A fun cozy mystery with a Christmas setting (that won't necessarily give you "Christmas" vibes - so you can read this at any time. REALLY quirky characters, a lot of fun plot twists, and a fun setting. This was a delight.

This was actually so cute!! A cozy Christmas mystery, perfect for the holidays! It was entertaining and not too scary.

I love a cozy christmas mystery, they don't take a lot of brain power to get through and are perfect when you just need a light distraction from life. It wasn't a complex story but it kept me engaged and working through the clues to solve the mystery.

I started reading this because I need a Christmas themed mystery for a challenge. I will need to find another book as I can't finish this. In fact, I could barely get past the second chapter. Too many characters, too many cliches, and too much which makes zero sense.

You can't beat a cozy christmastime crime, but this one is one you could read at any other time of the year.

Less of a whodunnit, and more of a howdunnit, Maribel Claus et al, work to discover answers to both questions, with a delightfully, and well done slow reveal it's a magical mystery

Such a great book. Makes for a wonderful read. I can not wait to read more from this author. I love books like this.

This was an adorable Christmas mystery who-done it. I mean, sure, people die, but it's a traveling group of performers and they are all pretty silly and full of fun and jokes before people start dying. Even after, the sheriff is pretty bumbling so his expressions were pretty funny as well.

I especially loved the maps - I mean, who doesn't want to see the area around the body and how it was found. It was a great addition. All in all, cute story and fun mystery.

With thanks to Netgalley and BooksGosocial

Slay Bells: A Christmas Village Mystery is the perfect book to curl up with at mug of hot chocolate at Christmas time.

A sweet cozy mystery set in an enchanting place, the Christmas Village. A well-written story with a strong plot, interesting characters, it will leave you with all the happy feelings and will put you in the Christmas spirit.

*thank you to Netgalley, T. C. Westcott and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

This was an enjoyable cosy read. Slow paced but a nice mystery Christmas story. It's one to take your time with.

December should be a magical time in the Christmas Village but when the entertainers start dying some of the villagers wonder if the old lore is right. The sheriff knows better but he needs help proving it. He needs someone good at puzzles. Enters Maribel Claus, Maribel is great with puzzles. This is a fun start to a new series. This is a quick read with several twists and turns. The characters are entertaining. The is a great holiday read. I look forward to more in this series.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced by anyone.

A mystery set in a quaint village where Christmas is the highlight of the year. They must love Christmas when Plum Cottage Inn is owned and operated by Mrs. Maribel Claus!

Slay Bells was a quick read and a nice diversion for a cool winter night.

This is a new author to me and I loved the writing.. even thought it was a cozy mystery it’s formula for The Who done it was quite different . Just when I thought that I knew who did it I was proven wrong by the end of the story. This is definitely an author that I will continue to read because the fact that the story had me second guess my conclusion as to the mystery means that the author has a talent for story telling.

I have to say it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning was a bit confusing, I felt, and the style took quite a bit of getting used to. However, once I accepted that there, after all, is a theatrical troupe at the heart of things and they’re likely to be a bit dramaticaI and self-centred, then the book trotted along nicely enough.
The idea behind it is clever and refreshing, and most definitely festive, even with a spot of murder or two. The puzzle element is different, and adds a sparkle. Original and entertaining.

I have read, reviewed and liked the author's other series:

Running from Scissors
Running from Arrows
This one, however, was not really my thing. I have had it on my list for a while and started and stopped it closer to its publication date. On the lookout for a quick read, I gave it another shot.

This is the story of a circus troupe performing in the Christmas village and one of them gets murdered. The search is on for the culprit, and the village 'elders' get together to throw ideas around. There is a lot of bumbling around by the law in the town, and although it was funny at times, beyond a point it was little too much for me. There are many, many clues thrown our way to identify the culprit, which I then did and therefore felt the final explanation to drag to the point. I am in the minority over my reaction to the book as other reviews would indicate. 

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my reading experience.

“Slay Bells (Christmas Village Mystery 1) is the first book in the new Christmas Village Mystery series. It is also the first book that I have read by Author T.C Westcott. This was definitely a very cozy mystery. Bonus points that it occurred during my favorite holiday, Christmas. The characters were very eccentric. The pacing of the story moved a bit too slowly for me and Christmas was almost an afterthought. Also, the mystery was easily guessed within the first few chapters. Overall, this first installment was an ok read.

* I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange of an honest review*

I loved reading this cozy little mystery around the holiday season. It is packed with Christmas, and a murder mystery so it is a fun thing to read. I personally love trying to figure the mystery out before it is solved in the book, and this one presented a challenge for me; in the end, I guess right. I loved the characters in this book and the small little village setting. Besides the murder, this is where I wanted to be during Christmas. Cute read and great for the holiday season!

A cosy, holiday mystery. A nice little tale with eccentric characters and some odd goings on. The village setting is dedicated to Christmas and the Christmas spirit. However, murder most foul is afoot....can Mrs Claus save the day? Enjoyable and lighthearted.

When a traveling troupe of what seems to be circus performers arrives in town for a winter festival that is over Christmas, one of them is causing a lot of trouble. In fact, when he turns up dead - on a snowy hill with no footsteps around him it's a puzzle how he died. But Mrs. Claus is determined to find out the truth, and sets about looking for a killer, before they kill again...

This book doesn't come right out and say it, but we're given the idea that Maribel Claus is "the" Mrs. Claus. First off, why is the festival right during Christmas week, when "the" Mr. Claus wouldn't be around to enjoy it? Just wondering about that one...

Anyway, from the name of the troupe I thought at first they might be whalers. Who ever heard of a circus troupe named "Harpoons"? That in itself was odd. But the name of the man who died - Barnaby Snipes - had me rolling my eyes. Could you find a more dastardly name? I almost expected to read about him twirling his moustache as he gave an evil laugh. The characters were cardboard cutouts and had nothing to recommend them. The conversations were simple and written almost as if they were for children. Sorry, but that's my opinion.

At any rate, I found the book boring in the extreme, with nothing to draw me into the story. The explanations of the deaths didn't seem plausible at all. Honestly, I got so bored I kept quitting and starting back up again. All I can say about this book is it's good reading material if you can't sleep. It will do the job in no time. Sorry, but I won't read any more by this author.

This follows the Cosy mystery genre to a T. The characters all live in a village dedicated to Christmas with one if its seven leaders being Mrs Claus whose husband is noticeably absent in the run up to christmas. It is terribly twee but at least the investigation does include some real thinking and collaboration, although Mrs Claus is, as usual in this genre, better than the paid detectives. I enjoyed it, didn't need to suspend disbelief too much and would read others in the series