Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen
Year-Round Christmas Mystery #1
Vicki Delaney

Berkley Prime Crime
November 3, 2015/ ISBN 978-0-425-28080-5
Mystery / Cozy / Amateur Sleuth / Holiday: Christmas

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

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


Reviewed 2015
© MyShelf.com