A wonderful holiday treat to get to know a few of the memorable characters from Leslie Budewitz's Food Lover Village Mysteries. Santa visits this year, and he has several unusual encounters where protagonist Erin Murphy finds some holiday magic. Cute, fun... not a big mystery nor a real sample of the typical great stories from the author, but just enough to whet your appetite and want to read the longer books in the series.

From the author of the Food Lovers Mystery series comes a very short and very sweet story about the magic of Christmas. When Erin Murphy helps out a stranger in town a week before Christmas, he gives her a mysterious gift. Strange occurrences start happening in more parts of town and Erin searches for the mystery helper.

This heartwarming short story is filled with generosity and compassion, capturing the true essence of Christmas. It is guaranteed to uplift your spirits and leave you with a warm feeling inside. Through the power of one act of kindness, this delightful tale shows how a single good deed can have a ripple effect, touching the lives of many.

Thank you to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Christmas Stranger : A Short Story was an enjoyable, heartwarming story. It's slightly predictable in places but still enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

A sweet story to remind us how to treat one another. While sometimes too much detail was given/reiterated it was an easy enough read. It was somewhat predictable though as well.

A cute uplifting short story of giving in the Christmas season. This was short and sweet. This is a great story to share with friends and family.

The Christmas Stranger: A Short Story is a small-town charmer of a book, full of warmth, delights and mystery. It has a fast moving plot and great characters that are well-developed even in the short 30 pages that we had. What a beautiful story of a small deed during the season turning into something much much more. A unique short Christmas mystery which is set in the Food Lover's Village series. It's a fun festive mystery that's cozy and short enough to read in one sitting during this Christmas season!

A very sweet short Christmas story reminding us of the power of kindness. Great for getting into the spirit of Christmas.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

An absolutely charming short story, and a perfect way to start off your Christmas reading season! A quick read, perfect for enjoying with a cup of your favorite hot beverage and a cookie (or two!)!!! A+++

An enjoyable short story. Small town setting, it was a heartwarming and enjoyable read. Definitely going to checkout more in this series.

This is a short and simple story just in time for Christmas.
A total stranger doing great deeds - what;s not to like ?

Enjoy, because I sure did !

The Christmas Stranger
By Leslie Budewitz

Every year I make it a point to read and review a book during the holiday season that’s specifically about Christmas. Usually I’ve reviewed full length novels, this year I’m reviewing a short story titled “The Christmas Stranger” by Leslie Budewitz. Thank you to the fantastic team at Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me a copy.

The Christmas Story took me around an hour to complete, owning to the fact that I make notes as I review books. However, as a reader this should take you around 30 minutes. The story revolves around the fictitious, yet charming little village of Jewel Bay, and Erin Murphy, the owner of a local store called Murphy’s Mercantile aka The Merc.

It’s 8 days before Christmas and Erin is out at the depot to mail out parcels of merchandise that need to reach customers before Christmas. A strange man appears almost out of nowhere seeking help in making copies of a document. Erin, being the lovely lady she is, offers to help, and the man thanks her by giving her a stamp. Unknowing to Erin, this is no ordinary stamp and she find out only later from a local expert, Sam Silver, that she holds a collector’s item. Believing the strange man made a mistake by giving her the stamp, she sets out, despite her busy Christmas schedule to locate the man and return the stamp.

Yet, fate, had something else in store. Over the next few days in the run up to Christmas, the strange man appears at odd moments, performing miracles of sorts, only to disappear without a trace. To make matters worse, no one knows who he is, where he lives, does he even belong to Jewel Bay, or where he disappears after his sightings. Finally, just moments before Christmas, Erin comes face to face with death and the stranger once again. The story revolves around the Christmas spirit, of kindness and giving, and the hope of Christmas that is legendary around this time of the year.

The language is clean and simple. Adults can enjoy a simple story and relive their childhoods; kids would enjoy it anyway. It’s a short read that one could relish over a cup of hot chocolate, cuddled up on the sofa, or snuggled up in bed narrating it to a 6-year-old at bedtime.

3 of my favourite lines from the story:

1. “I started believing in people again.”
2. ‘There are hardworking people with too little and lazy bones with too much.”
3. “Sadly, my dear, I can’t save everyone.”

The author, Leslie Budewitz, says the village of Jewel Bay resembles her home town of Big Fork, Montana. The story is somewhat inspired by a real-life incident that the author went through several years ago. Leslie has won several awards including the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. This story is a special edition and part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the authors first novel “Death al Dente” in 2013.

~SBR

The Christmas Stranger by Leslie Budewitz is a short story, but well worth the read. It is Christmas, but not in your face. We are back at the Merc in Jewel Bay, Montana, along with Erin standing at the post office, where she meets a very unusual man. Things progress and she hears about him again, but can’t seem to track him down. He is always there when someone needs him, though. It is a fun, short read for Christmas. I can give no further explanation except to say, it is worth it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC Of The Christmas Stranger by Beyond the Page Publishing, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BeyondThePagePublishing #LeslieBudewitz #TheChristmasStranger

Thank you Beyond the Page Publishing for accepting my request to read and review The Christmas Stranger: A Food Lovers’ Village Mystery on NetGalley.

A short story that makes you sigh and utter aww; I even teared up a couple of times.

It's that time of year when perhaps taking a moment to be kind can change destiny. The heartwarming story is not over the top or full of sugar. It is a simple telling of interactions with one man by different people when they were in need. Who is the man? Do you really need to know his name?

The characters, shops, and town are all part of the author's Food Lover's cozy mystery series. This is my first read from the author.

I would gift this to young and seasoned readers.

This story was a delightful read, quickly getting to the heart of the plot. It revolves around a mysterious Secret Santa in a charming town setting. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, and my review is given freely, not influenced by the obligation to provide a positive perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute short story about kindness, Christmas miracles, and small community. I didn't realize this was the short story of an established series that I believe has since ended. I think I would have appreciated it a little more if I'd known the characters a bit more. But this had a very Christmas miracle feel good vibe to it and I think anyone who likes those types of hallmark movies would really like it. I would probably recommend reading some of the series first, though.

Enjoyed this uplifting story. It gets to the point in no time flat. There is a secret Santa in this town. I was given an advanced copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.

I miss the Food Lover Village series and was glad to read this story and catch up with the characters.
Well plotted and entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love novellas, those small stories between fully published books. And they give great insight into other aspects of characters and life that are not always covered in a book. This was a quick, an enjoyable read. I love Leslie Budewitz’s work.

The Christmas Stranger is a short story from Food Lover's Village series. It takes place in the town of Jewel Bay. Erin Murphy is the main character who works for the family owned food market called Murphy's Mercantile (Merc). Her grandfather started it. Her mother, Francesca Conti Murphy Schmitt now owns the store and Erin runs it. Tracy is her assistant manager and Lou Mary Vogel is a saleswoman who works there. Adam Zimmerman is Erin's boyfriend.

While at the post office Erin runs into a small man trying to make copies. He did not understand the printer so Erin makes them for him and puts the 40 cents on her account. To thank her he gives her a christmas stamp and also mentioned that he knew her father, Tom, who dies in a car accident.

When back at the Merc Erin mentions the incident and shows Lou Mary the stamp. She tells Erin that she thinks it is valuable. When Erin realizes it could be valuable she starts looking for the little man to let him know that he might have given her the stamp by mistake. Lou Mary tells her that she knows someone who could tell her how valuable the stamp is by the name of Sam Silver. She arranges a meeting for Erin which Erin goes to with the stamp.

Francesca comes to the store to cover while Erin goes to meet Sam. While there she tells Erin that Lynette Barnes, a cleaning woman, was in a car accident. She had been found by a man walking his dog. He saved her life by finding her.

Sam tells her after examing the stamp that it a special stamp issued in a limited edition worth about $1700.00. Since it is in good condition it could be worth more, While trying to find the man Erin finds out that beside saving Lynette's life he did great deeds for people in trouble including Tina, a waitress who he gave a large tip.

While crossing the bridge to get to her car she is almost hit by a truck. She was saved by the little man who she was looking for. She mentioned the good deeds that he had done as well as saving her and giving her a stamp that she could use to help a deserving family. She was interested in the fact that he knew her father. Wanted to know who he was, Another truck passed her throwing snow in her face. When she opened her eyes the little man was not there. There was no sign of him not even footprints. Could this little man be her father?

This was a fun and fast read. It left the reader wondering who he was and if it was her father.

Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for this ARC.


Thank you NetGalley and