This remains my favorite Christmas series! I love that Christmas never really takes a back seat and is very prevalent throughout the book. I did find myself much more interested in the goings on of the returning characters than the actual mystery though. I was really missing some of the characters and interactions between them in this particular book. Something about this particular volume felt more like a set up for the next one than a particularly strong addition to the series. So while this wasn't my favorite of the Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries it was still very enjoyable and I look forward to what's to come!

It’s Christmas once again in Mistletoe, Maine and Innkeeper Holly White is determined to make this a happy one – celebrating her one year wedding anniversary to Sheriff Evan Gray, running the inn, helping her family at the Christmas Tree Farm, and cheering her mother on as she tries to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man. But murder has a habit of happening at Christmas in Mistletoe and Holly once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Evan and her family aren’t happy – will she be able to stay out of danger this time?

“I’ll Be Home for Mischief” is the fun fifth book in Jacqueline Frost’s Christmas Tree Farm cozy mystery series. I love my visits to Mistletoe and the Christmas Tree Farm – this year I enjoyed reading about Mistletoe’s 150th Anniversary celebration as well as the various happenings at Christmas Tree Farm including the always fun Reindeer Games (if only I could visit there in real life!). Holly is a delightful main character even though she has a penchant for getting in danger (I did wonder at times, as she was questioning people about the murder, how she had any friends left). The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects, some twists and turns, a hint of Christmas magic, a truly unique way to kill someone off, and just the right amount of a sense of danger. Truthfully I was a bit sad when the killer’s identity was revealed. Finally, at the end of the book everything is nicely wrapped up (almost with a red bow!) and had me smiling as I finished the book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Jacqueline Frost gives us another Christmas Tree Farm mystery in I'll Be Home for Mischief. Mistletoe, Maine, is celebrating the Christmas season with the return of the descendants of the Snows, the founding family, for the 150th anniversary Then Mr. Snow is found dead in batter for a world record size gingerbread cookie. Holly tries to stay away from investigating the murder, but she keeps finding new information. Too many suspects and she also can't figure out a gift for her husband the sheriff. Charming holiday cozy.

It is Christmas time in the iconic town of Mistletoe as the residents make preparations to celebrate their 150th anniversary and attempt to make a Guinness World Record worthy gingerbread man to weigh in at more than one thousand three hundred and eight pounds and eight ounces. I bet you will never guess where the body drop takes place.

Our sleuth is Holly Gray nee White, newlywed to the town’s sheriff, and inn keeper on her family’s Christmas tree farm known as the Reindeer Games Tree Farm. This season finds Holly being her usual busy self, with Christmas cards from the Tree Farm to be mailed, jewelry orders to be filled, the annual toy donations to be wrapped oversee Reindeer Games, and see to the needs of the important inn guests to be seen taken care of Evan who has a habit of doing amazing things and giving amazing gifts is ready for their big day. So obviously Holly couldn’t possibly have time to hunt down clues, make suspect lists, question people, and possibly irritate the murderer.

I think that this is the most harrowing book in the series yet in terms of Holly being threatened and she even remarks multiple times that Evan is going to have a stroke if not multiples strokes. Holly says that she isn’t going to investigate…at first. Holly has a strong desire to see justice for Elijah Snow even if he was arrogant but not she refuses to entertain the idea that Henry Moore could be a possible suspect. Who could possibly be a suspect since the Snows weren’t in town for even 24 hours before Elijah’s demise? I have no idea how Holly has the energy to sleuth, she is going all over town and even with her special parking spot (made me laugh out loud) I would be exhausted. She isn’t even supposed to be asking questions, she told her parents and Evan that she wasn’t going to get involved. At least that is how the story started out.

