This is an engaging mystery with a holiday twist. Tish Tarragon emerges as a charming and determined protagonist, and her culinary expertise adds a unique flavour to the mystery. The integration of themed entrees with the theatre performances adds a creative touch to the storytelling.

The tension among the members of the theatre group serves as a captivating backdrop, and the reader is led on a suspenseful journey as Tish navigates through a list of suspects. The decision to let Tish play detective alongside Sheriff Reade adds a layer of intrigue, allowing for individual and nuanced exploration of the suspects.

However, the revelation of the killer might be considered slightly anticlimactic by some readers, as indicated by one reviewer. The twist, instead of eliciting a shocked response, instead gave me a moment of confusion. Despite this the bittersweet ending leaves room for further exploration in future instalments of the series.

The intricate plot, well-developed characters, and unexpected revelations make this a worthwhile read if you are a fan of mysteries with a festive flair.

Can Tish Save The Season....?
Book three in the Tish Tarragon mystery series finds Tish amidst delicious preparations for the festive season, more particularly for the much anticipated Hobson Glen Holiday Fair. However, Tish soon discovers animosity amongst the cast preparing for the fair performances and when the star actress is found dead sparks begin to fly and deadly secrets are uncovered. Can Tish save the season and find the murderer in their midst? Well written, fun, cosy mystery with a likeable and credible protagonist in Tish and a colourful cast of supporting characters. An enjoyable addition to the series.

A nice soft crime for the summer but I still didn't guess what was going on, I enjoyed reading this and is the second from this author.

This came as a complete shock to me, but In my haste to secure what looked like an amazing book due to a faultless cover— seriously, that color scheme of navy, red and ochre with scattered holiday cookies everywhere— this book came as a complete shock to me. I whole-heartedly thought I signed up to read an emotionally dark, heaving with sarcasm and irony, COOK BOOK, more accurately, I thought I was signed up to read a Holiday Cookie Cookbook. To my wool-covered eyes, through no fault but my own, the shock I incurred as I flipped through the pages was laughingly real and it actually tickled my funny bone as in these serious and weird months, I needed to laugh at myself for making an honest mistake.
I’m not one for murder mystery novels, especially ones that can provoke nightmares, but because of my judging-a-book-by-its-cover error, I took the dive into reading Amy Patricia Meade’s The Christmas Fair Killer. I did not know this was the third installment to the Tish Tarragon mystery series, though you don’t need to know that coming into this book. The mystery starts straightaway with a murder during the Christmas season, something that excites the holiday-minded inner child in me during a season that isn’t winter. The Christmas Fair Killer was amusing enough as a beach read, nothing in it was excessively thought provoking as whodunit’s typically are not. To be honest, I’m kind of still wishing this book was a holiday cookie recipe cook book: wink wink nudge nudge.

So far no nightmares after reading, so that’s a positive in the book’s favor— unless you like being haunted by your mystery novels, then it’s a negative.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the third book in the Tish Tarragon Mystery series, and instead of taking place in and around Tish’s cafe and catering company, Cookin’ the Books, most of this one takes place at a winter festival and it focuses on the Williamsburg Theatre Group. I love when cozies branch out from their usual location since it’s always interesting to read about new places within the cozy’s community.

The Christmas atmosphere adds a wonderful layer to the story between Jules and his recently adopted Bichon Frise wearing matching clothes, to the descriptions of the literary named dishes, and even the weather conditions, where Jules, the local weatherman, swears the festival will not have any snow. Meade also does a wonderful job with making the theater costumes and sets come to life and having the reader feel as if they are actually at the festival.

And Meade shines when it comes to the characters. Tish, Mary Jo, and Jules really do feel like best friends. Their banter and how they support each other is perfect. And for being introduced in The Christmas Fair Killer, the theater troupe characters are really well developed. This sense of community makes a reader want to come back to read more books in the series to find out what is happening in the character’s lives.

As for the mystery it was a bit darker than other cozies I’ve read, but I think the subject matter was handled very well, and sexual assault of children by relatives is something that needs to be discussed and not hidden. I was surprised by the killer and I really loved how Meade used all the duplicity with the plot and characters.

I highly recommend The Christmas Fair Killer, as well as the other books in the Tish Tarragon Mystery series, and I’m looking forward to coming back for future books to see how Tish’s love life with Attorney Schuyler and Sheriff Reade ends up, as well as to enjoy the friendship between Tish and the gang.

