This is the fifth Berry Basket Mystery. I have read the other books in the series. I wasn’t sure what to think about this one at first. Main character, Marlee Jacob, takes what looks like the natural death of a 95 year old man and stubbornly holds to the idea that it wasn’t natural. There are some almost ridiculous moments in Marlee’s insistence even when it’s just in her own head.
Marlee goes overboard in decorating at home and in her shop, the Berry Basket. She gets roped into playing Jacob Marley in the local play of A Christmas Carol. There are plenty of distractions within the mystery and several very good suspects. Then a second person dies and it turns out Marlee was on to something all along.
I was a little surprised by which one of the suspects turned up to cause Marlee trouble during the climax of the story. And the climax was quite a doozy.
So despite my misgivings in the beginning about the possible suspicious death being overplayed, the book turned out brilliantly.
Give it a try especially if you like Christmas.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was my introduction to the series and I loved it. Marlee is a fine main character, and I like the way she investigates. I appreciated the fact that I could easily immerse myself in the series's universe without having read the previous books. With Hollyberry Homicide, there are many potential suspects, and I was guessing right until the end. Sharon Farrow weaves a strong storyline, and the subplots are interesting as well. The Holidays setting is very well used, and will delight readers who enjoy a good seasonal mystery.

Marlee solves another one! This story features a complex cast of characters, but they are all distinct and well-defined. Though Marlee's kind of ridiculous obsession with Christmas decorations gets a little distracting, the story held my interest and made it feel like Christmas in September :>) I'm also pleased to see one character leave the series--can't say more without spoiling something. But--yay.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marlee Jacobs is looking forward to celebrating Christmas, but before she can get there, she has a few things on her plate. In addition to the usual decorating and present buying, there’s the town hollyberry festival. Plus, she’s taking over the role of Jacob Marley in the town’s annual adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the last minute. The actor who normally plays the part died unexpectedly. Well, maybe not quite so unexpectedly since he was ninety-five. While everyone is certain it was natural causes, something feels off to Marlee. Couple that with the rumors that the play is cursed, and Marlee will have to find time to add sleuthing to her December schedule. What will she uncover?

As you might have guessed, this book’s plot unfolds a little differently from the typical cozy mystery, and I loved it all the more for that fact. Don’t worry, there is always something happening to keep your attention, and I loved how Marlee unraveled everything in the end. The characters in this series are charming, and that’s the case here once again. We get plenty of Christmas spirit in the pages of this book, which is a must for a Christmas entry in a series. Rounding out the book, we get three berry inspired recipes at the end. When you are making a list of Christmas cozies to read this December, make sure this book is on it. No need to check it twice, you’ll definitely enjoy it.

Hollyberry Homicide is the fifth installment in Sharon Farrow's Berry Basket Mystery series. Our protagonist, Marlee Jacob, owns a berry themed store in the quaint lakeside town of Oriole Point, Michigan. It's the holiday season and Marlee is taking over the role of Jacob Marley in the town's production of A Christmas Carol after the original actor, Everett Hostetter, passed away. Everyone assumes that he died of old age, but Marlee isn't so sure and is determined to uncover the truth.

This fun Christmas themed cozy mystery is filled with humor, colorful characters, suspense, and action. The mystery kept me guessing and the setting is so well-described that it will instantly get you in the mood for the holiday season. The author has done a wonderful job of developing the characters. When a new installment comes out, it feels like catching up with old friends. Marlee is someone you can definitely root for. She's sweet, funny, and feisty. I love spending time with her and the gang. This fifth installment is my favorite of the series so far, and I can't wait for my next visit to Oriole Point.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

HOLLYBERRY HOMICIDE, the fifth book in A Berry Basket Mystery series by Sharon Farrow, has all the trappings that make a holiday cozy mystery enjoyable! From the delightful Christmas cover, to the protagonist, Marlee Jacob, (named after famed Jacob Marley of A Christmas Carol), to Marlee’s obsession with decorating both her shop and home, and to the town’s Hollyberry Festival, the reader is immersed in a flurry of holiday activities. The author’s descriptive voice shines through and brings the characters and setting to life on the pages without slowing down the plot. Ms. Farrow’s use of a local stage production, A Christmas Carol, to highlight the death of the 95-year-old man playing Jacob Marley, adds to the entertainment. Everyone is sure he died of natural causes but Marlee is convinced foul play was involved. With a colorful and humorous cast of characters surrounding Marlee (including Minnie, her African Gray parrot) I couldn’t help but be enthralled with the story and enjoyed several laugh out loud moments.