In Holly’s defense, everyone seems to be goading her into investigating, except for her mom, dad, and hubby Evan. Cookie tantalizes people including Holly, with some choir group gossip that includes a brief history lesson with a Romeo and Juliet angle. Don’t even get me started about the podcasters who pair murder with recipes and have nicknamed Holly the Gumdrop Gumshoe. Are they helping or hurting? I am not sure but what I do know is that they are driving Holly crazy which is reason enough to end up on her suspect list.

This is a wonderfully entertaining holiday cozy that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. It also has you craving sweet treats with such wonderful descriptions of seasonal sweets of all types. I am definitely looking forward to my next trip to Mistletoe and the Reindeer Games Tree Farm. Now I think I will go and make some Christmas cookies. P.S. check out the author name, Jack Frost!

This was a cute cozy mystery. Having never read any of her books before I didn’t know what to expect but now I want to read the rest of the books about Mistletoe. This book puts you in a Christmas mood and makes you wish you lived in this small little Victorian town.

I am SO hoping this series continues! The gang will be off the farm and there's no telling what could happen. 

This book was so much fun to read! I love the character development that has taken place over the series, especially with Evan and Holly. Don't worry, all your favorites are there - Cookie, Caroline, Holly's parents, friends, and her sis-in-law. 

As it creeps closer to Holly and Evan's first wedding anniversary, it seems that everyone is keeping secrets! When Holly's mom decides she wants to break the world record for the largest gingerbread man, of course catastrophe must follow. A dead man is found in the batter and it looks like all hope is lost for securing that record. 

There is so much love tangled in this book with a dash of murder, it's so good. Put this on your TBR list ASAP. 

Also, there is a cheeky mention of a certain character with the certain name of a certain author. 

Enjoy! 5*

I’ll Be Home for Mischief is the fifth installment in the entertaining cozy mystery series, A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book, by Jacqueline Frost. As Mistletoe, Maine prepares for the town’s 150th anniversary, townsfolk decide to come up with a plan to break a world record. Not surprising, given the town’s unfortunate record for murders in a small town, a body is discovered inside one of their endeavours and now Holly is once again on the trail of a killer.

This is a fun read with interesting and (mostly) likeable characters, a compelling mystery with plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing as well as lots of holiday vibes to help ring in the season for those of us who consider Christmas cozies a very big part of the holiday. I read the book while listening to the audiobook narrated by Allyson Ryan who does an excellent job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Crooked Lane Books for bot the eARC and audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy of I'll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost in exchange for an honest review. It published November 12, 2024.
The fifth installment in this fun series, takes place in Mistletoe, Maine. I really enjoy this setting, it’s the place of my dreams! I love this family, and the relationships between everyone.
I loved the couple bits of self-awareness, I thought it was very, “meta” and definitely got a good chuckle from me!
The mystery is solid, who did it was a surprise. My Christmas tradition of reading books from this series continues, and it’s totally a highlight for me!

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series! I love the characters and the holiday theme. The mysteries are always well written and I look forward to the next in the series! If you considering trying a cozy mystery or are a fan looking for a new series, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

I'll Be Home for Mischief is a delightful holiday cozy mystery. Once again, the citizens of Mistletoe, Maine are celebrating Christmas. This year, it is the 150th anniversary of the town, and Holly's mother is attempting to bake the world's largest gingerbread man. Unfortunately, during the baking, a body is discovered. . . in the batter. When the sweet local mistletoe farmer is accused of the murder, Holly takes it upon herself to solve the mystery.

I'll Be Home for Mischief has everything a great holiday cozy needs: charming town, lovable characters, Christmas vibes, and all the baked goods! I absolutely love this series and will continue to follow Holly on all of her adventures. I can't wait for the next book!

I love Christmas cozies and this series is about as Christmas as you can get!! This was a really fun addition and I'm enjoying seeing all the relationships grow and evolve in this series! This cast of characters are some of my faves! Cookie is one of my favorite side characters and never disappoints! The new reindeer game was so fun! This book is just a jolly ole time!!!
I highly recommend this book to cozy lovers!
I would like to thank netgalley, the author Jacqueline Frost, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

Holly White is working at her inn in Mistletoe, Maine, when a sweet older man is accused of murder. Holly goes to work as an amateur sleuth in order to clear his name.

