Merry
Wilkinson lives in Rudolph, New York, where Christmas runs all
year-round. They even have semi-annual Christmas parades, and
Merry plans to win this year’s December parade. Unfortunately
for Merry, someone has other ideas and her decorated float is
disqualified after the tractor meant to pull it is intentionally
side-lined. It seems Scrooge is as real as Santa Claus in town
– especially when a journalist from “World Journey
Magazine” is murdered before he can write his piece, which
could bring Rudolph to the attention of international tourists
whose money could help keep the small town niche economy rolling
right along.
The reader will likely see plenty of motives
and suspects as the story unfolds, but I was truly surprised
by who the criminal turned out to be. I really like that in
a mystery as so often I can figure out whodunit before the
protagonist or the police do!
I was not, however, particularly amused by
how Merry's new Saint Bernard puppy, Mattie, often seemed
to be an afterthought, or even a nuisance to Merry. I know
it's a book and not a real animal, but it got my attention
enough that it bothered me. That's just me, though I wouldn't
discourage others from reading the book because of it.
If
you enjoy a true small-town cozy mystery with a holiday theme,
especially a Christmas theme, you won't go wrong with Rest
Ye Murdered Gentlemen. The plot is tight, the mystery believable
and the characters fit the plotline. All in all, I think the
book would be a nice stocking stuffer for a mystery loving
bookworm, or a good holiday read for a book group.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Rest
Ye Murdered Gentlemen #1
We
Wish You a Murderous Christmas #2
Hark
the Herald Angels Slay #3
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