A Nutcracker Nightmare by Christina Romeril

A Nutcracker Nightmare 

Book Summary

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.

Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him.

But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.

My Thoughts

A Nutcracker Nightmare by Christina Romeril takes us back to Harriston, Montana where twin sisters Alex and Hanna own Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookstore that sells handcrafted themed chocolates.  Each chocolate is named after a poison (an example is strawberry strychnine).   While the series features twins, the story is told from Alex’s point of view.  Alex and Hanna have a close relationship.  They live together and work together.  It looks like both sisters will have a chance at romance, but the path forward will be a rocky one.  The murder takes place at a Harriston High School reunion where Alex and Hanna are providing chocolates.  It was obvious who would die early on.  The victim was an unlikeable fellow.  Hanna finds herself at the top of the suspect list (of course) so Alex dons her sleuthing cap and dives into the case.  There are plenty of suspects since Kyle, the victim, was a bully, a groper, and so much more.  Alex’s investigative skills need work. When she questions people, it sounds like she is accusing them.  Alex can be blunt to the point of being rude.  The clues and suspects are repeated frequently (I got it the first time).   The whodunit is neatly tied up at the end.  

There are a number of characters in this story, and it can be challenging to keep them all straight (it made me want to set up a murder board).  The contest in which Hanna is entering her chocolates and Kyle was to judge seemed to be an afterthought.  Personally, I thought the mystery should have surrounded the contest instead of the reunion.  The chocolate descriptions will have you craving bonbons and truffles (there are recipes for a couple of Hanna’s creations at the end).  While chilly temperatures were mentioned, Christmas not so much.  A Nutcracker Nightmare is the second book in A Killer Chocolate Mysteries.  I believe readers would benefit from reading A Christmas Candy Killing first where there was more world building.  A Nutcracker Nightmare is a killer cozy with delectable chocolates, a slayed sleaze, a sister as a suspect, romance troubles, an excess of suspects, and a hopeful heart.  

A Nutcracker Nightmare is available from Amazon*.  The first A Killer Chocolate Mystery is A Christmas Candy Killing.  While A Nutcracker Nightmare was not for me, if the description appeals to you, I encourage you to download a sample to check it out for yourself.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will be back on October 24 with The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle.  It is the seventeenth A Bibliophile Mystery.  I hope that you have a fun weekend.  I am enjoying seeing the people drive by to view my front yard Halloween display.  I have included some daylight photos below.  You can see where the cemeteries guests are having a party to welcome the newest arrival who is in the reaper's coach.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril

A Christmas Candy Killing

  

About A Christmas Candy Killing

 

A Christmas Candy Killing (A Killer Chocolate Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

1st in Series

The book is set in a fictional town, Harriston, Montana. 

Crooked Lane Books (October 11, 2022)

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages 

Their chocolates are to die for—but things aren’t so sweet when a real killer comes to town, in this debut mystery perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs.

Identical twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates. But now, there’s a real killer in their midst. Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has taken up residence in the village. Unfortunately, she’s also shared her suspicions with town gossip Netta. The next morning, Alex shows up at Jane’s house to watch the show, but instead discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates nearby.

The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane’s will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen leaving the crime scene. But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects—townsfolk who’d recently been seen arguing with Jane.

When Alex gets hold of Jane’s journal, she begins to understand the truth. But a bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year—and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.

About Christina Romeril

Christina Romeril loves to plot murders, especially by poisoning. When she’s not plotting how to kill one of her characters she’s coming up with ways to dispose of the body. Since writing her debut novel her husband’s friends have been regularly checking on his well-being.

Christina also loves to read, eat chocolates, and travel when she’s not in her she shed writing. She grew up in Southern Ontario and spent most of her summers in Muskoka swimming, boating, and generally getting into mischief. She’s lived on both coasts of Canada and has a love of being near the water and close to a forest. Thus, it makes perfect sense that she moved to the prairies of Southern Alberta over twenty years ago.

Author Links

Webpage https://christinaromeril.com/

Blog https://christinaromeril.com/blog/

Twitter https://Twitter.com/romerilchris

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/christinaromerilwriter

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22222730.Christina_Romeril

Facebook

My Thoughts

A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril is the debut of A Killer Chocolate Mysteries.  I enjoyed this fun cozy mystery.  We get to meet Alex and Hanna Wright.  They are twins who own Murders and Mayhem which is a shop that sells books (mostly mysteries) and killer chocolates.  I love that they name the chocolates after different poisons (very clever). I enjoyed getting to know the twins.  There is a good cast of secondary characters.  The story moved along at a steady pace. Alex finds herself at the top of the suspect list for the murder of a dear friend.  Unfortunately, it is an election year, and the sheriff wants to make a quick arrest. Alex who has been reading mysteries since she was a child and belongs to the Sleuth Book Club is eager to solve the case.  

Alex gets assistance from her twin along with other Sleuth members (plus the ruggedly handsome next-door neighbor).  They make a list of suspects and Alex sets up a murder board.  One by one she works through her list until there is one person with no alibi.  I enjoyed following the clues and solving the whodunit.  There was a surprise or two along the way to the reveal.  I did feel there was a little too much repetition of case details as well as information regarding Alex’s life (I got it the first time that she did not like banking).  There are wonderful descriptions of the handmade chocolates (had me heading to local chocolate shop).  I loved Alex and Hanna’s dog, Miss Marple.  This was a good debut and I look forward to the next A Killer Chocolate Mystery.  A Christmas Candy Killing is a mouthwatering tale with winter weather, delectable chocolates, a mysterious murder, a stubborn sheriff, rampant rumors, a cold case, and Christmas cheer. 

A Christmas Candy Killing is available from Amazon*, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.  You can follow Christina Romeril on Amazon and you will receive an email when she has a new book release.   As part of the tour, the author is hosting a giveaway.  You can win a copy of the book, chocolates, bookmark, and stickers.  You can click here to enter or use the form below.  Leave a comment for an extra entry.  Good Luck!  Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on Murder in Plein Air by Karen Leigh Charles.  I hope that you have a relaxing day.  Do not forget to enter the giveaway and leave a comment.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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Tour Participants

October 17 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE 

October 17 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW 

October 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 18 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

October 18 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 19 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Angel's Guilty Pleasures – SPOTLIGHT 

October 20 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT 

October 20 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT 

October 21 - Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 - Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST 

October 21 - MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

October 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews –/ REVIEW

October 23 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 24 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

October 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

October 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW 

October 25 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 26 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT 

October 26 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

October 26 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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