When Tallie's beloved Uncle Hoagie goes missing and her mean-spirited Aunt Ronda is murdered, on Christmas Eve, Tallie finds herself solving a murder, looking for a missing Uncle, chasing an arsonist, renovating her & Max's apartment and trying to keep the holiday spirit!

Besides the "keep you guessing" mystery, what I loved about the book is how Tallie has changed since she stopped being a high society wife and came home to her wonderfully quirky family. She has accepted her ability to sleuth and is always a step ahead of Burton, the lovable but cranky, police chief. Tallie has persevered and kept going when times were tough. I enjoyed the banter between Tallie and her family, boyfriend Max and her best friend Gina. To me, the best books have a flow that makes you feel as if you're the sleuthing right along with the main character and author Misty Simon has that ability. The supporting characters are as well-developed as Tallie and bring humor to the book. The solutions to the mysteries fell into place like a puzzle!

So many surprises in this book! It's the perfect gift for Tallie Graver fans!💙

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

Cozy mysteries are among my favorite genres to read and it's because authors like Misty Simon know how to write them the way readers want them! This series, while slow in the beginning, has quickly made it's way up my list of favorites! Sometimes I don't even want the books to end because I love them so much! If you're a fan of cozy mystery series and like books with unique concepts and characters then you won't want to miss these ones! Varnished without a Trace is the 5th book in the series. I recommend reading them in order!

This is the first time I have read this author. I enjoyed this mystery . Tallie is some amateur sleuth. I so enjoyed how she went about snooping and some of her logic. I didn't have any idea who done it until it was revealed. A GOOD READ.

This is the kind of story that a reader doesn’t want to end, it is just that wonderful. Two mysteries going, maybe they are connected, maybe not, side plots that keep the reader engaged but not overwhelmed, and quirky characters that make you feel what they feel. A perfectly written installment .

In this next book in the Tallie Graver series, our intrepid heroine is in the midst of the holidays. She not only has to deal with her grumpy grandmother, but apartment renovations (with the marvelous Max), another murder, and an arsonist. Her mother and grandmother drag her to Christmas Eve bingo—not her first choice of how to spend the evening—and when she wins (much to the anger of the regular players), instead of gathering her prize, she finds a body. But the real surprise is when Police Chief Burton actually asks for her input. And then her uncle Sherman asks her to help find the firebug who’s burning up buildings around town. With the help of Max and her friends, Tallie once again discovers the secrets being hidden. But before we get to the satisfying ending, there are a lot of twists and turns that leave you guessing. One thing about the series is that each one is a stand-alone story. Yes, reading them in order gives you background on the family that would help you get deeper into the story, but you don’t need to have in order to enjoy the stories.

What I liked: I love the family dynamics in the Tallie stories. The books aren’t just about the murder, but about Tallie and her life and relationships. And it all keeps you turning the pages.

What I didn’t like: Nothing. I love the Tallie Graver series!

Recommendation: If you’ve read the other ones in this series, you need to read this one. But if you haven’t, you can still read this one and know what’s going on. I suggest you read them all for a fun, light-hearted mystery with interesting characters and endings that satisfy.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone or anything.

This is part of a series, I haven't read the previous novels but it didn't seem to be a problem.

Tallie has her own cleaning business and wants to live an independent life with her boyfriend. This novel has a bit of everything, difficult family dynamics, mysterious relatives, career decisions. red herrings and plenty of suspects. It's a quick and easy read,

IN this latest mystery in the series, Tallie Graver finds a body after playing bingo. This leads her to start investigating who could done it as well as the disappearance of the owner of the hardware store. There is a lot of talk throughout the book about being related to them (the body and the husband) and a lot of confusion about it. Yes, Tallie is related, but no she isn't, but maybe she is. Even though it is a plot point, it becomes very tedious. There are a lot of inconsistencies in the book where one thing is stated and later on, contradicted. There a number of slang and phrases that are used incorrectly and it puts the reader off balance trying to figure out what was meant. This book just struck as slightly off and I could not really get into it.

Tallie Graver just wanted to survive her grandmother's holiday visit with her mind intact. She survived a divorce and was adamant about NOT becoming a mortician, much to her family's dismay.
Her main bright spot was that her boyfriend Max now lived with her, even if it was over the funeral parlor.
Being dragged to bingo with her mother and grandmother was not her first choice of a way to spend an evening, less so when her Aunt Rhona turns up dead and she finds the body. Not being able to find Rhona's husband Uncle Hoagie just tipped the evening farther into the dumpster.
She was stunned when Police Chief Burton asks for her input, as he'd been trying to stop her from 'helping' him until now. Uncle Sherman's request for help in finding a firebug also came as a surprise.
With Max and her friends they investigate any lead they find and pass on the information, especially when they find out things that went against what they thought they knew.
When old secrets come out, things start to make more sense. The killer is arrested as is the firebug.
This is a fun cozy, with some offbeat humor, but suitable for all ages.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to oeruse and offer my opinion freely.

family-dynamics, family, friendship, situational-humor, verbal-humor, cozy-mystery, murder, holiday-themed, missing-persons, small-business, small-town, arson

Let's see, there's extreme bingo, a murdered curmudgeon whose husband goes missing, a look-alike embalmed body found outside his business, a looney family who wants daughter to stop mucking about as an amateur sleuth and get into the family (funeral home) business against her will. Oh, and an arsonist. Sounds like fun, and it really is. Kept me up reading to find out what's next! Great characters!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Press via NetGalley.

Tallie Graver has become one of my favorite characters. Growing up in a funeral home is one thing, but Tallie would rather scrub toilets then work in the family business in her adult life.
Even though it’s an issue with her family, Tallie stays determined to have a separate career, although she will admit to enjoy driving the hearse.
Tallie also has a knack for solving mysteries, murder investigations to be exact, much to the chagrin of the police chief.

In this particular book, Tallie is encouraged to help the authorities and once you start this book, you won’t want to put it down.
The author creates a realistic story, filled with colorful, quirky characters who are guaranteed to brighten your day.

Tallie Graver isn't full of festive spirit when she has to accompany her mom and grandmother to play bingo on Christmas Eve and to top it all she has to sit next to Aunt Ronda who moans, gripes and curses her way through the entire evening. Finally everything draws to a close but that's when the whole experience reaches its lowest point as Tallie finds her aunt's dead body by the exit. When her uncle disappears without trace at the same time he seems to be the prime suspect. Add to that a fire bug targeting local businesses, and everyone has their hands full and there's still the family Christmas meal to get through!

This is such a fun read, even if it's still a while until Christmas! Tallulah (Tallie) Graver is a likeable and engaging main character who runs a cleaning company but still manages to drive the family hearse, they are all undertakers apart from her, and help the local sheriff. This is the first book I have read by this author but the fifth in the Tallie Graver series. I didn't feel I needed to read the others first but if they are as good as this I will definitely be visiting with Tallie again soon.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good festive murder mystery or an easy to read cosy crime series.

I loved this book. I loved all it's mystery, intrigue, twists and turns. I didn't want to put this book down. I love all the characters, which are well developed.

Christmas time has arrived and Tallie and Max are spending time with her family. While Tallie’s plan was to take some time off over the holidays, the murder of her Aunt Ronda, her missing Uncle Hoagie, and a firebug in town have her chasing clues to solve the mysteries. But will Tallie end up on the wrong side of the murderer?

I enjoy this series and look forward to each new entry. The writing and characters are solid and the whodunit keeps you guessing until the big reveal. A quick and fun read!