This is a great book; this is the fifth book in the Bookstore Café Mystery series written by Alex Erickson.This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book by this author that I have read and I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to my friends.

When Krissy Hancock's plans for spending Christmas with her dad in California changed she remained at home in Pine Hills. Krissy ends up being volunteered to play an elf in the community theater Christmas play. Unfortunately this landed her in the middle of a murder investigation in which her ex-friend Robert is the prime suspect in the murder of Santa Claus. Although he cheated on her Krissy doesn't believe that Robert is capable of murder and agrees to help him prove someone else committed the murder.

Although I have not read any of the other books in this series yet I didn't find that to be a problem. I do plan on reading the other books though.

I loved this book until it revealed the motive. It just felt weak to me. The mystery itself was great, and so was the reveal - it was just the motive that left me unsatisfied with the ending. I do wish that Krissy's dad had made an appearance since Christmas in a cozy typically involves family.

Robert might have cheated on Krissy but she doesn't think he's a murderer. I had not read the earlier books in this series but I didn't find that to be a problem as the characters all seemed entirely complete to me. Krissy, a part owner in a bookstore (sigh) finds herself at loose ends at Christmas and allowed her friend to sign her up to be an elf in the local pageant. Bad move! Not only does Santa end up dead, Krissy is in the odd position of solving a crime to exonerate someone she really doesn't like very much these days. This never gets twee or goes over the top with the Christmas theme. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this nicely written classic cozy. Thumbs up!

This was a nice cozy mystery, but I couldn't get into it. I couldn't relate to the characters and the writing was a little stilted. It improved as the book went on.

I haven't read any of the other books in the series, so I can't compare them. Briefly, the main character, Krissy, gets roped into performing in a Christmas play. The Santa is killed, and she investigates. Krissy's ex-boyfriend is accused of the murder, but she doesn't believe he did it.

The identity of the murderer was well concealed, and that made the book a success.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a few years since I read a cozy mystery, so I was excited to delve into "Death by Eggnog" and the community of Pine Hills. This is actually the fifth book in the series, but I was able to start reading without any confusion. Krissy Hancock is the co-owner of a bookstore/coffee shop, and has been recruited to act in the upcoming Christmas musical. Almost immediately, the man playing Santa Claus is murdered, and Krissy's creepy ex-boyfriend arrested for the crime. The only problem is, Krissy is convinced that he didn't do it!

There was a nice ensemble of characters, all in the backdrop of a cozy-seeming town. There were also a few scenes (one involved an elderly neighbor and the police!) that piqued my curiosity, making me want to read the previous books. I don't think I'd like to be part of the theater community though, what with all the murder and sexual harassment running rampant there!

I'm also curious to see where Krissy's relationship with her current boyfriend leads. He doesn't make an appearance until the very end of the book, and for much of it I was confused about her feelings toward him -- they often seemed very chaste and friend zone-ish.

All in all, it was a satisfying cozy murder. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thanks to Kensington and Netgalley for allowing me an advanced readers copy of this book. This is the second book by Alex Erickson that I have read and absolutely loved it.

Krissy Hancock is roped into replacing an elf at the local Pine Hills theater after one becomes sick. Things become a lot more interesting though when someone is found murdered backstage. Being the nosy person she is, Krissy decides to try and step in to investigate what happened. Her list of suspects is quite long so she has a bit of digging to do.

The books is written well and is easy to follow and read. The imagery is done well and I especially relate to the aspects of the cats Misfit and Trouble. It flowed well and kept me on my toes.

I've read a couple others in the series and this addition to it is in no way disappointing. An enjoyable, well written mystery just right for the holidays. Looking forward to the next one.

Krissy Hancock, part-owner in the bookstore café Death by Coffee located in Pine Hills, Ohio, is stressed because winter has arrived. She decides to take some days off to relax when she’s thrust into preparations for the local holiday play. While at rehearsal, Santa Claus is murdered in the men’s dressing room and Krissy sees her ex-boyfriend running from the scene. Can Krissy find the true culprit before her ex is sent up the river for a crime he didn’t commit?
This holiday cozy mystery was a good read on a stormy night. It was suspenseful, and had me wondering what would happen next. Mr. Erickson has a gift in describing the weather. I could feel the cold and sympathize with how Krissy felt when she slid on the ice getting to her car. I wanted to give this story 5 stars but didn’t because the suspects lacked individualization. An Advanced Reading Copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

First off thank you to Netgalley and Kensington books for allowing me the pleasure of reading this book in advance. This is actually the first book I've been approved for on Netgalley, so I was super excited to see the email!

First off, the way I mentally rank cozy mysteries is their ability to draw you in and keep you there, right with the characters, even if you read the books out of order (like I did!) This is the fifth book in the series, and yet I immediately felt at home. That is my main appeal for these kind of books; a comfortable, familiar yet not world filled with people who might live next door to you without becoming stereotypes.

Krissy was an immediate hit for me; she sneaks a few extra cookies now and then and that is something I absolutely relate to. She is thrown out of her own comfort zone of her workplace, and thrust among a new group of characters in a local play (no one tells her she's a singing and dancing elf) Yet she goes back to her store at times during the book, and I imagine this was the setting for previous crimes. There is a rather interesting love dynamic in this book as well, and I have to wonder without seeing much of either bloke which one will be 'the one'.