An excellent cozy mystery and a great addition to this series.
The characters are well thought and likeable as usual, the setting is interesting and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
The plot is a bit darker than usual as there are references to child abuse but I appreciated how well the author dealt with this issues and her empathy toward the victims.
There's a lot of humour and character development. A sort of cliffhanger at the end of the story make me wish to read the next instalment soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the 3rd A Tish Tarragon Mystery. It can be read on its own if you have not read Cookin’ the Book or The Garden Club Murder. Tish Tarragon owns Cookin’ the Books Café and Catering where she serves up culinary themed food. I had to laugh at the creative names for her dishes. It is time for the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair with food vendors, craftspeople, and entertainers. A Christmas Carol and Twelfth Night are being performed each day by the Williamsburg Theater Group. Tish has agreed to deliver breakfast to theirs trailers each day of the fair. The first day begins with a bang when Tish finds Jenny Inkpen dead in her trailer. Tish helps Sheriff Clemson Reade by asking questions. People have a way of sharing information with Tish which provides Sheriff Reade with helpful intel. The mystery had multiple suspects in the death of the ingenue. There are red herrings and good clues. I am amazed at the secrets that come to light. I thought the murder weapon was unique as well as a couple other aspects of the crime. I found Identifying the killer, though, to be a snap while others have found it challenging. I believe it depends on the number of mysteries you have read. The whodunit does involve a sensitive subject that is normally not broached in cozy mysteries. Each food dish is described in detail along with the outfits people wore. I did feel it was a little too much detail especially in the first chapter (where each dish Tish created for the Christmas Fair was described) which slowed down the beginning of the story. I was surprised and disappointed by what happened at the end. I hope this development is not permanent. The author captured the Christmas feeling with the cold weather, the fair, decorations, and the food. Christmas Fair Killer has developed characters who are good friends and have become a family. I like that they support each other and are there in times of need. The Christmas Fair Killer is an entertaining cozy mystery with fair fun, anxious actors, earsplitting explosives, captivating cuisine, cozy cocoa, and Christmas cheer.

Cafe owner and caterer Tish Tarragon is pleased with how her booth at the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair. She is enjoying the performances of Twelfth Night and A Christmas Carol which are the highlight of the fair. However, when a young woman who was one of the acting troupe’s stars is found dead in her trailer, Tish puts baking aside to catch a killer.

I am unfamiliar with this author and thought it sounded like a nice light read. I didn’t realize it was the third book in a series. That could be why I could never fully engage with the characters. For one thing, there are a lot of different people introduced in the first two characters. Even though it was a fun idea for Tish to have such a close friend group that she hung out with, I didn’t really connect with any of them.

I liked the setting at the fair and the inside look at the all too real emotions between the people playing the parts in the plays. However, there was more violence and serious subject matters, such as child abuse, for this to be the cozy holiday book I was expecting. I don’t know if this is typical for this series or just a one off for this specific book. If I had known what to expect,
I may have felt differently about the book. Fans of the series will be intrigued by developments in Tish’s personal life at the end of the book. “The Christmas Fair Killer” is well-written, but wasn’t for me.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

The Hobson Glen Holiday Fair is underway and the travelling Williamsburg Theater Group is busy performing several shows each day. Cookin The Books cafe owner Tish Tarragon is busy providing themed dishes to the actors and fair attendees. When Tish goes to the trailers to deliver breakfast to the actors the next day, she is shocked to find newcomer actress Jenny Inkpen shot dead.

Sheriff Clemson Reade soon learns that Jenny's identity is a fake. Tish provides a sensitive and caring ear and convinces Reade that she can help him get the actors to open up about their feelings for Jenny as she delivers meals to them each day. It soon becomes clear the tight-knit troupe had mixed feelings about Jenny but who wanted her dead?

Tish's friends Jules, Mary Jo and Clementine, help out at the vendor booth and also provide some comic relief. Meanwhile, Tish's lawyer boyfriend and landlord Schuyler stays mostly in the background but indicates that he wants to take their relationship to the next level.

The motive behind Jenny's murder is a sensitive one that is normally not depicted in cozy mysteries. The confrontation between Tish and the accused leads to a violent ending that almost proves fatal for Tish.

A gathering of all of Tish's friends at her cafe on Christmas Eve brings a festive conclusion to the story. The sudden departure of one character at the end of the book is a bit disappointing.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Severn House with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the 3rd A Tish Tarragon Mystery. It can be read on its own. I have not read the others yet in the series. Alert-This is advertised as a cozy but it is not a cozy mystery. It does have descriptions and language that is very dark and will be impossible to read. I had to skip over quite a bit of this book and was upset at the crimes against children that left me disturbed. .So if your a cozy reader as I am to avoid gratuitous violence, sex and crimes against children this is not for you. No victim of crimes should read this. I was willing to try to finish it for review but it was hard to read and very dark. The inclusion of the sexual abuse of three underage girls , is more then extremely disturbing. and not what cozy readers read. We hold ourselves to a standard of no violence, no graphic scenes, no sex scenes and no crimes against women and children. Marketing this as a cozy is disturbing in itself as it will attract readers that are sensitive to such dark content. I was very upset by this book.

