We Wish You a Murderous Christmas

Another fun title in a series set in Rudolph NY, which has made itself a tourist destination by becoming a year round Christmas town. It's actually December and as Christmas nears, a local innkeeper suffers a serious heart attack so his son arrives in town to assist his mother-in-law with the family business. Gord is quickly followed by businessmen hoping to capitalize on the change in power and franchise the beautiful inn. One guess who ends up dead! Merry's a great character and her family rallies round as her father (Rudolph's very own Santa) is a suspect in the death. I was definitely surprised at the outcome this time and will gladly read another of these holiday themed stories.

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen, the first book in the Year Round Christmas Mysteries, was one of my favourite books of 2016. It was full of Christmas cheer and the mystery was superb. I was looking forward to reading the second offering in this series, and I was thrilled to discover, the second mystery, We Wish You a Murderous Christmas, was even better than the first.

Since I took my first step, between the pages, into Rudolph, I've been smitten with this town and it's year round Christmas cheer. I love seeing how they embrace the holiday year-round, and what the town folk are up to. In this second mystery, it seems that the Yuletide Inn might be sold to a big hotel chain, and that's not very merry at all! When the owner's son is killed, show more Merry and her family and friends, have their hands full trying to find the killer.

I like Merry. She is thoughtful and deliberate about her detecting. While she does run headlong into situations, you know she has a reason to do so. It doesn't hurt that she has an adorable pooch on her side. I'm a sucker for four-legged friends in mysteries, and Merry's Saint Bernard pup, Matterhorn, certainly will steal readers hearts! He's right along side her ready to nose out a sleuth!!

The mystery itself was a tangled web, and I enjoyed watching it unravel. Vicki Delany had me on the edge of my seat, until the very last page!

I simply can't get enough of Rudolph and it's residents. I read We Wish You a Murderous Christmas over the 2016 Christmas holidays, and it was the perfect seasonal read. Having said that, I think readers will delight in reading this series anytime of the year. I can't wait for the next book in the series! show less

It’s not a happy time in Rudolph, the Christmas town, because Santa Claus is the prime suspect in a murder. Jack, who along with his wife, owns and operates the town’s upscale inn. When Jack has a heart attack, his son and daughter-in-law come to help out. Only they want to make serious and unpopular changes to the inn. Jack, though recovering, seems to have lost interest in everything. And when the detested son is found murdered, Santa heads the list of suspects. Merry, Santa’s daughter, is determined to prove his innocence. And to do it in time to save Christmas for the town. A bad season would hurt the store owners and the reputation of the town, maybe beyond their ability to survive. This delightful cozy is tense at times, but show more never loses the feeling that Christmas joy is just around the corner. The characters are well defined, no wondering who the grinches are and who has the best interests of the town in mind. The mystery is well written, and will likely keep readers guessing for quite a while. It’s an entertaining tale, no matter what time of year it is. show less

There's a Grinch in Rudolph, New York, America's Christmas Town. Merry Wilkinson is enjoying dinner with friends and family at the Yuletide Inn when one of it's owners is stuck ill and rushed to the hospital. Everyone in town is concerned and it is relief to hear that the owner's son, Gord, is flying in to help run the Inn. That is until Gord arrives and reveals he has plans for the Inn that have nothing to do with Christmas. Just as Merry and the other shop owners begin to fret about the future of the town, Gord is discovered stabbed to death and Merry's father is the prime suspect. Merry must find out who the murderer is so she can clear her father's name and restore Christmas spirit to Rudolph.

We Wish You a Murderous Christmas is the show more second in Vicky Delany's A Year Round Christmas Mystery series. It is a nice little cozy mystery with a slightly more serious tone than the first installment. I had absolutely no idea who the murderer was right up until Merry discovered it herself. It was not anyone I expected at all! One of the biggest annoyances is that there is a love triangle for Merry though it appears to be settled at least in Merry's mind by the end of the book. show less

When Jack Olsen, owner of the Yuletide Inn, suffers a heart attack he asks his son to come and help out. But Gord Olsen begins to change things that could effect other businesses in Rudolph, NY where Christmas means business year-round. Shop owner Merry Wilkinson is as upset as others, but Gord's murder is not the way to solve the problem. Suspects like her father and her best friend get Merry in the act. Despite the Detective warning Merry off she continues. However I liked the lady Detective and hope she is going to end up being a friend in the future. The thing I didn't like about the story was the portrayal of the victim. Granted he had to be bad enough to get a lot of people riled to be considered as suspects but it just didn't show more ring true that in a few days he had practically stolen his father's business and was ready to sell off land too, including bringing in buyers. I also felt sorry for Merry's shop assistant who was left holding the fort in the busy Christmas season in a Christmas themed town while Merry was out detecting. show less

Please note: This is the second in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series and if you haven't read the first one do not start reading "We Wish You a Murderous Christmas" until AFTER you have read the first book. That being said, I did not and there are references to the first book that I didn't understand but it didn't stop me from enjoying this book.

Grace and Jack Olsen own the Yuletide Inn, in Rudolph, New York - a town of year-round Christmas with it's very own Santa, Merry Wilkinson's dad. While at dinner with the Wikinson's Jack has a serious heart attack and his son, from his first wife and who has lived in California; has come back to "help". But he is as odious a man as he was boy. Soon he's found dead - and with plenty of show more suspects, including Merry's dad!

Who did it completely surprised me, even though Ms. Delany gave us plenty of clues. A must read if you like Christmas, if you love cozy mysteries and if you like a bit of a surprise endings. show less

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. I love Christmas themed books. This one was twisty with lots of suspects. I liked the characters and spent quite a bit of time thinking, ‘oh no! Not him/her!’ I like the little town and the rivalry it has going with another nearby small town. There were some humorous moments where I laughed out loud.