Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings gave me more than a few chuckles along the way of solving a nasty murder at the North Pole. Who would kill one of Santa’s elves? Even if he was a grumpy elf, still… seriously, who would do that? We’re about to go on an adventure with a brand new bride to find answers to those puzzling questions.

Although April’s new husband, Nick (the current Santa Claus) had a disagreement with the deceased elf she’s mostly convinced that her husband didn’t have anything to do with the murder. Life is confusing enough for April leaving everything behind to head to a world she never knew existed for real – but having a snooty elf police chief insinuate that the only real suspect is your husband, well, that will get the investigative juices flowing and the stubbornness comes out in full force.

I had fun with this first story in the new series. Yes, I did guess the culprit early on but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the entire story – I not only wanted to know who, but how and why as well. I don’t read Cozy Mysteries to solve the puzzle… I enjoy them for the story that leads to solving the crime, I know eventually the culprit will be revealed.

If you love a good Cozy Mystery with a huge dash of North Pole sweetness, then you’d have fun with Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Great read by a new author for me. The plot is well written and enticing to the reader. The author writes in a way that makes the reader feel like part of The story.

Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings, first in a new series by Liz Ireland, introduces us to Nick, who has just taken over as Santa, and his new wife, April. As April adjusts to the freezing temperatures, the expectations for the new Mrs. Claus, and life in general in Christmastown, a rather grumpy elf is murdered. Can Santa really be the primary suspect? Constable Crinkle doesn’t seem at all capable of solving the murder. If April wants to keep Nick out of jail, she needs to identify the real killer and quickly!

The setting for this cozy mystery was imaginative and the concept creative. Perhaps my expectation of a lighthearted, fanciful mystery was misplaced as I didn’t find the story fun or festive. The entire cast of characters seemed more grumpy and discontent than jolly. Even the newlyweds’ relationship seemed to be missing a spark. Was no one happy in Christmastown? That said the development of the mystery was solid and well thought out. So I’ll check off the “Nice” box for this cozy! I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.

I did not finish this book - I believe because I just wasn't in the right place for a quirky cozy. This is definitely quirky. I will try to pick it up again in the future because I think its a fun premise - but just didn't grab me initially.

Extremely cute and unique cozy mystery. There is a new Mrs. Claus in town and there are elf slayings happening in Santaland. Can Santa be the killer? Such fun to read it flows and is a quick read. Recommended.

Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland is a very different take and a fun romp through the North Pole and the Claus family. A very fun read.

I love Christmas and I love mysteries so I thought I would love Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings. Newlywed Mrs. Claus (April) is trying to help prove her husbands innocences while possibly thinking he may have done the crimes, I mean how well do you know someone that you have only known for 6 months and have been married only 3 of those months. Family drama, elf drama, Christmas drama there is just all kinds of drama and I’m a more of a no drama llama but a little drama is good for a mystery but this was just too much for me. So I'm going to be very honest here and that after reading the first 30% of the book I kinda pegged who done it and then skipped to the last three chapters to make sure I was right, and I was, and I don’t think I missed much from the middle of the book so I didn’t go back and read it all. I do think there are going to be people who really enjoy this quick read and I hope they do but there was just something about this book that I was totally fine with missing quite a bit of the story. Sorry.
I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a super fun Christmas cozy mystery.

I loved how vividly the author described everyday life in Santaland. I liked the fish out of water angle as April, the newest Mrs. Claus tries to navigate this strange new land as a newlywed, complicated familial dynamics, and the responsibilities of her new "royal" role.

I don't see how this could become a series but I'd read another one if the author tries!

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the really cute cover. Almost right away I was appreciating the wit and humor in this book like talking reindeer, snowmen that are alive and move around town (and are witnesses to murders), and real reindeer games. I felt this book was very cleverly written and I was dazzled by how different it is...in a good way.

But to have a killing spree in Santaland? And to have Santa as the main suspect? April (the newly married Mrs. Claus) goes off sleuthing on her own, determined to prove her husband is innocent. I am pretty good about predicting who the killer is in who done it mysteries, but this one I honestly didn't guess. I had 2 other people in mind the whole time. So, I give extra points for that.

I would have liked to have a little more backstory on April and Nick and maybe a little more romance with them. They are barely ever together for newlyweds. I know it's Christmas and he's busy, but I really didn't feel the love between them.

