Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023)

Sterling Brooks has been denied entry to Heaven for forty-six years. Now, with Christmas approaching, the Heavenly Council is giving Sterling a chance to redeem himself by helping somebody on Earth. Sterling finds a sad little seven-year-old girl (Marissa) who’s been separated from her father and grandmother who are in Witness Protection after hearing gangster brothers plotting a crime. Sterling’s goal is to reunite this family by Christmas and hopefully earn himself a place in show more Heaven.

This was such an entertaining Christmas fantasy. I really liked Sterling a lot. He may have been self-absorbed in his human life, but he has seen the error of his ways and really gave his all in trying to help young Marissa and her family. The story was heartwarming and humorous, and it was filled with an interesting and lively cast of characters. Fun and uplifting, this was a great read for the holiday season. show less

It’s time for the Festival of Joy, but joy seems hard to come by. The hard-working employees at the local market don’t get the Christmas bonus they’ve come to expect. Instead, the new bride of the owner talks her husband into giving framed pictures of their wedding. Needless to say, the employees are more than a little disappointed. But that feeling doesn’t last when they discover they have won the lottery. That is, all but one of the regular players who backed out at the last show more moment. Things go from bad to worse for Duncan. There is much speculation among the townspeople as to where Duncan is and what really is happening. It will take someone with some deducting skill to sort things out. Enter Alvirah Meehan, amateur sleuth. The action is fast-paced in this clever Christmas tale, with just enough twists to keep you turning the pages. A good read anytime, but especially at Christmas. show less

Mary and Carol Higgins Clark team up once again for a light heartwarming and fun Christmas Mystery.
Alvirah and company are back in this Christmas caper involving one of Alvirah's friends, Opal.
Opal was swindled out of her lottery winnings by Packy Noonan. Packy has now been released from prison and together with his cronies are out to find a stash of diamonds that have been hidden in special tree in Vermont for thirteen years.
But, Packy soon discovers that the tree is about to be cut down show more and will grace Rockefeller Center this year. So, in a mad dash he races to get to the tree before anyone else does.
Alvirah and her husband and their friends, including Opal all head for Vermont to ski and relax. But, when Opal thinks she has spotted one the swindlers that stole her money things go terribly awry.
If you are looking for something profound or deep, skip this one. As for me, during the holidays I think we all feel more like indulging is lighter fare and this mystery is suitable for everyone. There are some really funny moments involving Packy's bumbling cohorts, and a sweet backstory about the tree where Packy stashed his diamonds.
This book is less that 300 pages long and the story is so light, it probably won't take you over a day to read it.
I know that lines get a bit blurred when it comes to placing mysteries is specific categories, and I wouldn't ordinarily place MHC in the cozy genre, but his one is for sure a cozy.
Oveall I would give it an A show less

I’m not sure how it is everyone gets a turn at being kidnapped in Clark’s Christmas books, but this time it is Regan Reilly’s father, wealthy owner of several funeral homes. Reilly is a private detective in LA but she engages the help of good friend of the family and NYC native Alvirah, an amateur but very good private detective herself. What I like about these stories are how the random characters and subplots come together to help solve the mystery and save some lives. This book show more features two little boys whose mother was kidnapped at the same time, elevating the level of tension, but who indirectly also have a role in solving the crime. show less