I love a good Christmas story year round. From getting into the spirit of the season around the holidays or just a mental break from the heat if the summer, stories like these always put me in a good place. Throw in a good mystery, and that's a great weekend spent.

4.5/5 stars

I received a copy of Christmas Card Murder through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book Christmas Card Murder contains three Christmas themed cozy mystery novellas. The first story is Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier and is part of the Lucy Stone mystery series. In this novellas, Lucy, a news reporter, finds an old Christmas card hidden under the baseboard of her house and sets about finding out who the sender and recipient are. Christmas Card Murder is an interesting mystery that really sets the Christmas scene, New England blizzard included, and it really makes me want to read the Lucy Stone series from the beginning.

The second novella is Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis and is part of the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktail Mysteries series. In this novella, Hayley, Mona and Rosana receive a Christmas card from Carol Waterman, wishing them a not so merry Christmas. When a murder occurs, Hayley sets about unraveling the mystery. This is the first in the Hayley Powell series that I read and it was a good Christmas mystery. It was my least favorite of the three novellas, but it was still good and worth the time.

The third novella is Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart and is part of the Knit & Nibble Mystery series. In this Christmas novella, a murder victim is found in the Christmas tree lot and Pamela and Bettina go about finding the murderer. I absolutely love the Knit and Nibble series and this novella is no different. This novella does a really good job of getting you in the holiday spirit, but hopefully your holiday comes without murder!

The Christmas Card Murder holiday mystery novella set is a great Christmassy read that had me entertained the whole time. It is definitely worth the read and gives you insight into three different mystery series.

A Cosy Christmas Collection.....
A cosy Christmas collection of mysteries comprising novellas Christmas Card Murder, Death of a Christmas Carol and Death of a Christmas Card Crafter from three accomplished cosy mystery writers. Enjoyable, fun and festive.

Christmas Card Murder
Leslie Meier
Lee Hollis
Peggy Ehrhart
There are three novellas in this volume. The first is The Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier.
Lucy Stone ‘s husband it remodeling the house when they come upon a Christmas card with a mean message. Lucy, in her inimitable way is able to trace and find the sender. This story like all of Leslie Meier’s stories unfolds and we are working with Lucy to figure out the mystery. Leslie Meier stories are the ultimate in cozy with a cast of characters that have become old friends. This one does not disappoint.
The Second Novella is Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis and opens at the Island Times Christmas Party when Haley, Rosana, and Mona get a Christmas card thanking them for giving the sender one of their husbands for Christmas.
I always enjoy Lee Hollis mysteries; they are cozy but with a nice edge and the characters are fun and bigger than life. Hayley and her friends are not the usual cast of characters in a cozy mystery but are fun and flamboyant and delightful.
This mystery is well done and the ending is life changing for some people. As always Lee Hollis keeps you guessing and intrigued up to the last page.
The third novella is Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart. I have not read this author before and she is the most traditional cozy writer of them all. Pamela Patterson is the protagonist and she and her knitting cohorts help to solve the mystery of a murdered art teacher. It is a well done mystery and although I do not, have not, nor ever intend to knit I very much enjoyed the story and Pamela uses her wiles to capture the perpetrator in a most unlikely manner which was counter to her persona and added to the story.

I read two of these authors regularly and it was nice to have a quick read from them with loved characters. I did enjoy Lee Hollis's book as well, even though I'm not familiar with the series. I will have to check it out now. I look forward to the next Lucy Stone and Knit and Nibble mysteries.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley and Kensington Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

In this cozy Christmas collection we get Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier, Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis and Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart to put you in the Christmas mood for murder. Fans of these three authors will enjoy these stories.

Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier has Lucy Stone doing holiday renovations when she discovers an old Christmas card with nasty message belonging to one of her previous farmhouse owners. She will get herself involved in an old case during the holiday season.

Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis has a soiree that gets out of hand when a local flirt sends Christmas cards to three women. They just think it is a joke until a woman threatens to run off with one of their husbands is found mistletoe-up her Christmas tree.

Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart, a beloved dead art teacher is found on the first day of the Holiday Craft Fair. The Knit and Nibble will come to action to solve the murder.

I really appreciate seasonal and holiday themed stories. I appreciate shorter mysteries when life gets hectic and I just don’t have the time to commit to a full-length book. I also appreciate authors Lee Hollis and Leslie Meier, so reading this book was like a hat trick with a lovely surprise. The lovely surprise is author Peggy Ehrhart’s contribution to this collection. Although I am not a knitter, I really enjoyed discovering the Knit and Nibble cozy series. This is a truly enjoyable collection of Christmas-themed short stories. I hope there will be many more holiday themed cozy collections to add to my bookshelf.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. The book contains three Christmas card themed short stories, and each can be read as a stand-alone.
Leslie Meier’s long running series features small town reporter, Lucy Stone, and includes an unexpected Maine winter blizzard, trapping Lucy downtown. In the meantime, a local killer is up for parole, stirring hard feelings in the town. Finally, Lucy convinces her husband that, with their children grown, it’s time to renovate the master bedroom and install a second bathroom. While breaking out the wall, they find a mean-spirited Christmas card and Lucy investigates its origins. All three events conspire to give Lucy a holiday she never expected.
Lee Hollis also writes about a Maine reporter, Hayley Powell. While setting up for their office holiday party, Hayley and her friends, Mona and Rosana, receive a collective holiday card from the local femme fatale, saying that she’s leaving with one of their husbands. When all three spouses arrive late to the party and the woman is found murdered, questions swirl about who killed her and what it means for the three couples.
Peggy Ehrhart’s series is about a knitting club called the Knit and Nibble. Pamela is a long-time member, celebrating her daughter, Penny’s, holiday visit from college. They’re shocked to discover that Penny’s high school art teacher, who created a unique Christmas card each year, is found murdered in the local Christmas tree lot, adjacent to where the town’s holiday market is being held. When one of the Knit and Nibble members is implicated in the murder, Pamela realizes that more than knitting is needed to make it a happy Christmas.
Each story is set in a small town, features a mature female sleuth and has a Christmas card theme. Ms. Ehrhart’s includes both a knitting pattern and two recipes (Chocolate Mousse Cake and a ‘not too sweet’ quick bread). Each uses a different scenario and ties in well with the holiday card theme to propel their stories.

Three fun short mysteries.
First story a mysterious mean Christmas card found during renovations. Interesting premise.
Second short story I love this series. Was a little sad at the end, but will look forward to seeing what happens next.
Third short story, I wasn't familiar with this author, but cute story and will look for more of her books

Three holiday books in one, by three cozy authors. These books are always fun to read, even in the middle of summer! In Leslie Meier’s story Lucy Stone Is renovating her home and also solving the mystery revolving around a nasty Christmas card she finds hidden in the walls of her old home. The Lee Hollis story was hard to put down- 3 women get a card from a woman in town, saying that someone’s husband is running off with her! Then the sender ends up dead. A really enjoyable cozy with holiday flair, I hope they keep making these compilations!

Three cozy mysteries to get you in the holiday spirit. I especially liked the first story which is about Lucy Stone trying to find the mystery of an old Christmas card she finds in her house.

The first is Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier. It is Christmastime in Tinker's Cove, Maine and reporter Lucy Stone is getting ready for the holiday. The story has Lucy following a parole hearing, her husband renovating their bedroom, and a Maine snowstorm. This was a cute story and a perfect Christmas read.

The second is Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis. Hayley works as a reporter in her town of Bar Harbor, Maine. It is time for the annual staff Christmas party and Hayley is there setting things up with her friend, Mona and her boss' wife Rosana when they receive a Christmas card addressed to the three women suggesting that one of their husbands is cheating on them. They try to laugh it off until none of their husbands show up to the party until much later in the evening. When the sender of the card is later found murdered, they women begin to wonder if one of their husbands killed her. This was a great addition to the series. It highlights the characters very well and I enjoyed the holiday feel to it as well as the recipes and Hayley's column from the paper.

