This book is SO GOOD! It is mysterious, full of twists and turns, suspenseful, keeps you guessing, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Death on a Winter Stroll", I was whisked away, put on my sleuthing hat, and found myself immersed in this book.

Francine Mathews is such a PHENOMENAL author! Her writing is visceral and detailed, and she seamlessly weaves together the various puzzle pieces of her mystery, and this book truly is impossible to put down!

When politicians come to Nantucket, as does filming for a TV-series, and two murders occur close to one another, Police Chief Meredith Folger and Detective Howie Seitz must find out who committed the crimes, and if they are connected. And, if so, how? You will just have to read to find out.

Nantucket is a character in its own right as well!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Austenprose PR, Soho Crime, and Francine Mathews for the e-ARC of this book, and for having me on the book tour**! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

**I was part of the book tour for this book through Austenprose PR last year. This review is separate from my tour stop itself. For my tour stop, I did a Book Tour Spotlight for this book on November 18th of last year (2022)!

In Shelf Awareness for Readers, Jan 6, 2023:

Death on a Winter Stroll, the seventh volume in the Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery series by Francine Mathews (Too Bad to Die), brings Christmas tidings and a murder or two to the small island of Nantucket. After several years of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nantucket is ready to bring back the popular Christmas Stroll and transform the island's Main Street into a winter wonderland. But the Stroll is not the only thing coming to Nantucket: a film production takes up residence on the island, with a large crew of A-list actors among the group; the secretary of state is visiting her vacation home; and a famous Instagram nature photographer is living--or possibly squatting--in a closed-up cabin. When the photographer winds up dead, soon followed by a member of the film crew, the recently promoted Chief Merry Folger is called to figure out what has happened in the usually serene beach destination she calls home.

Given the exceptionally large cast of characters in Mathews's ambitious mystery, it's no surprise that it takes time to get the lay of the land: who knew each other before they all arrived on the island, who denies knowing each other and whose secrets are relevant to the murders. Once these pieces come together, the novel proves a captivating whodunit, with plenty of clues and red herrings planted along the way for readers to untangle alongside Merry Folger. Death on a Winter Stroll, steeped in the "salt spray, damp sod, marsh" environment of Nantucket, is a seasonal cozy that will be best read by a fire with a warm beverage in hand. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

I did not finish this book due to the adult language. It was my mistake not to examine this novel more closely when being offered it.

Winter Stroll is a beloved holiday tradition on Nantucket, but after the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, Police Chief Merry Folger is acutely aware of both the promise and stress this holiday can bring to an isolated island. This year, Merry is trying to manage the expectations of locals, keep an eye on a Hollywood contingency that has newly arrived, keep track of senior US politicians, and now get to the bottom of mysterious deaths that seems connected to everyone on the island.

This was the perfect read for cold winter weather! I was worried at first that the large number of characters and points of view would confuse me, especially as I haven’t read any of the author’s works previously, but I found it didn’t take long to follow the storyline or the various people and their motivations. Without having ever visited Nantucket, I felt a strong sense of place as the author described the many locations throughout the story. Mathews did an excellent job creating empathetic characters and a mystery that I needed to figure out as quickly as possible!

Thank you to NetGalley, Austen Prose PR, Soho Press, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

There’s always a little thrill of excitement that courses through me when I pick up a new to me series by an author with whom I’m happily familiar. Francine Mathews writes the clever and engaging historical Jane Austen Mysteries and I have long planned to pick up her contemporary Merry Folger Nantucket mysteries. With the added incentive of wintry holiday festivities as backdrop for a murder investigation, I got under my throw beside a cozy fire and let the book take me on the Winter Stroll and into a diverting mystery.

Meet the Players

The Covid 19 pandemic shut down has just lifted. People are returning to their traditions including the new US president who came to Nantucket for his Christmas holidays. To accommodate the President wish that his new Secretary of State, Janet McKay, show she’s big on family togetherness, she has assembled an entourage including husband Ron, his son, Ansel, and her assistant, Micheline. As they land on Nantucket with gritted smiles and forced togetherness, Janet, the consummate career woman is prepared to show a good face as a family woman come home for the holidays. Ron will help, but Ance’s oddities have her a little nervous. Ominously, she thinks:

“A few days of cheer. Of family and relaxation. She would have to survive them somehow.” (15)

At the same time, Hollywood A list action star Chris Candler and his gorgeous daughter, Winter, arrive on Nantucket to join wealthy backer, Vic Sonnenfield and his wife, Carly who is making a police procedural series starring Chris, and the newly arrived Marni LeGuin with her dresser, Theo. Chris’ wife recently committed suicide and he hopes this trip will help Winter because he can tell that even with the therapy for her eating disorder, something else has her troubled. Undercurrents are already flowing viciously as the players eye their nearest and dearest as well as the rest of the actors and staff.

