I'll Be Home for Mischief (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book # 5) by Jacqueline Frost

Innkeeper Holly White is decking the halls this Christmas season, but someone is on the naughty list when a body is discovered in the fifth installment in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

It’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow’s body ends up in the batter. 

When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.

When someone breaks into Holly’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?  (Summary via Goodreads)

It doesn't matter if you are reading the first book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series, Twelve Slays of Christmas, or the latest and fifth book, I'll Be Home for Mischief, author Jacqueline Frost is guaranteed to win you over !!  This series has so much for readers to love and she sets the stage beautifully so that you feel like you are right there inside the story.

In I'll Be Home for Mischief the town of Mistletoe, Maine is gearing up for the Christmas season and Holly White and her parents are ready at their tree farm.  Now this tree farm is so much more .... they have the inn decked out in holiday decorations that Holly oversees, the Hearth that Holly's mom runs and bakes delicious treats, the grounds that her father is in.  And this year the town and Historical Society are celebrating their 150th anniversary and they have turned downtown into a Victorian Christmas.

Holly's mom is also trying to get into the Guiness Book of World's Record by making the largest gingerbread man cookie.  Unfortunately before the cookie can be baked, they find one of the guests staying at the inn dead in the batter.  And you know what Holly is going to do .... even though her husband the Sheriff would like her to stay as far away as possible.  Now we know that that will be impossible for her and she wouldn't be her if she didn't do whatever she can to ensure her town and everyone living and visiting there is safe.

The Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series is such a treat to read.  As soon as you finish the first chapter you are hooked !!!  It opens your imagination wide open and you can picture everything, you may even think you can smell the baked goods and taste the hot cocoa !!  I know I can !!!  You will fall in love with the characters and want to be in their little, amazing group.  And the way that Frost builds up the characters and their lives, you know you are a fan and will be back with every new book she writes so that you can grow with them as you settle in and visit .....

Gingerbread Danger (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery Book # 9) by Amanda Flower

Amanda Flower’s USA Today bestselling Amish Candy Shop Mysteries combines a fascinating look at Amish life with the sugar rush of candy making, a quirky whodunit, and a hint of romance between chocolatier Bailey King and her law enforcer boyfriend. This eighth installment raises the charm even more, as Christmas preparations are underway in the small town of Harvest, Ohio.

Amish Candy shop owner and star of TV’s Bailey’s Amish Sweets, Bailey King has a lot to be excited about. She’s happily engaged to Aiden Brody, newly appointed county sheriff, and her candy factory is finally having its grand opening in Harvest, Ohio—just before Christmas! Bailey is ready to let the sweet celebrations
begin . . .

With the help of local community organizer Margot Rawlings, Harvest will have a Candy Land themed Christmas on the village square—featuring Bailey’s recently perfected recipe for gingerbread men. When the big day comes, everything is going well—until bitter news arrives. One of Bailey’s Amish friends has been killed in an apparent accident just outside the candy factory. Aiden is promptly on the case—with more than a little input from Bailey . . .

Together, they soon learn that the victim was working for some powerful men in the county, and in doing so was spying on his own Amish community. Still, Bailey is determined to find the perpetrator. If she can’t cut out the killer from the rest of the suspects, her gingerbread men won’t be the only ones in danger of disappearing . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower is a great series to get lost in and Gingerbread Danger, the ninth book is out !!!

In Gingerbread Danger the town of Harvest is celebrating the Christmas holiday season with a Candy Land game on the town square for children of all ages to enjoy and main character Bailey King and her candy shop and factory are supplying the candy for the game.  This time of year the candy shop is always busy and this is the first year for her new candy factory and both are going well ..... until the organizer of the event, Margot, insists on putting one of the huge game pieces on the roof of the factory without talking to Bailey.  Bailey doesn't want it there so she asks her employee, Zeph, to remove it.

Unfortunately there is what seems to be an accident and Zeph falls to his death from the roof.  But Bailey being Bailey doesn't think it's that simple so she sets out to find out more about Zeph.  But looking into Zeph will not be easy seeing as he was part of the one Amish community but she learns that he was living elsewhere and not acting Amish anymore.  Luckily Zeph's sister, Lida, works for Bailey so maybe she can help ....

There is a lot going on in Gingerbread Danger .... the town square is set up for everyone to enjoy the holidays, Bailey's two businesses are extremely busy, Bailey's parents are visiting and her mother wants to plan Bailey and Aiden's wedding, Bailey's soon to be mother-in-law keeps asking Bailey to pig sit, Jethro, and Aiden is again in the middle of a serious possible murder case and trying to keep Bailey from doing her own investigating, businesses and homes are being robbed which is putting everyone on edge ......... and more that you wil have to read about on your own !!!

Anytime that a reader can escape into a good book is a good day and Flower knows how to make that experience one to remember even after you finish the story.  The Amish Candy Shop Mystery series is a real treat to devour and I highly encourage you to dig in !!!