Jacqueline Frost

Welcome to Mistletoe, Maine, a town where it's always in holiday season...and fortuitously, it actually is close to Christmas and everyone is gearing up for the holiday. Holly White's family owns the Reindeer Games Christmas tree farm, where guests are always welcome and there is plenty to keep everyone busy, but right now Holly is taking a break from the whirlwind, and visiting her friend Caroline West at the cupcake shop she owns and listening while she tells Holly of last night's fiasco. show more Caroline is the daughter of the local mayor, and is expected to attend events in the company of young men her father knows. Unfortunately, this one - Derek Waggoner, son of a judge - is not the gentleman he should be, and there is a confrontation between the two.

When Caroline, Holly and their friend Cookie go to the town square a little later to see the unveiling of the giant candy bowl full of mints they're in for a big surprise, and it's not just the red and white mints, but the red of blood....when the bowl is unveiled they see Derek, definitely dead, who's been stuffed inside.

When one of Caroline's kitchen knives is found along with the body, evidence is pointing toward her as the killer. But Holly knows Caroline wouldn't have killed anyone, and even though Sheriff Evan Gray, Holly's maybe-boyfriend, is determined to follow the evidence, Holly doesn't have to do so, and decides to play a dangerous game of following clues to the killer instead.

Insert the fact that she still has jewelry orders to fill for Christmas, her mother's kitchen contractor is destroying things instead of building them, and her parents' plans for erecting an inn that Holly will be managing is giving her headaches because she's the one having to choose designs for the interior of it, not to mention that her relationship with Evan has pretty much come to a standstill.

Even so, Holly is determined to find out who's framing Caroline for a murder, and it could very well be the worst decision she's ever made; especially when it looks like the killer might actually be looking for another victim...

I read the first in this series and I liked it so well I decided to give the second one a go. I have to say I'm glad I did, because this does not disappoint. While some may think that it starts out a bit slow, I believe that it's mainly to give a little background for those who haven't read the first, and the fact that the groundwork needs to be laid for what is to follow.

And what follows is indeed enjoyable. We are once again in the magical town of Mistletoe, and you will, by reading the book, eventually see just how magical this town is, for both Holly and her family.

Holly is determined to keep looking for a killer - surreptitiously, of course, and under Sheriff Gray's radar, she hopes - by questioning those most likely to have wanted Derek dead. But she doesn't count on the fact that Derek's girlfriend Samantha has a wicked temper that flares up at any time which leads her to start throwing things - usually at Holly, it seems; nor that there was more than one woman who disliked the man enough to want him permanently gone.

Her investigating leads her to plenty of Derek's business ventures, which were more about his ego rather than anything he might have invested; and even as the evidence piles up against Caroline she's still convinced of her innocence, and still determined to find the real person responsible, even after she realizes there's a deranged Santa following her and leaving mints just like the ones in the bowl nearby - something she's sure Evan isn't taking seriously.

But Evan has problems of his own that he's not talking about, and her friend Ray Griggs is having a bit of a meltdown at the fact that his widowed mother is dating again and Holly finds him in most unusual places as he's following his mom 'to keep her safe'.

All of this adds up to a delicious mystery that keeps one interested and wanting to discover a killer along with our protagonist. While I will state that I read a lot of mysteries, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I hadn't a clue about the killer right up until the point that Holly did, and that was indeed the best surprise of all.

Ms. Frost is a new addition to the cozy mystery genre, and one to keep an eye on, especially if her books keep one as entertained as this. She has managed to make the second book in her series even more fun to read than the first, and that one was a pleasure in itself. For those who have not as yet read The Twelve Slays of Christmas, I urge you to do so; you will not be disappointed. I love mysteries, and plan on re-reading them both come the holiday season.

When all is said and done, there were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book, and even a couple of harrowing scenes for Holly. The tale was woven like a tapestry, with each thread coming together nicely at the end, and leaving just enough of a hint of what is to come to make us eager for the next - which I hope is soon. Highly recommended. show less

Holly White has just returned home to Mistletoe, Maine - she's miserable because her fiancé jilted her in favor of a yoga instructor. Still, she's not there to lick her wounds and feel sorry for herself. It's Christmastime, and her parents own Reindeer Games, a tree farm. They're doing what they've done for years: During the twelve days of Christmas, they have games and surprises for locals and tourists alike. Everyone is gearing up for the holiday, and Holly pitches in to help.

But show more there's a different surprise in store: Margaret Fenwick, a member of the local Historical Society, has been a thorn in everyone's side for years. But this year, it's gotten worse. She's issuing citations anywhere she can, and to everyone she can. She's even telling Holly's father Bud that he needs to remove fencing that he just erected. It appears to Holly that everyone is angry with her for one reason or another, and some are fighting back. But one is fighting back more than the others. While taking a walk with her friend Cookie, she finds Margaret's body in one of the farm's sleighs.

When the sheriff is called in to investigate, Holly sees that he's new to the area. Sheriff Grey is young, handsome, and possibly thinks someone at the farm killed Margaret. At any rate, he's shut the farm down to investigate, and Holly knows that without the money this time of year brings in, her parents livelihood will suffer. So she decides to do a little investigating on her own - just to give the sheriff a different suspect, of course; someone not connected with her family.

