Mia Malone is planning a holiday party to showcase what her catering business can produce. However, Mia runs into a bit of a problem when the resident ghost, Dorothy, demands that Mia solve her 20 year old murder before the party starts. The only clue she has is that her grandmother knows something about it.

A fun novella for the holidays furthering the development of the characters in this newest series. ( )

Very enjoyable book. ( )

Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas by Lynn Cahoon is A Kitchen Witch Mystery Novella (#2.5). It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series, but I believe it is best if you read the other two books first. Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas is a cute short story. Mia is busy preparing for a Christmas party to promote Mia’s Morsels. Unfortunately, a ghost starts wreaking havoc causing delays. The ghost is Dorothy Purcell who believes she was murdered. If Mia is going to have a successful party and a jolly holiday, she will need to do a little sleuthing with help from her friends. Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas is a fun story. It is well-written with friendly characters and the story moves along at a quick pace. When Mia is not digging for clues, she is decorating the lobby for the holiday party or busy cooking. Grans, Trent, and Christine are back, and they help Mia with her investigation. Mr. Darcy/Dorian is present too. The mystery was cute and suited the length of the book. I was left with an unanswered question at the end of the book (and I really wanted the answer). I would have liked more magic. There was very little magic in the story (except for seeing ghosts). I would like more of the magical elements. I enjoyed reading Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas and I am looking forward to reading Three Tainted Teas when it comes out in the spring. Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas is a spirited cozy mystery with sweet sugar cookies, a grumpy ghost, an enigmatic Grans, a beau with a talent for bedecking the halls, a cooperative college student, and a harried kitchen witch. ( )

It’s Christmas time in Magic Springs, Idaho and Mia is busy preparing for the holiday when her first ghostly ‘friend’ begins to create havoc around the old schoolhouse. She won’t stop until Mia finds her killer, only everyone believed Dorothy had died peacefully in her sleep. Working on a deadline, Dorothy has been warned if her murder isn’t solved by the twentieth anniversary of her death she’ll simply poof out of existence, Mia, Trent, Grans and Christina start digging into the past in hopes of saving their friend from a fate possibly worse than her own death. All in all this is yet another charming anecdote from our friends in Magic Springs and I really enjoyed it. ( )

novella, cozy-mystery, witches, urban-fantasy, romantic, Christmas season, small-business, small-town, family, family-dynamics, friendship, ghosts***

Short and pleasant read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )