This is a fun collection of Christmas Cozy Novellas. Each story is written by a different author and each story is written around a Christmas scarf. I enjoyed reading each of the novellas. All three stories are well written and we get to know little more about our favorite characters from some great cozy mystery series. If you like holiday cozies or any of the authors and their series this is a great book for you.


All thoughts and opinions are my own, I have not been influenced by anyone.

These are my type of cozy mysteries. I love a book of collaboration between authors with short stories in them and this was definitely a good one. I highly recommend it for all those that love a good mystery.

Two things I did not realise when I started this book. Each of the stories is part of a whole other series, none of which I had read. The second is that there were three stories, and each works off of a prompt like in creative writing classes – That of a scarf being involved in the murder at the centre of each plot.

CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
Although I did not know anything about the previous circumstances, when the newly married couple was called to investigate a local almost-burglary at an old age home, I went with them. The story is simple. There was a very random burglary at the old age home, and after the police are called, one of the younger volunteers is found dead with one of the stolen scarfs around his neck.

The reveal was not as much of a surprise since the work the official police (for once) put in meant that we saw all the clues as they became available. There were some undercurrents which would make more sense to people familiar with the history of the town, but overall it was not a bad standalone novella.

SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY
Although I like the title, it does not accurately represent the cause of death. The scarfed-down part would better refer to the central protagonist being someone who runs an eatery. She investigates the murder initially to clear her aunt’s name and later mostly because she has done it before. There are a lot more familial threads in this story, ones that would have worked better with prior knowledge of the town and at least the main inhabitants. This does not work well as a standalone.

The mystery itself was not very intriguing, but the author’s writing style kept me entertained till the end.

DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART
This story had the best plot of the three. Although this is a better standalone than the previous installment, it felt a little quick in getting to the point.

I think the final story would work well for people more accustomed to reading shorter volumes. A universally disliked person is found strangled with a scarf, and that is pretty much the only clue for people to figure out who the perpetrator is.

Overall, this is a simple set of stories which can be read in a few sittings and people can either ignore the backstories or use this as an opportunity to pick up the original series’ based on how they felt about the individual authors’ writing style. I would recommend this book to fans of this genre (and an additional Christmas theme)

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

CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
Siobhan O’Sullivan finds herself in the middle of a holiday murder. She must get this case wrapped up before Christmas.

I love this series and this novella was great.

SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY
Pans ‘N Pancakes is ringing in the holidays with a twelve days of menu specials. When a diner dies while knitting with yarn spun by Aunt Adele, Robbie needs to find out who’s really been naughty,

This is another of my favorite series. It takes place in an area I’m familiar with and I love this part of the state.

DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART
Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at a fundraiser. Pam and her knitting friends must work quickly to unravel this mystery.

Another great series! I love this story as well.

I recommend this book to fans of these authors and those who may not be familiar with them. These novella’s easily stand alone and will suck you into these series.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Great holiday short stories from amazing Cozy Mysteries authors and their existing series. I highly recommend whether you have read the series or not, these read well as standalones and can get you in the holiday mood.

I only read the story by Maddie Day since I have not read anything by the other two authors. I have enjoyed the Country Store Mysteries since book one and I continue to be a fan of her well written mysteries. The characters are well developed and well written.

I really do enjoy reading these cozy anthologies and this one was exceptional i loved all three books (and authors as well) loved the easy to follow mystery in each book even though they kept me guessing which is a good thing!!!! Perfect short mysteries for the holiday season or anytime of year!!! I will highly recommend
Much thanks to #netgalley and #Kingsington for allowing me to read and review this ARC All thoughts and opinions are my own

This book is a collection of three short stories that although they occur in different areas and among different people all have the connection of having murders that occur around Christmastime and have some element of knitting and yarn involved.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading all three of these books and though I understood that all three books were different and written by different authors I was surprised that they flowed together so well.

Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O’Connor - the first story, told an amazing story of a small Irish village affected by a surprising death, robbery, and mystery. I appreciated both the main focus of the story – the murder and the robbery and mystery that affected an elderly home in the small village of Kilbane, but also the background story of Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan and her new husband and siblings navigating their first Christmas together in a house of her own. When reading this short story I felt that I could really understand Siobhan’s thinking and reasoning and how she solved the murder but also understood her motivations based on her life and history.

Scarfed Down by Maddie Day - set in South Lick, Indiana this story tells the tale of a woman Aunt Adele, being falsely accused of murder by yarn and the woman who makes it her mission to acquit her and find the truth, Robbie Jordan. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the mystery that surrounded this murder such as the methods used and how Aunt Adele came to be accused. Day really developed the characters and their backstories in a way that made them feel like real people, and I really appreciated and enjoyed the diversity of the characters.

Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart - was my favorite short story of the three, and one that kept me gripping the edge of my seat until the end. I enjoyed this book so much because I couldn’t figure out who the killer was until the end of the book and as Bettina and Pamela were discovering their clues and figuring out who the killer was and their motivations so was I, it was like an adventure with the characters. Every page grabbed my attention until the very end.

