Ally Sweet in “Christmas Chocolates and Crimes” by Cindy Bell
Arnold, my grandmother’s pot-bellied pig, does a snort and tail wag with happiness as I feed him. Peaches, my cat, pounces on her bowl for her share. After they have gobbled down their food I say goodbye and head to the chocolate shop early to deal with the Christmas orders. But I am stopped in my tracks when I receive a phone call from my grandmother. Not only has she found a dead body, but she is the prime suspect. Now, I have to juggle the Christmas rush, try to find the real murderer, and clear my grandmother’s name.
Stevie Elliott in “Murder at the Holiday Bazaar” by Kathryn Dionne
My name is Stevie Elliott, and I’m a traveling chef. It’s Christmastime in my hometown of Quapaw, Mississippi. And I’m here with my sous chef, Milo Iker, to make my famous southern fried chicken legs for the annual Holiday Bazaar.
Unfortunately things don’t go as planned.
Pastor Cecil Oliver, head of the church, is found dead in his office holding one of my half-eaten drumsticks. We assumed he died from a heart attack because of his bad heart. But when the toxicology report comes back saying that the pastor was poisoned, Milo becomes the prime suspect. Now I must jump in to investigate.
Turns out, my quaint little town has more than its share of secrets.
Molly Sutton in “The Case of the Curious Biscuit” by Nell Goddin
Just a nice Christmas with family, that’s what I was expecting. Sure, my uncle is a little off. But my aunt is a fantastic cook, my cousin one of her best pals, and the week is shaping up to be a jolly ho-ho-ho.
Until just after opening presents, right here in the Spalding dining room, someone is dead. I’ll roll up my sleeves like always, but I’m worried: will a death in the family be the case that finally stumps me?
Alejandro Ramos in “Devil in a Black Suit” by Colleen Helme
Some of you might know me because of my good friend, Shelby Nichols. Through a freak accident, she gained the ability to read minds. Now she works for the same mob boss that I do. Ever since Shelby joined our organization, I’ve spent a lot of time keeping her alive, and I’ve had to dodge a bullet or two in the process. But this time, someone’s out to kill me, and now it’s Shelby’s help I need. I just hope it doesn’t get both of us killed.
Salem Grimes in “Frankincense, Gold, and Murder” by Kim Hunt Harris
I know we’re in a happy holiday mood and all but, to be honest, I’ll be kind of glad to get to the end of this day. The hubs will be back in town, we’ll finally be done with this three-night Trailertopia Christmas Festival, and hopefully the feud between my new friend Brent and my old neighbor George — known affectionately (not) as “The Stickler” — can come to one of those hokey-but-heartwarming endings under the lights of the Trailertopia clubhouse, inspired by the rest of the trailer park holding hands and singing “Silent Night” or something.
Or maybe not. Because suddenly George is dead. And Brent is suspected of his murder.
Dr. Kenzie Zimbro in “The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” by Judith Lucci
The digital message displayed on the screen in my vehicle said, “Bear mauling on Massanutten Mountain. Immediate assistance needed.” I looked over at Solomon, my black lab, constant companion and best friend and said, “We’ve gotta go, boy. No time to buy you Christmas duck jerky now. We’ve got a body on The Lookout on the top of the mountain.” I switched my radio to the weather and frowned at the forecast. Over three feet of snow and ice were expected with temperatures in the single digits. It’s gonna be a hell of a night and I can’t imagine any black bear coming out of hibernation to maul anyone. Looking over at Solomon again, I said, “Get some rest, dude. We’re in for a long night.”
Brandy Alexander in “Death by Rum Balls” by Colleen Mooney
My name is Brandy Alexander and yes, that’s my real name. My dad thought it would be a hoot. My mother…not so much. I have a knack at finding fraudulent activity for companies to catch bad guys. My ex is a cop who hasn’t realized he is my ex. He has a gun and I have a printout. He is always on my case, but I always find the right guy, or gal.
I’m spending Christmas with my new boyfriend who adores me. It was supposed to be the perfect holiday party until the brother of the hostess was found dead in the dining room, and the weapon of choice appears to be dessert. Talk about ruin your dinner.
There’s no place like New Orleans to have a good crime—in time—for the holidays!
Emmett in “Home for the Holidays” by Summer Prescott
When a down-and-out young veteran finds himself homeless for the holidays, he lands a job as a mall Santa, and finds himself in a situation much tighter than a chimney. The Good Samaritan who reaches out to help begins to wonder about the wisdom of her decisions, and when the young man is accused of murder, he stands to lose everything that he’s fought so hard to gain. Will the magic of Christmas come to his aid in time?
Lilly Carlsen in “The Worst Noel” by Amy Reade
You know it’s going to be a long day when you come to work on the busiest shopping day of the year to find a dead body on the floor. Juniper Junction, Colorado, is not some gun-slinging Wild West outpost; it’s a tony resort town where people come to get away from it all. And as the President of the Chamber of Commerce, it’s my job to make sure that happens. But add two teenagers, a failing parent, and a deadbeat ex-husband to the mix, and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas chaos.
