1.- HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by Leslie Meier

This “Halloween” novella barely mentioned Halloween, which was disappointing.

This book was not a cozy mystery, though it features the cast of characters we know and love.

There is a big tragedy at the beginning, which opens the door to the sad, dark, and heartbreaking plot, which has to do with child neglect.

The plot branched into another story about a judge and social injustice.

This was not a fun story to take me away from reality but instead got me involved in the theme of social injustice.

I was glad the story ended, and I was satisfied, but didn’t feel cozy.

2.- DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by Lee Hollis

Hayley Powell, the protagonist, and her girlfriends are returning from a concert at night in a storm…they see an elk or moose on the road, so they veer off and hit a tree. The night started out badly, and things get even worse from then on…

All along I felt like I was in a horror movie as I got more and more into this novella by beloved Lee Hollis, a collaboration of brother and sister.

Character development was excellent, especially the rude teenager.

I really enjoyed the book. I could not put it down, but this was literally a “Halloween Nightmare”, so I was relieved at the end.

Now to the last novella, which is far less terrifying.

3. MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH

This novella was the most Halloween-“ish” of the three!

It was fun revisiting Christmastown and interacting with Mrs. Claus and all the quirky and colorful characters we know and love from this fun Mrs. Claus series!

The book started out very slowly, but it did pick up action. It turns out that all elves are not happy.

Everything turned out well in the end, and it was a surprise to find out who and why had committed the crimes.

I look forward to the next Mrs. Claus mystery!

Three authors and three Halloween-themed cozy mysteries to get us in the mood for Autumn. I say cozy, but the first two are skirting the line between cozy and not cozy. Overall I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others who enjoy holiday specific reads.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by LESLIE MEIER This was my least favorite of the three, not because it skirts the line of its genre, but because the author's political-type rants annoyed and distracted me. I may agree with some points, but I read holiday cozies as an escape from the 'real world' craziness, not to read it in my book. That said the storyline was a good one, if not really a Halloween story.

DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by LEE HOLLIS This is a Halloween horror read ---tension and suspense abound. Not my usual, but I really liked it. Three girls have car trouble and are forced to seek help from the nearest house---the occupants, a mother and son, are decidedly creepy. I think it is a great seasonal read.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH by LIZ IRELAND This one is a true cozy mystery set in Santa land during the season involving a witch and elves. With humor interspersed in the mystery , good characters and satisfying story line , Mrs. Clause and the wily witch is sure to please.

Halloween Night Murder includes short stories from three cozy mystery series: The Lucy Stone Mysteries by Leslie Meier, The Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries, and The Mrs. Claus Mysteries by Liz Ireland. I'm going to be honest. I do not follow the Lucy Stone Mysteries or the Hayley Powell Mysteries, but I love the lighthearted lunacy of the Mrs. Claus Mysteries, and that's the story I really want to review. The Mrs. Claus Mystery series consists of five novels and three short stories. Included in Halloween Night Murder, Mrs. Claus and the Wily Witch, begins with Santaland preparing for Halloween when snowman Pumblechook falls under a mysterious spell. Everyone suspects disgraced elf, Flake, newly returned from exile. Clare (Mrs. Claus) invites the snow witch Immelda to consult and determine if Flake learned any magic during his banishment. Shortly after Immmelda arrives, Flake's best friend is found murdered, and it appears more than ever that Flake is the culprit. I admit that I am a sucker for Christmas stories that feature "real" North Pole cities and hunky Santas. These stories feature those elements, along with a cast of lovable, regular characters. I love the zany situations and mashed-up holidays found in Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series. Family ties and friendships are always strong themes throughout the series. "Mrs. Claus and the Wily Witch" fits in well with the rest of the series. I enjoyed all three of the short stories in Halloween Night Murder. These collections are a great way to try out a new series and see how you like it. They are also a great way to get an extra taste of a series that's already a favorite. I couldn't ask for a better Halloween treat. Thank you to Net Galley and Kensington for giving me an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Halloween Night Murder is the perfect book to kick off your spooky season reading! This one has three fun Halloween themed mysteries in one!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future

A fabulous collection of short, seasonal stories that are populated with each of the authors most well-known characters. It was like visiting family to see what was going on in their lives.

