This Christmas season, travel to the North Pole you’ve never seen before—where Santa’s new wife, April Claus, is not only set on creating the perfect holiday—she’s also set on solving the perfect crime…
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Love is full of surprises—though few compare to realizing that you’re marrying the real-life Santa. April Claus dearly loves her new husband, Nick, but adjusting to life in the North Pole is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous elf named Giblet Hollyberry is killed—felled by a black widow spider in his stocking—shortly after publicly arguing with Nick.
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Christmastown is hardly a hotbed of crime, aside from mishaps caused by too much eggnog, but April disagrees with Constable Crinkle’s verdict of accidental death. As April sets out to find the culprit, it’ll mean putting the future of Christmas on the line—and hoping her own name isn’t on a lethal naughty list . . .
Release Date: Sep 29, 2020
Publisher: Kensington Books
Price: $9.99
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Who said Santa isn’t real?
Falling in love with Nick had been so quick for April. Finding out you’re now the New Mrs. Claus, well…. it’s going to take some time to get used to. And as the Christmas festivities begin and Christmas is just a few days away, a string of murders occurs, and all lights point to Santa, oh no!
I adored this book. Maybe it was the magic of Christmas, or the current desperate disparity of life, definitely the witty, imaginative writing of this author. This is not a traditional cozy murder-mystery. This is a Christmas story with talking reindeer and concerns over the snowmen and elf politics. My only complaint is that I wish there was more of the backstory, of when Nick and April fell in love. I wish this book was longer. Which isn’t really a complaint at all, is it? But I needed this story; this magic and silliness, and its imagination was perfection. This was so much fun to read!
With a kerfuffle (conflicting views) and clamor for justice among the residents of Santaland. Mrs.’s Claus will collaborate with Detective Jake Frost, a distant relation to the well-known Jack Frost. And with the help of Jingles the elf and Quasar the one-antler reindeer, they will try to get Santa off the Naughty List. The elves will protest, the reindeer will compete for brawn and the festivities will continue with ear-splitting carols! A perpetual fubar of Christmas delight!
It all came together, and it was animated and clever. Can you tell how excited I am for this book? I held up reading the ending because I had yet to solve it and I didn’t want to, either. I didn’t want it to end.  One thing is for sure, I was not ready for this book. This is pure Christmas magic.
This story was exciting and fresh; a reprieve from the heavy murder-mysteries. An imaginative holiday gem! Although, murder is never lighthearted, this one took it on with a comical, yet introspective narrative. Why? Because there shouldn’t be murder in Santaland. In the place where hope and jolly cheer reign. But Liz Ireland, brought so much characterization to the characters. I loved that she gave voices to all the characters, particularly, the reindeer. Allowing you to see the character’s flaws and faults through Mrs. Claus’s investigation. Not all is eggnog and merry cheer in Santaland and I had a wonderful time making friends with these fun enigmatic characters. I simply, loved it.
~ Patricia
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