Maine landscaper Kinsley Clark becomes the main suspect after an alderman falls off a pier and it’s discovered that it was no accident. This is the second in the Mainely Murder series. I liked it but I think to really get the most from it I’d have to read the first book first. But it’s a fun Christmas caper and I enjoyed it enough to be interested in the series.

This Christmas cozy mystery takes the reader to the seaside setting of Harborside, Maine where the holidays are falling on the cozy town nestled on the Atlantic coast. I could practically feel the cold, salty air on my face reading it!

Kinsley Clark is a landscape artist and owner of SeaScapes, a landscaping business that she runs from the cottage behind the Salty Breeze Inn owned by her Aunt Tilly. Kinsley is gathering her friends around to help her make the annual kissing balls the decorate Harborside just in time for the holidays. Kissing Balls are clusters of evergreen branches tied together with twine and decorated with other holiday items such as bows or pinecones. While they were originally meant to bring good will to those who walk under them, they are also sometimes thought to symbolize romantic love.

Kinsley’s best friend Becca joins her part time during her slow season to help with with the kissing balls and holiday decorations Harborside hired Kinsley to create. In addition, her crush Pete—who owns the Blue Lobstah Pub—is helping. Kinsley and Pete are flirting around the idea of a romantic relationship but aren’t ready to address it yet (particularly since Pete’s busy work schedule keeps leading him to send mixed signals). But perhaps a perfect moment under a kissing ball could help? Only time will tell!

Meanwhile, the owner of the local flower shop donated the holly branches for the kissing balls. Her husband, Chris, is a town Alderman and is generally considered quite grumpy (even abrasive) around town. When he tells Kinsley off for charging the town for the kissing balls, Kinsley defends her business but also worries that maybe she took advantage of Mallory’s generosity by accepting the donated items. Still, Chris is pushing to get the town to hire a different company for their year-round decorating, which would put a huge dent in Kinsley’s business.

When it’s time for the annual boat parade and fireworks to kick off, Chris is dressed (rather appropriately) as the Grinch—green face and all! But when it is discovered that someone has pushed Chris into the icy water to his death, Kinsley suddenly has a motive for murder. Fortunately for Kinsley, Chris had many enemies and she’s not the only one with a motive (not to mention Kinsley has an alibi for the murder). When one of the bartenders at Pete’s pub and Kinsley’s friend Raven is arrested for the murder, Kinsey and Becca are determined to help solve the case.

The setting was delightful and I loved learning about kissing balls, which is a holiday decoration I recognized but didn’t know the history of. Harborside is a charming town and I could picture how lovely it must be, particularly over the holidays. Kinsley and Becca were a fun duo to read about, and Kinsley is heavily embedded in the middle of a will-they-won’t-they storyline with Pete throughout the book.

There were plenty of suspects that made sense for the murder, which kept the mystery interesting. The resolution was entertaining though not overly groundbreaking. I liked that Kinsley’s brother Kyle was around in this mystery. He had recently come home on leave from the Air Force where he was stationed overseas. Kinsley’s parents died in an accident on a military base when Kinsley and Kyle were children, so this was a touching “home for the holidays” storyline that added some much-needed depth to Kinsley as a character.

This fell on the very light side of cozy mysteries and I enjoyed it. I do think that the series needs a bit more in the next book to really pop. This is a lovely Christmas cozy mystery in a fun series that is still in its early books.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Murder Under the Mistletoe: A Mainely Murder Mystery
By Sherry Lynn
Berkley
November 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

The town of Harborside, Maine is gearing up for the Christmas season, and SeaScapes landscaping business owner Kinsley Clark has been hired by the town to decorate the streets with greenery and her hand-crafted herbal kissing balls. She’s even helping former Bostonian Pete O’Rourke create a massive lobster trap “tree” for his Blue Lobstah tavern, and Kinsley can’t deny the appeal of his charming accent. Less attractive is alderman Chris Chesterfield, who angrily confronts Kinsley over his wife’s donating – instead of selling at a profit – supplies from her floral shop. The Grinch-like behavior suits the Grinch costume he wears for the boat parade, but even his grouchy attitude and booziness didn’t have anyone prepared to spot his body floating in the bay. It’s quickly discovered that his death was not an accident, with clues being a scarf and a bottle of Grey Goose used as a murder weapon.

