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cj_mo_2222's review
5.0
The book Christmas Scarf Murder includes three novellas by three different authors, Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart. Each story involves amateur sleuths solving a murder with a Christmas scarf as the murder weapon. The novellas feature main characters from each of the author's full-length novels. Anyone who already follows these series will enjoy catching up with favorite characters, but the stories are a great introduction for new readers. Looking at the collection as a whole, I would rate it 4.5 stars.
Carlene O'Connor's story, Christmas Scarf Murder, is the first in the book. It features Garda Siobhan O'Sullivan and her husband DS Macdora Flannery, investigating a series of thefts at an elder care home and then a murder. There are a lot of suspects and a fairly lengthy investigation, especially for a short story. The scenes at the care home were very enjoyable, and the story's sweet ending is perfect for a holiday story.
The second story, Scarfed Down by Maddie Day, has restaurant owner Robbie Jordan investigating the death of a knitter using yarn supplied by her aunt. The way the murder is commited is clever and sets up an intriguing mystery. I like Robbie and really enjoyed the great mother/son relationship she has with her stepson Sean. I didn't care for some of the side characters, and the way the accents of some of the characters were written was distracting. Overall, it is an entertaining story.
In my opinion, they saved the best for last. Peggy Ehrhart's story, Death by Christmas Scarf, is my favorite story of the three. Magazine editor Pamela Paterson and newspaper reporter Bettina Fraser team up to look into the death of a man strangled with a scarf made by a member of their knitting group. I love Pamela and Bettina's friendship and determination to solve the case. I also enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the holiday celebrations, and I felt like I was right there in Bettina's home enjoying some holiday cheer.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
Carlene O'Connor's story, Christmas Scarf Murder, is the first in the book. It features Garda Siobhan O'Sullivan and her husband DS Macdora Flannery, investigating a series of thefts at an elder care home and then a murder. There are a lot of suspects and a fairly lengthy investigation, especially for a short story. The scenes at the care home were very enjoyable, and the story's sweet ending is perfect for a holiday story.
The second story, Scarfed Down by Maddie Day, has restaurant owner Robbie Jordan investigating the death of a knitter using yarn supplied by her aunt. The way the murder is commited is clever and sets up an intriguing mystery. I like Robbie and really enjoyed the great mother/son relationship she has with her stepson Sean. I didn't care for some of the side characters, and the way the accents of some of the characters were written was distracting. Overall, it is an entertaining story.
In my opinion, they saved the best for last. Peggy Ehrhart's story, Death by Christmas Scarf, is my favorite story of the three. Magazine editor Pamela Paterson and newspaper reporter Bettina Fraser team up to look into the death of a man strangled with a scarf made by a member of their knitting group. I love Pamela and Bettina's friendship and determination to solve the case. I also enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the holiday celebrations, and I felt like I was right there in Bettina's home enjoying some holiday cheer.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
bookwoman37's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I always enjoy these anthologies and this one did not disappoint. All three stories were different and enjoyable. They are perfect reads during the busy Holiday Season. Each one had a cozy Holiday background with fun characters. The mysteries were good with plenty of suspects and motives. The first story had the most complex mystery, the second story had a unique murder weapon and the third had lots of Christmas Spirit. Enjoy
clairetomonaga's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
annarella's review
5.0
I mainly requested this ARC for Peggy Ehrhart and I thoroughly enjoy her novella. I also like Carlene O' Connor and Maddie Day whose novella are well plotted and entertaining.
An excellent Christmas anthology that i strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
An excellent Christmas anthology that i strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
tamsterdam_reads's review
4.0
Christmas Scarf Murder is written by three established cozy mystery authors. Each novel has its own uniqueness with the common thread of all involving a christmas scarf in some shape or form. Because I have previously read a novel or two from each of these authors, I was able to jump into each of the book’s worlds with no issues, but I do recommend others to check out their books so that you’re more accustomed to the relationships amongst the characters.
Each story wrapped up each mystery nicely and I felt that the stories weren’t rushed to fit within the anthology, but also didn’t drag. Overall, this was a fun cozy to get a taste of each of the series in a Christmasy way.
