Mrs. Clause and the Trouble with Turkeys

Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys
Liz Ireland

It’s Thanksgiving in Santaland. April must track down a killer and find a missing turkey before the holiday is ruined.

I would just like to say that this book made me want Thanksgiving to hurry up and get here and… live in Santaland. I’m not a lover of the cold, so maybe April and I have a lot in common, but the description of this mythical place makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy.

An over-the-top Thanksgiving tradition is the only way to describe the celebration in Santaland. Parades, pumpkin pie, or at least the Elves take on that very American dessert, pre-Thanksgiving potluck dinners, and so much more. Oh, and don’t forget a side dish of murder. April finds herself the center of attention when the victim dies after eating one of her deviled eggs. Of course, April, her best friend, Claire, and Jake Frost (Yes, a descendant of Jack Frost!) set out to prove her innocence and find the culprit before the wrong person ends up out in the cold forever.

You really have to love April, Nick, and all the other characters in this story. Although, I think Nick needs to pay a little more attention to his wife in general. Readers, new and old, love these characters, the location, Santaland, and all the activities that the elves, reindeer, and the Clauses get up to make for an entertaining read with a few good laughs. The victim is innocent enough this time around, and the suspects vary from day to day, but they all have means and opportunities. It isn’t easy figuring out who the killer is or the motive, but leave it to April to not only figure it out but to almost get herself killed in the process. The side mystery of who stole or let the prize turkey out of his pen (not a traditional turkey but a sympathetic character nonetheless) Giblet is almost as fun as the murder mystery. But… I think most readers will figure out who took Giblet quickly.

This series was not on my absolutely must-read list when it first came out, but now, with book number four, I really don’t want to miss a single installment. I hope Liz Ireland will write a book for every holiday and repeat them with new ones, and it wouldn’t make me upset if we could get a few more books about April and Nick that didn’t involve holidays. But I am happy to visit Santaland again and again.