In the fifth book of this series, Krissy is roped into performing in a Christmas play after one of the supporting elves quit. The man playing Santa is disagreeable and disliked, so he quickly is murdered (it’s so nice that people we like are rarely killed in cozy mysteries). Krissy jumps in to investigate while promising everyone she won’t.

The book is okay. The things I dislike about it are mostly just things I dislike in any cozy that uses them in the plot (a wishy-washy love triangle, incompetent police, underdeveloped secondary characters)..

A great book by a fantastic author. The writing is excellent and the mystery keeps you turning the pages. Characters are well developed. Highly recommend.

Death by Eggnog is book 5 in the Bookstore Café Mystery series. I feel this works well as a standalone; however, I have enjoyed reading every book in this series so far, and you always do get more details when you don’t miss anything that a previous book offers.

The characters have come to feel like good friends. I would enjoy knowing them, especially Krissy, the main character, who always involves herself in the latest murder mystery and runs into unpredictable dangers because of this. She is a bit too headstrong and impulsive at times, but also has a fun personality. Her current boyfriend, Will, barely shows up in this one. After reading the other books, I am still on team Paul.

Besides having few edge-of-your-seat scenes, I find this book as well as the others to be entertaining and I look forward to new editions.

It's that time of year, time for eggnog flavored coffee and the annual Christmas play complete with elves who sing and dance. Well Krissy at least tries to sing and dance. She hadn't planned to get involved in the production, that is until "Santa" is slayed and her ex-boyfriend finds himself in the line up. What's a girl to do when the new girlfriend begs her to help? She help, because that is just the kind of person she is. So between working at the coffee shop, shopping for family and friends for the holiday, she is sleuthing it up in pointy shoes. Unfortunately not everybody believed in Santa including the surly tippler who was replaced as the annual jolly old elf only to get his job back when the new Santa was found dead. Not to mention that none of this is helping Krissy's fledgling relationship with the hunky doctor Will who seemed more reserved than usual. The story moves along at a great pace as Krissy lines up the suspects and works her way through the list which is a balancing trick in and of itself. Great read looking forward to Death by Espresso.

I am still enjoying this series. Krissy is my kind of sleuth. She is smart, kind, has good judgement, loyal and real. I love how she is not afraid to admit her flaws and laugh about her mistakes. This story does not use the coffee shop setting as much as the other books, but it is easy to see that this is where Krissy's comfort zone is. It is Christmas time and Krissy has a week off to go to California to spen the holiday with her father. At the last minute he calls her to say he is going away with his girlfriend so she has a week off and is staying in town. She gets roped in to playing an elf in the local holiday play, a singing and dancing elf and she can't sing and dance. There are so many things happening backstage such as the director being too demanding, the performers all gossiping backstage, male characters fighting over the same girl, and there are fights over who will play the lead role. Within a couple of rehearsals, the man playing Santa Claus is murdered. It turns out Chuck was a bully to the guys and rather handsy with the women so there were a lot of people who might have had a reason to kill him. When Krissy's ex-boyfriend is arrested for the crime, Krissy is convinced that he didn't do it. Both he and his new girlfriend ask Krissy to help and the investigation begins.

The mystery moved along at a nice pace. There were plenty of suspects, twists and turns and I was not able to figure out who the killer was. The author did such a good job of spreading out red herrings. I like Alex Erickson's writing style. It is humorous at times and to the point with just enough description to make the story enjoyable. The characters are quite likable with the exception of some of the minor characters in the play. They were a bit aggravating and did not appreciate Krissy investigating the crime. The holiday theme was well done, not overdone. When the culprit was revealed, he/she explained why, but it was not the best explanation for me. It was plausible, but just did not sit well with me. That is why I only gave it 4 stars. There was some humor in the story that had me smiling throughout the book. The romance was not very much a part of this story which is fine, but I am not very impressed with Will, Krissy's present boyfriend. He is rather stiff I and does not seem to be much fun. I would love to see her get back with Paul, the police officer. I do recommend not only this book, but the series to cozy mystery lovers. They are well written with great mysteries and characters.

