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Mistletoe And Mayhem

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Christmas is a time for giving, right? For cuddling up with loved ones and enjoying a hot cup of hot apple cider. Right? Not necessarily. It can also be a time of danger, mystery, murder, miracles and romance! Now, with "Mistletoe and Mayhem," it can be Christmas all year round!

Get ready for incredible tales of love, Christmas and murder. "Mistletoe and Mayhem" consists of four novellas by four distinguished authors. In each story, an unexpected visitor is about to arrive with an unexpected gift. Will the gift be romantic? Woeful, or filled with murder? Each author gives her own twist on the season of giving and the results are fabulous.

In "Out on a Limb" by Christie Ridgway, we are introduced to Stacy Banks. On her way to a Christmas party, she decides to stop and invite Ryan Beausoleil along. She had met him in the mailroom of their apartment and couldn't help but notice that he was also noticing her. Not one to usually go out on a limb, Stacy decides to surprise Ryan on his boat wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. When Ryan arrives, however, things begin to go horribly wrong when the man with him starts shooting...

In "The Two Marys" by Katherine Hall Page, we meet Mary Bethany. Living alone, she breeds goats to make goat milk and cheese. When going out to the barn to check on the Nubian goats, she is startled to find a baby boy in a bassinet with a note: Dear Mary, Keep him safe and raise him to be a good man. His name is Christopher. Unsure of what to do, Mary calls neighbor Faith Fairchild to help her find the child's mother...

In "The Twelve Frogs of Christmas" by Judi McCoy, jewelry maker Claire St. Germaine is despondent when another frog arrives at her door. Kissing the frogs turns them into men and Claire is tired of kissing frogs. Her downstairs neighbor, Dr. Hugh Burton, an expert in frogs, notices the frogs and wonders where they keep coming from. When a frog arrives through UPS and happens to be a frog previously thought deceased, it brings Claire and Hugh together in a way that neither of them imagined...

In "The Thirteenth Santa" by Joanne Pence, Rebecca Mayfield's day starts off with an interesting twist. A San Francisco Homicide Inspector, she is called to the scene of an apparent jumper on Christmas Eve, dressed as Santa Claus, red suit and all. Things only get more strange when a man named Richard Amalfi enters the Homicide department. He needs help in locating a van. A van filled with old men, all dressed in Santa costumes.

"Mistletoe and Mayhem" was a treat from start to finish. All the stories were great reads and not one was a disappointment. My personal favorite though, was "The Twelve Frogs of Christmas." Judi McCoy knows how to write a wacky plot and make it believable. It's light hearted and has a touch of magic that will warm any cold night.

Give yourself a belated Christmas treat and pick up "Mistletoe and Mayhem" for yourself, for your friends, for anyone who needs a good cheer. With the stories being a wonderful mix of mystery and romance, there is something in these pages to satisfy any reader!

I found this collection of stories rather dark and completely lacking in holiday cheer.

I'm sure mystery lovers would appreciate the plots and characters, but if you're looking for light-hearted, true meaning of Christmas, love is in the air type stories, than this book is definitely NOT for you.