Merry Market Murder by Paige Shelton is the fifth book in the “Farmer’s Market” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, December 2013

Bailey’s Farmers’ Market is this season’s go-to holiday destination, but not all the vendors are feeling the Christmas spirit…

Jam and preserve maker Becca Robins is excited about the extra business that the Ridgeway Christmas Tree Farm is bringing to the market this holiday season. But when a competing tree farmer, Reggie Stuckey, arrives with a truck full of trees, angrily barking that he has exclusive selling rights at the market, Becca finds herself pining for more goodwill toward men.

After Reggie is found with a tree stake in his chest, she wonders when the Christmas tree business turned so deadly. Now Becca has to use the only clues she has to the killer’s identity—mysterious ornaments that begin to show up in her stall—to hook a sinister Scrooge who will go to any lengths to drive home a point.

Paige has done it again; she delivered a great mystery that when it was over, I wanted to continue reading more about the lives of Becca and her friends. I love the pace of this wonderfully prepared whodunit as it flowed from chapter to chapter. The mystery was good with plenty of suspects and a few surprises that made this the more enjoyable. Boasting a perfect setting, good conversations and a great cast of characters, this was one of the best book in the series.