Halloween Night Murder is three different stories written by Leslie Meier, Lee Hallis and Liz Ireland.

The first story, Halloween Night Murder by Leslie Meier, Lucy Stone, is handing out candy on Halloween. One of the trick or treaters is a lone, teenager who looks too old to be trick or treating. The next day, she finds out that he is dead due to hit and run.. As Lucy investigates, she discovers that his family has many hidden secrets which leads to an interesting plot.

In Death of a Halloween Night Stalker by Lee Hallis, Hayley Powell and her two BFFs are driving home in a terrible storm. They end up taking shelter in a house where a mother and her son live. The two are harboring some dark secrets which they don’t want Hayley and her friends to discover. As a result, the night turns into a scary nightmare for Hayley and
her friends. Death of a Halloween Stalker was my favorite of the three stories and probably the best of the Hayley Powell mysteries so far. I had a difficult time putting the book down! The plot is full of suspense and is a fun and chilling story to read on Halloween night.

The final story is Mrs. Claus and the Wild Witch by Liz Ireland. Elf Flake has come back to Christmas town after getting out of jail. Not everyone in town feels that he has reformed.Then a snowman and another elf end up dead. Now Mrs. Claus must figure out if Elf Flake is responsible for the deaths. Mrs. Claus and the Wild Witch was my least favorite of the three stories.

“Halloween Night Murder” is a tasty sampler for fans of seasonal cozies. The first story by Leslie was my favorite. Lucy uses her experience as a reporter to investigate, uncovering a troubled family situation entangled with neglect and dark secrets.
The next story is by Lee Hollis. I enjoyed this one too.
Three women are stranded in rural Maine during a storm. Strangers with a dark side offer refuge—and horror.
The last story was ok but a little silly..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.

A collection of three novellas that could not be more different! I have read many of Leslie Meier’s books and her Lucy Stone story was exactly what I expected: a little mysterious, but characters who are so intent on being helpful it verges on unbelievable. The Lee Hollis story has me wondering why I’ve been sleeping on this author. Three friends lost on a secluded road wander into a situation that most definitely is not as it first appears. The book lost me on the final story by Liz Ireland, though. Part of her Mrs Claus Mysteries series, it is set at the North Pole’s Christmasland and features a cast of elves.

Since the weather this week feels more like fall than summer, it was almost like the spooky season is upon us.  Under cloudy overcast skies, I was more than ready to curl up with the newest collaboration between Meier, Hollis, and Ireland.  

Starting with Leslie Meier's Halloween Night Murder, it was like coming home for me, even if Lucy's has an empty nest now.  A quintessential cozy that we are used to with more mystery than Halloween though as it just briefly touches on the holiday at the beginning with trick or treaters, the last of which ends up dead of a hit and run.  However, being a fan of the Lucy Stone mysteries, it was like comfort food that I wanted to devour.  

Hollis' Death of a Halloween Night Stalker toes the line of a classic Halloween horror movie where a broken-down car causes the three to stumble upon an ominous house with 2 strange occupants that doesn't seem to want them to leave.  The most heart pounding of the three so less of a traditional cozy, even though there was no gore.

Finally Ireland's Mrs. Claus and the Wily Witch has the ambiance of Halloween as Christmastown is now celebrating other holidays.  However, there are times I felt like it was trying too hard to fit in so was the least engaging of the three for me personally. 

But overall, a fun book to get you into the mood for spooky season.  

I received an ARC from Netgalley and am leaving an honest review.

I usually enjoy these short cozy mysteries but I will be 100% honest here, this book stunk.

