A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book 5
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)
ISBN #: 9781639109067; 9798892422666
Crooked Lane Books
288 Pages
$20.66; $19.99; $14.99 Amazon
November 12, 2024
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When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.
When someone breaks into Holly's office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?
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Holly White-Gray is nearing her first wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve. But she also has to work as innkeeper at her family's inn at their farm Reindeer Games, which is open all year but especially, and understandably, busy during the Christmas season. It's almost overwhelming. But this year is the town's 150th anniversary, and her mother Carol wants to make her gingerbread man large enough to get into the Guinness World Records book. To this end, two people from Guinness have arrived to watch the pouring and cooking of the large gingerbread man.
Also in attendance are the Snows, a mother and son, who are descendants of the founders of Mistletoe, Maine. When Holly notices local mistletoe farmer, Mr. Moore, in what seems like an argument with Mr. Snow, she wonders what it was about. But it's not too long later when everything is in motion that someone notices the batter is bubbled, and it seems a hand is sticking out. A hand belonging to Mr. Snow. Now Mrs. Snow is heartbroken, and Mr. Moore is the main suspect.
Even with her husband Evan warning her to stay away from the investigation, Holly is positive Mr. Moore couldn't have murdered the man, so she begins what she believes is discreet questioning. But someone is watching her every move, and she receives threatening messages in more ways than one. With the heat escalating over the cold in the air, Holly knows she has to ramp up her investigation while keeping her husband satisfied. But will it be enough? Or will the killer finally catch up to her before she can catch a break?
This is the fifth book in the series, and I have read them all. I have to say that I love reading about Holly and her family, and I love that the series evolves as each book appears. We see what is going on in Holly's life and the family and friends around her, and, unfortunately but of course, a new murder. I enjoy reading how Holly's mind works and how she puts the pieces together to create a complete puzzle, outlining how everything comes to an end. But it also comes with the inevitable danger, and the climaxes are worth reading the book itself. They are done well, and everything in between in believable.
This book is no different, and with a lot going on, you still need to find the clues along with Holly, and try to solve the murder yourself, and I do enjoy doing that. I had an idea who the murderer was, but watching everything along the way gave me pause as to whether I was right or not. In the end, it really didn't matter, and the book itself was welcome time away from the real world, and the author is very talented in this area.
I loved it all and look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Jacqueline Frost's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jacqueline-frost/
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