The murder mystery itself was well-plotted and had a good pace. I enjoyed that Marlee’s friends are supportive of her snooping and help out as they can. As I turned the pages, layers of suspicion and secrets were revealed but I still couldn’t hone in on the killer. The author expertly weaves in twists that left me shocked and the clues she includes had me fixating on one character then another. But in the thrilling conclusion, they all piece together into one cohesive ending that made me yearn for more!

As owner of The Berry Basket, Marlee serves an assortment of mouthwatering berry-themed goodies. While holly berries are poisonous, Ms. Farrow includes several holiday-themed recipes at the back of the book that are not only safe to eat but sound scrumptious.

A fun Christmas-themed cozy mystery.

When grumpy old Everett Hostetter dies, everybody thinks his death is age-related. (He was 95!)
The town's A Christmas Carol play is rumoured to be cursed. Hostetter dies and then another actor is in the hospital with a burst appendix. This is followed by an incident or two at the set, and finally the Christmas tree in the middle of the town comes down with a huge crash.

Marlee, the proprietor of a berry-themed Christmas goodie store is in for a surprise when she's selected for the role of Jacob Marley - initially played by the victim.

Bits of humour and a talking parrot make this story a fun read. The identity of the perpetrator was a little expected but the suspense is well-maintained throughout the story.

Overall, this was an entertaining and engaging read.

I confess I have not read the prior books in this series but it was easy to jump right in and enjoy the story from the get go even without the background.

The Berry Basket owner, Marlee Jacob (yep, named after Dickens' Jacob Marley) is gearing up for the Holliberry Festival in her small town in Michigan. It's a winter wonderland with snow, Santa...and a few dead bodies. A 95-year-old curmudgeon passes away at a toy train exhibit but only Marlee suspects foul play because this man is the richest in town and also the stingiest and who gets all his money?

I really enjoyed the way the author wove details of a Christmas Carol, which is also the play being put on during the festival, throughout the story. While I am not a huge fan of Dickens, I did enjoy that story and the nuances were appreciated. Marlee is an enjoyable character and I absolutely adore her African grey parrot, Minnie's antics throughout the story.

This was a fun story to read and I read it in 2 sittings. I will definitely look at the other books in this series. Thanks Netgalley for introducing me to another new author!

What a great book! Hollyberry Homicide was entertaining from page 1. What is there not to like about a mystery set at Christmas, in a quaint town called Oriole Point that gets lots of lake effect snow from Lake Michigan? The story is humorous, fast-paced and a whodunnit till the end!

The Oriole Point theater is putting on a production of 'A Christmas Carol' and Everett, the elderly man playing Jacob Marley, dies. The book's main character, Marlee Jacob, is a natural for the part given her name. Marlee isn't so sure Everett died a natural death and sets out to determine if he was really murdered. When a squirrel dies after giving it pieces of the cookie Everett was eating shortly before he died, Marlee is convinced Everett was poisoned. In the midst of her investigating, several potential heirs emerge and Marlee finds herself in danger the closer she gets to the truth.

The characters in the book are great - Marlee and the interactions with her boyfriend Kit, employee Gillian, baker Theo, best friend Tess, houseguest Natasha enrich the story. The quirky characters and Christmas tree falling over in the town square add to the reality of the story. Marlee's Berry Basket sounds just like a shop you'd want to visit around holiday time. So not only is this an enjoyable cozy mystery, it's an enjoyable town with great people you want to spend time in!

This is the 5th book in the Berry Basket series and can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to book 6!

Marlee knows Everett was murdered, even if everyone else (or almost everyone else) thought he died of natural causes because he was,. well 95. Cozy readers know that even 95 year old can have people who want them gone and for more reasons than just an inheritance. Now, Marlee has been pressed into service = she's got to step into his role as, wait for it, Jacob Marley in Oriole Point's production of a Christmas Carol. Of course, things begin to go wrong and Marlee, our intrepid heroine, use investigate, whether her police detective boyfriend Kit thinks it a good idea or not. This is a fun series because of the characters and this is no exception. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones- this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Extra points for the clever use of Marlee's name!