That whiskey bottle leads police to Pete’s tavern, where Chris’s combative behavior led to an altercation with another businessman. Kinsley’s own recent argument with Chris means that she is questioned by Detective Rachel Hayes, who rather awkwardly is the ex-girlfriend of Kinsey’s brother. It just so happens that Kyle Clark has arrived home for a surprise visit, taking leave from his military assignment in Germany. Working in the Air Force has allowed him to look further in the death of both their parents, and Kyle has recently learned that their military positions were not what they had been told. While Kinsley may not be ready to delve much deeper into what she had thought was a tragic accident, she is more than willing to help her friends before one of them spends their Christmas in jail. Along with her longtime friend and now temporary employee Becca, the women rather indiscreetly interrogate Harborside locals and even conduct borderline break-and-entering.

This second in the series is a very light-hearted character-driven novel perfect for readers looking to immerse themselves in a cozy Christmas mystery. Chris Chesterfield is the embodiment of a villain deserving to meet an early end, with his lack of generosity at a peak during the holiday season. A bad neighbor in every sense, his poorly trained dog not only attacked another, Chris refused to accept responsibility or pay for the resulting veterinarian bills. It’s no wonder that his wife was seen being a little too cozy with Chris’s brother just days after she became a widow. A death-defying car chase in the snow leads to a surprising conclusion, but the mystery of Kinsley’s parents is still left open for further pursuit. This is a fun and entertaining read to curl up with under the covers or to be adventurous with and try out one of the recipes or instructions on building “Kissing Balls.” Mistletoe, a nefarious toy voice modulator, and a treat for dog lovers make this a lovely mystery featuring an abundance of Christmas gifts.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

This delightful Christmas cozy mystery in the beautiful setting of Harborside, Maine, is a canvas of brilliant word pictures of the Atlantic coastline with engaging, three-dimensional characters that I am happy to know. From the beginning, Kinsley welcomed me into Aunt Tilly’s elegant Salty Breeze Inn, where I enjoyed the sights and scents of the season.

Kinsley, a landscape artist, owns SeaScapes, a business she runs year-round from where she lives in a cottage behind the inn. She and several volunteers are preparing the kissing ball decorations used around town every Christmas season. Harborside hires her to decorate for Christmas and throughout the year for special events and seasonal changes. Becca, her childhood best friend, is enduring a slow season of home sales, so Kinsley hired her part time to help decorate the many homes and facilities awaiting their holiday finery.

Pete, owner of the Blue Lobstah pub, is also there to help make the town’s decorations. Kinsley would like to get to know him better, but there are mixed signals of whether he wants to know her better. Both Pete and Kinsley are very diligent when it comes to attending to and growing their respective businesses, so they both have a good reason to avoid the subject.

Mallory owns the only flower shop in town, and donated some of the greenery needed for the kissing balls. Her husband, Chris, is one of the town’s aldermen. Chris in not well liked, as he is abrasive with most people unless they can benefit him. He especially seems to dislike Kinsley. He wants the town to hire a different company for year-round decorating. He is ready to pick a fight with anyone over almost anything.

Chris dressed appropriately as the Grinch for the annual boat parade and fireworks event. At the Blue Lobstah, he was inebriated before he even arrived. He and another man got into a fight after Chris bumped into him, and Pete had to throw them both out. It wasn’t long before Raven, one of Pete’s bartenders, ran into the pub, screaming for a paramedic. Somebody had fallen into the icy water and needed help. Becca and Kinsley ran outside while two men tried to get him out from between the rocks he was lodged between. It was too late, however, to even try CPR. In the space of a few minutes, Mallory went from being a wife embarrassed by her husband’s behavior to being a widow.

Several people mentioned the animosity between Chris and Kinsley to the police, especially after the argument they had shortly before his death. She quickly became the person of interest, even though Rachel, the detective and a friend, knew she would never kill anyone. Rachel had to question Kinsley and verify her alibi to satisfy her boss. The police seemed to ignore others he argued with. Then Raven was arrested, and Kinsley and Becca had to ramp up their sleuthing efforts before their friend is charged with a murder she didn’t commit.

Several people looked like strong suspects, including Chris’s widow, Mallory, and his estranged brother, Cole. Cole had come to visit, staying at Salty Breeze Inn until Chris’s murder, then stayed with Mallory. Kinsley and Becca aren’t subtle when they question people about that evening, or some of the trouble Chris had caused for people, but they are improving.

Kyle, Kinsley’s brother, came home on leave from the Air Force and stationed in Germany. Before he arrived, Kinsley and Rachel were talking about Kinsley’s parents, who had died in an accident on a military base when she and Kyle were children. Rachel let slip that Kyle was looking into details of their parents’ deaths. Aunt Tilly had raised them and loves them as if they were her own, but something has felt “off” about what they were told about their accident.