I wanted to read I'll Be Home for Mischief because I love cozy mysteries and enjoy books with a Christmas setting.

This was a fun, light weekend read - lots of Christmas atmosphere and an engaging mystery to solve. I have not read the other books in the series but had no problem enjoying this mystery as a standalone.

I recommend I'll Be Home for Mischief for other fans of cozy mysteries - and especially for anyone who enjoys Christmas cozies!

If you like cute mysteries set in cozy locations than you will likely enjoy I'll be home for Mischief. This is the fifth book in a continuing series by Jacqueline Frost, but I read it as a stand alone. I am slowly coming to the conclusion that cozy mysteries are not for me. While there is some tension around solving the murder and the main character's life is actually in danger at one point, the formulaic exposition and fairly flat characterization just didn't get me invested. Everyone is just a bit too much of a caricature in their roles, and while the main character is supposed to be nosey but smart, she seems to get herself in trouble a lot and need her husband to bail her out. It all felt al little silly. Not that it was bad, but it lacked something I needed to feel like I cared. The setting is the best part of course, if you like Christmas towns with all the food and smells and festive things. I just needed a little more of a story.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'll Be Home for Mischief is the fifth book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. As with previous books in the series, I'll Be Home for Mischief is perfect to get the reader into holiday season mood. It's fun to return to Mistletoe, Maine, and to catch up with the characters that make this series so much fun to read, namely Holly, her parents, and Evan. Holly unofficially investigates after there is a death involving gingerbread cookies. I'll Be Home for Mischief is a great cozy mystery for both newcomers and previous readers of the book. The characters and the setting are charming, and the mystery is solid and engaging. I'll Be Home for Mischief is a truly delightful holiday-themed cozy mystery!

This entire series feels like a big hug! I love that each story is centered around Christmas and it lets you escape into a magical, holiday world. Every installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series is better than the last. Holly and her family run a Christmas Tree farm and they are tasked with creating cozy Christmas magic for their town every year. They always deliver with games, cookies, and solving a mystery of course!

I'll Be Home For Mischief is the fifth in the Christmas Tree Farm cozy mystery series.

This cozy mystery is set in the small town of Mistletoe, Maine. Our main character, Holly White's, family owns the Christmas tree farm, and Holly runs the Inn on the farm property. It's a couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, and Holly's mom is trying to break a world record for the largest gingerbread man. But, with lots of town folk and the representatives from Guiness there, something goes horribly wrong. Holly is married to the local sheriff now, and she wants badly to stay out of his case, but she just can't help herself.

I loved the setting of this story, and the secondary cast of characters are amazing. The mystery was very intriguing. This one had a little bit of magic to it, too. I loved the marriage between our sleuther and the sheriff. They are such a good duo, even though Holly can't seem to stay out of his case.

I definitely recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers. You can read it as a stand-alone of you are looking for a good, cozy Christmas mystery.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Its Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine and Holly's mother is setting out to break the world record for the world's largest gingerbread man. The towns founding family, the Snows, are in town for the towns 150th anniversary and are staying at the Inn. During the baking of the gingerbread man, a body is discovered in the batter of the gingerbread man.
I love this series. It is the perfect book to get me in the Christmas mood. The characters are wonderful and make me smile. I love the games and activities that are offered at Reindeer Games. I love how we see something different every book. I loved the ending of the book. The gift exchange gave me the feeling of Christmas magic and I absolutely loved it.

This series is hands down one of the things I look forward to most every year and this book may have been my favorite in the series so far!

I thought that this newest addition to the series had so much more character growth in it and while was loaded full of main and side characters, not once did it feel overwhelming to read!