The third is Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart. This is the series I was least familiar with. Pamela and her friend Bettina are part of the Knit and Nibble knitting club. Pamela's daughter, Penny , is home from college for the holiday and picks up packs of Christmas cards that her high school art teacher makes every year. When the teacher is found dead , Pamela and Bettina quietly go about asking questions. This was a cute story. I liked the characters enough that I might read some of the authors other books.

I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was really fun set of Christmas cozy mystery novellas. These were all authors that I had read before and it was fun to re-visit all of their different characters.

These are three of my favorite things authors, and I’ve come to love these short holiday mysteries.

Lucy Stone is my favorite character. I would be happy to be her friend and have some wild adventures with her.
Whether Lucy is just a natural at asking questions, or plain old nosy is up to the reader. I think she’s a bit of both.
When a recent home renovation has Lucy picking paint colors and bathtubs, she just can’t forget about the odd Christmas card she found.
Leave it to Lucy to find the answers.

Hayley is another favorite character, and even though nothing surprises me with her, this story really shook me! I was not expecting anything that happened, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all.

Last in this trio of fab characters is Pamela, who is the quintessential favorite mom. Her love for her daughter Penny shows in each book, and her love of Christmas made this story even better.

I would love to spend Christmas with any of these great ladies, I wouldn’t want to find a body, but it would be fun to solve a mystery with them.

This is a perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit.

Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Peggy Ehrhart is a collection of shorter holiday cozy mysteries. All have a Christmas card theme. This was my first time reading a book that was three small novellas instead of one longer one, and it made for a quick read. I thought all three stories were great and loved the Christmas card theme. It’s a perfect addition to your holiday cozy mystery collection.

Christmas Card Murder is an excellent holiday-themed trio of novellas that all had a common Christmas theme: Christmas cards.

I have to admit that I honestly look forward to these books that consist of three small novellas with a common holiday theme each year, and I have snatched up every one of theme. They never, ever disappoint. They usually consist of a combination of my favorite Kensington authors and characters that help create some of the treasured series I follow year after year. (Christmas Sweets and Haunted House Murder both in 2019 and Yule Log Murder in 2018 for example...check them out!) So, obviously I had to read this book, too! I loved it!

This book contained two of my well-followed cozy mystery authors and series, and one new author to add to my list.

First, was Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier which featured my favorite sleuth of all time: Lucy Stone. I have loved every book that has ever included Lucy. I love her part mom part reporter part no nonsense advocate persona. This book fit perfectly into the series. I love the whole Stone Family and small, quaint Maine town. It is a perfect addition to this series.

Next, was Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis. This ties for my second-favorite cozy mystery series (it ties with Joann Fluke’s Hannah Swenson series): the Hayley Powell mystery series. I looove this series, too. Hayley, Bruce, Mona, and the gang are sharp, fun, quick, sarcastic, and entertaining as always. The quick one-liners and dialogue always has me bursting out laughing in every book. This was also a perfect addition to this series. Both of the above books add onward to the most recent installments of each respective series.

The last, Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrnart was the last novella that is part of a new series for me: A Knit and Nibble Mystery series. I enjoyed this as well, and Pamela seems like a main character I can continue to enjoy and read about. I will most definitely check out her series now as well.

I have to give this 5/5 stars enthusiastically.

I love these series, new and old, cozy mysteries, and especially holiday-themed cozies, so this checked all of my must-have boxes. Love it!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Christmas Card Murder includes a cozy mystery from Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Peggy Ehrhart. This was such an enjoyable collection of Christmas themed mysteries set in cozy small towns. Each mystery had to do with a Christmas card in a unique way! Whoever came up with the idea of this linking the books was very creative. I have read mysteries by Leslie Meier and Lee Hollis before and was excited to be introduced to Peggy Ehrhart’s work. Each book was well thought out, but short enough to enjoy in a single sitting. Add this one to your Christmas TBR and shopping list for any cozy mystery lovers in your life!

I wait for this compilation every year and as usual the Lucy Stone mystery was my favorite story. All in all an enjoyable, seasonal read.