Krissy Hancock usually flies to west to spend Christmas with her dad, but this year he's made other last minute plans.
She had already arranged to take time off from her combination bookstore-cafe. Her business partner & best friend insists she take the time off she'd planned on and enjoy it.
As she's deciding what to do with her time off she unexpectedly gets roped into filling in for a sick elf in a local holiday play.
When the Santa in the play is murdered the police suspect her ex-boyfriend who is playing another elf in the play. Krissy is determined to find the real killer.
This is a charming cozy mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Krissy Hancock has somehow gotten herself volunteered to be an elf in the local Christmas play so there goes her two week vacation from the book store/coffee shop that she co-owns with her best friend Vicki. In true Krissy fashion, a body is discovered, one of the actors in the play and her ex, Robert, is jailed for the murder. Krissy still thinks Robert is a jerk but she knows he's not a killer so she feels compelled to investigate despite having to come to practices that are doing a real number on her body as far as aches and pains go.

This is the first book in the series that I've read but the author does a good job of briefly telling who is who. I never felt confused just dropping in on book 5 but I do want to start at the beginning and read the rest of them. The characters are all very likable, and even the old lady next door who has always been spying on Krissy, comes around a little after her daughter comes to town and they have a meal together. The old lady just needed a friend and a purpose. That part seemed a little unrelated to the mystery but had I read the previous four books, I'm sure it would have seemed a little more relevant.

I never guessed the killer because the author did such a good job of spreading out red herrings along the way. Just as I'd suspect one person, they would be cleared. I like his writing style too, humorous at times and to the point as far as he's not overdoing descriptions or anything. I felt like I could picture all the places that were talked about. This author gets more into the head of the main character and it worked out great. I loved the final scenes, very exciting and again, a little bit funny at times. The ending was awesome so once I'm caught up with this series, I'll be anxious to read the 6th book!

I really enjoyed the book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series. The characters are beginning to feel like old friends that you just can't wait to visit. This was another top-notch mystery with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. The writing is easy to read and provides description without 'bogging down' the story line.

I'm already ready for the next one in the series.

This was a cute Christmas cozy and easy to get into even though I haven't read any other books in this series. Perfect for getting in the holiday mood, with a well-crafted storyline and fun cast of characters. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

When Krissy's plans to spend Christmas in California with her dad fall apart, she looks forward to spending the time with her busy doctor boyfriend Will. Then she gets roped into filling in for a sick elf in the local theater's Christmas musical production. She's surprised to discover that her ex Robert and his new girlfriend Trisha are also performing in the play as an elf and Mrs. Claus. When the actor playing Santa is found murdered shortly after hitting on Trisha, Robert becomes the main suspect, and Krissy finds herself in the unlikely position of trying to clear his name. As she comes to know each member of the cast and crew better she finds no shortage of suspects, even though she would much rather be at home with her cat Misfit watching Christmas movies on TV. (Who wouldn't?) Nothing makes me happier than a holiday-themed story in one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and this one is no exception...best accompanied by a mug of Death by Coffee's eggnog flavored brew!

This is book five out of the series. It was my first story by the author. The book was a fast read but felt like a slow pace. It was written in a breezy manner- at least it felt like it was. We don't get to suspects until further in the book. I didn't feel connected with the story on many levels. I wanted to feel warm and cozy- as this is a Christmas cozy mystery- but it was a miss for me. I did guess the killer early on. The book did get better half way through.

OMG, this has been a great reading. In a couple of chapters I got completely hooked! I missed Will a bit, since he’s a bit absent, but Paul compensated this absence. The only problem I have is that I cannot wait for the next book!

Death By Eggnog is the 5th book in the Bookstore Café Mystery Series . This is one of my favorite series and this next in series is excellent The sleuth is fast paced, the writing is excellent and the characters are perfectly written to the setting. Its a fun easy series to read and always has a fun sleuth with lots of clues.

In this release we find our protagonist Krissy staying in her hometown during the week of Christmas taking time off from her bookstore to enjoy the holidays. As she becomes involved in a Christmas show a murder occurs.
With her cheating ex boyfriend who followed her to town to win her back on her nerves, he follows her to the pageant and soon becomes the prime suspect. Against her better judgement she is determined to clear him and once and for all move on with her life. This series has great humor and is always a fun read. I look forward to the next in series.
Thank you for the advance reading copy which did not influence my review.

Krissy is looking forward to a stay at home vacation after her father cancels their Christmas plans to spend time with his new girlfriend. As Krissy is trying to decide what to do with all her free time this holiday season she is roped into playing an Elf in a local holiday play. When the man who plays Santa is found murdered and Krissy’s cheating ex is arrested as the only suspect, she knows it’s up to her to find out who the true killer is.

This is a great holiday cozy mystery. Once you start you won’t be able to put it down until the killer is revealed. I have loved every book I have read in this series and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. I especially like the holiday themed books.