Three things I always look for in my cozies are:
1.) Quick to get to the action.
2.) Fun/Quirky pet or side character.
3.) Unique and cozy setting.

This book (like the rest of the books in the series) ticks off on all 3 of those for me. The action (while not in the first chapters) comes up as quickly as it could with the build up to the story. Of course we have a cat as our quirky and fun side "character" in this series. Finally, what is cozier than a Christmas tree farm at Christmas? Nothing. Nothing is cozier!

I am really looking forward to where this series goes in the future!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This year the holidays are extra special in Mistletoe, Maine as the town celebrates its 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family are returning for the celebration and will be staying at the Reindeer Games Inn. Holly is going all out to welcome the Snows.

There is another big event happening on the farm. Holly’s mother has set her sights on breaking a Guinness world record for the largest gingerbread man. Holly and Evan’s 1st wedding anniversary is right around the corner too.

Everything goes awry when a dead body is found in the gingerbread batter. The man is identified as one of Holly’s special guests. Positive an old family feud is the motive for the murder, local mistletoe farmer, Mr. Moore is the prime suspect. Holly is positive the man she has known all her life is not a murderer. So, like the previous four Christmases Holly is again out to prove someone’s innocence even though Evan asks her to leave the case to him.

With running the inn, Reindeer Games to host, and trying to find the perfect anniversary gift for Evan, Holly is also donning her sleuthing cap to frost the real killer.

I was delighted to return to the Reindeer Games Farm and Inn where the White family welcomes everyone with open arms. It is really like catching up with old friends and there is always something fun happening. I enjoyed the lengths Holly’s mother went to in her attempt to break a world record. Holly’s dad and the farm crew were so creative making things in giant size to her specifications. My heart broke when she couldn’t complete the event. The duo represented Guinness were so nice and stayed in town after the incident enjoying themselves through the holidays. They also came up with a fabulous idea. Holly and Evan had some things to work out in this story but their love was never in question. The core characters Ms. Frost has created for this series are so genuine. They have continued to grow and I become more invested in their lives with each story. The new characters are so good too.

In addition to the Snows, there are other special visitors to Mistletoe that add to the fun, there may have been a little mischief involved. No Spoiler!

I always have a good time trying to solve the mystery before the protagonist but I couldn’t do it this time. The mystery was very well plotted with plenty of red herrings, twists, and turns. The killer did warn Holly to back off but she pressed on and got herself into some precarious situations that could have ended badly. They led up to a surprising reveal and a chilly rescue. Ms. Frost’s descriptions and attention to detail took me right into every scene, the merry ones and the scary ones. I appreciated every one.

I’ll Be Home for Mischief is a marvelous addition to the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Series and a fabulous read to kick off the holiday season. Engaging characters, an intriguing mystery or two, set in a wonderful winter wonderland kept me entertained from beginning to end. The charming ending has me wishing for another visit to Mistletoe soon, but I know I must wait until next Christmas.

We've come back to Mistletoe for Christmas once again and there are tons of activities besides the annual Reindeer games! The world book record keepers are in town to watch Holly's mom try to break a world record, the remaining family members of one of Mistletoe's founding families is in town and crime pod casters have descended to attempt to get a big story for their podcast. Unfortunately, it appears the podcasters are going to get their wish as a body appears and once again thrusts Holly into the center of things! The setting of this series makes it fun and lighthearted while the murder is complex, detailed and compelling making you stay up way past your bedtime to keep turning pages! There is so much going on that you won't want to put the book down as you can't help wanting to read what comes next! The story is really well crafted, but honestly it is the development of the characters, their relationships and antics that will have you putting this cozy mystery series on the top of your must-read list! I can't wait to read the next book in the series, alas, I'll have to wait for the author to create the next book! Hopefully soon!!!

FYI: If you are an audiobook lover like I am, I highly recommend that you put this one on your must-listen list. The narrator does an outstanding job of bringing the characters personalities and emotions to life while enhancing the already awesome plot!