I'll Be Home for Mischief

Holly’s mother wants to break the world record for the world’s largest gingerbread man. It’s a lot of planning, but with the help of the townsfolk, she is on track to succeed. That is she is until a body is found in the batter of the giant gingerbread pan. A descendant of one of founding families is the unfortunate victim. And a friend of Holly’s is the unfortunate suspect. She will need all her sleuthing skills, as well as a little help from her detective husband, to solve this case. Well written and with all the characters readers of this series have come to love, this is another fine installment in this entertaining series.

Such a delightfully fun cozy holiday mystery!

This fifth book in Jacqueline Frost's, "Christmas Tree Farm mystery" series finds the village of Mistletoe, Maine celebrating its 150th anniversary with a return visit by members of the founding Snow family. The villagers have pulled out all the stops, not the least of which is White's Christmas Tree Farm with its annual reindeer games offering. Just as an attempt to break a world record convenes, a body is discovered, placing a pall over the games. When Holly Gray (nee White), proprietress of the tree farm's inn, hears that an unlikely villager is suspected of the crime, she is eager is get to the bottom of things and clear their name. Her propensity for amateur sleuthing is well known, all show more to the chagrin of her sweet husband, Sherriff Evan Gray. Can Holly solve this one in time to save a dear soul and the reindeer games without getting herself caught in someone else's crosshairs? That is an excellent question.

Ms. Frost has written a charming and captivating mystery. Even though this was the fifth book in series, there was sufficient background material to help a person new to the series get a firm footing. The writing itself is good and solid. The characters are charming, quirky and well developed. The author's background in cinematography is apparent through the richly described scene settings. The witty banter and engaging dialogue certainly add to the story's charm.

Allyson Ryan, as narrator in this audiobook does an excellent job of delivering this story. The pace is well managed and she modified her voice well to suit the various characters. As a Bostonian myself, I was rather amused by the sheriff's "Boston" accent. It was curious, however, that the downeast Maine accent never made it to the recording. In fact, most of the villagers sounded as though they were from the Midwest.

I am grateful to Dreamscape Media for having provided a complimentary copy of this audiobook through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Listening Length: 9 hours and 4 minutes
Narrator: Allyson Ryan
Audible.com Release Date: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
ASIN: B0DG3669ZK show less

I’ll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost will have you humming Christmas carols and ready to deck the halls. I always enjoy my visits to Mistletoe. It is a festive town with fun activities for the whole family (I would love to live there). I like the characters in this series especially Cookie (she is a hoot). Holly’s mother is attempting to bake the world’s largest gingerbread man and, if she accomplishes the task, it will have tourists flocking to Mistletoe. You just know from the moment you hear about the challenge that something will go wrong (it’s a given). The mystery was well-plotted with some twists and turns along the way. Holly, naturally, is curious about the crime. Despite being told to stay out of it (that is show more like waving a red cape in front of a bull), Holly searches for clues and asks questions. She needs to be careful because someone is not happy with her sleuthing. There is a good reveal at the end. I liked the humor sprinkled throughout the story and the smooth flow of the story. I’ll Be Home for Mischief is the fifth A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but I encourage you to read the series in order. I enjoyed the descriptions of Holly’s jewelry (I want one of each item that she has created). I liked the hint of magic in the story. You will find yourself wondering if certain guests are from the North Pole. I’ll Be Home for Mischief is a charming Christmas cozy with a gingerbread challenge, a problematic murder, pesky podcasters, a chilly climate, gift wrapping problem, special guests, a galore of jewelry orders, missing cookies, and a happy holiday! show less

I’ll Be Home for Mischief is the fifth installment in the entertaining cozy mystery series, A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book, by Jacqueline Frost. As Mistletoe, Maine prepares for the town’s 150th anniversary, townsfolk decide to come up with a plan to break a world record. Not surprising, given the town’s unfortunate record for murders in a small town, a body is discovered inside one of their endeavours and now Holly is once again on the trail of a killer.

This is a fun read with interesting and (mostly) likeable characters, a compelling mystery with plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing as well as lots of holiday vibes to help ring in the season for those of us who consider show more Christmas cozies a very big part of the holiday. I read the book while listening to the audiobook narrated by Allyson Ryan who does an excellent job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Crooked Lane Books for bot the eARC and audiobook. All opinions are my own. show less

A very good Christmas cozy mystery that takes place in Mistletoe, Maine. Holly (White) Gray is busy running the inn on Reindeer Farm and is gearing up for her mother's attempt at breaking a Guinness Book World Record by baking the biggest gingerbread man. As her Christmas Eve first wedding anniversary gets closer, Holly is trying desperately to find the perfect gift for her local sheriff husband, Evan, but she is having no luck. Locals and visitors alike are excited about the upcoming holiday and also about her mother's world record attempt and the town is teeming with holiday cheer. That is until the gingerbread man record is thwarted when a dead body shows up. Holly promises not to get involved in the investigation but one clue leads show more to another and before you know it, she is trying to find out who the murderer may be before they strike again. The characters, their holiday-inspired names, and the setting of the book are just wonderful and the story moves along at a great pace and before you know it you're wishing the book wouldn't end just yet so that you can spend a bit more time with these festive people in Mistletoe. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. show less

Absolutely thrilled to read the 5th installment in the Christmas Tree Farms cozy series, which is yet another top notch mystery. Very glad to see sleuth and innkeeper, Holly White, her husband the sheriff, and all of Holly's family and friends in Christmas town, Mistletoe, Maine, back in another fun installment.

As has been the pattern, every Christmas brings another murder in Mistletoe at the holidays, this time, with Mistletoe is celebrating its 150th anniversary and Holly's mother's is attempting to break a baking world's record.

As usual, the Reindeer Games are back as is all the fun of the Christmas season in this Christmas village. Always a pleasure to read these books, no matter the season.

This fun, entertaining mystery is highly show more recommended to cozy mystery fans!!

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

‘I worried when I didn’t see you badgering the farmhands of deputies.’

Holly is trying her hardest not to be the Gumdrop Gumshoe this Christmas but it’s not to be when a man ends up dying in her mother’s huge gingerbread cookie dough. Yes, in the cookie dough but that’s a whole other story! World records, Mrs. K, Jack Frost, a devious podcast duo and a few others round out the newcomers to Mistletoe while our old friends welcome us home for another holiday season. Tis the best time of the year whenever you visit this series!