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nicolestegall's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Always a fun ride with Sarah Booth and friends.
bbingham's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bookishtrina's review
3.0
A Gift of Bones is a well-written cozy, mystery filled with mirth and great characters. The true meaning of Christmas is explored as well as staying focused on what’s important: family and friends. Although this book is #19 in the series, it works as a standalone as well. I enjoyed this light Christmas mystery.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
Christmas comes to Zinnia, Mississippi—Sarah Booth Delaney must solve a case as the holiday approaches, in this new cozy mystery from Carolyn Haines.
Christmas is just around the corner and Sarah Booth and Tinkie are preparing for a festive holiday season. After a turbulent season of solving cases, they’re ready for some holiday cheer. Sarah Booth and Sheriff Coleman Peters have finally gotten together, and this is the first holiday they’re celebrating as a couple. Sarah Booth busies herself with decking the halls and daydreaming about romantic Christmas nights with Coleman.
Then her friend Cece Dee Falcon shows up needing Sarah Booth’s help—right now. She shows Sarah Booth a box that was delivered by courier and left at Cece’s front porch. It contains a lock of hair, a photograph of a pretty young woman, very pregnant, and a note demanding ransom for the return of the teen. Cece reveals that this is her cousin’s daughter, Eve Falcon, and that she’d lost touch with this part of her family years ago. Eve and Cece had been close, until the family had a terrible falling out, and banished Cece from their lives. The countdown begins as the kidnapper pushes for payment—or else, he threatens, Eve will meet her maker. It’s up to Sarah Booth and her friends to find the girl before something terrible happens on what should be the merriest day of the year.
Carolyn Haines’s trademark humor and lovable characters are back, in a heartwarming Christmas story that will enchant and delight readers looking for a suspenseful mystery wrapped in joyful holiday merriment.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
Christmas comes to Zinnia, Mississippi—Sarah Booth Delaney must solve a case as the holiday approaches, in this new cozy mystery from Carolyn Haines.
Christmas is just around the corner and Sarah Booth and Tinkie are preparing for a festive holiday season. After a turbulent season of solving cases, they’re ready for some holiday cheer. Sarah Booth and Sheriff Coleman Peters have finally gotten together, and this is the first holiday they’re celebrating as a couple. Sarah Booth busies herself with decking the halls and daydreaming about romantic Christmas nights with Coleman.
Then her friend Cece Dee Falcon shows up needing Sarah Booth’s help—right now. She shows Sarah Booth a box that was delivered by courier and left at Cece’s front porch. It contains a lock of hair, a photograph of a pretty young woman, very pregnant, and a note demanding ransom for the return of the teen. Cece reveals that this is her cousin’s daughter, Eve Falcon, and that she’d lost touch with this part of her family years ago. Eve and Cece had been close, until the family had a terrible falling out, and banished Cece from their lives. The countdown begins as the kidnapper pushes for payment—or else, he threatens, Eve will meet her maker. It’s up to Sarah Booth and her friends to find the girl before something terrible happens on what should be the merriest day of the year.
Carolyn Haines’s trademark humor and lovable characters are back, in a heartwarming Christmas story that will enchant and delight readers looking for a suspenseful mystery wrapped in joyful holiday merriment.
aprilwright86's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
git_r_read's review
5.0
I adore this series! I've stopped reading quite a few series before they get to this high number of books as the characters grow stale or the mysteries become just too eye-rolling [hurts my eye muscles]. But not with Sarah Booth Delaney and friends! She and her bestie Tinkie are private investigators, so it makes sense for them to get involved in what they are hired to do or asked as a favor.
This one has a lot of twists and turns, with all kinds of clues woven into the story. It keeps the reader intrigued. And it's Christmas, so the tidbits of holiday traditions and music are lovely.
One of my favorite bits was the mention of a song that brought back a flood of memories for me. Sarah Booth hears a song in a roadhouse by Jim Reeves - Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer to the Phone. I grew up listening to Jim Reeves, a favorite of my mom. This bit just made me smile. And add a Jim Reeves channel to my Pandora.....
I can absolutely recommend this book, this series and this author.
This one has a lot of twists and turns, with all kinds of clues woven into the story. It keeps the reader intrigued. And it's Christmas, so the tidbits of holiday traditions and music are lovely.
One of my favorite bits was the mention of a song that brought back a flood of memories for me. Sarah Booth hears a song in a roadhouse by Jim Reeves - Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer to the Phone. I grew up listening to Jim Reeves, a favorite of my mom. This bit just made me smile. And add a Jim Reeves channel to my Pandora.....
