Skeleton at Christmas
Christmas is a warm time spent with family and friends. It’s not a time that you usually think of secret skeletons coming to light. But that’s exactly what happens in Candy Slain Murder, the eighth Country Store Mystery from Maddie Day.
It’s been almost exactly a year since Robbie Jordan’s small town of South Lick, Indiana, was rocked by a murder. However, this December will again feature surprises and murder. The first walks into the door of Robbie’s country store and restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes, one day looking for Danna, Robbie’s assistant, claiming to be her half-brother. The fact that Danna has any siblings is news to her.
That night a more tragic secret comes to light when the house of a local doctor catches fire and a skeleton is found in his attic. Soon Robbie’s restaurant is buzzing with speculations on who the bones belonged to and how they got there. When a fresh death rocks the community, Robbie is more determined than ever to figure out what happened. Can she do it?
The last book in this series took Robbie on vacation, and I missed the series regulars. It was fantastic to see them again here. Everyone gets a few scenes to shine, and they make the most of them. Since it’s been so long since we’ve seen most of the regulars, it’s nice to get updates from them.
Unfortunately, the mystery isn’t as strong as it could have been. Part of that is because not all the suspects are fleshed out characters. There are enough suspects and red herrings, and I was interested in how Robbie was going to figure things out. The climax is definitely heart pounding and answers all our questions.
Having this book set at Christmas does make it extra special. I do love Christmas, after all. Any time that part of the book took center stage, I had to smile.
Then there’s the restaurant. As always, the book left me hungry for pancakes or a good burger or any of the other food that is mentioned. If that’s you as well, you’ll enjoy the six recipes at the end of the book, some for seasonal treats and some that would be welcome any time of the year.
If you are looking for a seasonal cozy this December, you’ll enjoy Candy Slain Murder. Fans of the series will be glad to be visiting South Lick again. Plug in the tree and enjoy this visit with Robbie.
Make your reservations now for the rest of the Country Store Mysteries.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
On my list! I really like this series.
ReplyDelete