‘Twas The Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost is the second book in the “Christmas Tree Farm” mystery series. Publisher: Crooked Lane Books, coming November 13, 2018

It’s out of the cupcake tin, into the fire for Holly White’s best friend, Caroline. Can Holly clear Caroline’s name in time to go caroling?

When a body turns up in a larger-than-life candy bowl filled with peppermints on the town square, Holly White is horrified to learn her best friend Caroline is the main suspect. Everyone in town, including Mistletoe, Maine’s sheriff, saw Caroline fighting with the victim on the night of his death. Worse, a custom kitchen knife, engraved with Caroline’s initials was found with him.

Now, just ten days before Christmas, Holly’s up to her jingle bells in holiday shenanigans and in desperate need of a miracle. Juggling extra shifts at her family’s Christmas tree farm and making enough gingerbread jewelry to satisfy the crowd is already more than she can handle―and now she has to find time to clear her best friend of murder. Add in her budding relationship with the sheriff, and a personal stalker dressed as Santa Claus, and Holly’s ready to fly south until springtime.

But her Sherpa-lined mittens come off when Caroline is taken into custody. Can Holly wrap up the case in time for Christmas. . .even after she gains the true killer’s attention? Find out in ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas, Jacqueline Frost’s second pine-scented Christmas Tree Farm mystery.

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What a fun book set in a whimsical town of Mistletoe, Maine. It’s Christmas time and some residents are good and some are up to no good. And it is the murder of a local judge’s son that causes a ripple during this festive time and when Holly’s best friend becomes the prime suspect, it’s time to shake out the shingles for a killer before the holiday is ruined. Is Holly up to the task? You betcha.

This was well-written whodunit with a comfortable tone and a pacing that was on par with how well this story was being told. The author has a way with the narrative with the descriptive nature of each scene, making me feel like I’m in the middle of all the action as I follow along with the heroine. I like how with each turn of a page, we are presented with a suspect and I enjoyed watching it all play out as one by one, their alibis held but it was that critical point in the story where the author changed direction and a killer’s identity was revealed, one that I did not see coming. In addition, miracle do happen. It was fun seeing characters from the previous books have return and meeting new ones, which I hope we get to see more of in the next book. This was a great read and I look forward to more adventures with Holly and her friends in this delightfully charming series.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.