Some of the secrets revealed about Chris, his wife, other people around town, and through plot twists added a web of potential motives and suspects. One clue seemed quite specific to the murder, and Kinsley and Becca were certain they could solve it and get Raven released. I was somewhat surprised to see who the real bad guy was as the person did have clear motives, but likewise was sad, for certain reasons. I am looking forward to the next mystery, and to see Kyle’s continuing research into the death of their parents. I highly recommend this cozy mystery!

Murder Under the Mistletoe by Sherry Lynn has Kinsley Clark’s business Seascapes decorating Harborside, Maine for the holidays. Kinsley gets help from volunteers to make the numerous kissing balls she needs to bedeck the town. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town decorated for the holidays as well as the homes Kinsley and her crew adorned. A boat parade is something that I am familiar with living in Florida. At least I do not shiver (not most years) while watching it. The author captured the chilly temperatures of Maine. I could imagine the cold wind coming in off the water (brr). The town alderman dressed appropriately as the Grinch gets murdered during the boat parade. The suspect list is longer than a five-year-olds Christmas list for Santa. Kinsley accompanied by bestie, Becca set out to solve the murder. I wish the guilty party had not been so obvious (there might as well have been a neon arrow pointing at the person). The mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end of the book in time for the holidays. Kinsley’s brother is home for a month, but some unexpected news gets his visit off to a rough start. There is a secondary mystery that is not resolved in this book. I could have done with less romance. There are numerous mentions of Pete and how Kinsley feels about him. I like the gift Kinsley receives from her brother for Christmas. I had a feeling she would receive this particular gift from the references throughout the story, but I still enjoyed her reaction to it. Murder Under the Mistletoe is the second A Mainely Murder Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read Digging Up Daisy. Murder Under the Mistletoe is a Christmas cozy with a chilly climate, a petty politician, a bar bruhaha, a slew of suspects, a surprising secret, scrumptious cocoa, and a Happy Holiday!

Murder Under the Mistletoe is the second book in the Mainely Murder Mystery series by Sherry Lynn.

I really enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to reading this holiday cozy mystery.

I live in Maine, and I love that this story is set in Maine during Christmastime.
Kinsley Clark is the main character who is the owner of Seascapes. She has been hired to decorate the small town of Harborside, Maine for the boat parade as well as the lobster themed Christmas tree.

There is a murder, the victim dressed as the Grinch. Chris, the victim falls off the pier.
Kinsley and her best friend Becca set out to solve the murder.

I really loved this holiday cozy mystery. The characters are well written. The location is so authentic to Maine (I should know).

The mystery kept me guessing until the very end.

Can't wait for the next book in series!

Murder Under the Mistletoe is. cozy mystery. It isn't long or complex, but is instead, a brief opportunity to escape the world around us. This Sherry Lynn novel is number two of A Mainely Murder Mystery series. As before, the primary character is Kinsley Clark. Murder Under the Mistletoe pairs Kiinsley with her best friend, Beck, as the two women search for a killer.

The setting for Murder Under the Mistletoe is Christmas in Maine. The weather is cold and snowy, but a winter storm does not delay the search for a killer. Since the victim was universally disliked, perhaps even hated, there are many possible murderers to keep the two women busy tracking down suspects. Although this second novel in the series is not as compelling as the first novel, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. For people who love cozy mysteries, Murder Under the Mistletoe will not disappoint.

Thank you to the author and to Berkley publishing for sending this ARC in exchange for my honest review. My comments above are my honest opinions about this novel. Thank you also to NetGalley for facilitating my access to Murder Under the Mistletoe.

A cozy mystery set in the holiday season provides intrigue, holiday spirit and a glimpse into small town life where everyone knows everyone else's business.

A delightful cozy mystery set just before Christmas in a charming Maine town where at least the person murdered was not a nice person. Add a good cast of characters and the result is a charming Christmas cozy.

A holiday season in Maine is exciting and Sherri Lynn makes you feel as if you are there. Kinsley is hired to decorate the town for the season and she does a terrific job.
Things are going very well until the festival begins and a local politician falls into the freezing Atlantic ocean and dies. It turns out he was involved in trying to oust Sherri and bring in his own decorators. Which leaves Sherri as the prime suspect.

The murder and chase for the answer are suspenseful. For me, the descriptions of the town are the best part of the book. I mean, it is all good, the town just captures my fancy.

Enjoy this cozy mystery during the holiday season. You will be glad that you did