Published November 9, 2021
Summary
It’s Christmastime in Jewel Bay, and as always, Erin is juggling a lot! December is exceptionally busy for anyone in retail, but in Jewel Bay the holiday season is what finances the local stores through the lean winter months. However, with Christmas come village activities like decorating day and the snowman contest. In her personal life, she has been renovating her home, arranging a party, and, perhaps, most importantly of all, planning for her Christmas Eve wedding. That would be a lot for anyone!
When Erin intervenes in a family dispute on the village decorating day, she hopes she has found a new friend in Merrily. Merrily grew up in Jewel Bay, but left right out of high school when she ended up in prison. She has since raised a daughter and turned her life around, but her return to the home of her childhood has not been welcomed by everyone. Small towns have long memories. When Merrily is found dead with a string of Christmas tree lights around her neck, finding her killer becomes Erin’s number one priority.
My Thoughts
This is my favorite book in the Food Lover’s Village Mystery series so far. It has earned a permanent place in my holiday book rotation.
The mystery is exceptionally well-crafted. There were multiple motives and suspects, some excellent red herrings, and cleverly placed clues. I love how Erin uses living in a small town to her benefit in her investigations. She was able to learn about the victim from asking the right questions at the post office. Living in a small town, I know that the post office and the bank are the two best places to find gossip, so for me, those little details give the book an authentic feel.
Obviously, the Christmas atmosphere is important in a Christmas mystery, and this book has it in abundance. At one point, the author even incorporated a snippet inspired by “Twas the night before Christmas” into part of the text. There is snow on the ground, which I suspect is inevitable in Montana, but it also lends a seasonal feel to the story. Village decorating night sounded so festive – even with the family fight that broke out. Erin hosted a cookie swap party, there was Christmas shopping, there were Christmas trees, and there was a snowman contest. I very much enjoyed reading about the Christmas displays in the windows of the shops too. Of course, the most beautiful event was the Christmas Eve wedding.
There was also a very sweet subplot about a shoplifter who had second thoughts and returned most of what was stolen. Shop owners in town sought to identify the anonymous shoplifter, not to punish them, but to see what could be done to help them out.
Erin continues to be one of my favorite mystery protagonists. She is a talented business owner with an impressive work ethic (sometimes her work ethic exhausts me!) She cares deeply about helping people seek justice, even when it puts her in danger. I like that she’s also imperfect, because imperfections make her character feel more authentic. In this book she acknowledges that her own world-view can sometimes blind her to what’s right in front of her.
What Else I Liked
- I wish Erin’s store was a real place. I’d like to shop there.
- Love that the author referenced her Spice Shop series, by mentioning that Erin used to visit Pepper’s shop when she lived in Seattle.
- There are 11 recipes in the back of the book! It was like a recipe jackpot!
My Favorite Line of the Book
“Back in the merc, I huddled in my tiny office under the eaves, like a hobbit anticipating second breakfast.”
Other Random Thoughts
I really need to read the back of the book in this series, so I will stop getting attached to the murder victims. While many mystery writers kill off the nastiest people in town, that has not been the case in this series.
Trigger Warnings
- drug use/addiction
- parental rejection
My Rating 5/5
Subscribe to my newsletter to stay up to date with my reviews.
About the Author
Photo Credit: Brenda Ahearn
Leslie Budewitz blends her passion for food, great mysteries, and the Northwest in two cozy mystery series, the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense, beginning with BITTERROOT LAKE and continuing with BLIND FAITH. A three-time Agatha-Award winner (for Best Nonfiction, Best First Novel, and Best Short Story), she is a past president of Sisters in Crime and board member of Mystery Writers of America. She lives in NW Montana.
(From Leslie’s website https://www.lesliebudewitz.com/media)
You can learn more about Leslie on her website lesliebudewitz.com. She maintains a really entertaining blog there and you can sign up for her newsletter.
Leslie also writes on the Mystery Lovers Kitchen blog, where you can find some pretty amazing recipes!
My Reviews of Others in This Series
Leave a Reply