Another charming installment in the year round Christmas series. I love sharing these books with my dad. An excellent whodunit to while away being stranded in an airplane. I read it in one sitting.

Rudolph, New York is the most Christmasy town there ever was. A town that is truly centered around everything Christmas. Merry Wilkinson is the owner of Mrs. Claus’s treasures, a cute little gift and decor shop in America’s Christmas town. It’s the beginning of December, and the town is gearing up for their annual amateur trauma society play. This year it’s a Christmas Carol, but what should be a cheerful time becomes tense as rivalries begin amongst the cast and crew of the production. Tensions come to the forefront when one of the cast members is found dead While shopping. Just so happens she dies in Merry’s shop. Everyone in the cast and crew is a suspect, and even Merry. She is determined to get to the bottom of this before all the Christmas cheer is sucked out of this town.

This is my first forte into the year-round Christmas mystery series. The concept of this is really cute and the mystery is engaging and intriguing. . We have some quite colorful characters in this cozy Little Christmas town. They add flair and charisma to the story, which I truly enjoyed. Vicki Delany is an imaginative and creative author. She continuously comes up with new ways to keep us thinking and turning the pages.

Merry Wilkinson’s mother, opera singer Aline Steiner, has agreed to come out of retirement to be part of the musical version of A Christmas Carol that the local theater company is doing this December. However, things aren’t going well at rehearsals, as Merry witnesses first hand. Then someone associated with the play is killed in Merry’s shop, and Merry’s assistant is a suspect. Can she figure out what is going on?

It's been three years since we last visited these characters, but I slipped back into their world again in no time. It was fabulous to be back, and I remembered just how much I loved the setting of Rudolph, New York, and the characters. I enjoyed getting to see them grow here, and the I’ll be interested to see how some relationships go forward. The plot was a little uneven, but we still get plenty of suspects and some surprises along the way to a fantastic climax. If you enjoy a Christmas cozy, you owe it to yourself to check out this series. Fans will be thrilled with the latest book.

It's a welcome return to Rudolph, New York and Mrs. Claus’s Treasures in December. The local amateur dramatic society is busy rehearsing for a musical version of A Christmas Carol but things are not going well. When a group member is strangled to death at Mrs. Claus's Treasures, Merry is determined to help find her killer since Merry’s mother Aline & her shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly are among the key suspects. I enjoyed reuniting with this tight-knit community in this engaging story.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

Fun read! I missed Merry and the gang! Great story that kept me guessing till the end. Loved the family and the sense of community in the small town.

HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS by Vicki Delany
The Sixth Year-Round Christmas Mystery

Christmas is coming and Rudolph, NY is gearing up for its busiest season. The Year-Round Christmas town is counting on its production of a musical version of "A Christmas Carol" to make up for last year's debacle. With Merry’s mother, former opera star Aline Wilkinson, providing musical direction as well as performing, shows are quickly being sold out. But all is not Christmassy cheer with the amateur company. The new artistic director is throwing her money around, but making enemies with longstanding members, including the director and wardrobe mistress, and Tiny Tim is being played by a ten year old bully! The less Merry has to do with the amateur production the better, but when Mrs. Cratchit is murdered in her shop, she can’t help but get involved.

Christmas, theatre, and murder - three of my favorite things. I was filled with nostalgia when I discovered Rudolph's theatre group was putting on a production of a musical version of "A Christmas Carol" because decades ago I played Belle in a community theatre production. Having worked in theatre in my younger days I had to smile at the goings on of this group. With varying degrees of talent, inflated egos, and limited budget, community theatre makes the perfect ground for murder!

The fact that the victim may not have been the intended target leads to all manner of possibilities creating a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. I loved how Merry fully intended to leave the murder investigation to the professionals, but, well, things happen. While many of the characters are quite brusque, the relationships between Merry and Alan as well as Merry's parents are loving and wonderful to see.

A Christmas murder with theatrical flair, HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is a holiday treat good year-round.

I always love Vicki Delany’s novels, and this one was no exception. It was fun to return to the festive town of Rudolph which seems to be cursed with an unusually high number of murders. Fun but not silly, easy to read but not simplistic, these cozy mysteries tread a fine line. If you are in the mood for an enjoyable Christmas mystery, look no further!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Christmas is taken very seriously in Rudolph, New York. It has been named America’s Christmas Town, and the month of December is when tourism is at its peak—knowing that, the local theater group decides to put on a musical version of A Christmas Carol. But tensions are rampant throughout the cast, with rivalries threatening the production. Things get even more perilous when the actress playing Mrs. Crachit is murdered in Merry’s shop. With a short time until the musical debuts and needing to get her shop reopened, Merry must find out who the killer is and why. Can Merry do it? Or will the musical and Christmas be ruined?

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth book in The Year-Round Christmas Mystery series. While it is book six, you can read this as a stand-alone. But I suggest reading the first five books before picking this one up. I wish I did because I needed clarification about different characters. On the plus side, the author does not refer to the previous books, which was enjoyable. I was just left to muddle out the characters.

