Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart

  Christmas Scarf Murder

Book Summary

Stocking stuffers like handknit scarves make the coziest of Christmas gifts—unless they’re used as accessories for murder!

CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR

When grinchy thefts steal the good cheer at a local nursing home, Siobhan O’Sullivan manages to identify one missing item before Kilbane, Ireland’s Christmas tractor parade—a hideous shamrock scarf wrapped around a very dead body. Now, with her holiday farmhouse bash approaching, Siobhan must dash to stop a deadly Secret Santa from gifting another unwanted surprise.

SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY

It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas at Pans ‘N Pancakes, as twelve days of menu specials dazzle hungry locals. But the festivities go cold the instant a diner dies while knitting a brilliant green scarf. With Aunt Adele tied into a murder investigation, it’s all on Robbie Jordan to find out who’s really been naughty or nice in South Lick, Indiana.

DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART

Suspects pile up faster than New Jersey snow when frosty-tempered Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. Between a winning bidder hiding behind the alias “S. Claws” and a victim who deserved coal in her stocking, can Pamela Paterson and the crafty Knit and Nibble ladies freeze a killer’s merry murder plot?

 My Thoughts

Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart contains three cute holiday themed cozy mysteries.  All three stories are well-written and fit nicely into their respective series.  I like how the Christmas scarf theme fit into each story.  I thought Maddie Day had a clever method of murder.  I wish there had been more investigating by Robbie Jordan in Scarfed Down.  It was nice to catch up with Robbie, Abe, Sean, Adele, and the others. It was cute how Robbie and her staff were making dishes to go with The Twelve Days of Christmas.  I like how Robbie was reading a new book by Becky Clark from A Crossword Puzzle Mysteries. The Christmas scene at the end was sweet.  There is plenty of Christmas cheer in all three novellas. 

I enjoyed the first two stories more than Death by Christmas Day Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart.  There are so many characters introduced in the beginning of the tale.  I felt that the main character did not stand out especially with next to her dynamic best friend.  The mystery was okay, but I find the way it was solved a little odd.  Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O’Connor had an interesting mystery along with Christmas fun.  It is a lively story which I liked.  I like how the whodunit came together in the end.  It can be read as a standalone along with Scarfed Down.  I believe Death by Christmas Day Scarf is better for those who are familiar with A Knit and Nibble Mysteries.  Christmas Scarf Murder has three charming Christmas cozies with sweater weather, festooned trees, wonderful waffles, copious knitting, a couple of curious crimes, and cheerful Christmas celebrations.

Christmas Scarf Murder will be out on Tuesday, September 27 and it can be preordered from Amazon*.  You can find Carlene O'Connor's other novels here.  Maddie Day is a non de plume for Edith Maxwell.  The eleventh A Country Store Mystery is Four Leaf Clever which comes out January 24, 2023.  You can find Edith Maxwell's books here.  Peggy Ehrhart has the ninth A Knit and Nibble Mystery titled Irish Knit Murder publishing February 21, 2023.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Next time I am featuring Seams Like Murder by Dorothy Howell. It is the debut of A Sewing Studio Mystery series.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Murder in Connemara by Carlene O'Connor

 Murder in Connemara

Book Summary

Murder in Connemara by Carlene O’Connor has Tara Meehan heading off to check out an old stone cottage for sale after finding a flyer for it on the front door of her shop.  Tara hopes the trip will help keep her mind off the business license that has yet to arrive.  Tara arrives at the old cottage to find a whining puppy named Savage and a dead woman with no identification.  A week or so later, Veronica O’Farrell bursts into Tara’s shop, Renewals to state that she will be holding her “Amends” party there and that Tara is to find a special gift for each guest.  Tara’s objections are overcome when she learns the fee Veronica is willing to pay.  Tara admires a one-of-a-kind brooch Veronica is wearing and even takes a selfie with it posting it online with the hashtag #KillerBrooch. Unfortunately, Veronica is soon found murdered, and the weapon is the antique Tara Brooch.  Tara is a prime suspect which sends her into investigator mode.   Tara intends to uncover the killer and she will not let anyone get in her way.

My Thoughts

Murder in Connemara by Carlene O’Connor is the 2^nd A Home to Ireland Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone, but I believe readers will have a better understanding of Tara if they read Murder in Galway first.  I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Ireland, the architecture, and the items in Tara’s shop.  The author really brought the Irish countryside to life for me.  Tara Meehan is a character that I am not sure that I like yet.  Tara’s behavior and attitude bothered me at times.  I really did not like her thoughts about the Garda (she thinks they are stupid).  Tara is one of those people who will do what they want even if it gets in the way of others completing their job.  The mystery has quite a few suspects. The author tried to the whodunit complicated, but the resolution was easy to suss out.    The apparent clues made it a cinch to solve.  The why is also not a challenge to figure out.  I did not like Tara mucking up crime scenes (she is giving amateur sleuths a bad name).  I got fed up with suspects arguing (I ended up skimming through some areas).  Tara tended to go off on tangents at times that took her away from her goal.  There are some quirky characters in this series including Tara’s uncle and the psychic, Rose.  I loved little Savage with this adorable collar.  I wanted to like Murder in Connemara, but I just did not find it that appealing.  Murder in Connemara transports readers to Ireland in this cozy mystery with the sweet Savage, amends gone awry, a prophetic psychic, a forceful woman, business license tribulations, and a problematic photo. 

