Kate Lawrence has never been a big fan of Christmas, and this year is no exception. Her boyfriend Armando is out of town and Kate is still mourning the loss of her beloved cat Simon. No a good time of year indeed. But a sudden flurry of activity takes Kate's mind off the impending holiday -- her ex-husband pleads with to host his nephew's wedding, daughter Emma has a new boyfriend who seems a bit suspicious, and Kate has a new temporary job helping organize the big fundraiser to be held during Hartford, Connecticut's Festival of Trees and Traditions. But things really liven up when one of the head honchos of the charity Kate is working for comes up missing at the Festival just as he is about to go on as Santa Claus. Learning of Kate's prior luck in solving a murder or two, the missing man's wife begs Kate to look into the disappearance. So with a little help from her best buddies Margo and Strutter, Kate soon finds herself tinsel-deep in discovering exactly what happened to turn this Christmas upside-down.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this mystery. Author Judith Ivie has created a fascinating character in Kate Lawrence, a feisty forty-something gal who is bold, brash, funny, and not afraid to take a few chances in life and certainly not afraid to knock a few heads if necessary. Her friendships with former co-worker Margo and Strutter are strong, the kind of female friends who support you and get in the trenches with you when necessary! And I really enjoyed the strong sense of family that Ivie imparts in her story. Kate may think she's alone for Christmas, but her family and friends make sure that she is surrounded with their love when she needs it most. DROWNING IN CHRISTMAS is the 4th book in the Kate Lawrence Mystery series and I, for one, intend to catch up on this series as soon as possible!