#CozyMystery #Review ~ 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery, Book 2) by Jacqueline Frost ~ #Christmas @JulieALindsey @crookedlanebks

It’s out of the cupcake tin, into the fire for Holly White’s best friend, Caroline. Can Holly clear Caroline’s name in time to go caroling?

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B078LZ5T7X
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ November 13, 2018
Print Length: ‎ 313 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JRoLKK

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37762870-twas-the-knife-before-christmas

About the Book:

When a body turns up in a larger-than-life candy bowl filled with peppermints on the town square, Holly White is horrified to learn her best friend Caroline is the main suspect. Everyone in town, including Mistletoe, Maine’s sheriff, saw Caroline fighting with the victim on the night of his death. Worse, a custom kitchen knife, engraved with Caroline's initials was found with him.

Now, just ten days before Christmas, Holly’s up to her jingle bells in holiday shenanigans and in desperate need of a miracle. Juggling extra shifts at her family’s Christmas tree farm and making enough gingerbread jewelry to satisfy the crowd is already more than she can handle―and now she has to find time to clear her best friend of murder. Add in her budding relationship with the sheriff, and a personal stalker dressed as Santa Claus, and Holly’s ready to fly south until springtime.

But her Sherpa-lined mittens come off when Caroline is taken into custody. Can Holly wrap up the case in time for Christmas...even after she gains the true killer’s attention? Find out in ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas, Jacqueline Frost’s second pine-scented Christmas Tree Farm mystery.

My Review:

'Twas the Knife Before Christmas is the second book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries by Jacqueline Frost. The mystery was solid, exciting, and kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the small-town setting and the main location of this book being a Christmas Tree Farm named Reindeer Games.

Holly is a fantastic, down-to-earth heroine. She has her family and friends backs and, even though the evidence of the latest murder points to her best friend, knows that Caroline is innocent. It appears that someone is taking advantage of Caroline's fight with the murder victim and setting her up to take the fall.

'Twas the Knife Before Christmas. The murder isn’t the only theme in the book, giving the book realism. There is a budding romance between Holly and Evan, the sheriff. I love their chemistry. The reader is also provided excellent imagery, character development, and a great story.

The author's writing style is fluid, the pacing is perfect, and the story is so easy to read that when I reached the end, I couldn’t believe I was done already. I found myself engaged and completely captivated in the story from the very beginning. I really enjoyed 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas and can't wait to start reading the next book.

My review copy came from my local library’s MelCat eLibrary program.

My Rating: