Holly White thought she would be spending her Christmas holiday getting married to her fiance and heading out on her honeymoon. Instead Holly’s fiance breaks up with her with less than two weeks to go until their planned Christmas Eve wedding and she packs her things to return home to Mistletoe, Maine where her family runs a tree farm. Jumping back into working at the farm to help her parents during the busy season leading up to Christmas helps Holly take her mind off of the end of her relationship.

The excitement and magic of the upcoming Reindeer Games has everyone in the town excited except for those that have had a run in with the president of the Mistletoe Historical Society, Margaret Fenwick. Margaret has been on a rampage leaving lots of folks upset handing out fines in the name of the Historical Society which hasn’t made her the most popular in town but Holly never expected to end up finding Margaret murdered just on the outside of the farm. Now Holly knows her family and employees are all suspects so she’s determined to find out who the real murderer is to take the suspicion off of those close to her.

Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost is the first book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. This cozy mystery series is definitely one for Christmas lovers everywhere and will certainly get readers in the mood for the upcoming holidays. From the main character being named Holly and working on a tree farm with all sorts of fun Christmas activities to the name of her cat, Cindy Lou Who the entire book just oozes Christmas and had a smile on my face for the biggest part of the book.

The fun Christmas side of the story aside there was also a nice little mystery going on with a bit of suspense when Holly begins nosing about and the murderer doesn’t take too kindly to it leading to threats. The local Sheriff was also a potential budding love interest for Holly as he’s new to town and takes his job seriously leading to the pair spending quite a bit of time together which leads to hoping we see more of that story line in future books. In the end this one was a big ball of Christmas fun and I’ll certainly look forward to more of these characters in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Twelve Slays of Christmas
A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery, Book #1
Jacqueline Frost
5 Stars


Synopsis:

When Holly White's fiance cancels their Christmas Eve wedding with less than two weeks to go, Holly heads home with a broken heart. Lucky for her, home in historic Mistletoe, Maine is magical during Christmastime--exactly what the doctor prescribed. Except her plan to drown her troubles in peppermints and snickerdoodles is upended when local grouch and president of the Mistletoe Historical Society Margaret Fenwick is bludgeoned and left in the sleigh display at Reindeer Games, Holly's family tree farm.
When the murder weapon is revealed as one of the wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, Sheriff Evan Grey turns to Holly's father, Bud, and the Reindeer Games staff. And it doesn't help that Bud and the reindeer keeper were each seen arguing with Margaret just before her death. But Holly knows her father, and is determined to exonerate him.The jingle bells are ringing, the clock is ticking, and if Holly doesn't watch out, she'll end up on Santa's naughty list in Twelve Slays of Christmas, Jacqueline Frost's jolly series debut. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. I thought Holly was a smart tough woman who just wants to put her life back together after being jilted by her fiance. She figures returning home to Mistletoe, Maine, is just what she needs. But when a dead body turns up on her parents tree farm, she is going to have to use all of her smarts to figure out the culprit. I really enjoyed spending time with her and her parents. I think one of my favorite characters was Cookie because she was quirky and unconventional. She had me smiling throughout much of the book.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. I could almost smell the evergreens on the tree farm and see all of the holiday decorations that Mistletoe had displayed.

The mystery was well plotted and it was not an easy crime to solve. There were enough suspects (including Holly’s father) to consider and clues to sift through that even the most experienced armchair detective will have trouble solving this mystery.

I would recommend cozy mystery to anyone who enjoys a well crafted book. This book has everything that I look for in a cozy and it is hard to believe that this book is a debut for the author-it is that good. I cannot wait to read the next release in this series. I sure hope it is a long running cozy series.

I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book.

I was lucky to have been provided an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great series debut and a perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit though Christmas is a few months away. Our heroine Holly has returned home after a breakup with her fiancé and the cancellation of her Christmas wedding.