“And not to fret. If Vic tries anything in the night, I’ll kill him, shall I?” Marni’s stomach swooped to her knees. What did Theo know?” (22)

Not far away a reclusive bird enthusiast, photographer, and Instagram influencer is living on a derelict property biding her time photographing the local flora and fauna while seeming to be waiting for something to happen.

Festive Stroll and VIP Visitors Intersect

“Every third person in the crowd—and there were about ten thousand people in town jockeying for the best viewing spots—was dressed in ways bizarre or wonderful. The color and noise and exuberance were thrilling after the cheerless quarantine holidays, and Merry was grinning helplessly…The Town Crier hailed the boat, Santa waved, horns blared, the drum corps drummed. Merry and Peter and John whooped along with everyone else” (70-71)

Ansel and Winter, meeting and hitting it off, sharing burdens and therapy, were a bright spot in the murky landscape of murder that appeared about halfway into the book after all the character intros and murder plot set up occurred in a montage of shifting points of view.

“Ansel swallowed. ‘I don’t know why I said that. It may not even be true. My dad’s lied to me a lot.’ ‘My dad doesn’t,’ she said simply. ‘That’s why I love him. But yours told you your mother was dead?’ He nodded” (76)

Death Drops in for the Holidays

Sheriff Merry Folger and, particularly her husband Peter, share the spotlight with newly made detective, Howie Seitz. When the first death is reported, Merry gives the case to Howie and steps in to tag team with him when the Secretary of State’s party start throwing their status around and then the second death is discovered soon after with too much coincidence for them not to think the deaths are connected.

Like a tried-and-true detective mystery, Merry and Howie interview the witnesses, sift evidence, catch some discrepancies, or out and out lies, and go back to the group of witnesses and suspects to edge steadily closer to the truth. There were almost as many motives and opportunities as characters.

Surprises and Plot Twists

Francine Mathews made the characters and their situations, even the unlikeable characters personable, so I was able to connect with the story. I liked how there were several surprises in the plot twists, but also in some characters that I didn’t necessarily like in the beginning. The big money moment had me flipping pages rapidly hoping Merry and Howie would figure it out in time and the denouement brought it to a satisfactory end.

Strolling Away Satisfied

And, so, my first venture into the Merry Folger series was filled with layered, complex characters, a well-drawn Nantucket holiday time backdrop rich in local culture and tradition. It was seated in a clear-eyed contemporary Covid environment down to the protocol, worries and loss attached to the pandemic, a solid murder mystery plot, and good detective work building steadily to a smashing finish. Easy, entertaining, and engaging from cover to cover. Do yourself a solid and get it on Santa’s list.

Today I’m part of the Austenprose Blog Tour for Francine Mathews’ Death on a Winter Stroll. This was a well-written and well-plotted mystery, taking place on Nantucket at Christmas time.

Here’s the overview:

Publisher: Soho Press

Date of Publication: November 1, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Mystery, Detective Mysteries, Holiday Mysteries

BOOK DESCRIPTION

No-nonsense Nantucket detective Merry Folger grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and two murders as the island is overtaken by Hollywood stars and DC suits.
Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger is acutely conscious of the stress COVID-19 has placed on the community she loves. Although the island has proved a refuge for many during the pandemic, the cost to Nantucket has been high. Merry hopes that the Christmas Stroll, one of Nantucket’s favorite traditions, in which Main Street is transformed into a winter wonderland, will lift the island’s spirits. But the arrival of a large-scale TV production, and the Secretary of State and her family, complicates matters significantly.

The TV shoot is plagued with problems from within, as a shady, power-hungry producer clashes with strong-willed actors. Across Nantucket, the Secretary’s troubled stepson keeps shaking off his security detail to visit a dilapidated house near conservation land, where an intriguing recluse guards secrets of her own. With all parties overly conscious of spending too much time in the public eye and secrets swirling around both camps, it is difficult to parse what behavior is suspicious or not—until the bodies turn up.