When the sheriff finds out what she's doing, he warns her to leave it alone. But he's not the only one. Someone else knows what Holly's doing, and begins warning her away too - but in a much more sinister fashion. Now Holly realizes that there's a very real danger, and it's her own life at stake. If a killer is found soon, she won't have to worry about Christmas, because she won't be around to enjoy it...

This is the first book in a new series, and although the author has written several books under another name, this is her first under this pseudonym. It's rare that a new series has such a promising start. I'm not saying that new series aren't good; of course they are; I'm merely saying that many times the author still has to find their way and hone the characters.

Not so with this book. I found the dialogue witty, engaging and amusing. The banter between Holly and Evan was always engaging, and quite fun to read. Two people who were after the same thing, but in very different ways. And oh, what a delight to read. He was never nasty or mean; she was never pushy or invasive.

Holly is a joy of a character. She never became obnoxious in her questioning; it never seemed to me that she was overly invasive to other characters. Quite refreshing, actually, from other protagonists who practically accuse everyone else of the crime in order to save someone they care about. Holly never seemed to go that route, and I appreciated that fact.

The characters are well-defined, credible and three-dimensional. You feel as if you really get to know them; these are not cardboard characters. While we don't really get to know the town of Mistletoe (because most of the action takes place at the farm) we do have fun learning about all the activities her family has planned for the holiday. It makes one wish to be a part of it and in a way, we are.

When we get closer to discovering the identity of the killer, it was a surprise. The reason was believable, and I loved the ending. To say any more would be giving too much away; you will have to read the book to find out why. This is definitely a very good beginning to a new series and I hope the next one isn't too far in the future. Highly recommended. show less

Mistletoe, Maine is the setting for what is probably my favorite new cozy series of the year, the Christmas Tree Farm cozy series. This book, the second in the series, adeptly follows up to Frost’s outstanding first book in the series, Twelve Slays of Christmas. Holly White returns home to Mistletoe and her family’s Christmas tree farm, after her fiancé called off the wedding, only to be involved in a small-town murder at the holidays. In this book, she tries to clear her best friend of show more the crime.

Lots of mouth-watering holiday food descriptions and clever, offbeat Christmastime games. Interesting characters. Lots of fun. For cozy fans, there aren’t many better Christmas cozies. I’d highly recommend this one. Absolutely loved it, once again.

(I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honesty review.) show less

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Can Mistletoe, Maine, get through a holly jolly holiday season without the annual holiday homicide?

Holly White Gray sure hopes so, because she has just learned that she and her husband, Sheriff Evan Gray, will be receiving an extra special gift in the new year. There is a concern about Holly’s blood pressure, which is slightly elevated, but she promises to take care of herself and avoid stress as she steps back from her hectic holiday duties. One thing she is very show more excited about is the town-wide progressive dinner. Evan surprised her with the ticket and can’t wait for a night out with her friends and all the delicious treats that may fulfill some of her new cravings.

The dinner is off to a great start at Cup of Cheer until someone tries to steal an antique ornament with priceless sentimental value to the owner. While the thief’s attempt is thwarted, and they get away, Holly and her friends return to the scene of the almost crime after their final dinner stop to check on its owner, Alice, and see how she is handling the traumatic event. They arrive to find a dead body.

Here we go again! Evan arrives and sees that Holly is at another holiday crime scene. Can he convince her to leave the investigation to him? Or will she and her friends try to pull a fast one to try to catch the killer themselves? Holly needs to protect that baby, which means her friends must protect her. Are they up to the task, or will there be yet another holiday homicide?

The Gumdrop Gumshoe is back and making a little extra cash as she tries to take it easy this year. She is surrounded by friends and family, determined to keep her busy and safe. A little digital investigation and asking a few questions should be okay… right? I love Holly! Her heart is always in the right place, but she has always had an inquisitive nature, and that usually gets her into trouble. Evan really tries; he knows his wife. He knew he would need reinforcements. Ms. Frost’s core characters in this series are so well-written, they are fun, caring, and truly deliver the Christmas spirit, may it be in their kind acts, the Reindeer Games, or the yummy treats they bake.

An added element this year was that the Antique Roadshow has come to Mistletoe, bringing a lot of collectors to town. The local historic train station is full of vendor booths, rare coin workshops, quill writing demonstrations, and panels for many different types of antiques. Some vendors are even part of Santa’s Village at the Reindeer Games Farm and Inn. I enjoyed learning about some unique antique treasures from Sweden.

The Roadshow means there are a plethora of would-be suspects, and Holly really wants to help clear her friend Alice’s name. She needs to be very careful and accept help from her friends. However, she wasn’t fooling everyone. A daily puzzle in the paper has answers with her name and what could be a threatening message. She also finds something suspicious in a bag she was carrying through Santa’s village. Plus, someone is stealing 12-foot-high snowmen from people’s yards. Unsure if it was a case of early baby brain, or if the baby was “sitting on her gut instinct”, but the final clue dropped into place at a terrible time. Wow, I was on the edge of my seat as the confession poured out, scary moments ensued, and the guilty party was apprehended.

A Wonderful Christmas Crime is another extraordinary holiday mystery from Jacqueline Frost. Mistletoe is an awesome place to spend the holidays, and its residents are truly special. The mysteries will make you think, but alongside that is a delightfully heartwarming story of friends and family coming together to make the best Christmas for everyone. According to Holly: “Life, like this moment, was perfect and precious. I didn’t want to miss a single moment.” I just hope we get to enjoy it with her. The rumor is that Book 7 is in the works. I can hardly wait. show less