Murder in Connemara can be purchased from Amazon*.  The first book in A Home to Ireland Mystery series is Murder in Galway (which can be borrowed for free if you belong to Kindle Unlimited).  You can find Carlene O'Connor's other novels here.  Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review today.  I will return on Monday with The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong.  I hope that you have a relaxing weekend.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Christmas Cocoa Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day & Alex Erickson

Christmas Cocoa Murder by Carlene O’Connor has Siobhan O’Sullivan in Kilbane, Ireland looking forward to a quiet Christmas with her family.  Siobhan is surprised by the hot cocoa dunk tank that Paddy O’Shea dreamed up for the Christmas carnival.  Before departing for the pantomime, Siobhan looks for her dog, Trigger and cannot find him.  She hears a similar story from a little boy who is searching for his Christmas puppy.  When the dunk tank rolls out, Paddy is found floating in it.  Siobhan is quick to note some pertinent clues that will help in the search for the killer.  During the investigation, Siobhan learns Paddy had been up to some mischief that put him squarely on Santa’s naughty list.  Did Paddy’s Christmas tom foolery get him killed?

Christmas Cocoa and A Corpse by Maddie Day has Robbie Jordan down one staff member at Pans ‘N Pancakes during the busy holiday season.  Robbie and her boyfriend, Abe are having dinner with his parents as well as Jed and Willa Mae Greenberg.  Karinde Nilsson drops off Abe’s Christmas puppy early so Willa Mae agrees to watch him until Christmas Day so the little fellow will remain a surprise.  The next morning, Lt. Buck Bird arrives at the restaurant with a solemn face and announces that Jed Greenberg was found dead near the library.  He had been walking the puppy and slipped on a patch of ice hitting his head.  Howard, Abe’s father, is at the top of the suspect list which has Robbie searching for answers to clear his name.

Death by Cocoa by Alex Erickson has Krissy Hancock along with Rita Jablonski taking part in a Christmas themed escape room game.  Lewis Coates, the creator of the game, introduces them to the other players and then gives them instructions before departing the room.  After escaping from the first phase, the players come out to find Lewis dead on the floor.  Krissy finds herself locked in with a killer.  They all must work together to escape with the hope that the killer does not strike again.  Krissy figures it a bonus if she can wrap up the crime before she departs as well.  Which one of her fellow contestants did in the escape room creator?

Christmas Cocoa Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Alex Erickson contains three cozy novellas that are a part of the following series:  An Irish Village Mystery series, A Country Store Mystery series and A Bookstore Café Mystery series.  I thought they were three entertaining Christmas cozies.  They are all well-written and full of Christmas spirit.  The three mysteries were interesting with various levels of complexity.  The escape room mystery was my favorite, and I particularly enjoyed the description of the escape room puzzles.  I have read books from all three series, so it was not a problem for me to read each story.  I already knew the characters plus the settings.  Maddie Day has my favorite writing style.  It is like conversing with old friends.  I like how hot cocoa played a part in each story with Christmas Cocoa Murder featuring it in a unique way (a dunk tank).  We get to enjoy Christmas festivities in three different towns from two countries.  I especially appreciated that all three stories featured intelligent female protagonists who are resourceful and do not break down at the sight of a dead body.  I am glad that Kensington puts out these holiday novella collections and I hope that they continue to do so.  It is a chance to catch up with our favorite series and solve a mystery (a definite bonus in my book).  Christmas Cocoa Murder has three cocoa connected conundrums, a swarm of suspects, many missing mutts, sharp sleuths and copious Christmas cheer.

Christmas Cocoa Murder can be obtained through Amazon* (Amazon UK).   Carlene O'Connor writes An Irish Village Mystery series with the fifth book being Murder in an Irish Cottage which releases on February 25, 2020.  Ms. O'Connor also has Murder in Galway which is the debut of A Home to Ireland Mystery series coming out on April 28, 2020.  Maddie Day writes  A Country Store Mystery series which Nacho Average Murder publishing on June 30, 2020.  She also has Murder on Cape Cod releasing on December 31 which is the debut of A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery.  Alex Erickson writes A Bookstore Cafe Mystery series.  Thank you for reading my review today.  I am featuring A Child from the Ash Pits by Chrissie Walsh tomorrow.  There will be an excerpt from the book plus a giveaway.  I hope that you have a pleasurable day.  Take care and Happy Reading!  

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.