It's not all fun and games anymore at Reindeer Games once Mrs. Fenwick turns up dead. And Holly's father is the number 1 suspect after having a public argument with him. Holly must solve the mystery while getting reacquainted with the town she left years ago.

This mystery hits all the right beats a cozy mystery should and you'll want to add it to your holiday reading list

Oh. This book started off so well. Holly White is back in her hometown, not because she wants to be there, but because she was dumped by her fiance two weeks before the wedding. Unlike other series, Holly is happy to be home. She loves Mistletoe, Maine, loves the quirky people who live there, and loves being in a place that embraces Christmas so much. Rather than being resentful that she's forced to return home, it's nice to have a character who is happy to go back to a place that loves her.
Well, except for Margaret Fenwick, the president of the Mistletoe Historical Society. The woman is clearly unhappy and is pretty much trying to drag the rest of the town down to her level of misery. It's just too bad that she's murdered on Holly's family's farm right after a fight with Holly's father.
It's too bad the ending was a) just a little out there and b) so darn cheesy. I'll try the next book in the series but this may not be a series for me.

Three stars
This book comes out October 12

This was a fabulous book! I enjoyed the strong family relationship, interesting characters, unique setting, love interest and a good whodunit.
I hope there are more books to look forward to in this series!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

This well-written drama grabbed me immediately and I wanted to savor all that I read. I love the pacing and the comfortable tone that followed throughout each chapter as we are introduced to a bountiful of characters, one of which is the killer. The author did a very fine job in keeping me busy with all that was happening on the page, from Holly’s return home, to finding the victim, to aligning herself with the various people who could or could not be the killer, to seeking out clues, and to the camaraderie she has with the sheriff. The mystery was strategically set-up to keep me focused on the festivities as well as every little nuance that took me closer to the killer’s identity. I enjoyed watching it all play out as each character had a pivotal role that shaped how well this jovial tale unfolded. Boasting a lovable cast of characters, engaging dialogue and a feel-good atmosphere, this debut novel is everything a like in a cozy and I can’t wait for the next book in this delightfully charming new series.

An Awesome story of a young detective who leaves Boston, moves to a peaceful little town of Mistletoe. There hasn't been a murder in forty years. Sounds great to Evan Gray, who wants out out of big city crime.
Holly, the twenty six year old daughter of the local tree farm owners, and miniature North Pole, including a Christmas themed Restaurant, with Reindeer, and horse driven Sleigh rides. I personally, am ready to move there myself! The real reason Holly returned from Portland, is that her fiancee' called off their Christmas Eve Wedding, in favor of a younger, yoga instructor. After being home, in her parents guest house, she realizes she made a lucky escape, however, the rejection still hurt.
There is one small drawback, on her second evening home, Margaret, who is head of the Historical Society, has been passing out fines left and right for about two weeks, including one to her sweet natured Dad, about the new fencing for their animals. After a small argument, in front of Customers , Holly's Mom tells her Dad to go find Margaret and apologize. As soon as she can deliver cookies to waiting Customers, she sets out to find her dad, only she can't find him, a snow storm has come swirling around. She looks everywhere, until she she sees a bright red coat, face down in on of the sleighs! It's Margaret, and she has been murdered!
This is how Holly meets the handsome, very masculine, very single, new Sheriff!
I highly recommend! Thanks! I know that you will enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒

I'm still riding high after finishing this book, so please excuse me if I gush a bit. This was the first time I had read this author, and since this is the first in the series, I fully expected to have to take some time to get settled in with new characters. No worries. I quickly came to know the residents of Mistletoe, Maine.

Holly White has returned to her home town after her fiancé finds a yoga instructor to "find himself" with. Now that her Christmas Eve wedding is off, Holly has plenty of time to help at her parents' Christmas tree farm. However, once the persnickety town historical society president is found murdered on the property, Holly feels she must find alternative suspects for the new sheriff in town before he locks up a family member...or her! She knows she's getting close, however, when the killer starts threatening her and her family. The clock is ticking to find a murderer and save Christmas.