Now, it’s up to Merry and Detective Howie Seitz to find a connection between two seemingly unconnected murders and catch the killer. But when everyone has a motive, and half of the suspects are politicians and actors, how can Merry and Howie tell fact from fiction?

This latest installment in critically acclaimed author Francine Mathews’ Merry Folger series is an immersive escape to festive Nantucket, a poignant exploration of grief as a result of parental absence, and a delicious new mystery to keep you guessing.

Thank you for making me part of the tour and for my copy!

What is the last book you read that kept you up too late? Death on a Winter Stroll is a gripping story that definitely kept me up too late on a work night. I was so immersed in the story; I couldn’t put it down until I finished.

Nantucket has a beloved traditional Christmas Stroll. Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger has her hands full with the community coming back for the stroll after the COVID-19 pandemic and also the Secretary of State visiting during this time. There is also a new show being filmed at a Nantucket estate as well. When first one and then two murder victims appear that were killed with the same type of weapon, Chief Folger and new Detective Howie Seitz are on the case. How are the two cases related and who has the motive to want two very different people dead?

The start of this novel had a great build-up. All of the characters were introduced and their various reasons for being on Nantucket. Nantucket itself was vividly described and may now be on my list of places I would love to visit at Christmas. The two characters I found myself intrigued with were Ansel McKay and Winter Candler. Ansel’s stepmother is the Secretary of State. He is a troubled young man that has just gone through rehab and is trying to find his path forward in life. He is able to slip off on his own to finally meet his biological mother. He also meets Winter Candler. Her father is a famous star filming his come back on the island. Winter is struggling with her mother’s suicide and her own eating disorder. She is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. The two young people bond and have a great relationship. I liked that two lonely people were able to make a great connection.

I enjoyed the mystery, and I wasn’t sure myself who the murderer was until the very end. I kept thinking I knew the answer, but I was wrong. I love when I can’t figure out the killer, but that it all does make sense once you know who it is.

Death on a Winter Stroll is the 7th book of the Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery series. This is the first one I have read in the series. It worked as a standalone novel, but I do wonder about the history of Merry Folger and want to read more in the series. I love the Being a Jane Austen mysteries series written by Francine Matthews under the pen name Stephanie Barron.

Review Copy from Soho Crime as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Nantucket, Massachusetts has a yearly tradition called Winter Stroll. It’s kind of the start to their Christmas season. There’s even a parade that welcomes in Santa! It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year! This year, however, two people are found murdered during Winter Stroll. Police Chief Merry Folger and Detective Howie Seitz try to piece together the events of the previous few days to find the murderer. It’s proving difficult, though, with the Secretary of State visiting and a movie production crew shooting a movie in town.

It has been a while since I’ve read a great murder mystery, so I was super excited to read this book. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I had some ideas on how it might play out, but it kept me guessing until the end. Ms. Mathews’ writing sucked me in and kept me turning pages.

I liked the character development in this book. Ms. Mathews did a good job making each character unique and authentic. Each character has a unique voice and has strengths and weaknesses, which allows him or her to feel more realistic. One thing I struggled with was keeping track so many characters.

Ms. Mathews skillfully described and detailed the setting of the story in Nantucket, Massachusetts. I felt as if I were there, walking the streets during the Winter Stroll celebration. I could feel the brisk cold and the excitement in the air.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Death on a Winter Stroll! It was the perfect winter, read by the fire, cuddled in my Minky book. It’s rated R, recommended for 18 years old and up, and I gave it 4/5 stars.

Can the removal of a villain justify any else wrongdoing …

I confess I had some doubts when I was offered this book to read, I am a historical romance reader first and historical mystery reader second, so a contemporary mystery is no usually on my menu.
Plus this book being the seventh, when reading a mystery series with returning characters, I do like to have some background to hold on them.
So I opened this book with aplenty of questions even before digging into the murder investigation.

So first be prepared for the wide range of characters from the series’s name heroine and her team to the filming crew and then the politician visitors.
In all, it was absolutely what I expected, first the murder only occurs after the first third of the book, and the title’s character is starred like any of the other protagonists, so not knowing much about Merry Folger did not really matter. The few insights offered along the pages were enough to satisfy my curiosity.
As with so many voices, I was quite entertained at following the various relationships unravel, at some friendship coming to fruition or being strengthened, old secrets being aired while threats are launched with masks falling revealing the villains behind them.
The investigation, once all the suspects, their schedules and reasons to want the victims ill, is rather quickly wrapped as the unmasking of the culprit is rapidly done, but it is the marks this affair will put on the lives of people left behind that had me wondering about the future for some of them.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none

I have been granted an advance copy by the author and Austenprose, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Police Chief Merry Folger is used to the logistical hassle of high-profile politicians spending Christmas on Nantucket. Unfortunately, this year the holidays will include not only the Secretary of State and her family but a Hollywood film crew--and a couple of dead bodies.

