Slashing Through The Snow
Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm is going into the B&B business, and Holly White is looking forward to her new role as an innkeeper. Even better, Mistletoe, Maine’s sheriff, Evan Gray, has deputized his little sister Libby to help Holly wrap presents for Mistletoe’s toy drive. But a cold wind ruffles the cheery holiday decorations when a new guest checks in, Cleo, a vicious B&B critic, who could make or break the new inn. And the short December days turn even darker when Evan and Libby find Cleo’s dead body in the gift-wrapped toy donation box.
The suspect list is longer than Santa’s naughty list, and local resident Cookie is on it since her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon, a metal nutcracker that she gave to Holly. So is Libby, who recently moved to town from Boston in less-than-savory circumstances. But cranky Cleo was an oh-holy nightmare to lots of the townsfolk, such as Evan’s reporter friend Ray; Christopher, the inn’s former contractor; and confectioner Bonnie, whose Gum Drop Shop was a direct target of Cleo’s scathing prose.
To figure out the killer’s identity and clear Cookie’s name, Holly and her friends brainstorm at The Hearth, the farm’s café, while her mother keeps them fueled with Christmas goodies fresh from the oven. But if they can’t put the culprit on ice, Holly may never see another Christmas.
The Details
Series: A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery – Book #3
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Genre/Category: Cozy – B&B/Holiday
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 1643857762
Page Count: 304
Rating: 
The Review
I love the holidays; this time of year is filled with lots of laughter and surprises, and I look forward to all of them. This series brings me joy. From the first book to this latest one, it has become a part of my Christmas tradition, and I hope this continues for many more years to come. Slashing Through The Snow is destined to become a yule classic. A tree farm, a B&B, a murder, what’s not to like?
Holly doesn’t have the best of luck when it comes to the Christmas holiday. She seems to spend her holidays solving murders. It doesn’t help in this case that the victim was someone almost everyone wanted to kill. There are a half dozen suspects who had great motives to kill the critic, Holly among them. Now that the family tree farm is adding a B&B, having a guest killed doesn’t help publicity, and the fact that the victim wrote terrible reviews of almost all the businesses she reviewed adds to the tension.
There is plenty of action in this book. Characters that hold readers’ attention, a location that will inspire readers Christmas decorations, and evidence that leads to more and more questions. The tree farm is hopping, and although it isn’t the main attraction, it is still the reason for the season. Holly’s mom is cooking up a storm; the food is tantalizing. Evan and Libby play significant roles in this addition, and the town’s business owners feature throughout. The B&B sounds delightful, and I wouldn’t mind spending my holiday season there.
As the investigation progresses, readers soon realize that Holly may be placing herself in danger. If she isn’t careful, she and Libby may find themselves spending their holidays buried somewhere on the tree farm’s grounds. In a spectacular reveal, the killer is caught, the B&B saved, and Christmas filled with happiness instead of grief. The characters in Slashing Through The Snow bring the holidays to life; they bring smiles and happiness to readers’ lives and remind us that no matter how bad things get, everything can change in the blink of an eye. I can’t wait until next year’s installment!
The Author
Julie Anne Lindsey (aka Jacqueline Frost) is an award-winning and bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than thirty novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under other pen names, Bree Baker and Julie Chase. When Julie’s not creating new worlds or fostering the epic love of fictional characters, she can be found in Kent, Ohio, enjoying her blessed Midwestern life. And probably plotting murder with her shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America.
Other books in the “A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery” series readers will enjoy include Twelve Slays of Christmas, the first book, and the second installment, ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas.
Represented by: Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
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