Overall, I enjoyed all three stories. One of my favorite additions to all three were the recipes and projects at the end that all related to things that were in the stories. My favorite recipe was the “Roasted Chicken and Pears” recipe from Scarfed Down by Christmas. It was a hit and I am excited to make it again!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves murder mysteries and Christmas and wants a fun and intriguing read around the holidays. I’m looking forward to reading more books by all three authors.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

This is book # 8.5 in the Irish Village Mystery series. It has 3 short stories revolving around Christmas. I enjoy stories that revolve around homemade gifts and the holidays. All thriee of these hit the mark for me. All three are easy to read and stand alone worthy. A nice addition to your holiday library.
CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
When grinchy thefts steal the good cheer at a local nursing home, Siobhan O’Sullivan manages to identify one missing item before Kilbane, Ireland’s Christmas tractor parade—a hideous shamrock scarf wrapped around a very dead body. Now, with her holiday farmhouse bash approaching, Siobhan must dash to stop a deadly Secret Santa from gifting another unwanted surprise.

SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY
It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas at Pans ‘N Pancakes, as twelve days of menu specials dazzle hungry locals. But the festivities go cold the instant a diner dies while knitting a brilliant green scarf. With Aunt Adele tied into a murder investigation, it’s all on Robbie Jordan to find out who’s really been naughty or nice in South Lick, Indiana.

DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART
Suspects pile up faster than New Jersey snow when frosty-tempered Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. Between a winning bidder hiding behind the alias “S. Claws” and a victim who deserved coal in her stocking, can Pamela Paterson and the crafty Knit and Nibble ladies freeze a killer’s merry murder plot?

I always enjoy these anthologies and this one did not disappoint. All three stories were different and enjoyable. They are perfect reads during the busy Holiday Season. Each one had a cozy Holiday background with fun characters. The mysteries were good with plenty of suspects and motives. The first story had the most complex mystery, the second story had a unique murder weapon and the third had lots of Christmas Spirit. Enjoy

In this delightful set of Christmas themed novellas, a scarf plays a key role in each crime.
Kilbane, Ireland’s Christmas tractor parade is tainted when a rider is killed while wearing a very long shamrock scarf. Garda Siobhan must find the killer & solve a rash of thefts at a long-term care home before Christmas plans are ruined. At Pans ‘N Pancakes, the Christmas festivities are dimmed when owner Robbie Jordan learns that a diner dies while knitting a green scarf. Since her Aunt Adele's tainted yarn is used in the crime, Robbie is determined to clear her name & find the real killer.
And when unpleasant Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf recently auctioned for the Arborville library's funds, Pamela Paterson and the Knit and Nibble ladies are determined to find the culprit.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. This is a collection of three cozy mysteries. I have read most of the books by Carlene O'Connor featuring Siobhan O’Sullivan and her family. This is a great little Christmas mystery. If you have read other books in the series, this is a great companion. The other two stories in this book were just okay. I have read a book from Maddie Day before and I didn’t like it. This story was okay. If you are looking for a quick Christmas cozy mystery, pick this book up.

The blurb pretty much tells you all about the plot in each of these short novellas, so I am not going to expand too much on that, because adding much more would spoil the entire book, but I will try to do my best.

I love Christmas, and I love reading about Christmas. I also love mysteries, so this book was perfect in more ways than one. I could put it down after reading one story and not feel guilty that I had decorating to do, and then pick it up and go on to the next. It also gave me a chance to digest the previous story and gather my thoughts. Since I love all these authors, that didn't hurt, either.

The first story by Ms. O'Connor was definitely my favorite. I don't know if it's the idea of family at Christmas, or just the Irish setting, or even her protagonist's way of thinking; but I loved the way Siobhan came to her conclusion as to whom committed the murder, and why. The entire novella was fun, mostly centering on solving the thefts and the murder, but we did get a glimpse of Siobhan doing was everyone else is doing at Christmas, and that made it more enjoyable for me. The ending wasn't as big a surprise to me, but as I've said on and on, I read a lot of mysteries and am pretty good at figuring out the killer. Still and all, a quite enjoyable read.

The second story also came in second place. Ms. Day's protagonist is a smart woman, and she always shares her information with the police, which I like. None of this 'I'll figure it out before them even if it puts me in danger.' Or, as we also call it, TSTL. When the victim is murdered, it involves her beloved Aunt Adele, and Robbie has no choice but to get involved herself. The information she gleans from locals actually helps, but it isn't until the climax that we get to find out who the real killer is, and the reason for the murder. Of course, a Merry Christmas at the end as we expect.

The third by Ms. Ehrhart is also very good, but I felt that there was so much more extraneous information that wasn't needed, such as what dishes were being used and why (is it really important to the story?) and every food item Pamela bought was organic or special. I would have liked to have a little more of the investigation to go on. However, I do love Bettina's energy and the fact that she and Pamela are the best of friends. They also make the best of sleuths together, too, which is where this story shines. A nice ending to the book.