Grudges galore and shifting points of view yield abundant suspects for this evenly-paced, traditional murder mystery. With echoes of the COVID-19 pandemic and the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, DEATH ON A WINTER STROLL juxtaposes timely explorations of grief and trauma with a charming Nantucket Christmas backdrop for a satisfying, suspenseful read with moderate edginess. No need to have read the previous books in this series to jump right in with this one!

Christmas, murder, politics, and Hollywood combine in this contemporary mystery from bestselling author Francine Mathews.

After reading Jane and the Year Without a Summer from the Jane Austen Mystery series (published under the pen name Stephanie Barron), I became a big fan of Francine Mathews.

So even though I don’t read much contemporary detective fiction (except for cozy and romance), I wanted to try Death on a Winter Stroll. It’s book seven in the Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery Series, but it works as a standalone.

Thankfully, the book was a pleasant surprise. While I don’t read the genre regularly, I frequently watch mystery series – from the cozy to the gritty. I love a good intelligent mystery to solve!

This book felt like one of those shows. It has the grit and small-town feel of shows like Broadchurch or Mare of Easttown with numerous suspects. The book also has a fascinating protagonist, detective Merry Folger. There is a hint of romance too.

And with the added appeal of actors, filmmakers, and politicians as characters (and suspects), not to mention Christmas in Nantucket, it’s hard not to enjoy this fast-paced holiday read!

The characters are fleshed out, the prose from Mathews engaging, and the mystery compelling.

Now, I must warn there is some strong language in this book, and it does live in the real pandemic world, so if you’re looking for a complete escape, be aware.

Overall, Death on a Winter Stroll is an exciting, thrilling page-turner full of captivating characters and an intriguing mystery perfect for Christmas.

Content Note: The book is a contemporary read with some strong language, innuendo, and murders – although not graphically depicted. Trigger warnings: A character realistically deals with an eating disorder. And there are descriptions of assault and harassment.

ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION:

Death on a Winter Stroll would work amazingly as one season of a TV series about the no-nonsense detective, Merry Folger, solving cases. I know I’d watch it!

(Disclosure: I received a free copy from the publisher and Austenprose PR via NetGalley. This book review is my honest opinion.)

What a delightful read! I'm new to Francine Mathews's writing and this was a wonderful introduction.

I admit, I was wary going in: this was the first Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery for me; since the series is up to seven books, I was worried I'd be lost in the narrative. Secondly, it was clear this would have a Covid presence and I've got no desire to read that at this point.

My fears turned out to be unfounded. Though I'm eager to read this series from the beginning now, Death on a Winter Stroll (Soho Books, November 1, 2022) is perfect as a standalone. And I also appreciated how well Mathews wove the pandemic into the narrative. It felt natural and not at all as annoying as some other current novels. Indeed, all of this read like real life. a credit to Mathews lyrical writing.

So then, how were the characters? AWFUL but in a very fleshed out realistic way. And I don't mean this in any disrespectful way. We're dealing with Hollywood elites and politicians at the heart of this murder mystery, and Mathews creates some real villains here, but also compassionate and down to earth people and the voice of each sparkles. Mary Alice is a favorite and her newfound relationship with Ansel is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. This is some of the most gorgeous writing I've read recently. The setting is so clear--you can smell the beach, see the sparkle of Christmas lights and feel the marsh between your toes.

I'll certainly be revisiting Nantucket and the Merry Folger series!

Thank you to Soho Books and Austenprose PR for giving me the opportunity to read this book as part of the blog tour for its release.

The latest offering in “A Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery" series, “Death on a Winter Stroll” is a multi-layered intrigue. Bestselling author Francine Mathews ramps up the tension from page one, introducing a large and diverse cast of Hollywood elite, Washington DC power players, and some seemingly lost souls. One murder on posh, historic, and curious Nantucket is unexpected, but two on the isolated island seems as unprecedented as the COVID-19 pandemic the world has only emerged from.