Krissy Hancock is looking forward to an entire week off from her bookstore cafe, Death by Coffee. She plans to spend the holidays with her father in California. But at the last minute things change....she isn't going to sunny California after all. So, she has a week off in Pine Hills, Ohio. All of her friends are busy with their own holiday plans, so Krissy decides just to relax and enjoy her time off. Her zen just isn't meant to be, however. Krissy gets roped into taking the place of a sick elf in the annual holiday musical extravaganza. Her peaceful holiday soon turns into drama.....the director is too demanding, the performers are all gossiping backstage and there are fights over who will play the lead role. It all comes to a head when Chuck, dressed as Santa Claus, is murdered in the dressing room. Krissy steps in to investigate after her ex-boyfriend Robert is seen fleeing from the scene. Who killed Santa? Robert is a bit of a jerk, but Krissy is convinced that he didn't murder Chuck.

I really enjoy this series. Krissy is an enjoyable, intelligent, and capable main character. I like the mix of humor and murder mystery. The characters are all likeable and realistic. The coffeeshop/bookstore side theme is also one I enjoy. It gets used quite a bit in cozy mysteries, but I don't mind another series from that angle. I wish Death By Coffee was a real shop near where I live! I'd be there all the time! :)

Death By Eggnog is the 5th book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series. The mystery moved along at a nice pace. There were plenty of suspects, twists and turns. The holiday theme was well done. I have a weakness for holiday themed cozies -- so I really enjoyed this book! The Christmas theme was great, and the cover is adorable. All in all, another great book in this cozy series! The next book, Death by Espresso, will be released in June 2018!!

To find out more about the author and his books, check out his website: https://alexericksonbooks.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy from Kensington via netgalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Krissy Hancock and her best friend Vicki Patterson are the co-owners of Death By Coffee and combo coffee and bookstore in the town of Pine Hills, Ohio. When Krissy's plans to spend Christmas with her dad are changed, she finds herself staying in town getting to spend the holiday with her boyfriend Will Foster. Vicki still wants Krissy to take her scheduled vacation. Which gets her volunteered by store regular Rita to fill in for a sick elf in the Community Theater's Christmas musical. When the man playing Santa Claus is found murdered after a public fight with Robert Dunhill, Krissy's ex-boyfriend he becomes the #1 suspect for the crime. Robert's girlfriend Trisha begs Krissy to help prove his innocence to the police. Krissy is convinced the police have the wrong person in jail, so with her love of snooping and investigating she decides to help find the real killer.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Nothing is more enjoyable than a series that seems to get better with each book as is the case here. Krissy is a fascinating heroine as is the concept of coffee house cum bookstore. Her curiosity comes naturally as her father is a famous mystery writer. Krissy was going to go visit him over Christmas but he got a better offer so she is now at home with time on her hands. Thst is not a good combination.
She has been corralled into being part of a Christmas play and when Santa is murdered in the dressing room, she is going to be interested. When her former finance ends up in jail as the prime suspect, she is compelled to figure out who really did it.
Krissy does not go out of her way to get into tight situations but she does ask a lot of questions which makes her confrontation with the murderer inevitable. I was almost as surprised as she was by who had done the nasty deed and the motive was completely from left field.
I like when there are twists and turns that lead you down the wrong path and just enough suspense to have pages turning. This book delivers both.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

After her father cancels their Christmas plans, Krissy Hancocks finds herself staying home for the holidays. Already taken time off from work, one of the towns people ropes her into helping with a Christmas play. Everything seems to be going fine until the very crude Santa is found dead in his dressing room and the person suspected of murder is no other than Krissy’s ex-boyfriend who now wants Krissy to clear his name.

I enjoyed this for the most part, I thought it was interesting and it seems like a great read for Christmas with a small town setting and a group of people who really love the holidays.

This would have been a 4 star read, but I took half a star off because of who done it in the end. I thought it came out of no where and the reason was just like, blah, really? It felt a bit disappointing.

Still enjoying this series very much. Looking forward to the next one. Hoping for more Buchanan. I think the story should tell us more about him and I'd like to see him and Krissy getting a connection.

Death by Eggnog by Alex Erickson is the fifth book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series. I have read some previous books in this series, but it is not necessary to enjoy this book. Krissy's vacation becomes a staycation after her father plans a last minute trip. The co-owner of Death by Coffee insists that Krissy take time away from work. That leads to her taking a part in the local theater company's holiday musical. Things are going well enough until Santa is murdered and Krissy's ex is the main suspect. The characters and setting for this book are fun and perfect for a cozy mystery. Reading this book only makes me look forward to more from the author!