Cocoa Curses: A Christmas Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #5) by Erin Johnson @EJohnsonWrites

Hardworking witch, Rudie Hollybrook, adores her quaint town of Holiday Haven, located near Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, but can’t help feeling like an outsider. Not only does she have the unique ability to see ghosts, but she also runs the Hollybrook Funeral Home with her sisters. In a town where the holiday cheer is turned up to eleven all year round, Rudie’s slightly eerie abilities make her feel like a misfit.

While volunteering at the Christmas Market days before the big celebration, Rudie witnesses a tragedy. One of the volunteer club’s chairwomen is murdered by poisonous hot cocoa, sending the charming town reeling.

When Rudie’s tasked by the dead woman’s ghost to find her killer, she teams up with her crush at the local paper to do some sleuthing. Together, they uncover embezzlement, bribery and an illegal potions ring, all with ties to the murdered woman. Could it be the rebellious teenage granddaughter with a less-than-stellar taste in men? Or maybe the town doctor with a mysterious past? Rudie’s investigation even leads her to suspect her nemesis, the bully with a history of getting what she wants--no matter the cost.

With the countdown to Christmas nearly at an end, and the restless spirit threatening to haunt her holiday, Rudie races to catch the cocoa killer and make her beloved town safe again.

Will Rudie unmask the culprit and prove she’s a vital member of this charming Christmas town? Or will a murderer roam free and ruin Christmas for all of Holiday Haven?

Print length : 143 pages
Publication date : November 11, 2020
ASIN : B08L415638
Amazon

Rudie Hollybrook lives in the town of Holiday Haven, near Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole. Holiday Haven is a happy and cheery town, leaving Rudie a bit misplaced. She’s always seen herself as an outsider since she can see ghosts and operates a funeral parlor with her sisters, Vix and Donna.

Despite feeling like an outsider and dealing with a bully, Rudie makes sure to include herself as part of the community by volunteering at the Christmas Market. During the festivities, one of the chairwomen of the committee, Phillippa, falls down dead. Of course, the departed woman’s ghost appears to Rudie, stating she was murdered and insisting Rudie solve her murder. Not wanting to be haunted by an irate ghost, Rudie puts on her sleuthing cap and does her best to ferret out a killer.

Rudie is a fun, caring, and interesting character. She’s not perfect but continues to try and embrace who she is and her abilities. She reminds of myself – non-confrontational and puts up with a lot of garbage from others. Her low self-esteem prevents her from standing up for herself. I love the relationship Rudie has with her sisters Donna and Vix. When Archer enters the scene, Rudie lights up and I enjoyed her interactions with him. How he treats Rudie really impressed me.

I really enjoyed this paranormal cozy mystery and found the setting and characters to be interesting and exciting. I was completely engaged in the story. There were some twists and turns in the quest to catch the killer. There are multiple threads woven through Cocoa Curses that keep the story fresh and interesting. The book was fast paced and easy to follow. I have yet to read an unlikable book by Erin Johnson. Her paranormal cozies are fun, include quirky but loveable characters, and an intriguing mystery.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.