Praise for ’Twas the Knife Before Christmas:
“Cozy fans with a sweet tooth will be in heaven.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Full of Christmas cheer, punning names of places and characters, and several Santas who play a major role.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Frost has created a wonderful world that’s fun and festive, while also producing memorable murder plots.”
—Suspense Magazine
Praise for Twelve Slays of Christmas:
"A charming holiday cozy, filled with mystery and mistletoe, romance and reindeer, and a memorable heroine you’ll be cheering on. A festive mystery sure to delight cozy fans."
—Sally Goldenbaum, USA Today bestselling author of the Seaside Knitters Society mysteries
“A broken heart, an escape home to Mistletoe, Maine, and a dead body instead of piles of presents makes for a memorable adventure filled with Christmas spirit to warm your heart."
—Duffy Brown, national bestselling author of Demise in Denim
"The Twelve Slays of Christmas is guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit, no matter what the time of year. The story, the characters, and the setting bubble with Christmas charm. Who can resist a town called Mistletoe, a protagonist named Holly, a cat who goes by the name of Cindy Lou Who, and a farm called Reindeer Games (complete with three real reindeer)? Certainly not me!"
—Vicki Delany, national bestselling author of the Year Round Christmas mysteries
"A merry mix of mistletoe and murder! Jacqueline Frost works some Christmas magic in this first of a new series delight."
—Erika Chase, national bestselling author of the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries
"Jacqueline Frost’s Twelve Slays of Christmas is a sparkling, page-turning debut mystery. You’ll find yourself in Mistletoe, Maine, celebrating Christmas festivities with delightful characters. And watching out for one who is up to no good. Frost nicely blends heartwarming scenes with suspenseful ones. You will be moved from a cozy position to the edge of your seat several times throughout the book. Climb aboard a sleigh and hang on for an adventure-filled ride. Two thumbs’ up for Twelve Slays of Christmas."
—Christine Husom, author of the national bestselling Snow Globe Shop mysteries and the Winnebago County mysteries
“Get the hot chocolate ready, kick back into a cozy chair, and be ready to stay awhile! Twelve days of holiday fun are about to begin at the Reindeer Games Tree Farm, but this year, a killer is playing a different, more dangerous game. When evidence leads the new (and handsome) sheriff to question her family and friends, it’s up to Holly White to keep the business rolling and to ferret out a few additional suspects. Readers will love spending time with Holly and all the other quirky, endearing characters in Mistletoe, Maine, a crisp winter setting decked out in history, tradition, and small town Christmas charm!”
—Barbara Early, author of Death of a Toy Soldier
"A lively and festive cozy series, introducing an appealing protagonist and charming Maine setting. Fans of Vicki Delany’s Year-Round Christmas Mystery titles will enjoy."
—Library Journal
“Diverting...Will appeal to cozy fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Mistletoe, Maine is most definitely the place you want to be for Christmas...especially if you’re into thrills, suspense, and lots of fun characters...A perfect Christmas gift.”
—Suspense Magazine
“Twelve Slays of Christmas gives all the warm and fuzzy merriment of the holidays, with charming characters, an idealistic setting, and murder.”
—San Francisco Book Review, five-star review
"I can’t wait for the next book in the series, and predict that this will be a cozy fan favorite for years to come! It would make a fantastic Christmas gift for your favorite mystery lover, but don’t forget to get a copy for yourself."
—MyShelf.com
09/10/2018
It’s December in the pseudonymous Frost’s sugary sequel to 2017’s Twelve Slays of Christmas, and Holly White, who’s busy working at her family’s Christmas tree farm in Mistletoe, Maine, takes a break one evening at the town’s new cupcake shop run by her friends Delores “Cookie” Cutter and Caroline West. Over cupcakes, Caroline mentions that the night before, at a benefit dinner, she yelled at her date, local entrepreneur Derek Waggoner, after he got “handsy.” Later, the ladies attend the town’s Christmas tree lighting celebration, which includes a “Guess How Many Mints” game. When the sheet covering the huge bowl standing next to the tree is whisked away, there stands revealed “a truckload of red and white swirled peppermints”—and a very dead Derek, who turns out to have been stabbed with Caroline’s butcher knife. In between consuming Christmas treats, Holly sets out to prove her friend’s innocence, despite the objections of her casual love interest, Sheriff Evan Gray. Never mind the slight mystery. Cozy fans with a sweet tooth will be in heaven. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Nov.)
2018-09-02
The Christmas tree lighting ceremony in a Maine town revved up for St. Nick goes most unseasonably wrong when a body is found in a giant bowl of peppermints.
Holly White originally returned to Mistletoe, Maine, after her wedding was canceled only to see her father accused of murder (Twelve Slays of Christmas, 2017). She helped clear her father and developed a fragile relationship with Sheriff Evan Grey. Holly's best friend, Caroline West, becomes Evan's chief suspect in the peppermint-bowl murder since she had a public fight with Derek Waggoner, the victim, when he became handsy on a date. Naturally, Holly, whose family's Christmas tree farm, Reindeer Games, is expanding to include a Victorian inn Holly plans to run, goes into sleuthing mode. Waggoner was not the most popular guy in town; his ex-girlfriend and a number of business partners were not all happy with him. Evan is clearly onto something when he tells Holly to butt out, for her questions lead to a number of threats that escalate as she continues her hunt for clues. Holly goes into overdrive once Caroline is arrested, the murder weapon having turned out to be a custom-made knife with only her fingerprints. Together with her friends and family, Holly continues to search for the real killer even though she may not survive to enjoy Christmas.
Full of Christmas cheer, punning names of places and characters, and several Santas who play a major role.