This is everything a good cozy should be. I don't often give out five stars, but I felt this one was worth it. I am already counting the days until the next release (I hope it's soon!!). There are loveable characters, a good dose of humor (truth be told, I found myself trying to stifle a couple of belly laughs during the snowball race), and a quaint locale. I even might have teared up a couple of times. I highly recommend both this book and Jacqueline Frost.

A delightful cozy mystery, set in a Christmas Tree farm in a Christmas historic town, leading up to ( you guessed it) Christmas.
When our protagonist finds out that her fiancée is cheating on her, she moves back home, and cancels the Christmas Eve wedding. Working at her family's Christsmas tree farm helps her get her spirits back up until a body is found on the property. In an attempt to get the farm to reopen and minimize any loss of profits, she helps along in the investigation, occasionally putting herself in danger.
Fun read, perfect for the holiday season. I enjoyed the mystery, setting, and characters equally. It looks like it is the first in a series, and I will be looking forward to the future installments.

4 1/2 stars

I loved this book! It's a fun cozy Christmas themed mystery with an interesting plot and strong characters. This is the first book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries, and I'm looking forward to future books!

Holly White has just moved back to Mistletoe, Maine after a bad breakup with her fiancee. She goes back to work at her family's Christmas tree farm. It's close to Christmas and the farm is very busy getting ready for the Twelve Days of Christmas celebration, where they have a different contest every day at the farm. The entire town participates and it's an annual tradition.

Everything is going smoothly until Holly finds Margaret Fenwick, of the Historical Society, dead in a sleigh. She's been killed by a pole from the farm, and this puts her family and their future in jeopardy. Margaret is a busybody who has antagonized more than one person in town, and Holly starts investigating her death. The local sheriff, Evan Grey, doesn't want her involved for many reasons but it takes a lot to stop Holly.

I want to visit Mistletoe Maine at Christmas time! The descriptions of the town and its residents are charming and well-written. The plot was interesting and had enough twists and turns to make it interesting.

I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to future installments!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was everything I hope for in a cozy mystery and more!
Holly White is an excellent protagonist! She is relatable, intelligent, and authentic. Holly moves home to Mistletoe, Maine, after her fiance leaves her for a yoga instructor. Coming home to the family Christmas Tree farm and annual Reindeer Games should have been the ideal balm for her broken heart. However, instead of the comfort of friends and family, she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when she finds the body of one of the town's busybodies. In order to prove her father's innocence, Holly investigates the crime.
Along the way she gets to know the new sheriff, Evan Gray. They are equally fascinated by each other, despite the walls Holly tries to build around her heart.
Mistletoe, Maine, is an excellent setting for a series. The town is quaint and filled with interesting residents. I really like that Holly is both an insider from having grown up in Mistletoe, but also a bit of an outsider because she has been gone for several years.
Jacqueline Frost has written an engaging cozy mystery with strong characters and an excellent plot. The mystery kept me guessing and the climax made my pulse pound. While Twelve Slays of Christmas works well as a stand alone novel, I am really glad that it is the first in a series. I am very much looking forward to getting to know Holly White better!

What a fun cozy Christmas mystery! Holly White returns home to Mistletoe, Maine after a failed engagement, just in time for the 12 days of reindeer games hosted on her parents' farm. Unfortunately Margaret Fenwick, head of the local historical society, is killed right on the farm, and Holly discovers the body. Holly can't help but investigate, which brings threats to her and her parents. I really enjoyed this light mystery which includes a spark of romance between Holly and Sheriff Evan Gray, a Boston transplant. I enjoyed many of Holly's friends. This one has a lot of potential as a series, although if murders continue at Christmas each year, I doubt anyone will be wanting to visit the reindeer games. I look forward to the next installment of the series and may try some of the author's "Kitty Couture" mysteries written under the name Julie Chase. I received an advance review e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

I can't say enough wonderful things about 'Twelve Slays of Christmas' by Jacqueline Frost. I was completely engaged from the very first moment by a vulnerable, funny, thoroughly likeable main character named Holly on her way home to Mistletoe, Maine after the dramatic cancellation of her wedding. Every single character was well and richly drawn, with a crisp mystery thrown in to make it even more interesting. I was thoroughly conflicted because I couldn't put the book down, but I didn't want it to end. I would give it 10 stars if I could and only hope it is the very first of many from this debut author!

