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A review by kimdavishb
Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland
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.