by Misty Simon
For this month, I went searching for holiday themed cozies and I found myself way overwhelmed by the awesome variety and talent in this particular lane! Woohoo! Of course, we have quite a few Christmas themed cozies, my own included with VARNISHED WITHOUT A TRACE and FIDDLE ME THIS, but even more so I loved that I found books that included Hanukkah as well as Kwanzaa. I love reading books involving characters who are different than me or celebrate holidays outside my own experience! Let’s dive in!
First up, we have THE GIFT OF MURDER. This is a wonderful compilation of short stories from nineteen authors covering so many holidays and such great stories. I laughed, I cringed, my heart was warmed, and my desire for the ultimate justice was satisfied. Check it out!
Next, join me in cackling with glee over an older book from the delightful Vicki Delany! Year-Round Christmas? Yes, please! I love the premise of this whole series, and I particularly enjoyed this installment, DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND. Who doesn’t love an awesome mystery with a wonderful Christmas flavor? I zipped right through this one as I laughed and enjoyed being with the cast of characters that will steal your heart and your time. Figuring out who the killer was took some serious plotting and I love that. Don’t miss it! Make sure you aren’t supposed to watching the stove for dinner to burn.
In the “I just read this and could not put it down” column, we have Catherine Bruns’ PLANES, CANDY CANES, AND HEARSES, a Cookies & Chance Mysteries novella, book #14.5. Can I tell you how much I love that it’s 14.5? I giggled just reading that and then the laughter kept rolling as I got embroiled with Sal and Josie and their plight for a simple Christmas Eve. As if that was going to happen… we have a mystery to solve, people! This is a great and quick read if you need a little escape from the rush of the holidays. Plus, it comes with a fabulous recipe. Let me know if you try it out!
Finally, you can never go wrong with a Tonya Kappes, and the recently released Holiday Homicide was a joy to read! I adore that the tagline is - Welcome to Holiday Junction—where cocoa flows, tinsel twinkles, and murder lurks just beneath the snow. You know you’re going to get sucked in so just plan ahead. In her own words “HOLLY HOMICIDE is a festive cozy mystery packed with holiday charm, small-town intrigue, and a dash of romance that will leave readers warm and sleuthing well into the night.” And she is very much correct on that. I had a blast in the tunnels with our girl Violet, one of those characters that you wish you could go have coffee with (when she’s not hot on the trail of a story).
And there you have it! A slew of slayings to warm the cockles of your heart during this festive season of lights, candles, merriment, and hopefully lots of good food that will require the forethought of wearing your stretchy pants. Happy Holidays to you and yours, and to all a good read!
Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller - preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock. Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time.
Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line via email.
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