The clues seemed perplexing red herrings, and as Sheriff Merry Folger and new detective Howie Seitz uncover the evidence, I tried to decipher the mystery alongside them.

“She picked up her phone and called a number she memorized years ago, to the summer house of a long-lost friend, who had lived with her grandmother on Hulbert Avenue each July and August. A woman who would never take her calls if they popped up on her secure cellphone—but who might just pick up a landline. Because only people she trusted knew how to call it.”

While many whodunnits often are told through one limited viewpoint, “Death on a Winter Stroll” is seen through many lenses. Of course, I had my favorite characters, ever hopeful they weren’t “the” bad actors, so to speak.

“‘Here I was resenting your spa day,’ she exulted, ‘and all the time you were thinking of me.’

‘I have loved none but you. For you alone I think and plan,’ he proclaimed. ‘Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” Wentworth’s letter. Like you, Poppet, a classic.’” —movie star Marni LeGuin and her dresser, Theo Patel

Yet the more I discovered the intricacies of each character, the less I knew who to trust. Even when the surprising killer was exposed, the inspired and authentic character arcs endured to the satisfying ending.

“His parents wanted him to get a degree; he wanted to paint. The pandemic had made it easy to avoid going back to college, all that remote learning. He realized he’d been acting like Mary Alice: hiding in plain sight, concentrating on what he could see. She used a lens to hyperfocus; he used a brush. Both of them missed what went on outside their careful frames. That felt safe to Ansel. But it wasn’t a life.”

The bold and sophisticated plot of “Death on a Winter Stroll” is skillfully executed—a perfect mystery to settle in with a warm cuppa during the holiday season or the coming winter. As a longtime fan of all Francine Mathews' aka Stephanie Barron's world-building research and deft writing, I expected nothing less.

Reviewed at Amazon — waiting for it to post. 11/27/2022
Scheduled to post at blog for blog tour 11/28/2022. https://www.thequillink.com/blog

Police Chief Merry Folger’s life and work on Nantucket is anything but quiet. Her town, like everywhere around the world, is bouncing back from the pandemic, and they are not quite prepared for the newest influx of island visitors.

Not only is there a large crowd from Hollywood filming on the island, the U. S. Secretary of State and his wife and difficult stepson are there as well. Quarantine wasn’t easy, and with all the new people suddenly flocking to the island, permanent residents are not happy. To really complicate things, the female lead in the Hollywood production is murdered.

Merry’s job of discovering the murderer is not easy, as the list of suspects is long. Howie Seitz, one of Merry’s detectives, is leading the investigation, leaving Merry to another matter. When a woman is found dead who had been living in what was thought to be an abandoned house, Merry is determined to find out who she was and how she came to be living in the house. More than that, her manner of death is concerning to Merry.

Although this is the seventh book in a series, I had not read the previous titles. Although it took a few pages to get to know Merry, the story flowed easily from there. Along with Merry and Howie as excellent protagonists, I enjoyed the two younger people in the story as well. They were the murdered lady’s son Ansel and Winter, the daughter of the lead actor in the production. They had deeper problems that were explored in this mystery, all while the investigations into the two deaths that were likely connected went on. Factoring in the effects COVID-19 had on so many lives gave another layer to this story.

This intriguing story definitely caught my attention as it was well executed as well as entertaining and left me guessing. I definitely am looking forward to book eight in the series, as well as finding time to read the previous titles.

Many thanks to Soho Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/seSU0jMq_Kc

Death on a Winter Stroll by Francine Mathews has all the ingredients for a great mystery. This is the seventh book in A Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery Book Series. The book contains politics, Hollywood and of course murder.

The main protagonists are Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger and her sidekick Detective Howie Seitz. The plot is of course a murder mystery involving a woman, artist Blyth Fitzpatrick, who has come back to Nantucket, no one knows she is there except her estranged son, Ansel, finds her. She is an artist who because she is dying has come back just to be defiant against her ex-husband, The house she came back to had actually been in her family, but her ex decided to take it from her in their divorce and let it go into ruin. When she is murdered, the suspects include her ex and son.

A lead actress who along with her fellow actors are on Nantucket to film a tv show. Lots of people could want her dead and it is up to Chief Merry and Howie to find the murderer. There are a lot of tourists there as it is the time of year for the Winter Stroll, a time before the holidays that is very popular on Nantucket where the streets are festive in preparation for the holidays.