Cherry Tucker and Maizie Albright in (a Rashomon-styled) “A View to a Chill” by Larissa Reinhart
Christmas has never been my time of year. I guess the name Cherry Tucker is perpetually on Santa’s “Naughty” list although I don’t know what I’ve done to tick the big guy off. This year is no exception, it’s December 23rd and I’ve got the flu. With nothing to do but stare out my bedroom window. And unfortunately see a murder…
In my past life, I spent Christmas with my mother/manger, Vicki Albright at “Celebrities Best Holiday Destination” locales. For my first holiday as Maizie Albright, private investigator-in training, I finally get a real Christmas (hopefully with Nash). But how could I turn down a case of a missing granddaughter? Maybe if I’d know I’d end up in Halo, Georgia, where an ice storm and a very bad Santa may keep me from hanging a stocking ever again.
Brigitt Taylor in “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Abby L. Vandiver
All my previous Christmases had been magical – bright lights, the songs of Christmas carolers, and the smell of freshly baked goodies. But this year’s stocking was filled with murder! The cheer went out when the body fell down – from the rafters. The night may have been starry, but it was clear to me that my sister, Mel, was the prime suspect, and I was going to have to use every ounce of Christmas cheer I could muster to clear her name.
Charlotte Morgan in “Stollen Time” by Amy Vansant
No one would believe that Pineapple Port, the retirement community where I grew up, isn’t quite as innocent as you’d think! When my neighbor Alice was found dead with her face in a plate of holiday fruit stollen, even my first thought was that she choked. But then there was that granddaughter of her’s…always up to no good. She had a lot to gain from Alice’s death. Sure, it turned out Alice had a reaction to the nuts in the stollen, but why would she put nuts in her own stollen? My adoptive mother Mariska helped her make the bread, but she swore she didn’t add any nuts. Mariska has a tendency to add her own flair to things, but she seemed certain. So my thoughts returned to that granddaughter. She lived with Alice- didn’t that mean she was the perfect person to lace her grandmother’s bread with nuts? Mariska, Darla, me and my lock picks and I are headed over to her house right now to find out…hopefully Mariska and Darla can keep out of trouble long enough for us to find some evidence!
What’s your favorite Christmas dish? We’ve all included some of our favorite Christmas recipes in The 12 Slays of Christmas cozy mystery collection. For some lucky commenters, there are 12 copies of e-books from our various series up for grabs! The giveaway ends December 6, 2017. Good luck everyone!
THE 12 SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Twelve new, never-before-published, Christmas-themed cozy mysteries from twelve bestselling cozy authors! And what’s a cozy without a pet? So, to help spread some of the Christmas spirit, the authors of The 12 Slays of Christmas, along with sharing our Christmas whodunit stories, are donating all of the proceeds from our boxed set to an animal rescue shelter to help a cat or dog in need – and you can be a part of it all! Come on, read our cozies and have yourself a Merry Christmas with a little murder, a whole lot of fun, and a gift of love to our cozy pet partners in crime solving!
And as an extra bonus we’ve got recipes!
You can find out more about the authors, our 12-book boxed set, and how you can donate to a rescue shelter at http://12slaysofchristmas.com.
Abby L. Vandiver – Baby, it’s Cold Outside
Judith Lucci – The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
Amy Vansant – Stollen Time
Colleen Mooney – Death by Rum Balls
Amy Reade – The Worst Noel
Nell Goddin – The Case of the Curious Biscuit
Colleen Helme – Devil in a Black Suit
Kim Hunt Harris – Frankincense, Gold and Murder
Larissa Reinhart – A View to a Chill
Cindy Bell – Christmas Chocolates and Crimes
Summer Prescott – Home for the Holidays
Kathryn Dionne – Murder at the Holiday Bazaar
I can’t wait to read this collection. It sounds like fun!
Thanks Christi! I hope you enjoy them. We had a lot of fun writing our stories, especially knowing they were a Christmas gift to our readers and animal rescue!
Thank you, Christi! Have a happy holiday season and I hope you get some time to relax and read a good book (or 12!)
Thanks so much for the post Dru – 1300+ pages of mysteries for 99c is a heck of a deal!
My favorite dish is all the different kinds of dips we have on Christmas Eve. We always make a lot of finger foods. All of these books sound great!
Yum, that sounds delicious, Candace! I love to graze through Christmas, too! I hope you enjoy The 12 Slays!
Thanks so much for hosting us today, Dru Ann! We hope everyone enjoys our stories. Good luck to commenters in winning our books!
My favorite Christmas dish is a Yule Log. The 12 Slays of Christmas sounds great and I’m looking forward to reading this cozy mystery collection. Thank you for this chance!
Hi Peggy, ooh! Yule logs are so good! I’ve made them a few times, but I find that I eat too much of them when they’re in the house. 🙂 Enjoy The 12 Slays, and merry Christmas!
Thanks so much, Peggy! Interestingly, the bakeries in Japan made some beautiful Yule Logs. I loved getting Christmas cakes there. Good luck winning!