I feel like Leslie Meier needs to pack it in with the Lucy Stone books. The last several years of books, Lucy has become a bitter, almost mean woman. She appears to hate her family. She lets her misogynistic boss walk all over her (which I don't remember from the beginning of her Lucy Stone series). Her family has grown up and left the nest. This one has very little to actually do with Halloween other than a hit and run that takes place of the titular date. I was disappointed by lack of Halloween festivities or any kind of reference to the holiday after the first few pages. I feel like Meier is resenting her character and wants to be done with her. She should pull a Doyle and push her over a waterfall or something.

I love, love, love Lee Hollis' books and the Hayley Powell series especially but this particular Halloween story was SO CLICHE I just wanted to throw the book across the room. It's cheesy horror movie 101. Hayley and her friends are returning from a concert on Halloween night and the trio get into a car accident. They find a house in the woods on a dark and stormy night. The mother and son that live there are giving Psycho vibes and the story just gets worse from there. I found myself shaking my head at this offering. It was a disappointment.

I'm sorry I couldn't even start reading something about Santa's workshop at Halloween so I skipped the last story.

Thank you to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for sparing me the hardcover price of buying this.

I read the story Mrs Claus and the wily witch By Liz Ireland as I follow the Mrs. Claus series. I found it to be a delightfully spooky and charming cozy mystery. With quirky characters, festive Halloween flair, and a clever plot set in the whimsical world of the North Pole, it’s a fun and satisfying read that blends holiday cheer with murder-mystery intrigue.

A set of three stories set in the worlds of these cozy series, we get three Halloween themed stories. The first follows Lucy Stone, the second Hayley Powell, and then the third Mrs. Claus. The first two were just ok for me. I felt like they did not really have serious mysteries to them and didn't give me that cozy mystery vibe. The third one with Mrs. Claus was the one I enjoyed most, although I wish it had a bit more of the investigating part we love with cozies.

Fans of these series though will enjoy this new collection. I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow, my rainy, cool weather seemed to indicate this would be the perfect time to curl up with three favorite authors and check out their Halloween tricks-and-treats. I won't go into great detail as I've noted others already have, but will note that while I wasn't quite in the mood for the "Yikes! Oh, no, look behind you!" flavor of Lee Hollis'"Death of a Halloween Night Stalker", it was probably the most Halloween-y of them all. Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent tale, perfect for those in the mood for serious chills and thrills and the feeling of being trapped with spooky, scary killers on the lam. I just wasn't there yet. An accident on the way home from a concert leaves Hayley, Liddy, and Mona stranded with no internet or way of contacting outside help during a spooky rainstorm in a house that sounds straight out of a gothic horror movie. The residents are, well, not someone you'd want to spend time with, especially the zombie son. Nope, not sharing any more. I'll be going back to this one, I assure you, when I'm more in the mood for having chills run up my spine. Yes, Hollis can do spooky and do it well.

The first story, Leslie Meier's "Halloween Night Murder", seems to only briefly touch on Halloween. A young, ragged looking teenager shows up at Hayley's door as the night of trick-or-treat is winding down and she spontaneously gives him all the candy she had left. The next morning she's horrified to hear that he was killed by a hit-and-run driver. That's where the story veers away from the Halloween spirit, though there are some scary things to be learned as she dives into investigating not just the social services available to the children and their seemingly abused mother, but into politics, shady dealings, and the corruption of some in positions of power over others. What she finds isn't comforting and, in fact, should probably spook us more than made-up ghosts and goblins.

The third story is the most fun of the bunch, taking us back to Christmastown. If you'd not familiar with Liz Ireland's series with April Claus' (yes, married to that certain Claus we all assume wears a red suit and is a jolly, fat ol' guy) life with talking snowman and reindeer, snow monsters, elves, flying sleighs, and some of the most fun, quirky residents you can imagine. Be prepared to suspend disbelief and simply go with the flow. Not only is Santa, aka Nick, not old, he's quite a hunk but takes his temporary status as Santa seriously while holding the position until his nephew, Christopher, reaches maturity. In this installment, we have a snowman in a coma, thought to be the victim of a just released from elf prison, caramel maker extraordinary Flake. All this in the midst of a reindeer stampede, er, race, and hotly competitive caramel baking contest that even has the elder Mrs. Claus caught up in the spirit of the competition. April's too busy snooping, er, investigating to bake although not to enjoy samples of the entries. Somehow her best friend and her boyfriend, Jake, a relative of Jack Frost wind up going to the frozen reaches of the furthest north to convince a cranky witch to return to Christmastown with them to help remove any spell of the poor, dormant snowman but wind up newt-sitting. Don't ask. Just suspend belief and enjoy. Who knew Santa's life was so complicated. Thanks #KensingtonPublishing for allowing me this sneak peek at these well-down stories based around the Halloween theme. Bet you never thought about Santa's elves celebrating Halloween, did you? Grin.

