This is a 3.5 star review. April has married Santa Claus and she has joined him at Christmastown for their first Christmas. When an elf is killed after having a fight with Nick she sets out to solve the crime and clear her husband's name. Like many Holiday Cozies this one is over the top Christmas. There is not a lot of backstory on April and Santa's romance so I had a hard time warming up to their romance. I was also surprised at how many unhappy mean people live in Christmastown. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. Overall it was a quick Holiday read. Enjoy

I enjoy reading Christmas books all year long and this book did not disappoint!! Cannot wait to read more by Liz Ireland

November's TBR List winner was Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings (Mrs. Claus #1) by Liz Ireland (Kensington, 2020; 304 pgs), a cozy mystery with a fantasy twist. April Claus is still adjusting to life in the North Pole with her new husband Nick. Nick is fairly new to his role as Santa Claus, having inherited the title after the death of his older brother. Not everyone is happy with the way Nick runs the North Pole, and when one of his detractors is murdered, all evidence of the crime points to Nick. April is determined to find the real murderer, all the while trying to find her place in the Claus household.

This wintry tale takes place in the rush before Christmas, as the elves and Nick prepare for the upcoming holiday. Crime is rare in the North Pole, although not entirely unheard of. Liz Ireland has created a world that on one hand appears to be just as you might imagine it would be--all jolly and cheer--and yet, underneath the surface, it is not so perfect. There is an interesting class/species dynamic that is at play between the Claus family and the elves, not to mention the internal family conflicts among the Claus family themselves. It is a world in which humans, elves, reindeer, and snowman live together--and probably some other fantastical creatures I have yet to meet as well.

April is an interesting character, ever tenacious even if I did not always agree with her approach. She clearly loves her husband Nick, but I found his dismissal of her annoying at times. I can chalk it up to his being preoccupied with Christmas business--so I guess he can be forgiven for that. The detective Jack Frost is the character that most intrigues me though, and I would definitely like to know more about him.

Although I suspected the who and the why before I got there (I often do--so not the books fault), I felt like the path to get there was well laid out. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery itself. I did not warm up to Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings quite as much as I hoped I would, but I did find it entertaining and and am interested in reading the next book in the series.

not a fan of this book. I did not find the plot enjoyable nor were the cast of characters likable. I did not continue on with this series

Synopsis:

It's the first Christmas in Santaland for April Claus--but it may also be her last unless she can uncover a villain with a killer Christmas wish. . .

Love is full of surprises--though few compare to realizing that you're marrying the real-life Santa. April Claus dearly loves her new husband, Nick, but adjusting to life in the North Pole is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous elf named Giblet Hollyberry is killed--felled by a black widow spider in his stocking--shortly after publicly arguing with Nick.

Christmastown is hardly a hotbed of crime, aside from mishaps caused by too much eggnog, but April disagrees with Constable Crinkle's verdict of accidental death. As April sets out to find the culprit, it'll mean putting the future of Christmas on the line--and hoping her own name isn't on a lethal naughty list . . . (Goodreads)

Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. It was nice to meet April and Nick, but I would have preferred to meet them under different circumstances. There were a lot of characters to meet, and at times I got a little confused who was who. That is only my opinion and others may not agree with me. April has her hands full trying to find the killer of an unfriendly elf so that her husband does not take the blame.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and although I figured out the culprit fairly early, it did not detract from my enjoyment.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. And if you like Christmas sprinkled in with your reading, grab this book and enjoy.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

With all the Christmas romance stories out there its fun to throw a Christmas mystery into the mix. I enjoyed Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings and I thought it was a great Holiday read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This was a Perfect Christmas Murder Mystery!
It came as a surprise but I live reading murder mysteries during December and this was was exceptional. Really endulged in the story and I loved the plot and the book packed with lots of action.
It was fun and engaging to read about Santaland and all its December traditions.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book

A very entertaining cozy that will forever change the way you think of Santaland. Imagine April's shock when she finds out her Nick is THE Santa Claus and she is now living in the North Pole. Liz Ireland did a great job of building the community and introducing us to it's citizens. An elf's murder makes Santa suspect #1, so April turns into an investigator. Again, this is pure entertainment. The story moved swiftly, you'll have a few smiles, a couple of chuckles and want to give April a high five when she solves the crime.

It's difficult to find a Christmas story that isn't heavy on the romance so I was delighted to find this story that has all the Christmas with a fun mystery. I loved the atmosphere and the glimpse inside Mrs. Claus's world at the North Pole. It was a very fun book and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy to review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this fun Christmastime story that included a Candy Cane Factory in Tinkertown. There were murders of unlikely, novel characters. And with fun names such as a detective named Jack Frost, Constable Crinkles, and Jingles among others.

