Silent Night (Paperback)

In JD Robb's "Midnight in Death" Lieutenant Eve Dallas must postpone her first Christmas with her new husband, Roarke, to hunt for an escaped serial killer--but she and Roarke still manage to find ways to celebrate.

Susan Plukett's "Christmas Promises" brings a woman and her ex-fiance together after four long years as they search for a missing child--and make up for broken promises of Christmases past.

In Dee Holmes's "The Unexpected Gift" Sabrina McKay and her five-year-old son are coping with the first Christmas since her divorce and her son finds a 'body' in the yard--and unexpectedly they rediscover the true spirit of the holidays.

In Claire Cross's "A Berry Merry Christmas" a mysterious nanny has a special message to deliver to a young orphan and her uncle who long to feel the joy of Christmas in their hearts once again.

And my review:

All of these stories were good. I normally don't like Christmas murder mysteries, but JD Robb's story was so engrossing that I couldn't put it down.

My favorite, though, was "A Berry Merry Christmas". I admit it, I'm a sucker for lighthearted fantasy, and the story of an elf who didn't quite fit in just warmed my heart.

Highly recommended!

First is Claire Cross' "A Berry Merry Christmas". This is a sweet tale of a North Pole elf named Holly Berry who just doesn't fit in, so she is sent on a special mission to fulfill an orphan's Christmas wish. Holly is hired as nanny for the orphaned Natalie, who wrote to Santa asking for a wife for her "Unca Drew" so she could have a mommy. Unbeknownst to Holly, she is the perfect woman for the job, and Natalie's Uncle Drew is starting to agree. This is a truly lovely, fanciful story that will have you believing in magic!

Dee Holmes' "The Unexpected Gift" is by far the weakest story in this anthology, although it is still enjoyable. Sabrina McKay and her young son are having their first Christmas since Sabrina's divorce. Sabrina's son finds what he believes is a body in the front yard, but who turns out to be Sabrina's high school boyfriend, Zach Danforth. Spending time in each other's company rekindles the flame between Sabrina and Zach, and together they find the true meaning of Christmas. The problem with this story is that nothing really happens in it - there is no real conflict, no suspense, no nothing. It is, however, a sweet story about the true spirit of Christmas.

Third is Susan Plunkett's "Christmas Promises", which is a really excellent story. FBI Agent Jake Rimsa reunites with his ex-fiancé, Marne York on their way to a shared Christmas celebration. Marne has changed dramatically from the rich, pampered girl Jake remembers into a fierce advocate of abused women. When Marne is suddenly enlisted to help find a missing child, their holiday plans are put on hold. As these two work together, it becomes painfully clear that Jack and Marne never stopped loving each other, but Marne is carrying around a painful secret that ended their engagement 4 years earlier and may destroy their chances for happiness now. Marne and Jake are very well developed and intriguing characters, and the plot of this short story is fresh and exciting and will keep you turning pages.

Saving the best for last, we have J.D. Robb's "Midnight in Death" which is fantastic. We catch up with Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD as her Christmas is interrupted by murder. Serial killer David Palmer, who Eve caught and locked away three years earlier has escaped, and is out for revenge against everyone who put him away, especially Eve. He has already killed the judge who sentenced him, and Eve goes into overdrive trying to catch this madman before he gets to the other people on his hit list. Eve's sexy billionaire husband Roarke is right by her side, helping with the case and keeping his 'Darling Eve' safe. Eve and Roarke's romance is as hot and passionate as ever, and their scenes together will all but steam up your windows! Robb has created a fully developed story in less than 100 pages that is thrilling, original and full of heart-pounding passion. This is most definitely the best story in this anthology, and is worth the price of this book all by itself. "Midnight in Death" is a wonderful and worthy addition to the "In Death" series.

Overall, I thought this anthology was great. It is full of the spirit of Christmas, although it can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Don't miss out on this one, it's fun, romantic, and well worth the read!