I'm fairly disappoinred how after re-reading the first two chapters, I was still left utterly confused by what was happening, and who the main character even was, and all the other characters names that were hurled at me. I'm disappointed that I couldn't grasp anything about the story or even like the characters...

Hollyberry Homicide is the second book i've read in the Berry Basket Mystery series. I love "visiting" Oriole Point, an adorable village on the shores of Lake Michigan.

When an elderly man known for playing Jacob Marley in Oriole Point's annual production of A Christmas Carol is found dead, our main character steps up to fill the role - and ends up investigating his death. Marlee is convinced he has been murdered, but no one else seems to be convinced. When a second body turns up in town, the town is on high alert to catch a killer (or maybe two!?)

I had so much fun reading this book - it's cute and funny, and Farrow does a great job of building suspense and crafting an interesting mystery.

Thank you Kensington Books for the NetGalley ARC!

"Hollyberry Homicide" is a fun, quick read for fans of cozies. On the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Marlee Jacob owns a berry-themed shop in a small town. They sell desserts and jams, along with kitchenware and holiday items. Fully decked out for Christmas, shop owner Marlee is talked into playing Jacob Marley in the town's production of the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol" after the original cast member is found dead.

Between running her shop during the annual holiday festival and trying to learn her lines, Marlee is trying to find time to investigate the death of the elderly man originally cast as Jacob. Sure, he was 95 years old, but Marlee suspects poisoning. The old man was disliked by virtually everyone in town, and he was very rich. When several possible heirs emerge, including at least one who hid the familial link to the man, Marlee is suspicious. A second death - one that could be an accident but looks a bit suspect - doesn't help the matter. Can Marlee solve the case and still manage to learn her lines?

The characters in this story are pretty funny. There's the town police officer Marlee doesn't like at all, plus the lawyer who drinks way too much. And the director of "A Christmas Carol" who keeps hassling Marlee about memorizing her lines in time for rehearsal. The berry shop itself is charming, and I could almost feel the freezing cold of the snowstorm. (As a resident of the other side of Lake Michigan, I can attest to the phenomenon of the lake effect.)

This is a fun series and I definitely plan to read more.

The Summer of 2019 saw me reading a lot of cozy mysteries and they were all starting to feel the same. Still enjoyable, but no real wow factor. I was getting burnt out on the genre.

And then Mulberry Mischief, the fourth book in A Berry Basket Mysteries, found its way into my life and my enjoyment for cozies was reignited. Sharon Farrow introduced me to very well developed characters and a town I knew I would want to visit again. But what really stood out to me was that she actually had some nasty characters, and not just someone who died right away and we find out they weren’t very nice. These evil characters were present throughout the story and added even more depth to the book.

So when I saw Hollyberry Homicide was coming out I knew I would be reading it. And I was not disappointed. Farrow continues developing her characters, and even better, something is always happening. In some cozies most of the story is just the sleuth running around tracking down clues and talking to suspects. But in A Berry Basket Mysteries, we are not only engaged in Marlee’s life, but those of her friends and co-workers… even with the people that Marlee can’t stand!

Farrow also incorporates the Christmas theme really well. In some cozies it’s more so for the cover art and mentioned a couple of times in the book, but not so in Hollyberry Homicide. You get Christmas from Marlee’s obsession with decorating her house and store, to the various times she is preparing food for her shop and parties, to the town’s huge Christmas tree falling over numerous times because of the lake effect winds. It seems like every chapter mentions the holidays, but it’s done well.

As for the murder, there are lots of suspects whose secrets slowly come out over the course of the book. I thought for sure I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong. And I am so happy with who the killer turned out to be.
You don’t need to start A Berry Basket Mystery series from the beginning because Farrow knows how to fold the reader into the story without them becoming lost. But if you do decide you want to (and you should because it’s a great series!), then the first book is Dying for Strawberries. And while you’re at it, you may as well buy all the rest of the books in the series too!

