A Killer Christmas
Book 59- Murder, She Wrote Series
Please Note: This is Book 59 in the Murder, She Wrote series. This is the latest installment in the series with Books 60 and 61 coming out this March and July. My plan is to slowly go through the series this year and beyond. I will go back to the installment I left off from years ago—Book #6 —the next time I review a Murder, She Wrote novel (which will usually be once a month).
Cabot Cove is in the middle of organizing a Christmas festival when a murder strikes. Eve Simpson is in the process of selling a particular house that belongs to Krista Jarvis. The house is being bought by John and Rose Marie Bragdon. The problem is that Krista’s brother, Kenny Jarvis, who has been supposedly dead, is actually alive and he wants the house back.
One day, when Jessica and Eve are having tea with Rose Marie at Hill House, Rose Marie ends up dead. It is eventually discovered that she was murdered. At first, Jessica is reluctant to get involved given her responsibilities to the Christmas Festival and the upcoming visit of her nephew, Grady, and his family. But when Kenny is arrested for the murder, Jessica is convinced he did not do it and sets about to prove it.
What was amazing about this novel was that the murder did not take place until about 60% into the novel. I do not actually think that is a bad attribute, just a remarkable one. It gives the author time to set up the murder and work on character development. My biggest complaint about this novel was that the murderer was not difficult to figure out. Hopefully, the next installment in the series will be more challenging.
Rating: 4/5
Next Novel to Review: Burning Danger