Of course it can't be cozy without the mystery, and this one is a doozey. There are plenty of suspects to choose from, and I love that the guilty party isn't immediately in the spotlight. We have to track through plenty of loose ends before finally exposing the killer at the end.

I love a well written cozy; it's my comfort genre. It's the book I choose when I want a pick me up, much like Krissy and her cookies. This book is a definite pick me up! I highly recommend it to other cozy lovers, and I'll have to check out the rest of the series. Five stars!

This the first time I have read any of this author/series,I liked the story and it had a good twist at the end. Just when you thought you knew who the villain was it turned out to be someone else. All in all a good cosy mystery.

The book was fine but it felt a bit stilted. I have to wonder if this series is running out of steam.

I'm happy to say that the Bookstore Café series has finally arrived. 'Death by Eggnog' is crisp, with an interesting mystery and finally, dialogue and characterizations that are mature. I actually am looking forward to the next in the series and seeing where Krissy goes with her relationships, especially Paul. There has to be more to come with that situation.

Who Murdered Santa?
Death by Eggnog is the fifth book in Alex Erickson’s Bookstore Café Mysteries series. The writing flows smoothly, most of the characters are down to earth, normal, relatable people, the book is an easy read and has plenty of humor. There is no shortage of suspects and lots of twists and turns to make it difficult to figure out who the killer is. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well-crafted cozy mysteries.

Krissy Hancock and her best friend, Vickie Patterson, are the owners of a combination coffee shop and bookstore, Death by Coffee, in the quaint town of Pine Hills, Ohio. Krissy had planned to spend Christmas in California with her dad and successful, James Hancock, but her plans quickly change when he calls her to cancel because he’d met a woman and she invited him to spend the holiday with her in the Swiss Alps. Krissy is sad about not spending Christmas with her dad, but looking forward to the possibility of spending time with her boyfriend, Will Foster, a handsome local physician. Vickie wants her to take her scheduled vacation and Rita Jablonski “volunteers” her to fill in for a sick elf in the community theatre’s Christmas musical production. Krissy has no acting experience and doesn’t want to be in the play, but Rita insists she must because the costume will fit her and no one else, which, of course, it doesn’t. Robert Dunhill, her cheating ex-boyfriend, moved to Pine Hills a few months after she did to try to win her back, but she wants nothing to do with him and, much to her displeasure, he’s also an elf in the play. When Chuck Sanders, who is the play’s Santa, is murdered, Robert becomes the prime suspect and is arrested. Both Robert and his new girlfriend, Trisha, beg Krissy to help prove his innocence. Krissy, who loves snooping and investigating, is convinced they have the wrong person in jail and sets out to find the real killer.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Krissy Hancock plans on traveling to spend Christmas with her father - until he informs her he will be spending it with his new girlfriend. With a week off of her job as co-manager of the coffeehouse Death By Coffee and no holidays plans, Krissy finds herself a little bored. Be careful what you ask for. Krissy is soon volunteered to take part in a Christmas play (no one mentioned it was a musical!), and after "Santa" gets knocked off and her ex-boyfriend is arrested for the murder, Krissy suddenly finds herself PLENTY busy. Sure, Robert is a louse, but even he doesn't deserve to be convicted for a murder he didn't commit. Between learning elf dance steps and catching the Christmas spirit, can Krissy find the murderer before the fat man can say ho, ho, ho!?

This is the fifth book in the Bookstore Café Mysteries. I have enjoyed this series from the first book (Death By Coffee). I didn't realize until I was done that I had missed the book right before this one (#4 - Death By Vanilla Latte). It only affected the storyline a small bit, so if you haven't read the other books, have no fear (although I highly recommend them). I don't feel this is a book you can pick up for five minutes at a time and really enjoy. I think you need to sit for at least 15 minutes at a time so you can really immerse yourself in the storyline. I don't often give five star reviews, but toward the end I really felt like this is the very best of what cozies are: a jerk getting their comeuppance, small town feel, and characters you become vested in. While it perhaps wasn't consistent the whole way through, I enjoyed it enough to give it five stars, and look forward to the sixth book, Death By Espresso.

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Krissy Hancock has my ideal life owning a combination coffee shop/book store in Pine Hills Ohio along with her best friend Vicki. The main difference between my dreams and Krissy's life is that she frequently finds herself enmeshed in murder cases. In this story Krissy is preparing to visit her father over the Christmas holidays when she receives a phone call from him stating that he wants to spend that time in the Swiss Alps with his new girlfriend. Krissy is then asked by her customer Rita to take part in the local Christmas musical which she unwillingly agrees to do. When Krissy gets to the theater she sees her old boyfriend Robert who is also portraying an elf along with his new girlfriend and she also meets the Santa character who turns out to be a letch who has his hands on Robert's girlfriend. When murder enters the theater and Robert is the prime suspect Krissy decides to put their past in the past and to help him out by investigating. Once again, despite the fact that there are many suspects to choose from and this is not an easy case to solve, her investigative instincts help find the true culprit. This is a delightful series with warm, relateable characters and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way through.