I love that April, Mrs. Claus, and Santa Claus had a true and loyal love. She had his back as things began to happen, creating an unusual year for them. They say that love covers all sins and there isn't anything you won't do for someone you love. Well, I think April proved that and she also showed that she's a strong woman.

It's now past Christmas, but I'd recommend putting this one on your list for next year or even go ahead and read it now. It's just goo fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

#MrsClausandtheSantalandSlayings #NetGalley

MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS by Liz Ireland
The First Mrs. Claus Mystery

Married life is always an adjustment, but April has an even bigger lifestyle change than most new brides when she marries Nick. Leaving her inn in Oregon she moves to the North Pole upon becoming Mrs. Claus. Things aren't so holly jolly as she learns to deal with her mother in law and everything that's expected of her as the wife of the current Santa. The death of an unpleasant elf leaves April concerned. While no one liked Giblet Hollyberry, it was her husband who had a run in with the elf. Add to the fact that he left their bedroom in the middle of the night and seems to be avoiding her, Alice realizes just how little she truly knows her new husband. Surely, Nick had nothing to do with Giblet's death...but who did?

MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS introduces readers to a very different version of Santa Claus and his village. The temperature may be frigid, but the North Pole is a hotbed of resentment, bullying, and drama. This is not a happy sylvan environment with yuletide spirit. It's a place where reindeer are bullies, the Claus family is dysfunctional, and the majority of residents believe the current Santa is a murderer! Thrust in the midst is April, who fits in as well as her name. While she was a competent and efficient innkeeper in Oregon, in the North Pole she's ill able to keep up and many of her projects have disastrous results.

I really enjoyed this darker look at a place that's generally too sugar coated. I appreciate April's doubts and her determination to prove them wrong. I admit, I'm not a huge fan of the current Santa, but he is several steps up from the one in the Rankin/Bass production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, although he does tell April basically to stay home. Probably my favorite character is Quasar. I feel so bad for this misfit who tries so hard.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE SANTALAND SLAYINGS is a darkly comic tale that combines a deftly plotted mystery with a new version of Santa's village. If you're suffering from too much sugary sweetness this holiday season, this book could be the cure!

This is book 1 in the Mrs. Claus series and it's such a cute concept for a story. April Claus loves being newly married to Nick Claus even thought the house is cold and drafty. She's happy helping with the kitchen and sewing but when one of the head elves is found dead the day after an argument with Nick she becomes a sleuth to clear his name. Constable Crinkle ruled the death an accident but April isn't sure. I'm envisioning a book for every major holiday, especially since it sounds like the Claus's will be traveling during the summer. A very nice cozy read. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery set at the North Pole with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Mrs. Claus, aka April from Oregon, married a man that was visiting her inn during the summer. She knew he was Santa but decided to marry him anyway. When they get back to Santaland, there are a series of murders - an elf, a snowman and before that Chris, the eldest brother and current Santa. Nick (April's husband) is looking guilty, but Jake Frost is called in to investigate.

I really enjoyed the setting, the characters and the mystery of the crimes. I did figure out who the culprit was before the author "announced" it at the end of the story. Really fun read at this time of year.

What an amazing start to a very promising series! I loved the main character and fell in love with her life and the town itself. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

This was a fun read. There was no shortage of suspects, clues or red herrings, and kept me guessing the entire time. I hope this turns into a series.

April and Nick met at her B&B in Oregon. They soon fell in love and he proposed. She said yes and moved North with him, having no idea what she was getting herself into. Nick is the real Santa Claus, having inherited the title when his brother, Chris, died in a hunting accident.

Now April has to get used to the extreme cold, and learn the traditions and manners befitting a member of the Claus family. It’s a task not unlike learning to be a royal. The dowager Mrs. Claus, Pamela, Nick’s mother, is a stickler for rules and despairs of April ever getting the hang of it.

Giblet Hollyberry is a cranky elf, in charge of the wrapping operations, not that he’s qualified. He publicly accuses Nick of murder, and then, is found dead himself the very next day. It’s unheard of to suspect a member of the Claus family—until a second death occurs. April has to find out the truth to protect her husband and Christmas itself.

This is a good mystery wrapped inside a quirky cover. Reindeer talk, snowmen walk around albeit slowly, and the Constable makes Barney Fife look like James Bond. The Hollyberry family is up in arms over Giblet’s death although none of them really liked him all that much. Chris’ widow wanders through the family home dressed like a Goth while Lucia, Nick’s sister, keeps a reindeer in her room.

If December in Santaland isn’t enough stress, April is also in charge of the annual musical performance. Really, the elf cloggers are not to be missed. Applaud nicely, they try so very hard.

