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kimdavishb 's review for:
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
by Vicki Delany
HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is the sixth book in the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries by Vicki Delany. I’m so happy to see the reappearance of this series and it was a delight to be transported back to Rudolph, NY and reunited with its residents. With memorable characters, Christmas cheer galore, a musical production of A Christmas Carol, and a grinch who’s resorted to murder, the author pens a delightful yuletide tale to captivate the reader. The protagonist, Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures is the embodiment of the Christmas spirit. I just adore how close she is to her father, Noel, who is the town’s Santa. There are moments of sweet Christmas miracles happening in the story and Merry is known to say that she knows her dad isn’t Santa Claus, but sometimes she has to wonder. Her mother, a retired opera diva, can be a bit of, well, a diva, but it’s easy to see the love she has for her family. There are also moments of humor that had me laughing out loud, such as one that involves dogs, a squirrel, and a Christmas float.
It was all too easy to get caught up in the Christmas cheer and pageantry, and forget that a murderer lurks in the shadows. Yet, Ms. Delany is a master at weaving a tightly plotted mystery into an inviting setting that I’d love to visit. When the arrogant Mrs. Cratchit, of the play, is murdered in Merry’s shop no less, she can’t help get involved. I like that Merry doesn’t take unnecessary risks yet manages to suss out clues and convey them to the detective. There were lots of suspects—practically the entire troupe of actors had contentious interactions with each other, including Mrs. Cratchit—and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. With a heartwarming conclusion, you’ll be counting down the days until the Christmas season is once again here.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It was all too easy to get caught up in the Christmas cheer and pageantry, and forget that a murderer lurks in the shadows. Yet, Ms. Delany is a master at weaving a tightly plotted mystery into an inviting setting that I’d love to visit. When the arrogant Mrs. Cratchit, of the play, is murdered in Merry’s shop no less, she can’t help get involved. I like that Merry doesn’t take unnecessary risks yet manages to suss out clues and convey them to the detective. There were lots of suspects—practically the entire troupe of actors had contentious interactions with each other, including Mrs. Cratchit—and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. With a heartwarming conclusion, you’ll be counting down the days until the Christmas season is once again here.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.