I want to live in Mistletoe, Maine and visit the Christmas Tree Farm every Christmas. Holly returns home when her fiance ends their engagement days before Christmas and is the unlucky one to find the body in the sleigh by the gate. The tourist are still anxious to participate in the 12 days of Reindeer games and the handsome new sheriff is happy to help Holly keep the show going. This is a great book one for a wonderful new cozy series, A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery. I like Jacqueline Frost's light hearted writing style and will be on the lookout for her next book.

Holly returns home after her fiance calls off their wedding, it's exactly what she needed to get away.
That is until she finds the body of Margaret Fenwick.

This starts off a series of events that could jeopardise her families business and so she starts her own investigation into what happened in the hopes
that she can take the spotlight away from her family.

Every time she finds something out she ends up with more questions than answers!

This is such a fun christmassy read that I am so glad I requested a copy, who knew you could put Christmas, murder and mystery together
and come up with such a wonderful cosy read!

If you are a fan of the hallmark mystery movies then you will adore this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an Arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great thrilling and merry book to read by the fire this Christmas season!

This was a very good start to a series. Enjoyed the characters and look forward to getting to know them better. I also want to know if in a setting of a Christmas tree farm do the murders only happen once a year? Or do we find out what the place does the rest of the year? All in all a good read.

I loved the cover, its what drew me to the book. The description topped it. And i was not disapointed at all. It was a great book, great storyline. Good mix of characters to add in there, and i couldnt put the book down. Really loved it

No drinking or eating will reading this book. Great addition to the cozy mystery genre. The mystery it's self is interesting and Holly is well thought out protagonist. The author had developed secondary characters that we know or can relate too. Solid, charming, and laugh out loud funny debut. Theodore the goat , I truly enjoyed reading about him really I did

Title: Twelve Slays of Christmas: A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Cozy/Mystery

Holly White hasn't had a great week or month so far. Her fiancé cancels their Christmas Eve wedding, preferring the company of another woman. Holly moves back home with her parents and helps her mother in the family business. She just wants some peace and quiet and time to mend her broken heart. When the local curmudgeon, Margaret Fenwick is killed and left at her family's tree farm, Holly jumps into the investigation.

The murder weapon is one of her father's wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, the Sheriff, Evan Grey begins to question him, and the rest of their family and employees. Holly knows her father isn’t a killer; no matter him much he argued with Mrs. Fenwick. She is determined to find out who the real killer is.
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This is Jacqueline Frost’s series debut. It is filled with interesting characters and a wonderfully picturesque location. It is fast-paced with twists and turns that will keep the reader turning the page until the end. There are plenty of red herrings that keep the reader guessing as to the identity of the killer until the big reveal.
Twelve Slays of Christmas holds within its pages a unique plot that isn’t hard to follow yet still is intriguing enough to keep the reader's attention. Holly is a woman who has experienced heartbreak but oddly enough does not appear to be overly concerned about the loss of her fiance. Evan Grey is a good reason why. he is a great distraction, he and Holly find themselves working together to solve the murder, and not allowing the past to keep them from enjoying each other's company.

All the characters are very ordinary and yet extraordinary people. From the rich girl that Holly went to school with and has a budding friendship with, to the older lady that has always been one of Holly’s favorite people: each character brings life and entertainment to the story and broadens the plot. The ending creates tension and suspense.

This book and author are highly recommended for originality, suspense and real mystery that can be missing in other stories of this type. Readers who enjoy authors such as Paige Shelton or Ellery Adams will like Jacqueline Frost’s “Twelve Slays of Christmas".

I received an ARC of this book.