Publication Nov. 14, 2023
While a murder certainly takes center stage, this one was character driven. I thoroughly enjoyed the focus on Amy and Richard's family and friends, not to mention their energetic twins, Nicky and Ella. Although I spent some time trying to sort out how I'd somehow missed that they not only had twins but five-year old twins, I finally zeroed in on Amy's thoughts of having to resume her sleuthing to mean she'd have five lovely, crime free years and the author had simply fast-forwarded to the current situation.
It's a busy one. Richard, a dancer/choreographer to be simplistic, is directing a modern version of The Nutcracker, one that includes his twins' stage debut. His difficult mother has also announced a visit, one that includes staying with Amy and Richard. Amy still has her job at the library, a job that fortunately means she has enviable research skills. To complicate things, environmental protesters have hit the streets to protest a proposed commercial development by a shady company. Than, so much for Christmas cheer, the head of that company is found murdered. Even worse, Amy's brother-in-law, Ethan seems to be the top suspect. Then, just to complicated things, Ethan goes missing. And that is just the beginning.
This was an intriguing, quick read. I liked the diverse characters who seemed to have full lives but came together during a crisis. Amy's usual circle of family and friends, including the mysterious Kurt, had her back, enabling her to stay on an even keel and focus on her own family. Let's face it, twins would keep most of us hopping and Nick and Ella seem to have also inherited their father's gene for being on stage. This opens all sorts of fun things for the future, I'd guess. Amy also finds support in an unexpected place when....oh, no. Nope. Not telling, enough teasers. Let's just add that there are several suspects and the killer's disturbed personality gave me chills. While you know it's inevitable in a cozy mystery that the main character find themself in danger, I'll give props to Amy. She isn't TSTL (too stupid to live) and doesn't seem to rush headlong into danger, not to mention she keeps Brad, her local law connection, in the loop...mostly.
Bottom line, this one should be an enjoyable read for cozy mystery fans. A smart sleuth in a character driven story that's also full of fun holiday activities such as the prep for The Nutcracker as well as finding and decorating the perfect tree and wrapping presents. Somehow Amy doesn't seem to miss a second of it despite the life-or-death distractions. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for giving me this dose of early Christmas cheer. The ending was perfect.
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