In the end, this is a very good read for the holiday season and I would definitely recommend it to others.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

This book presents three mystery short stories that each involve a Christmas-themed scarf. I've not anything by Carlene Connor, but her story, Christmas Scarf Murder, features Siobhan O'Sullivan, Garda, and her new husband, Detective Sergeant Macdara. They investigate what appears to be an accidental death involving a scarf and a tractor (yes, that's what I wrote) while they try to celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple. I thought this was the weakest of the three stories. In Scarfed Down by Maddie Day, Robbie Jordan, owner of the Pans 'N Pancakes diner, investigates the sudden death of one of the local knitters who was poisoned by the yarn with which she was knitting Eyes, that's what I wrote). Robbie appealed to this reader more than Siobhan, although the murder in this short story was just as unusual as that in the first short story. By the end of Scarfed Down, I was a little disappointed in the book and not holding out much hope that the third short story wouldn't also involve an almost preposterous murder scenario. Imagine my surprise when the third story turned out to be Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart. I've enjoyed the Pamela Paterson books I've read, and this short story is a lovely visit with our friends of her knitting group in Arborville. A scarf knitted for the library auction is found at a murder scene, and Pamela and her friends swing into action to solve the whodunnit.

Stocking stuffers like handknit scarves make the coziest of Christmas gifts—unless they’re used as accessories for murder! This book is a bundle of three different Christmas cozy mysteries by three amazing authors: Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart.
These mysteries are short, but complete with interesting characters, suspenseful plots, and settings that give you the Christmas Spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I recommend it highly. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

An excellent book contains three novels from different authors, perfect for reading if you want something to warm you up for the holiday spirit. It’s about a mysterious murder that happened because of a Christmas scarf. It is perfect for mystery and holiday fiction fans out there.

Thank you, NetGalley, publisher, and author, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I do enjoy reading Kensington's cozy mystery holiday anthologies and Christmas Scarf Murder was another fun book. It consisted of three stories that all had Christmas Scarves used in the murder or as a major clue. CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR found thefts occurring at a nursing home. One of the items stolen was a shamrock scarf which was found wrapped around the neck of a dead body. Siobhan O’Sullivan has to find out who the killer is before someone else dies. SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY has a customer die in Pans ‘N Pancakes while knitting a scarf. Aunt Adele is a suspect, so Robbie has to find out who the real killer is. Finally in DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART, Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. The winner of the scarf bid using an alias, so that doesn't give any clues. There were several suspects to check out and the Knit and Nibble ladies have lots to investigate.

Christmas Scarf Murder was my favourite of the three, with some great characters, especially the residents of the nursing home. The dialogue was well written and entertaining and the ending was well plotted and exciting. Scarfed Down was a close second with some of my favourite cozy mystery characters. I love the down home wisdom, comments and friendships with Robbie Jordan and her friends and family. Buck is always good for a laugh. There was a lot of Christmas cheer and although there was a showdown to catch the killer, it was a good, safe conclusion for all. I'm not a big fan of the A Knit & Nibble Mystery series, so it is no surprise that this was my least favourite of the stories. Death by Christmas Scarf took us to Arborville NJ with Pamela and her Knit and Nibble ladies. This story had a lot of suspects as the victim was not well liked at all. There were a lot of Christmas festivities mixed in with the investigation and after solving the case there was another get together complete with lots of gossip and food. I always enjoy how these stories time together with a theme or item and Christmas Scarf Murder did a great job with that.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Cute cover on this one!

I look forward every year to these Christmas themed cozy novellas!

<b>CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR</b> ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoy the <b>Irish Village Mystery Series</b> and this short story had all the ingredients I love in a holiday themed cozy mystery. It was suitibly festive. A beautiful setting. Had an engaging mystery. Likable characters, and a bonus recipe (or two 🤔).

<b>SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY</b> ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was another short story hit with me. As with the first story it was festive. The mystery was engaging. The characters likable, and more yummy sounding recipes. 👍🏻👍🏻

<b>DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART</b> ⭐⭐⭐

This one was my least favorite of the bunch. I just didn't find it as engaging as the other two. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Princess Fuzzypants here: What a clever and entertaining idea. Three popular authors take their much loved characters on romps in novellas that share a theme. Christmas scarves. These lovely festive accessories become lethal and are used for murder and mayhem. Two of the tales involve storylines I never miss and the third one is a series I dip into on occasion. But I may need to get into it more frequently because I discovered I enjoyed this story very much.

All three are clever in the way they commit the murders and in the way they are solved. All three are true to the style with which the series are written. I am also fond of short stories- or as they are often called now, novellas. It allows the reader to enjoy a bite sized story in one sitting easily. And with three different choices, you are bound to find one that tinkles your Christmas bells. Five purrs and two paws up.