Tish is cooking for a Christmas Fair when a murder occurs. She is not one to stand by and starts by investigating the victim and who may have wanted her dead. The mystery is well woven even with the book taking a darker turn. I would recommend this for those that read darker more violent mysteries not cozy readers.

The advance copy was provided by the publisher. My review opinion is my own .

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and so was looking forward to catching up with Tish, Jules, Mary Jo and the rest of the gang.

This book ads a whole new cast of characters with the Williamsburg Theatre Group – a group of actors who put on a wide range of plays. They seem to be close-knit, but there are cracks in the group, which only get worse when one of their own is murdered. It was interesting to see Tish and her friends interacting with this new group. It made for a lot of characters to keep track of but their personalities are so distinct and the author does a wonderful job of writing them so that I was never confused about the characters nor did I ever really lose track of what was happening.

Because of the large number of new faces, Tish’s friends are mostly relegated to the background in this book in order to make room for the acting troupe. Jules still manages to squeeze his way into the investigation, but Mary Jo (who continues to go through major personal changes in her personal life) doesn’t factor into the sleuthing at all. I miss this trio – one of the things I absolutely loved about the first book was Jules and Mary Jo doing their own investigating. Tish’s boyfriend Schuyler is also mostly in the background for this book, but does make a few big gestures as he tries to move his romance with Tish to the next level.

I did like the fact that Tish worked a lot more closely with Sheriff Clemson Reade in this story and enjoyed Tish and Clemson’s interactions with each other.

For those that are used to light, humourous cozy mysteries, keep in mind that this series has a bit of an edge to it. Some of the topics that come up may be considered a bit harsh, although it is handled very sensitively and there is still enough humour and lightness in the story to keep it firmly in the cozy mystery camp.

*Trigger warning and a small spoiler* This book deals with sexual abuse of underage girls. There is nothing graphic included, but it is part of a character’s backstory and does come up during the investigation. I only mention this in case that is a trigger for anyone.

One of the things I do look most forward to whenever Amy Patricia Meade releases a new book is the dishes that Tish creates. Her literary catering company comes up with the most delicious creations and they always have the most creative names. For example, some of the on-the-go meals that Tish delivers to the actors include: ‘The Ham-elet’ (a basic cheese omelet with ham), ‘The Belinda (the “Good ‘wich)’ (an egg-white omelet with avocado, kale, and sautéed shitake mushrooms on spelt bread) and ‘The Bun Also Rises’ (a large cinnamon bun). I love the names and always get so hungry reading the descriptions.

While my favourite of the series is still the first book, Cookin’ the Books, this latest instalment is still a great read. It develops some of the characters more and moves some storylines along, especially those involving Tish, Mary Jo and Clemson Reade. Their stories change quite a bit during this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next with them.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Severn House Publishers, for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Know in advance that this is a little darker than the usual cozy. Tish, a caterer, is working hard at the Christmas fair and she's committed to bring breakfast to member of the Williamsburg Theater Group. Unfortunately, that means she's the one who discovers Jenny Inkpen dead in her trailer- murdered! Cozy readers know that there will be more to Jenny than meets the eye and that's the case here. For one thing, that's not her real name. For another, it's not clear how this troupe can work together given the high level of hostility among them. Geez. Trust, though, that Tish will help Sheriff Reade solve the case. I'd not read the earlier books in the series and this was fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a quick read- well done and entertaining.

A very beguiling cozy series with warm and likeable characters. This third episode, is complete in itself so there’s no need to have previous acquaintance with the main participants, and is set just before Christmas at a pop up café at the small town Hobson Glen Holiday Fair. A theatre group is performing a variety of offerings each day, until tragedy strikes. The actors themselves are very human and full of interest, and not unexpectedly lies and jealousy are in plentiful supply. The natural and compelling dialogue draws you in, as does the aroma of the freshly baked offerings from the café, and the shock of the denouement is nicely offset by the subsequent Christmas time goodwill to all. An easy and satisfying read.

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is full of Christmas cheer, being at a fair, and of course, a bit of a mystery.

Can Tish find out what happened to Jenny Inkgrave before the fair is gone?