I loved the premise of this book. A town where Christmas is celebrated year-round is adorable. Plus, I loved the name Rudolph. The author also explored what it was like to live in a small town in Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas. The gossip and information grapevine was terrific and mostly on point. I also liked that Merry was friendly with most other people in town (except for the grumpy bookstore lady).

The main storyline of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas centers around Merry, the murder of Paula Monahan (Mrs. Crachit), and Merry’s amateur investigation into the murder. It took a while for the murder storyline to get going. The author did an extensive job of laying down Paula’s backstory (and how unlikable she was). While the storyline was well-written and well-fleshed, the author could have trimmed down some aspects, like the journey to the neighboring town or Merry finding out that Ian was cheating on his wife. Neither had any bearing on the storyline (except to distract from who the killer was). But I do wonder if they will be part of the next book.

I liked Merry, and I could see myself being friends with her. She was grounded and an average person. Her reaction to her mother’s theatrics was funny (did I say that out loud was said a lot). She truly cared about the townspeople, even if some of them (Jackie) drove her up the wall. I also liked the way that she looked into Paula’s murder. She didn’t do it as a super sleuth but as an average person trying to figure it out. I loved seeing her thought process and the moment she realized who it was.

The secondary characters made the book. They were each fleshed out and had distinct personalities and quirks. They made the book so much more interesting to read. I also suspect that Noel (Merry’s father) is Santa.

The storyline of the musical did make me laugh. It was a realistic look at what happens when a group of passionate people get together. It also showcases how egos can ruin a show and how people must take constructive criticism. Aline, Merry’s mother, was the only one who stayed out of the pettiness, and that was because she was a famous opera singer. She dealt with that type of stuff for years. I loved that she put the verbal smackdown on the group towards the end. Someone should have done it sooner.

The mystery angle was terrific. I wasn’t a fan of it getting off to a slow start, but the author showcased all the suspects and the motives. I had a plethora of people to pick a suspect from. But I couldn’t. The author did an excellent job of throwing out red herrings. I was blindsided by who the killer was. It was the last person I would have even suspected. And that person’s motive was ridiculous.

The end of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas was great. The author wrapped up the murder storyline in a spectacular way. I also liked how the murderer confessed (twice). It was like that person could have cared less about being in jail.

I would recommend Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Vicki Delany for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I made a rookie mistake in picking this one up – I failed to notice that this is book 6 in a series. Sometimes this isn’t an issue, and the books can be read out of order without really compromising the story telling, but in this case I really felt like I might have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters better from the start.

There were some engaging passages of the book, but overall I just found it dragged a bit too much in some places, and there seemed to be quite a bit of filler.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is book #6 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series by Vicki Delany.

It’s December in Rudolph, NY. Merry’s business is busy with Christmas shoppers. The community theater is performing A Christmas Carol and there is discontent amount cast and crew. When a cast member is murdered, was it related to the play?

This was an entertaining Christmas story. The characters are the type of people I enjoy spending time with. Some have their eccentricities that make them interesting. I love how Merry’s dad handles it when her mom starts telling one of her stories. There was a lot more drama behind the scenes than there was on stage. I guessed and discarded several suspects only to realize I was right at one point. This was a lot of fun and I will probably re-read it during the holidays.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The sixth book in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series and the first that I have read. This did not affect my enjoyment or understanding of events and characters in the book at all.

Merry Wilkinson owns Mrs. Claus's Treasure shop in Rudolph, New York, a town which celebrates Christmas all year round. Merry's father is called Noel and looks like and acts as Father Christmas. Occasionally he even seems to actually be him!

This year the amateur dramatic society is presenting A Christmas Carol and the competition for roles is running hot. There are plenty of arguments, lots of bad feeling and, eventually of course, a murder. It is a good story and an intriguing mystery with plenty of fun characters.

I enjoyed this very much and reading it nearer to Christmas would certainly help raise your Christmas spirit!

Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth book in the A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series by Vicki Delaney.

What a wonderful surprise when I saw that Crooked Lane had picked up the A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series.

The residents of Rudolph, N.Y., are looking forward to Christmas, just two weeks away. Also, the local theater group is getting ready to perform a musical version of The Christmas Carol. Catherine Renshaw and her husband have retired from their furniture business and have moved to Rudolph, and she has become the new artistic director of the theatre company. As rehearsals progress, a fair amount of infighting among the members creates a fair amount of strife.

Merry goes to her office to check on her pup, and when she returns to the sales floor, she finds the body of Paula, who had the role of Mrs. Cratchit in the play. With the murder in Merry’s shop, she will come under suspicion for Paula’s death and will start an investigation to clear her name.

There will be no shortage of suspects for Merry to investigate. Suspects will include almost all of the theatre group. Even Merry’s employee, Jackie, an understudy for Mrs. Cratchit, and Merry’s mother, a retired opera star and musical director of the play, are suspects.

This book is a beautiful addition to this enjoyable series. The story is well-written and plotted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Most of the recurring characters are back once again. The characters are well-developed and fascinating.

