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A Deadly Christmas Carol
Granite Cove Mystery #2
Sharon Love Cook

Neptune Rising Press
February 18, 2014/ ISBN 9780615966373
Mystery/Cozy/Amateur Sleuth

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

The Granite Cove Mystery Series began with A Nose for Hanky Panky back in 2011, and I had not had the chance to read the second book in the series until now. A Deadly Christmas Carol was worth the wait and I was delighted to have the next installment, Laugh 'til You Die, on hand to pick up right after I finished.

Author Sharon Love Cook is a local author, from close to my neck of the woods, but we've never met. Through her use of her gift of writing and that of humor, however, I feel as if we were old friends. I've spent most of this weekend reading both books and have enjoyed them immensely. My husband read them first and he loved them too!

In A Deadly Christmas Carol we find a winter mystery in Granite Cove, complete with icy streets and a Christmas pageant.

From the back cover: “When sultry Dionne Dunbar is run down in the street one winter's night, Granite Cove Gazette reporter Rose McNichols is the only witness. Amid Christmas preparations in the new England fishing village, Rose alone is determined to discover Dionne's secrets. Was it a member of her mediums circle...or one of her black book clients?”

I found the characters of Granite Cove to be typical New Englanders. Cook nailed our quirks, “isms” and bad habits precisely. There were plenty of possible suspects, a few red herrings, and enough local gossip and goings on to keep this reader guessing until the very end. Reporter Rose McNichols also writes a housekeeping hints column, “Auntie Pearl's Helpful Housekeeping Hints” with a readers “Dear Auntie Pearl” letter, and Auntie Pearl's priceless answers are featured at the end of each chapter.

This was a fantastic book to read on a warm late spring day. The mystery kept me interested and the descriptions of a cold New England winter made me doubly appreciate the warm sunshine. I highly recommend it to cozy lovers everywhere!

Reviews of other titles in this series

A Nose for Hanky Panky #1
A Deadly Christmas Carol #2
Laugh 'til You Die #3


Reviewed 2016
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