Each story wrapped up each mystery nicely and I felt that the stories weren’t rushed to fit within the anthology, but also didn’t drag. Overall, this was a fun cozy to get a taste of each of the series in a Christmasy way.
akolb51's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Stocking stuffers like handknit scarves make the coziest of Christmas gifts—unless they’re used as accessories for murder! This book is a bundle of three different Christmas cozy mysteries by three amazing authors: Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart.
These mysteries are short, but complete with interesting characters, suspenseful plots, and settings that give you the Christmas Spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I recommend it highly. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.
smorrison4's review
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Christmas scarf murder by Carlene O'Connor was a fantastic Christmas, cozy mystery. I did not guess who the murderer was in this story. Carlene kept me guessing to the end. I loved the surprise decorations on the tractor and the light-up sign in the house, I teared up a little at both.
The Unfinished Scarf by Maddie Day is book 10.5 in the Country Store Mystery series and the first book I have read from Maddie Day. I love the sayings that the locals use, they are very unique. The ending to this one was a little abrupt, we went from Robbie talking about possible suspects to blam! here is the murderer.
Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart, book 8.5 in the Knit & Nibble mystery series. I love Peggy Ehrhart but sometimes she gets caught up in the minutiae of explaining an outfit or a dish and I end up just skimming over the description. The story itself was good, I did not guess who the killer was or why, although looking back Peggy gives you all the clues so I should have seen it. However, she did a great job of distracting you with facts and clues.
The Unfinished Scarf by Maddie Day is book 10.5 in the Country Store Mystery series and the first book I have read from Maddie Day. I love the sayings that the locals use, they are very unique. The ending to this one was a little abrupt, we went from Robbie talking about possible suspects to blam! here is the murderer.
Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart, book 8.5 in the Knit & Nibble mystery series. I love Peggy Ehrhart but sometimes she gets caught up in the minutiae of explaining an outfit or a dish and I end up just skimming over the description. The story itself was good, I did not guess who the killer was or why, although looking back Peggy gives you all the clues so I should have seen it. However, she did a great job of distracting you with facts and clues.
srivalli's review
3.0
Publication Date: 27th Sep 2022
3 Stars
One Liner: More Enjoyable for those who read the series
The book is a collection of three cozy mystery novelettes by three authors. The stories have a common theme-
• Christmas time
• Scarf as a part of the crime
• Small town setting
• A recipe at the end of each one
Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor
There has been a theft at the local nursing home. Siobhan O’Sullivan and Macdere, her husband, are called to handle the case. Before they can make much progress, one of the stolen items, a hideous long scarf, ends up as a possible murder weapon in the death of a young lad. Are the crimes connected? Who stole the items? Who killed the man?
It’s rare for me to come across a slow-paced cozy. Fortunately, the story was interesting enough. Siobhan Sullivan is the leading lady of the Irish Village Mystery Series. It isn’t mandatory to read the series (for the case), but it would help keep track of the names and characters we encounter.
The case, as such, requires multiple characters, and adding a whole bunch of family members to it made it a bit too confusing. I gave up trying to track them and went with the flow. Something tells me I’d have enjoyed this more if I read at least one book from the series.
This was an okay read – 3 stars.
Scarfed Down by Maddie Day
Christmas has arrived in Pans ‘N Pancakes, a delightful county store (plus eatery) set in a fictional town. Things go awry when one of the clients dies at home under mysterious circumstances, and the reason has something to do with the green scarf she’s been knitting. Robbie Jordan is not new to solving cases and looks like she has to step up again.
Like the previous novelette, this one also has characters and setting from an existing series, Country Store Mystery. Fortunately, it was a little easier to follow the relationships and stuff. The first-person narration comes in short chapters and keeps the pace steady.
The case is rather a little too easy. I know cozy mysteries are light stuff, but this is too light for my taste. The talk of baking and the quirky grammar kept me interested. Also, the scarf isn’t the central point in this one, and there was an inconsistency (or so it seemed). The author’s note explains why, though I’d have liked the scarf to have a bigger role.