When the husband of the producer of the tv series goes missing and found murdered, Merry and Howie now have to figure out the connection of the three dead people. Two of them were killed in the same manner, shot with a shotgun. It becomes apparent that the people involved are good at keeping secrets.

This is a character driven novel, in that the reader learns about all the Hollywood people, the US Secretary of State, who is the wife of the ex-husband of one of the victims. They each have their own story to tell. Some readers may object to the language in the book, I did not think it was enough to deter me from reading the book. It is a part of life, people swear. There are a few triggers that may offend or upset some readers. Those being drug abuse, eating disorders, suicide.

That said, I really enjoyed this book. I had had trouble getting the book on my Kindle but once I did, I had to read it. I love a good murder mystery, I liked most of the characters and it was a pretty fast read. I think if you are a fan of Francine Mathews, then you really need to read this installment. This is the first I have actually read by this author so I will definitely be reading more.

I give it 5 stars!

Death on a Winter's Stroll is a multi-layered mystery set in Nantucket. There are many players and points of view which adds to the twists and turns in the story.

There are so many seemingly unrelated characters that somehow come together to create this intriguing mystery.

I will admit, initially I was lost. The story didn't give much away. However, once the layers started to reveal themselves, I was sucked into the mystery and found myself trying to figure it out. There were clues, but they weren't obvious. It was thoroughly well done.

It is hard to describe the different angles and different suspects. Some fit in my narrative I was creating and some didn't but that was what made it a good read. I am impressed with our detective and with the story in general. The story is set right after Thanksgiving as Nantucket invites Christmas.

The only caveat that I will inform followers about is several instances of the "f-bomb" for those who are sensitive to language.

I received an early copy through the publisher and this is my honest review.

Death on a Winter Stroll was part of a blog tour, with a spotlight and excerpt provided. The Nantucket setting along with the popular traditional Christmas Stroll adds to the mystery surrounding murders in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. A great gift for fans of Francine Mathew's Merry Folger Mystery series.

This was my first book by Francine Mathews and going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The mystery was compelling with plenty of twists and turns and multiple suspects. The setting was unique in that it all takes place on the small island of Nantucket at Christmas time.

While I found the mystery interesting, I just couldn’t get past all the swearing. I can handle a little bit of mild swearing, but I don’t enjoy reading the “F” word frequently. If you don’t mind this, you might like this book. It was also difficult to like many of the characters. You have the two most unlikable groups of people: politicians and Hollywood people. The only bright spots for me were Winter, the daughter of an actor and Ansel, the stepson of the Secretary of State.

The plot basically revolves around two seemingly unrelated murders, both taking place during the busy holiday season on the island. One of the victims is a truly unlikable dirty old man and Hollywood mogul who abuses his power. There are many who might have wanted him dead and the author does a fantastic job setting up the suspects and motivations. The killer was actually a surprise.

While it wasn’t quite my cup of tea, other mystery readers might enjoy this. There are some adult themes in this book that might be triggering for some readers including drug abuse, parental abandonment, eating disorders, sexual abuse, and mentions of suicide. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

To be completely clear here this was the first book in the series that I read… Chaos reader at my heart. But, at no point in my jumping into the series on book 7 was I utterly confused or lost. I fully recognize that there were probably call backs to the previous books, but they went over my head and nonetheless I really, really enjoyed reading this book.

I am typically a romance reader, but I do love a good mystery now and then. This was great. It was more of a modern take, bringing in some of the chaos of covid-19 and everything that went with it. This was my first book that I’ve read that included this in it and it was well done. It’s always a touchy thing to bring up events so soon, but I liked how Matthews weaved it into her story.

On to the mystery, it was very entertaining to read this book. I picked it up on Sunday morning and was finished before dinner. I couldn’t put it down. The need to know what was going to happen next and the who-done-it I couldn’t get away from. The characters were compelling and complex, which with the addition of the plot made for the best read. I really grew to like Meredith and definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series.

Do I wish that I had read this next to a burning fire with a cup of hot chocolate? Yes. But even without my perfect little set up this book was definitely a pleasant surprise for me!!

If you want a well written and enjoyable mystery with an air of politics and filming chaos, I highly recommend this book! I am seriously still so amazed how fast I went through it, a compliment to Matthew’s adept writing skills.

Someone reached out to me to see if I’d read this. I should have asked for more details. The amount of swearing was not for me and I didn’t finish it.