Tish Tarragon
Tish Tarragon is our sleuth and the character that we kind of followed throughout the book. She is a delightful sleuth. I love her approach to get Sheriff Clemson Reade to let her help in the investigation. Granted, that wasn't hard since she did help solve the other two murder cases. Tish is a smart woman and knows that some people will talk to her more freely than they would with him around. What I like about Tish is that she loves her job and has finally started something that she has always wanted to do. Along with doing that job with people that she loves being around.

Schuyler Thompson
Schuyler is Tish's landlord for both her little apartment above her restaurant/catering business. He also just happens to be her recent boyfriend, and just so happens to be a lawyer. Schuyler isn't really in the book that much, and he just didn't sit well with me. I liked the little romantic bits, but they just never really had the spark. What I like about him is that he seems to care for Tish. The one thing that I don't like about him is that he might be just using her to boost himself up in some world.

Clemson Reade
Clemson Reade is our local sheriff and an all-around good guy. He seems to be all about his job of protecting the people. And especially by giving his deputies the night off during the Christmas holiday. Clemson is a better guy in my mind than Schuyler is, and I hope that this isn't the last we will see of him either. What I like about him is that he seems to be dedicated to his job but is making sure the wellbeing of his friends is good as well. I also like how he harbors a crush on Tish, and Tish doesn't realize it, but I think that she does as well.

The Mystery
The mystery is an actress being shot dead in her trailer on the fairgrounds. Jenny Inkpen didn't have a great time making friends within the group of performers she was with, and that led to unraveling a lot about her past. Well, once they could figure out her identity. It was an exceptional case and mystery as I never figured out who could have done it. Well, that is until they were wrapping it up with the reveal, of course.

Five Stars
The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is a great one to put anyone in the mood for the holidays even while solving a mystery. I am in love with the way that Ms. Meade wrote this book. I am still shocked by who did it, and I am giving this book five stars while recommending it to anyone that wants to read it now for Christmas in July or just to get away from the heat where you live.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

I love the work of Amy Patricia Meade, I love Tish and I loved 'The Christmas Fair Killer'. The characters are complex in a likable way, and the mystery in this case was engaging as well as disheartening. There is a crispness that is on the edge of darkness to the mystery that grabbed my attention and it didn't let up. I can't wait for more in the series, it is just that good.!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Another wonderful addition to the Cookin' the Books cozy mystery series. Each character continues to shine in their own way as they ready for the holiday season (Jules is such a delight!) and I love running into each of them as a reader. The pacing makes it impossible to put down as each new conversation between Tish and those eating her food brings our favorite cafe owner closer to the killer. Too close in fact!

I won't put any spoilers in here but all that to say that I really enjoyed Book 3 and can't wait for #4 because the ending here has me VERY concerned about a certain character. Yes, this is a very vague review because I so don't want to give anything way but you should read it to find out what I mean. I'm looking forward to reading what everyone in Hobson Glen gets into next!

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Good, solid book. Easy to follow. Would recommend to anyone who likes a thriller or mystery book. Liked the characters and it was difficult to put down!

This is a good solid drama that kept me engaged in all aspect of the telling of this tale. The mystery was nicely executed and I enjoyed the play-by-play interactions of Tish and her cohorts as search for clues.

I had a difficult time rating this book. Ms. Meade earns 4 stars for capturing the setting of Christmastime, having well-developed characters, and a well-paced plot. However, the publisher earns 0 stars for marketing this as a cozy mystery when the subject matter clearly belongs in a disturbing suspense. Cozy mysteries are known for lack of on page violence, lack of vulgarity and sex. Children and animals are ALWAYS sacrosanct. As a result, cozy mystery readers have great expectations about what they will read (or won’t read) when they pick up a book.

In this newest release, Ms. Meade includes some VERY dark subject matter that some readers (myself included) may be sensitive to. This is the first time I’ve ever felt it appropriate to include a **** SPOILER ALERT **** below.

While there are no graphic scenes, the inclusion of the sexual abuse of three underage girls (and one, oh dear God, was only 9 years old!) by a family member, is extremely disturbing. I realize it is a heartbreaking reality for so many innocents but this belongs in a suspense, not a cozy. I went back to the Amazon description for the book thinking I had misinterpreted the genre and the publisher states: “A Christmas culinary cozy full of twists and turns and deliciously dark surprises.” Given the subject matter, I found this at best, highly tasteless. If a publisher wants to stretch the envelope of what to include in a cozy mystery, I believe it’s their obligation to at least warn readers ahead of time when such distressing material is included.

I enjoyed this book much more than the previous books in the series.
A winning combination of a literary and culinary cozy.