The Worst Noel by Amy M. Reade is the first book in the NEW “Juniper Junction Holiday” mystery series. Publisher: Pau Hana Publishing, November 2018.

Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace, love, and joy, but for Lilly Carlsen, this Christmas is murder.

As a single mom, small business owner, and president of the local Chamber of Commerce, the last thing she needs is to find a dead body on the floor of her jewelry shop on the busiest shopping day of the year. And as if that isn’t enough, Lilly has to deal with a deadbeat ex-husband, a mother with declining mental health, and two teenagers.

But when a second body turns up, Lilly finds herself squarely in the crosshairs of suspicion. Can she figure out who killed the victims before she becomes one herself? And will her family’s Christmas be merry. . .or scary?

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What a fun book that had me completely immersed in the various situations that faced heroine, Lilly, as she becomes a person of interest when a rival is found dead in her jewelry store. The question is why in her store? When a second person is found dead, it becomes apparent that someone is up to mischievous misdeeds and Lilly must search for a killer hiding in plain sight.

This is a wonderful and exciting first book and I enjoyed the story that was being told and watching Lilly handle it all with not one, but two murders, her mother’s mental situation and the re-appearance of her ex-husband. The author’s writing style if very comfortable and I like the tone giving it a friendly atmosphere, despite the murder. The mystery was nicely done with enough intrigue to keep me enthralled with the interactions and the dialogue between the characters. There were a few tense moments but an unexpected arrival brought the story to a satisfying end. I enjoyed this tale and I can’t wait to see where we go next in Juniper Junction.