It's a good thing my Kindle has a dictionary, because I had to look up quite a few words, which was a little distracting, but overall this was a really enjoyable Christmas cozy mystery.

3.5/5 stars

4.5 stars - Loved it!! Would re-read.
This was excellent! I loved all of it - the North Pole setting, the community of Claus family and elves and reindeer, the mystery, and the characters. This has the same sort of feel as a Wishcraft mystery - a solid cozy mystery set in a fantasy setting. I loved April and the Claus family. The story of how she met and married Santa was fun. Santa's mother and siblings are an interesting and distinct mix of personalities. And I love that the book is already setting up a series where they can either be at the North Pole or at April's home in Oregon. I feel like that will give the author broader options for future stories. My only "complaint" is that I didn't get a good feel for April and Nick as a couple in this book, thanks to the way the mystery worked and the timing of the story (right before Christmas). I hope if there are going to be more books that we will get a better sense of them together. Don't miss this one!

This is the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I thoroughly enjoyed.
It's an entertaining and well written story that kept me hooked.
I liked the world building and the likable cast of characters. The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland is my first book by this author. I really wanted to like this book, but to be honest it was difficult for me to get into the characters. This book is definitely unique, and the writing was fine, so some cozy mysteries readers might enjoy it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Who said Santa isn’t real?

Falling in love with Nick had been so quick for April. Finding out you’re now the New Mrs. Claus, well…. it’s going to take some time to get used to. And as the Christmas festivities begin and Christmas is just a few days away, a string of murders occurs, and all lights point to Santa, oh no!

I adored this book. Maybe it was the magic of Christmas, or the current desperate disparity of life, definitely the witty, imaginative writing of this author. This is not a traditional cozy murder-mystery. This is a Christmas story with talking reindeer and concerns over the snowmen and elf politics. My only complaint is that I wish there was more of the backstory, of when Nick and April fell in love. I wish this book was longer. Which isn’t really a complaint at all, is it? But I needed this story; this magic and silliness, and its imagination was perfection. This was so much fun to read!

With a kerfuffle (conflicting views) and clamor for justice among the residents of Santaland. Mrs.’s Claus will collaborate with Detective Jake Frost, a distant relation to the well-known Jack Frost. And with the help of Jingles the elf and Quasar the one-antler reindeer, they will try to get Santa off the Naughty List. The elves will protest, the reindeer will compete for brawn and the festivities will continue with ear-splitting carols! A perpetual fubar of Christmas delight!

It all came together, and it was animated and clever. Can you tell how excited I am for this book? I held up reading the ending because I had yet to solve it and I didn’t want to, either. I didn’t want it to end. One thing is for sure, I was not ready for this book. This is pure Christmas magic.

This story was exciting and fresh; a reprieve from the heavy murder-mysteries. An imaginative holiday gem! Although, murder is never lighthearted, this one took it on with a comical, yet introspective narrative. Why? Because there shouldn’t be murder in Santaland. In the place where hope and jolly cheer reign. But Liz Ireland, brought so much characterization to the characters. I loved that she gave voices to all the characters, particularly, the reindeer. Allowing you to see the character’s flaws and faults through Mrs. Claus’s investigation. Not all is eggnog and merry cheer in Santaland and I had a wonderful time making friends with these fun enigmatic characters. I simply, loved it.

~ Patricia

I love Christmas. I love sweet stories but this one was a little too much for me. If this had been a second or third book and we had seen April and Nick start to date, fall in love, and move to the North Pole, I think it would have set up the characters and the world and made this book much more enjoyable.
The premise was interesting, Mrs. Claus solving crime in Santaland while trying to fit in with a new culture. And elf-slaying certainly isn’t something that you would expect. If you don’t mind that the mystery isn’t just fairly clued, it’s fairly obvious from the first introduction of the murderer or that mystery is more treacly than a treat By Hannah Swenson, this might be the book for you.

Two and a half stars
This book came out September 29th
ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

With the holiday season approaching quickly, I’m on the lookout for new holiday-ish books, hence Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings. And I gotta say, this is the perfect one to curl up with while you sip a cup of hot tea and get comfy under a warm blanket!

In this cozy mystery, there is a new Mrs. Claus in town and also a cold-hearted killer. When an elf is murdered, the town turns upside down. Things get worse as more residents are killed. Will they be able to figure out who the murderer is? And is Santa to blame?

