While doing home renovations, Lucy discovers an old Christmas card tucked away in a wall, which causes her to seek out who might have sent it years before. This had two mysteries going on in one short novella—the mystery involving the Christmas card from the past, and also one involving a killer up for parole in the present. While this was a very short read, it was a good mystery and I enjoyed seeing familiar characters from Tinker’s Cove, Maine.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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Christmas Card Murder contains three cozy mystery novellas by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Peggy Ehrhart. I like to read holiday themed stories as it gets closer to the holiday. Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier has Lucy Stone finally getting something she has dreamed of for years—a master bathroom. It is about time. While removing a wall, Bill finds a Christmas card with a nasty message. Lucy begins digging into the past to learn who received the card and the reason for the message. Also, a murderer is up for parole, and it has the community up in arms. I love visiting Tinker’s Cove, Maine. I like Lucy Stone who is a hardworking mother, wife, and reporter. The mystery was different and there was suspense in the story as well. There is also humor and warmth. Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis has the newspapers Christmas party taking a downturn when they receive a nasty missive from Carol Waterman, the town flirt who later turns up dead. Hayley sets out to bag the guilty party before Santa comes to town. This was a humorous story that fans of the series will enjoy. The mystery was simple, but it suited the length of the novella. Peggy Ehrhart gives us Death of a Christmas Card Crafter which has Pamela and her knitting group searching for the individual who killed the high school’s art teacher. There are nice characters in this series. I enjoy the descriptions of the yarn and their projects. I did find the pacing to be on the sluggish side. The mystery was different. The whodunit took a backseat to eating, the detailed descriptions of the character’s clothing, knitting, and the endless conversations. The resolution was drawn out and it felt like it came out of left field. These novellas are best read by those who are familiar with the series. I enjoyed learning more about Christmas cards and their history in Christmas Card Murder. You can read one or all three of these holiday cozy mysteries. ( )

I gave the Meier mystery 4 stars. I continue to enjoy how Lucy Stone interacts with her community. Lots of Christmas atmosphere. I gave the Hollis mystery 3 stars. Considering I couldn't get into the last Hollis mystery I read, this is a good rating. The Ehrhart mystery, the first I've read by that author, I gave 3.5 stars. There was a lot of Christmas atmosphere, and good descriptions of physical items, but it somehow felt airless and slow moving. I also feel some of the suspects were introduced too late in the mystery. I got a sense of place, but the place itself was kind of bland. ( )

Christmas cards are the threads that bind these stories together. These are interesting novellas, good for when you don’t have a lot of time to invest getting to the end of the story. Lucy Stone’s mystery was the most entertaining to me. Lucy is trying to discover the origin of an old Christmas card with a nasty sentiment written inside and found caught in a baseboard during a remodel. The second one contains a boast, and the third a mysterious illustration that is not quite right. There is not a lot of character development or intricate plots involved, but that is the inherit nature of the shorter novella form. ( )