I have purchased my copy. I couldn’t wait!
Thank you, Laura! Happy reading and happy holidays! And thanks for your support of the animals we’re helping.
Thanks Laura! I hope you enjoy it! And I hope you win today, too!
Thanks very much for having us here today, Dru. I hope your readers enjoy The 12 Slays of Christmas and that you have a happy, relaxing, and joyful holiday season. Best wishes!
Thanks so much for hosting us Dru. We truly appreciate it!
What a great idea! I pre-ordered my copy.
Thanks so much Meg! I hope you win one of our books, too!
Thanks, Meg! Good luck in the giveaway!
Thank you, Christi, for hosting us. If you are ever in New Orleans, look me up! We’ll grab a cup of coffee and chickory!
Thanks so much for hosting us! I’m so happy to be included in this box set!
Thank you so much for the shout out, Dru! We truly appreciate it. And thank you to all who have purchased The 12 Slays of Christmas, as all of the profits will go to help animals in need! Happy Holidays to all!
Thank you for having us on your blog, Dru!
My favorite Xmas dish is the Breakfast Casserole my mom prepared each and every Xmas morning. It went into the oven when we began unwrapping gifts and was ready to eat by the time we finished.
Luckily we have her recipe and can continue the tradition even though she’s gone.
That sounds delicious, Amy! My mother & mother-in-law always make breakfast casseroles, too. And so nice you can continue her tradition. 🙂
I make a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, too, Amy. I make it the day before and put it in the oven first thing Christmas morning. I’m sure your mom would be thrilled that you’re carrying on the tradition.
I really enjoy reading short stories and discovering new authors. Looking forward to reading “The 12 Slays of Christmas.”
Thanks Dianne! I hope you enjoy The 12 Slays of Christmas!
I hope you love the collection, Dianne! Thanks for stopping by!
It’s not really a Christmas dish, but my favorite are cornflake cookies. We always make them every year at Christmas.
That sounds really interesting, Jana! Is it a no-bake? I love all cookies!
I’ve never had cornflake cookies, but I ran across a recipe for them just yesterday. They look good!!
This set of books has all the emarks of being a perfect Christmas read! 12 stories that sound fascinating and profits going to rescue a dog (or a cat.)What a bargain! Count me in!
Thanks so much Barbara! I hope you enjoy the stories!
Thanks for the kind words, Barbara. I hope you enjoy the stories and that you have a very merry Christmas!
This year will be special because my granddaughter is 1 1/2 and will better enjoy it all.
Enjoy every minute with her!
Thank you for featuring us on your blog, Dru!
This sounds like a great collection of holiday stories! My favourite Christmas dish would be almond stollen. Less sweet than a fruitcake, and made with dried fruit and marzipan.
I LOVE stollen. My favorite way to eat it is toasted and buttered (because…you know…butter). My aunt makes it every year and it’s always a treat!
I can’t wait to read this. It’s on my Santa list.
My favorite Christmas dish ,after the turkey and mashed potatoes, would be a cold turkey sandwich. Love them !!
Thanks so much Casey! We’re still eating cold turkey! lol But I love it, too. We made an extra Thanksgiving dinner just for that purpose. lol
Thanks, Casey! I made turkey salad this year with Thanksgiving leftovers–turkey, mayo, almonds, craisins, and celery. Yum!
My favorite dish is the cranberry orange relish with pecans. Can’t wait to read this series.
Thanks so much, Becky! That sounds yummy. I love cranberry with orange and pecans!
Ooh- I love that! I grind up orange peel for mine, too, which gives the relish a nice extra kick of citrus. Delicious choice!
Great list of characters! And a great way to lead up to Christmas! I can’t wsit to get started!
Thanks, Sharon! I hope you enjoy the stories!
Congratulations on release day! So nice to wake up and find it on my Kindle. Thankyou for helping all those precious pets in need.
Thanks Jill! I hope you enjoy the stories, too!
I forgot to add my favorite dish. I always liked my grandma’s and mom’s homemade stuffing, but sadly they never wrote down their recipe. Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Jill, and thank YOU for helping those pets, too! It’s the generosity of every person who ordered the set that will be the most help to the animals in need.
My husband’s grandmother made a stuffing that was out-of-this-world delicious. Unfortunately, she didn’t write it down and we don’t know all the ingredients she used, so I know how you feel.
There are so many wonderful holiday dishes. One of my favorites is the cinnamon pull-aparts that we always have Christmas morning. Truly a family tradition!
And, as a long-time supporter of organizations that rescue animals, thanks so much for giving the proceeds from your books to charity. What a wonderful gesture!
Happy Holidays!!
Hi Jane, I think I might be coming to your house on Christmas. The pull-aparts sound wonderful.
Thanks for your support–and all those animals thank you, too!
**** WINNER ****
The 12 Slays of Christmas by by Abby L. Vandiver
Candace knight
Peggy
Amy Gill
Jana Leah
Grace K
Casey Brooks
Becky Richardson
Jill Broussard
Jane Robinson
Christi King
Libby Dodd
Meg Macy