The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking by Leigh Perry is the sixth book in the “Family Skeleton” cozy mystery series. Publisher: Diversion Books, coming September 24, 2019.

Sid is back with a murder that’s sure to send a chill down your spine in Leigh Perry’s festive new mystery.

Dr. Georgia Thackery is back at home with her parents after finding a new adjunct position at Bostock College. Everyone is excited for their first family Christmas with nothing to hide. Why? Because Georgia’s daughter Madison is now in the know about Sid, their walking, talking family skeleton.

But their Christmas cheer is interrupted when the Thackerys’ dog Byron goes missing on a cold December night. When he’s finally found, he has a femur clutched between his jaws, and Georgia and Madison race to apologize to Sid for letting the dog gnaw on him yet again.

Except that all of Sid’s bones are present and accounted for.

This bone is from somebody else, and when they trace Byron’s trail to an overgrown lot nearby, they find the rest of the skeleton. It’s the normal kind, not moving or telling jokes, and when the police come to take charge, they’re sure it was murder.

And one of Georgia’s adjunct friends could be implicated.

With tensions stirring at the college and everyone hiding a secret or two, Sid and Georgia must uncover the truth before the ghost of a Christmas past strikes again.

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In Sid and Georgia’s latest adventure, a bone and then the rest of the skeletal remains are found and because there is a connection to one of Georgia’s friend, they begin an investigation into who left her for dead and why.

This fast-paced and well-written whodunit immediately grabbed my attention, quickly becoming a page-turner as I could not put this book down. The author knows how to tell a story that had me immersed in all the details with visually descriptive narrative that put me in the middle of all the action.

This book had everything I love in a mystery: a solid plot, a lovable and quirky cast of characters, suspense and intrigue to keep me reading, engaging dialogue, a feel good atmosphere, and a few strategically-placed twists that enhanced my reading pleasure. Even the camaraderie between the various characters was a joy to watch, especially the carnival folks and the students who dropped by the Thackery house.

All in all this was a fun-filled and enjoyable tale that I did not want it to end. But the best part of this book was the Christmas gift that Sid gave Georgia. Just warmed the cockles of my heart.

This is by far, the BEST book in this delightfully endearing series and I can’t wait for the next book.

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