Put on an extra sweater while reading this tale of the land of ice and snow, where ice sculptures never melt. The descriptions are so good, readers will long for a mug of hot chocolate and a few Christmas cookies. A fun read, perfect for the holidays.

This is the first book I have read by Liz Ireland and I have to say, what caught my attention was that it has a very unique premise. I thought the concept of the story was a great idea, really original. I enjoyed it a lot although I have to say that the story kind of warred with my childhood idea of Santa. I had a hard time imagining any kind of homicidal Claus.

However, that being said, Liz Ireland did a fantastic job of bringing human emotions and characteristics to figures most only think of in a mystical sense. For example, most people only think of Mrs Claus as a gray haired granny type. It's refreshing to see her as a younger more youthful version.

I also liked the fact that she was intelligent, a good amount of common sense, and a willingness to do what she needed to do to save her husband from defamation. It's hard anyway being inducted into a new family via marriage but being brought in from the outside into a family that you always thought was more or less make believe? Hard to handle. Especially when you have lunatic exes and bitter family members all over the place.

I liked Nick Claus as well but felt he was a bit too morose for my complete liking of his character. Although, given the circumstances, I would be worried if he wasn't feeling this way.

All in all, a great Christmasy book, full of adventure and all kinds of hijinks to get yourself lost in. I look forward to Liz Ireland's next books in the series, if there will be any, and I will be looking into her other book series as well.

Also, I think it would be really interesting to maybe have a branch off series about Jake Frost? I think that could really be fun. Not to mention, he sounds rather hot lol.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot and I look forward to more frolicking in Christmasland.

I was given this ARC by NetGalley to read and review. All opinions are my own and mine alone.

Newlywed April is trying to adjust to life in the North Pole while her new husband, Nick, is doing his best to become the best Santa Claus he can be. Things are going, if not swimmingly, at least manageable when a very crabby elf is murdered. It seems like everyone in Santaland has a reason to kill him but no one more than Nick. Now, April feels it’s up to her to find the real killer.

Mrs Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland is a fun cozy Christmas mystery. The murderer was fairly easy to guess but that didn’t stop my enjoyment. I did find some of the characters were unnecessary to the story but it may be that this is the first in a series and they will be more central to other books. Overall, though, I feel this is a nice story to add to the season.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

When April marries Nick Claus - yes, that Nick Claus! - and moves to the North Pole, she finds life to be much more exciting than just sipping cocoa before a fire when rumors begin to fly that her husband killed his brother, the previous Santa. As April strives to prove her husband’s innocence and a serial killer racks up more and more victims, she has to contend with Nick’s nutty-ass ex, a plethora of suspects, quirky Clauses, a persnickety mil, and a detective with the ability to appear and disappear like the wind. But in the end, she nabs the killer in a creative Agatha Christie-like reveal.

Mrs Claus and the Santaland Slayings has everything I LOVE in a holiday mystery! The writing was fun and fresh. The clues were perfectly placed. And the characters were unique individuals with their own voices - no cookie-cutter personalities here. And, of course, the setting included lots of tinsel, fireplaces, trees, reindeer, cocoa, and snowmen - a must-have for my holiday reads!

Can’t wait for the next book in this series! Please don’t wait until next Christmas!

I requested this book from Netgalley because the plot sounded interesting, but also because I saw a lot of cozy mystery lovers say how excited they were to check it out.

To be honest, I was more than a little unsure when I started reading. I wasn't sure how I felt about murders occurring at the North Pole. It seems like such a lovely and innocent place. To taint it with murder just seemed wrong!

But, I was wrong. This book completely entranced me.

First of all, the world building is really cool. I enjoyed how April's new in laws (The Claus family) all live together in a giant castle. I never really thought about Santa having a Mom or siblings or extended family before. Santaland is an entire town with neighborhoods and factories and elf communities. I also enjoyed reading about all of the different activities that April got to take charge of as Mrs. Claus.

I've never really seen that kind of development in a Christmas story before and I really enjoyed it.

And the mystery? It definitely kept me guessing. My thoughts and opinions of the different characters changed very quickly throughout the story. Just as I thought one person was the murderer, new evidence was uncovered and my thoughts completely changed.

My only criticisms are that I don't like talking animals. I just don't. I don't even like Narnia! So it kind of irked me that the reindeer talked and were like, real people. Same with snowmen. I was able to get past it but it made me feel kind of weird.

Also, there are a LOT of characters in this story and some of the elves have funny names, so I wish I had kept notes of the different characters as I read. You feel silly when you confuse Jingles the steward with Juniper the elf. Haha.

If you like cozy mysteries as well as Christmastime, I definitely recommend this book. It's fun and as I mentioned before, I was a big fan of the Santaland atmosphere that Liz Ireland created. I read this book near the end of November and it kept me entertained while also getting me in the Christmas spirit.

4 stars