I loved that this book gives a little behind-the-scenes of the North Pole and the life of Santa. How Santa met his wife, what it’s like around Christmas, what the elves and other creatures are like. I also like a low-pressure whodunit, and this book kept me guessing. There’s also a great storyline about being the new person in everyone’s life and trying to figure out how to fit in and what your place is. Overall, a book I found to be fun to read!

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

It's always a pleasure to start a brand new cozy mystery series (I am assuming here it is part of a series) and this instalment, Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings written by Liz Ireland certainly proved to be no exception!

The reader soon meets the star of the show, April Claus, who runs a B&B in Oregon. In this novel, she waves goodbye to her B&B to travel to the North Pole. Newly married to Nick, she finds herself living in the very cold Kringle Castle along with her new husband's family, and Nick is none other than... Santa Claus! After an elf fails to win first place in the ice sculpture contest, the said elf has a tantrum, witnessed by the whole town, and is later found dead... April is horrified when Nick is considered by the police to be the number one suspect and lends her support.

I thought this was a highly entertaining, really solid start to the series. I enjoyed Liz Ireland's wonderful characterisation of April who was rather befuddled and scatterbrained, though she handled her interfering mother-in-law very well. April stepped in to do some investigating herself, aided by Jingles, Santa’s head elf, as she didn't trust Constable Crinkles, Deputy Ollie and Detective Jake Frost. She was also kept busy trying to keep up with her other duties as Mrs Claus.

Suspects, secrets, and clues were in plentiful supply and I was totally engaged in this magical tale for its entirety. With no let-up in the fast-paced plot, the author masterfully interwove intoxicating descriptions of the setting. This was so expertly done that I could readily imagine and sense all that protagonist April did, completely bringing the setting to life. There was Christmas cheer, reindeer games, and singing of Christmas Carols, with oodles of humour, puns and wit. Liz Ireland's writing captured my complete attention and I didn't put this one down. The book was such a fun read and I was on a merry-go-round of doubt as I puzzled over the mystery.

All in all, Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings is a top-notch novel. I will certainly be returning to see what April is getting herself into next! Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland is the first book of a new cozy mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series this first book contains a full mystery that is solved so it can be read as a standalone with the next book moving onto a new mystery.

April Claus was a regular woman living in the U.S. when she met Nick, the man she just knew she’d be spending the rest of her life with. What April didn’t know or suspect at the time was that the wonderful Nick she was going to marry was none other than THE Santa Claus.

Now April finds herself living in Santaland at the North Pole trying to adjust to her new surroundings as her first Christmas as Mrs. Claus is quickly approaching. However, someone in Santaland was not full of Christmas spirit when Giblet Hollyberry, one of the elves, was found murdered with all eyes on Santa himself as Nick had just had a disagreement with the cantankerous elf.

I have to say I was a bit back and forth on this new cozy when I began reading it. I guess I was expecting more of a holly jolly lead character with the setting of the story but April was certainly not all Christmas cheer and more of a normal person. However, once you get going all the surroundings of the story certainly all full of Christmas-y references and certainly brought a few laughs along the way. In the end I decided this one fell around 3 1/2 stars for me as I did like where it went even if it took a while to warm up more to the main character.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

If you're ready to bury yourself into a good Christmas mystery, this is it. Liz Ireland's new series introduces readers to April and Nick Claus (aka Mr. and Mrs. Santa). New bride April is having a hard time adjusting to the reality that she is now married to Santa and struggles to become part of his world in the North Pole.

When a grumpy elf is killed shortly after arguing with Santa, Santa becomes the prime suspect and Mrs. Santa has to find the real killer before Christmas is ruined.

This book is an easy and enjoyable read that will get you in the holiday spirit.
Note: I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher but opinions and reviews are my own.

This review is not going to be long. I am not a huge fan of a review rehashing the entire plot and spoiling it for everyone.

This is the first book by Liz Ireland that I have read. It was a cute story.. This book is a suspenseful mystery, intriguing and action packed. I enjoyed reading it.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Though I really liked the concept of this cozy mystery, I just couldn’t get into the story. It was extremely obvious from the beginning who the killer was and the tempo was just a bit off to me. The sugary sweetness of the North Pole was also taken to the extreme, I was afraid I might get a tooth ache. This book will definitely find its audience and they will love it but for me, it just wasn’t my cup of tea or should I say hot chocolate.