I can absolutely recommend this book, this series and this author.
siobhanward's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I think one of the problems with this book for me is that I don't normally love this kind of book. I'm not sure how to describe them other than as long, somewhat fluffy mystery series aimed mostly at women. There are a lot of them and I tend not to read them, but made an exception for this Christmas one. However, this was definitely not the book to change my mind on the genre. While there were great parts of the book, so much of it felt weirdly forced, almost like someone purposely trying to write a "modern" book that hit all the right notes, like including a transgender character and repeatedly talking about her "struggle" to become a woman, etc. It just seemed like the author was trying to make sure her book was modern and "current," but missed the mark.
I also don't think I've ever read a "magic Black character" trope where the character was actually magic... Usually it's a metaphor for a Black character who swoops in and solves all the main (white) character's problems, but nope, in this case it's the ghost of an enslaved person who was the nanny of one of Sarah Booth's ancestors who then stayed around to help the family forever?? It was just so weird and out of place and uncomfortable.. It added nothing to the book other than really starting it off on the wrong foot for me.
Anyway, I don't think I'll be reading more of Sarah Booth Delaney. I wish all the best to her and all of her very random friends, but this was not the series for me.
I also don't think I've ever read a "magic Black character" trope where the character was actually magic... Usually it's a metaphor for a Black character who swoops in and solves all the main (white) character's problems, but nope, in this case it's the ghost of an enslaved person who was the nanny of one of Sarah Booth's ancestors who then stayed around to help the family forever?? It was just so weird and out of place and uncomfortable.. It added nothing to the book other than really starting it off on the wrong foot for me.
Anyway, I don't think I'll be reading more of Sarah Booth Delaney. I wish all the best to her and all of her very random friends, but this was not the series for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Death of parent
jen_baroness_mom's review against another edition
5.0
Will Sarah Booth find the mother in time?
A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines is marvelous. I loved the whole story, the mystery, the Christmas tie-in, all of it is superb.
In this installment, Sarah Booth and Coleman are officially a couple. It will be their first Christmas together, and Sarah Booth has lots of plans. We all know about plans though. Sometimes things just won’t follow the plan.
Christmas in Zinnia
Christmas in Zinnia is lovely, and Sarah Booth loves all of the Christmas decorations around town. Tinkie does too, except those blow-up ornaments. The ladies have talked Oscar, Harold, and Coleman into being the wise men in the church’s Christmas pageant. I have to give the church credit as they keep trying to pull off the nativity scene. Last Christmas in Jingle Bones, the pigs, and bad boys ruined the party and this year. Well, I will let you read about that.
The Mystery
Cece is in need of Sarah Booth and Tinkie’s assistance. They would never turn a friend away. However, now that Sarah Booth is dating Coleman the Sheriff, things are a little different. She promised not to withhold things from him. I think Sarah Booth did an excellent job of maintaining her professional code without completely lying to Coleman.
It was nice to get to meet Cece’s family. They are more wacked than I thought. Oh, and wow does her Uncle Will need to seriously grow a pair. Family secrets are terrible things.
The mystery was well played. I caught most of the clue and had my suspicion, but I wasn’t entirely sure until…well, you know…until Sarah Booth announced it.
Some of my favorite parts
- I always love a good party at Harold’s house. He knows how to throw a party.
- Madam Tomeeka and Cece decorating for Sarah Booth
- Cece with a shotgun, shooting at the bad guy
- The Christmas pageant, Mrs. Hedgepeth, and the baby Jesus doll
- Tinkie and Oscar’s generosity
- Deputy Budgie suckered Sarah Booth with a fabricated story
- Snow in Zinnia for Christmas
- The Nutcracker, Jitty and Mr. & Mrs. Delaney
I think that the moral to this story is communication is the best form. You never know what someone’s answer will be unless you ask the question.
5 Stars for A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines
My rating for A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines is five stars. I absolutely love this series. It always feels like I am catching up with old friends when I am reading one of the books. I think that there may be a change coming in the next installment, but I know Carolyn Haines will keep up the laughs, and the mystery will be superb.
I highly recommend this series. If you haven’t already you should check it out.
This Guest Review is for the Baroness' Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
margeemay's review
Listen, respectfully, there is only so much cringe I can take. People don’t talk like she does “I miss what I lost so young” say you miss your dead parents, boo hoo.
There was also a point when Cece was talking about her missing cousin that she repeated the same paragraph two pages apart.
I also didn’t love that she kept using Ceces deadname, Cece is Cece, no need to keep saying when she moved from ** to Cece. As someone with trans friends, you don’t do that, out of respect and love for them you don’t keep bringing it up, even in your head.
There was also a point when Cece was talking about her missing cousin that she repeated the same paragraph two pages apart.
I also didn’t love that she kept using Ceces deadname, Cece is Cece, no need to keep saying when she moved from ** to Cece. As someone with trans friends, you don’t do that, out of respect and love for them you don’t keep bringing it up, even in your head.