmas events.
The protagonist, Merry, owns Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, located on Jingle Bell Lane. The community theater group decides to produce a musical version of A Christmas Carol. It is an amateur group with the exception of Merry’s mother, a retired opera singer. There are a number of ego-driven conflicts among the performers, but Merry, not a part of the cast, is drawn into the undercurrents of discord when a cast member is killed in her shop. Is the death somehow related to the play? Merry just can’t let it go!
Merry’s mother is a diva, but Merry is down-to-earth. Her kind father plays Santa Claus at various events and looks the part. Her boyfriend Alan is a talented woodworker creating furniture and children’s toys. He also is “Santa’s head toymaker at public events.” Merry has a lumbering Saint Bernard, and Alan has a Jack Russell; both dogs have important roles in this cozy mystery.
It’s probably hard to write a mystery with strong Christmas vibes, but Vicki Delany is very successful in doing just that. With good characters, a mystery that offers a true puzzle and numerous motivations, and a little danger thrown in, this cozy had me turning pages and ended for me with a gentle “aww!” reaction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction, Mystery
Notes: #6 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery Series, but could definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. I had not read any others in the series, but now I would like to.
Publication: September 19, 2023—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
“A Christmas Carol, however,is not to be trifled with. It, more than most works, is firmly locked in time and place. That is what people expect. That is its appeal. The tradition of the Christmas season and the emotions it arouses.”
“Jackie O’Reilly, of all people, has asked to stay for a private lesson once the chorus practice has finished. Making silk purses out of sows’ ears comes to mind.”
Ranger leapt up and down, yipping in an excess of excitement. He’s a Jack Russell and excess excitement is his entire nature. He sniffed my boots, ran in circles around my legs, and then headed toward Mattie for more greetings. Mattie woofed in warning; Ranger decided discretion was the better part of valor and he hurried to sniff at the wheels of my car.
Christmas Wishes–love crosses the Channel
Christmas Wishes
by Sue Moorcroft
Good personal character is something that is often taken for granted, but in moments of crisis it can rise to the forefront to shine. That is what happens to Nico Pettersson when he takes his eight-year old daughter Josie to her mother Lauren’s home for a planned visit only to discover an alcohol and drug mess. Lauren is in no condition for a visit or to take care of her two-year old Maria. This precious little one is not Nico’s child. In fact, her conception had resulted in divorce. As a single parent, Nico has his own set of problems, but can he leave his daughter’s sister in a filthy, hungry, and thirsty state?
Throughout Sue Moorcroft’s Christmas Wishes, Nico has many decisive moments of conscience. Meanwhile, he reconnects with Hannah, a childhood friend who is his former hockey teammate’s little sister. She is confronted with a break in her relationship with Albin, a cold, wealthy, supercilious boyfriend who controls her shop and her residence in Sweden. The setting bounces back and forth between Stockholm, Sweden, and Middledip, England, with Hannah and Nico having ties in both countries.
The setting is beautiful and Moorcroft has a talent for descriptions. Christmas is not just a backdrop, but an integral part of the story. The plot and relationships are complex. The ups and downs of romance weave through the story and provide a few surprises. A well-behaved Josie and cute-as-a-button Maria are a wonderful pair of children, and my heart went out to them in their respective situations. Hannah’s grandmother, Nan Heather, is a wise and delightful ninety year old who rounds out the cast beautifully. Christmas Wishes is a Christmas gift to readers who want a good storyline coupled with romance in a Christmas setting.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins (Avon Books) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. This book is part of the Middledip Series which seems to be loosely connected by a Middledip, England, setting and by an emphasis on seasons. My impression is that the books in this series do not need to be read in any particular order and that they make excellent standalones.
2. There is one place in the book where the description of a sexual encounter borders on too much detail for my taste, but it is not enough to make me wish I hadn’t read the book. Skim and move on!
Publication: October 29, 2020—HarperCollins (Avon)
Memorable Lines:
The butterflies that journeyed home with her fluttered wings of ice…
Anders rocked a mixed retro look with a Seventies mustache but a Sixties short-back-and-sides. His wide-lapelled suits teamed with busy floral ties were a fashion mystery.
Autumn seemed to have decided not to bother this year and winter had swept in as if from Narnia. Iron-hard frosts stripped the color from the landscape, bleak but beautiful…
Killed on Blueberry Hill–murder at the Blueberry Blowout
Killed on Blueberry Hill
by Sharon Farrow
Oh, yes! I have a new series to add to a favorites list for cozy mysteries. Although I jumped into Sharon Farrow’s Berry Basket Mystery Series with the third book, I had no trouble following the storyline of Killed on Blueberry Hill. At first, given the theme of the book and the series, I was afraid blueberries would be overdone in this book. While they do take center stage as a motif, the emphasis is not forced because the setting is Oriole Point’s Blueberry Blow Out festival. It is, in fact, integral to the plot. Although blueberries are found all through the book, their inclusion is not repetitious because of the variety of ways the theme is used—food, drinks, atmosphere, businesses, costumes, and carnival fun.
The plot of Killed on Blueberry Hill has lots of threads that tie together well…in the end. Along the way they seem contradictory and confusing, pointing a finger at many suspects with plausible motives. This cozy mystery contains a wonderful assortment of characters, but many are not who they seem to be. Secrets and deceptions underlie the festive atmosphere. Marlee is the owner of The Berry Basket, a store in town that sells blueberry products, so she knows the three major producers, all family-run businesses. Her fiancé Ryan is a member of the close-knit Zellar family. Why is he pushing Marlee so hard on the wedding date, selling her family home, and just about every other decision in her life? When the owner of another blueberry farm is murdered on his own carnival ride, who will get the blame? There are several deaths in Oriole County. Who is set to inherit the wealth? This cozy has an exciting, action packed ending and major surprises. Along the way we meet Natasha, the recently widowed Miss Russia, with her delightful accent and choice of words. Not only does she add humor to the book, but she is instrumental in helping Marlee. I don’t know if Natasha will be included in future books in the series, but I hope so. She ramped up the book from 4 stars to 5 for me.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #3 in the Berry Basket Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone. Added to the book are three delicious sounding recipes that were featured in the story—blueberry, of course.
Publication: October 30, 2018—Kensington Publishing
Memorable Lines:
When I came to a stop in front of the yellow farmhouse, I could almost see my younger pigtailed self on the bottom porch step, eating fresh-picked blueberries from a pail. It seemed a lifetime ago. But also as recent as last month.
“Don’t be such a snob. Not everyone was born with an entire set of silver spoons in their mouth.”
I threw myself into work with such single-minded dedication, Ebenezer Scrooge himself would have given me a raise. And he wouldn’t have needed any visits from ghosts to prompt it.
education pathways 