Hollyberrys and other berries, while mentioned several times, don't play really a role in this Christmas based mystery. What I like about this series is that the author doesn't waste any page space. There's a lot going on besides the couple of murders. I appreciate how, in the space of only 5 books, that the author has also shown character development. We see it here with Marlee and her relationships, Theo and Natasha. This is all in about a 6 months span (book story time) between books 1 and 5. How many mystery series have we all read with 10+ books were nothing changes? There are also threads that run through the books and are explored later which, to me, show the thought that the author has put in to her plotting. What should I introduce in this book that I can use later, type of thing.

One thing that surprised me is Marlee's ghost and the acceptance of the supernatural by more than one character. I did miss #4, Mulberry Mischief (have it on request from the library) and maybe the ghost was introduced there.

I'm looking forward to catching up on Mulberry Mischief and whatever book #6 will be. I received my copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the fifth book in the series.
It was a ‘berry’ delicious cozy mystery. The characters were interesting and the whodunit was well written and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

I love cozy mysteries that get me into the Christmas spirit. This one definitely did, which is impressive considering it's August.

Marlee Jacob lives in Oriole Point, Michigan, and owns The Berry Basket, a shop with all things connected to berries of all varieties. It's nearing Christmas, and she's decorated the shop to within an inch of its life -- leaving barely enough room for employees and customers to move through, much to the consternation of her employees.

Marlee is attending a model train show with her boyfriend Kit, a homicide detective, when her employee Gillian runs up to her to tell her that she's found a dead man. When Marlee investigates, she discovers that the elderly man is indeed dead, holding a bag of gingerbread men, with crumbs around his mouth. While everyone agrees that he died of old age, Marlee isn't sure about that...especially when she discovers that his relatives might have wanted him out of the way and his attorney thinks so, too.

It seems Everett Hostetter was not a likable man. Unfortunately, he also played Jacob Marley in the local production of A Christmas Carol for years in return for funding the theater. When Marlee is pressed into accepting the role, she suddenly becomes a target. But is it due to the fact that she's asking questions, or the fact that she might actually be getting closer to the answer?...

This is the fifth book in the series and in my estimation the best of the lot. Marlee has a temporary house guest in Natasha, her Russian friend, who sold her home and is awaiting her condo to be finished, and is a hoot in this book. Piper is back to being her usual self, obsessed and crazed, but for some odd reason I still enjoy having her around. But being the holiday, everyone is is busy, and Marlee more so with her added 'appearance' in the play and being nagged by the other actors to learn her lines.

But what's bothering her most is that she knows Everett was murdered, and now she needs to find out why, considering he was ninety-five and probably didn't have many years left anyway. What ensues is a tale of greed and more greed, all perpetrated by several people who may have been the sole heir to his considerable fortune. But finding out the correct person may not be as easy as she thinks, and when she starts looking into their pasts, she discovers they all had a reason to want him gone.

We still have the Christmas season interspersed in the story, so it feels like the holiday along with the mystery itself. I really enjoyed this story and the direction that it's taking everyone's lives, and I do like all Marlee's friends as well. When the murderer is discovered, it comes as a bit of a surprise, but a good one at that (and I won't say why but anyone who's read my reviews will figure it out soon enough). In the end, everything comes together nicely and I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the A Berry Basket mystery series by Sharon Farrow.

Marlee and her best friend discover the local curmudgeon has died in what seems a natural death. She is already in full investigation mode even before she realizes that the cookies she picked up at the scene were poisoned making his death a homicide.

This was a pretty complex mystery. No one really liked this man but he seemed to be pulling the strings of everyone in town. So nearly everyone had a motive.

They pull Marlee into the production of A Christmas Carol simply because she has a similar name as the character. I thought that was crazy. And the people were completely rude to her to top it off. She told them she would take over for the dead man and then they kept pressuring her to learn her lines. I would have just walked away.

I am glad Marlee persisted in chasing after this death. I am not sure it would have been solved otherwise.

Overall, it was an excellent read. Definitely recommend this series, for sure!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Hollyberry Homicide is a treat of a book. Quirky characters and a solid mystery help this book stand out among other holiday-themed cozy mysteries. The story revolves around the main character Marlee stumbling across the death of an older man who played Jacob Marley in the local Christmas Carol production. She is convinced something is up and as the bodies and more bad luck follow., she turns out to be right. It is a pretty good mystery although it is quite obvious who the main suspect is. The holiday theme is great, as is the setting. I think all holiday-themed cozy mystery fans will love this one.