Short Story Review: The Queen of Christmas by Shari Randall (Lobster Shack Mysteries #3.5)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun, festive short story

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Christmas mystery

Festive elements, short plot

Make for great quick read

Christmas Trees and Mystery

As a special treat this Christmas, author Shari Randall has written a Christmas short story for us to enjoy.  It features Allie Larkin, her aunt Gully, and her best friend Verity Brooks, the stars of her Lobster Shack Mysteries.  “The Queen of Christmas” is a festive fun time.

Dagmar Smith is known for her Christmas tree displays.  She has multiple themed trees each year, and she always hosts a fundraiser to unveil her latest theme.  This year, she’s asked Allie, a dancer, to help with the unveiling of the tree since the theme is The Nutcracker.  Allie, Gully, and Verity are on hand to help, but when something goes wrong, they find themselves with a mystery on their hands.  Can Allie figure out what happened?

Yes, I am being extremely vague with my plot teaser there.  That’s because part of the joy of the story is discovering things as Allie does, so I will leave it for you to read and discover the rest.

This is a short story.  It took me about 45 minutes to read it, so keep that in mind when you pick it up.  But the size was perfect for the story.  I found it completely satisfying with a good twist to things before everything is set right again.  I enjoyed how Christmas came into play in the solution of the story as well.

The only characters returning from the series are the three I’ve already mentioned.  If you aren’t familiar with the series, this is a good place to jump in since everything you need to know is included.  Honestly, this could serve as a stand-alone.  There isn’t enough page time to fully develop the new characters, but they serve their purpose in the story and are entertaining.

I’ve already hinted that we get some great Christmas spirit.  With that many Christmas trees and a Christmas party as the backdrop for the mystery, how could we not?

So take a few minutes and pick up “The Queen of Christmas.”  You’ll find it a perfect read for a few quiet minutes this month.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this story.