I love the Liz Ireland series and thought this short story fit in well with the other books in the series. I love the characters and the whimsical setting. I have read the other two authors before and really enjoyed their stories as well. I'll be going back and reading more of them soon.

Halloween Night Murder is three cozy mystery Novelas written by Leslie Meyer, Leigh Hollis and Liz Ireland. When Lucy Stone is cleaning up after the Halloween event at her home she gets a late night trick-or-treater who she can instantly tell he threw his costume together but he seems very nice so she gives him the rest of the candy in the bowl. The next day she learns not only was he hit by a car But was killed when his head struck a rock on side the road. Lucy will get involved in the case more than she thought she would one clue leads to another in the case turns out to be much bigger than she first believed. in the second book Haley and her two best friends Mona and Lydia are coming home from a concert in Boston and veer off the road to avoid hitting a buck. They wreck Lydia‘s new car. They go to a nearby home and this is where they meet Bella and her son Gregory although Bella seems like the quintessential homemaker what they really have stumbled on as much stranger than any of them can’t believe to make matters worse Mona may have a concussion and doesn’t look well at all Lydia and Haley think Mona may be in danger but they soon learn all three of them are playing with life in depth,… Their life. in the next book we spend Halloween in the North Pole, an elf was recently released he once stole a peppermint recipe but flake butter worth isn’t going to be so easily believed especially when strange things start happening can Mrs. Claus solve the case before flake is once again accused of something only this time he may be innocent. I have recently been consuming lots of cozy mysteries and think I am becoming severely addicted to them whether they’re short long or in between it seems I cannot get enough and this one did not disappoint although I did find the first book seem to be cut down to fit the book I still enjoyed the story loved Lucy and will definitely read more of her books in the future I loved Mrs. Claus and the magical Christmas village with her and husband Nick live I loved all the crazy side characters but I must admit Haley made me laugh so much all of them were great stories for one reason or another they all have their charms and I can’t say a negative thing about any of them I love them and highly recommend them if you love cozy mysteries these are three you will not be disappointed by at all.#NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #LeslieMeyer, #LeighHollis, #LizIreland, #HalloweenNightMurder,

HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by Leslie Meier

Lucy Stone is shocked on the morning after Halloween when she learns that a teenage trick-or-treater was killed by a hit-and-run driver near her home. The teenager’s siblings are living in squalor at a nearby abandoned house where their mother’s boyfriend is illegally breeding cats. Lucy helps the younger kids get into a foster home and then, under the guise of her newspaper reporter job, investigates who killed their brother and then fled the scene.

I have read a couple of Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone Mysteries, so I was familiar with the main characters and the setting. Out of the three novellas, I enjoyed this one of the most. There was not as much focus on Halloween as I would have liked, but the mystery was solid and the plot kept me engaged.

DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by Lee Hollis

Following a concert in Boston, Hayley Powell and her friends attempt to return to their homes in rural Maine during a severe storm. After accidentally driving off the road, they seek help at an isolated house that they come upon in the literal middle of nowhere. The residents—a mother and son duo—give Hayley and her friends the creeps. Unable to call for help, the three women try to flee the house of horrors but are repeatedly thwarted by the weather and their hosts.