Another okay read – 3 stars.
Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart
Carys Walnutt has been strangled by her Christmas scarf. The handmade scarf was an auction at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. It seems like a straightforward case, and soon an arrest is made. But is the case really solved? It’s up to Pamela Paterson to dig deeper and find the truth.
Right! So this story also has characters and setting from an established series. A Knit & Nibble Mystery has Pamela Paterson solving crimes and knitting with her club members. The novelette starts with a bang as the crime has already been committed.
The case is interesting, and so are the delicious cakes and cookies mentioned. There were too many characters to track, which reduced my enjoyment levels. However, the end was quite satisfactory. The author provided detailed instructions to knit a teddy bear along with a recipe.
One more okay read – 3 stars
To Summarize, Christmas Scarf Murder is a quick read if you want three different types of mysteries in the same book. No doubt, it will be much more enjoyable if you are familiar with the characters.
I'm tempted enough by the settings to check out the series soon.
Thank you, NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kensington Cozies, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#ChristmasScarfMurder #NetGalley
*****
P.S: Don’t you love the cover?
3 Stars
One Liner: More Enjoyable for those who read the series
The book is a collection of three cozy mystery novelettes by three authors. The stories have a common theme-
• Christmas time
• Scarf as a part of the crime
• Small town setting
• A recipe at the end of each one
Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor
There has been a theft at the local nursing home. Siobhan O’Sullivan and Macdere, her husband, are called to handle the case. Before they can make much progress, one of the stolen items, a hideous long scarf, ends up as a possible murder weapon in the death of a young lad. Are the crimes connected? Who stole the items? Who killed the man?
It’s rare for me to come across a slow-paced cozy. Fortunately, the story was interesting enough. Siobhan Sullivan is the leading lady of the Irish Village Mystery Series. It isn’t mandatory to read the series (for the case), but it would help keep track of the names and characters we encounter.
The case, as such, requires multiple characters, and adding a whole bunch of family members to it made it a bit too confusing. I gave up trying to track them and went with the flow. Something tells me I’d have enjoyed this more if I read at least one book from the series.
This was an okay read – 3 stars.
Scarfed Down by Maddie Day
Christmas has arrived in Pans ‘N Pancakes, a delightful county store (plus eatery) set in a fictional town. Things go awry when one of the clients dies at home under mysterious circumstances, and the reason has something to do with the green scarf she’s been knitting. Robbie Jordan is not new to solving cases and looks like she has to step up again.
Like the previous novelette, this one also has characters and setting from an existing series, Country Store Mystery. Fortunately, it was a little easier to follow the relationships and stuff. The first-person narration comes in short chapters and keeps the pace steady.
The case is rather a little too easy. I know cozy mysteries are light stuff, but this is too light for my taste. The talk of baking and the quirky grammar kept me interested. Also, the scarf isn’t the central point in this one, and there was an inconsistency (or so it seemed). The author’s note explains why, though I’d have liked the scarf to have a bigger role.
Another okay read – 3 stars.
Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart
Carys Walnutt has been strangled by her Christmas scarf. The handmade scarf was an auction at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. It seems like a straightforward case, and soon an arrest is made. But is the case really solved? It’s up to Pamela Paterson to dig deeper and find the truth.
Right! So this story also has characters and setting from an established series. A Knit & Nibble Mystery has Pamela Paterson solving crimes and knitting with her club members. The novelette starts with a bang as the crime has already been committed.
The case is interesting, and so are the delicious cakes and cookies mentioned. There were too many characters to track, which reduced my enjoyment levels. However, the end was quite satisfactory. The author provided detailed instructions to knit a teddy bear along with a recipe.
One more okay read – 3 stars
To Summarize, Christmas Scarf Murder is a quick read if you want three different types of mysteries in the same book. No doubt, it will be much more enjoyable if you are familiar with the characters.
I'm tempted enough by the settings to check out the series soon.
Thank you, NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kensington Cozies, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#ChristmasScarfMurder #NetGalley
*****
P.S: Don’t you love the cover?
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