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Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings: A Funny & Festive Christmas Cozy Mystery by Liz Ireland
hollyxbear's review against another edition
4.0
What a fun Christmas read. The characters were loveable and the mystery was absolutely a twist. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series!
kimdavishb's review against another edition
5.0
MRS. CLAUSE AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS, by Liz Ireland, could very well be my favorite new series of the year! With the fantasy setting of the North Pole, Santa is under suspicion for murdering an elf, and the new bride, Mrs. Claus, is trying to adjust after a whirlwind romance and moving from Oregon to Santaland. Ms. Ireland captured my complete attention and I couldn’t put the book down. Without slowing the fast-paced plot, the author weaves in detailed descriptions of the setting. I felt like I could see, hear, taste, smell, and feel all that the protagonist, new bride April Claus, did which brought the setting to life. Some of the examples include red and green clothing worn everywhere; thirty clogging elves jingling bells loud enough to drown out every other sound; eggnog served at every turn; the sharp, sweet smell of peppermint so strong it permeates pores; and sub-freezing cold that April cannot get used to. The Claus’s castle even uses a room with a window cracked open as a substitute for a freezer. There’s Christmas cheer galore, reindeer games, and caroling, along with plenty of humor and some witty puns.
When a mean-spirited elf is found murdered, Santa becomes the prime suspect after everyone in town witnessed them arguing. April, being a newcomer to Santaland, can’t fathom the Claus family insisting that they have to exhibit nothing but Christmas cheer and ignore the investigation. She decides to start asking questions about who might have killed the elf and melted the snowman who may have been a witness. Enlisting the help of Jingles, Santa’s head elf, she investigates while trying to keep up with her public duties as Mrs. Claus. It was a treat watching the story unfold and following the clues April uncovered. With a heart-stopping reveal, the threads of the plot and subplots were pulled together into a highly satisfying conclusion. While this is a Christmas cozy mystery, there are hints of where the next book might take place without readers having to wait an entire year for the next release… At least I hope I’m right because I’m anxious for the next installment in this wholly delightful and imaginative start to a new series!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When a mean-spirited elf is found murdered, Santa becomes the prime suspect after everyone in town witnessed them arguing. April, being a newcomer to Santaland, can’t fathom the Claus family insisting that they have to exhibit nothing but Christmas cheer and ignore the investigation. She decides to start asking questions about who might have killed the elf and melted the snowman who may have been a witness. Enlisting the help of Jingles, Santa’s head elf, she investigates while trying to keep up with her public duties as Mrs. Claus. It was a treat watching the story unfold and following the clues April uncovered. With a heart-stopping reveal, the threads of the plot and subplots were pulled together into a highly satisfying conclusion. While this is a Christmas cozy mystery, there are hints of where the next book might take place without readers having to wait an entire year for the next release… At least I hope I’m right because I’m anxious for the next installment in this wholly delightful and imaginative start to a new series!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
ninahuynh's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Slow read until the last quarter of the boo. Then there were more actions and sleuthing. Could do with more dialogue and action, and less narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Child death
katreader's review against another edition
4.0
MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS by Liz Ireland
The First Mrs. Claus Mystery
Married life is always an adjustment, but April has an even bigger lifestyle change than most new brides when she marries Nick. Leaving her inn in Oregon she moves to the North Pole upon becoming Mrs. Claus. Things aren't so holly jolly as she learns to deal with her mother in law and everything that's expected of her as the wife of the current Santa. The death of an unpleasant elf leaves April concerned. While no one liked Giblet Hollyberry, it was her husband who had a run in with the elf. Add to the fact that he left their bedroom in the middle of the night and seems to be avoiding her, Alice realizes just how little she truly knows her new husband. Surely, Nick had nothing to do with Giblet's death...but who did?
MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS introduces readers to a very different version of Santa Claus and his village. The temperature may be frigid, but the North Pole is a hotbed of resentment, bullying, and drama. This is not a happy sylvan environment with yuletide spirit. It's a place where reindeer are bullies, the Claus family is dysfunctional, and the majority of residents believe the current Santa is a murderer! Thrust in the midst is April, who fits in as well as her name. While she was a competent and efficient innkeeper in Oregon, in the North Pole she's ill able to keep up and many of her projects have disastrous results.
I really enjoyed this darker look at a place that's generally too sugar coated. I appreciate April's doubts and her determination to prove them wrong. I admit, I'm not a huge fan of the current Santa, but he is several steps up from the one in the Rankin/Bass production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, although he does tell April basically to stay home. Probably my favorite character is Quasar. I feel so bad for this misfit who tries so hard.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS is a darkly comic tale that combines a deftly plotted mystery with a new version of Santa's village. If you're suffering from too much sugary sweetness this holiday season, this book could be the cure!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The First Mrs. Claus Mystery
Married life is always an adjustment, but April has an even bigger lifestyle change than most new brides when she marries Nick. Leaving her inn in Oregon she moves to the North Pole upon becoming Mrs. Claus. Things aren't so holly jolly as she learns to deal with her mother in law and everything that's expected of her as the wife of the current Santa. The death of an unpleasant elf leaves April concerned. While no one liked Giblet Hollyberry, it was her husband who had a run in with the elf. Add to the fact that he left their bedroom in the middle of the night and seems to be avoiding her, Alice realizes just how little she truly knows her new husband. Surely, Nick had nothing to do with Giblet's death...but who did?
MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS introduces readers to a very different version of Santa Claus and his village. The temperature may be frigid, but the North Pole is a hotbed of resentment, bullying, and drama. This is not a happy sylvan environment with yuletide spirit. It's a place where reindeer are bullies, the Claus family is dysfunctional, and the majority of residents believe the current Santa is a murderer! Thrust in the midst is April, who fits in as well as her name. While she was a competent and efficient innkeeper in Oregon, in the North Pole she's ill able to keep up and many of her projects have disastrous results.
I really enjoyed this darker look at a place that's generally too sugar coated. I appreciate April's doubts and her determination to prove them wrong. I admit, I'm not a huge fan of the current Santa, but he is several steps up from the one in the Rankin/Bass production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, although he does tell April basically to stay home. Probably my favorite character is Quasar. I feel so bad for this misfit who tries so hard.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS is a darkly comic tale that combines a deftly plotted mystery with a new version of Santa's village. If you're suffering from too much sugary sweetness this holiday season, this book could be the cure!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
scarlettguy9834's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
mariewikle's review against another edition
5.0
a fun read
What fun this book was!! The characters and their names were perfect! I cannot wait to read more of her books
What fun this book was!! The characters and their names were perfect! I cannot wait to read more of her books
bookwoman37's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a 3.5 star review. April has married Santa Claus and she has joined him at Christmastown for their first Christmas. When an elf is killed after having a fight with Nick she sets out to solve the crime and clear her husband's name. Like many Holiday Cozies this one is over the top Christmas. There is not a lot of backstory on April and Santa's romance so I had a hard time warming up to their romance. I was also surprised at how many unhappy mean people live in Christmastown. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. Overall it was a quick Holiday read. Enjoy