It’s obvious who the bad guys are in DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER. The question is, what exactly have they done in the past? What crimes are they guilty of? And what lengths are they willing to go to continue hiding those crimes? This story was full of suspense and kept me rushing to the end to see what would happen.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH by Liz Ireland

It’s Halloween at the North Pole, and a disgraced, caramel-making elf is accused of casting spells on a grumpy snowman. Mrs. Claus believes Flake the elf is being wrongly accused, and she recruits a witch from the outreaches of the North Pole to help reverse the spell and find the person responsible before Halloween is ruined for everyone.

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting with MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH, but it was not this…The elves I could deal with. But the talking snowmen and reindeer…It was just too much for me to handle. The story was well-written, but it did not compel me to read any more of the books in the series. I did thoroughly enjoy the crazy witch that Mrs. Claus brings in to help reverse the curse on the snowman. If there was a series featuring Imelda as the main character, I would be tempted to read that. She was a hoot.

These are three very interesting stories – all with a Halloween theme of course. I did have a favorite, but I’ll let you decide yours. The line story lines are great, and the characters are wonderful. A perfect fall read. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Halloween Night Murder by Leslie Meier; Lee Hollis; Liz Ireland is a great trio of cozy mystery novellas that really bring the Halloween spirit.

This group of novellas bring together three cozy mystery series into one book. I am a total pull-in when it comes to cozy mysteries and themes…especially holidays. Also, my two favorite series ever are in this group: A Lucy Stone Mystery and A Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery. So for me, it was a win-win. The first two novellas are associated with the above mentioned series:
HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by LEE HOLLIS

I thoroughly enjoyed both, but especially the Lee Hollis installment. It had the perfect balance of humor, sass, seriousness, outlandishness, and an all around interesting plot.

The third novella is from another series that I have not read. It was ok, but I think I was not able to jump on board only because I have not read any of the books in this series so far.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH by LIZ IRELAND

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/26/25.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Lucy Stone's Halloween has been just as she planned it. The party, the kids, and finally, the time at home with husband, Bill, after everything was over. She'd only had to deal with one trick or treater at the house before she switched off her spooky vibes for another year. The following morning Lucy hears about a hit and run which killed a young reveller close to her house and is determined to follow the case in her guise of reporter for the Chronicle, her local online and physical newspaper. There appears to be very little to actually investigate, and any available information is brief and unhelpful. Determined to dig a little deeper, Lucy is soon shocked at what she discovers, but can she present her findings to someone she can trust, or has it all been in vain?
DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by LEE HOLLIS
A country music concert and a road trip with your besties sounded wonderful to Hayley Powell until the weather turned, the traffic snarled up, and they crashed into a tree! That was when it started to get dangerous!  The only house, seemingly for miles, looked like a rain drenched haven, but something was a bit off with the folks who lived there! Unable to contact the outside world, Hayley, Libby, and Mona find themselves more and more desperate to leave, but with no transport and no phone signal, will this be their last ever road trip?
MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH by LIZ IRELAND
With Halloween just around the corner, and after spending five years in exile, Flake, an expert caramel maker with poor judgement, is back in Christmastown. He is home just in time for a blue ribbon cooking competition which he should easily win but, unfortunately, before that can happen, Pumblechook the snowman and one of Flake's closest elf friends are hit with Halloween misfortune and murder! Mrs Claus is almost sure Flake has been framed but must follow the clues to find out who is responsible, even if it means the little elf can no longer make the best caramels in all of Santaland as well as having to invite a witch into Santa’s home to help remedy what has happened.

I love this series of books consisting of three short stories set around special holidays and occasions. I have discovered some great cosy titles through reading them and found more authors to follow. This trio is a little different to normal, though, but no less engaging. The first two stories are more serious than usual, covering poverty, domestic abuse, seriously creepy home owners, stalking and, of course, murder! I would consider both to be crime fiction rather than cosy crime fiction. Liz Ireland's tale, however, is definitely a cosy, the eponymous witch steals every scene she's in, and Halloween in Santaland? What's not to love?

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cosies, but the opinions expressed are my own. Although not what I envisioned originally, the stories are engaging, and I enjoyed all three.