I’m looking forward to reading more books in this enjoyable series.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is a Year Round Christmas Mystery set in Rudolph, New York, by novelist Vicki Delaney. Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, an upscale gift and home decor shop, is drawn into another mystery when one of the cast members of A Christmas Carol, the musical, is murdered in the front of her shop. The Rudolph Community Players, under the new artistic direction of Catherine Renshaw, has recently seen some strife among cast and crew. In fact, both Merry’s assistant Jackie O’Reilly, and her mother Aline Steiner, retired opera soprano and musical director for the players, have been looked at as suspects. With a series of other occurrences, Merry finally puts the mystery pieces together on opening night and almost doesn’t make it to see the outcome.
This is another fine cozy mystery by the prolific Ms. Delaney. With a colorful cast of characters, a storybook Christmas setting, and a twisting mystery to solve, readers will find this a fun read. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

If you like you Christmas cheer enrichened with murder this is the series for you set in Randolph, New York they celebrate Christmas all year round and go all out in December. This year the local theatre group is putting on A Christmas Carol the Musical and even if not all the members are big stars--though some had some claim to it, like Merry's mother a former opera star--they have the egos of them. So it isn't a surprise when someone ends up murdered.

Mix the ego-centric world of actors with over-the-top holiday cheer you get some idea of the flavor of this story. It is fun. The mystery is solid, the characters quirky and in spite of some murderous season spirits, it will get you in the mood for the soon approaching Winter Holidays.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is the first book I have read in this series. I have really enjoyed it and I will read the previous books. Merry is a great main character, and I could just picture the town as a nice place to be for Christmas. The mystery was interesting and kept my interest all along. This book is perfect to get readers in a Holiday mood!

Boy, what a bunch of drama kings and queens in the Rudolph Players group as they got ready for their annul Christmas play, a musical version of A Christmas Carol.! I wouldn’t’ve blamed a couple of the long-timers if they’d made good on their threats to quit because that new artistic director was something else. Merry’s dad’s always been my fave character and he proved that point once again at the end.

I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed Merry’s character—she’s a strong personality and doesn’t take anything from anyone including family. And it’d take a Christmas miracle to change mean old Margie in the store next to Merry, lol. 😉. I’d definitely not guessed whodunit and enjoyed the crazy showdown and arrest that followed.

I was so happy to see this series return! I know it was pretty sad when the author had said it ended but as the acknowledgement page said, it was due largely to reader support and requests that it made a welcome return. I love hearing stories like that!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Merry Wilkinson owns a gift shop in the Christmas theme town of Rudolph, New York. A couple of weeks from Christmas, she is having a normal day in the shop, chatting with friends and family about the upcoming small theater musical version of A Christmas Carol. She leaves the shop for just a few minutes to check on her Saint Bernard dog, who is resting in her office. When she returns, she finds that a contentious woman from the show's cast is dead in her shop! Merry works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas because I have enjoyed previous books in the series.

This was a very enjoyable read. I have not read the entire series, but was able to jump in and enjoy this mystery, so I think it would also work as a standalone.

I absolutely love the small town setting of Rudolph. The town's Christmas theme is a fun bonus! I love the descriptions of the town, the little shops, restaurants, etc.

Merry is a good amateur detective. She had some strong suspects, and I enjoyed watching her detecting process.

Mattie (a/k/a Matterhorn), her Saint Bernard is a nice addition to the book! I love cozy mysteries that feature dogs or cats.

I recommend this book (and series!) for fans of cozy mysteries, and especially anyone who enjoys a small town or holiday setting.

A cozy Christmas mystery, with plenty of holiday touches that will keep you guessing until the end. Sympathetic characters that you want to get to know are a bonus

What fun to be back in Rudolph, NY for another book in this series! Merry is busy preparing for the Christmas rush and the local community theater is putting on A Christmas Carol as a musical. When one of the characters is killed in Merry's shop, the question of who could have done it makes for a good mystery. Love these characters and the plot was good. I'm so glad this serious continued! Can't wait to see if more are to come!

I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you, net galley.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Vicki Delany for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas coming out September 19, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It’s beginning to look like Christmas in Rudolph, New York, America's biggest Christmas Town. It’s the first week of December and business is booming at Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, a gift and décor shop owned by Merry Wilkinson. The local amateur drama society is preparing a special musical of A Christmas Carol. But it’s not a happy set, as rivalries between cast and crew threaten to close production.

Tensions rise higher when a member of the group is found dead shortly after a shopping excursion to Mrs. Claus's Treasures. Was someone looking to end the competition? Everyone in the cast and crew is a potential suspect, including Aline, Merry’s mother, and Merry's shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly, who was desperate for a starring role.

It could be curtains closed for Christmas—and for Merry—unless the killer can be found in time.

I have several books by Vicki Delany, but this is the first one I’ve read. I love Christmas murder mysteries! I enjoyed this cozy mystery a lot. It didn’t have a lot of drama, which I really love about cozy mysteries. I thought the play plot was fun. I love that it’s set in a whole Christmas village. Merry was a fun character. The references to a Christmas Carol were also great.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Christmas cozy mysteries!