This is the third book in the Christmas tree farm mystery series. Holly White is back as the inn keeper at her families new B&B on the Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm. Things are extra hectic this holiday season when a new guest checks in: Karen, a vicious B&B critic, who could make or break the new inn. And the short December days turn even darker when Evan and Libby find Karen's dead body in the gift-wrapped toy donation box.

The problem is that cranky Karen was an oh-holy-nightmare to lots of the townsfolk. Holly is shocked when the main suspect is local resident Cookie since her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon, a metal nutcracker that she gave to Holly. She also was overheard making a joke about hitting Karen with the nutcracker. Things are not looking good for Cookie. To figure out the killer's identity and clear Cookie's name, Holly and her friends brainstorm and try to wrap up everything before Christmas.

I really enjoyed this book and I really enjoy this series.

Celebrate Christmas all year with Jacqueline Frost's delightful series where the holiday spirit never dies - but murder is abundant. Christmas and cozies are two genres that provide a feeling of warmth and Frost mixes the perfect blend of the two. The setting feels like constant Christmas cheer in this wintery town that goes above and beyond to celebrate every aspect of the holiday. The primary setting is even a Christmas tree farm where you can find reindeer, trees, and sleighs. Holly White not only has a perfectly Christmasy name but has the spirit of the holiday to go along with it. The attitude of the critic - demanding and clashing - creates an immediate juxtaposition with the setting while also setting up the conflicts that will lead to the lists of suspects in her murder.

Each character is unique and stands apart from the rest but none as much as Cookie (real name Dolores Cutter) has a pet pygmy goat that goes everywhere with her and is named after her late husband Theodore. This character pairing is a perfect example of the humorous and zany personalities that Frost brings out that captures the spirit of Christmas. Every character has a place within this community and each of them helps bring it to life and makes you want to jump right into the world. Frost crafts a world that you want to join in the festivities whether it's taking a sleigh ride, petting reindeer, or purchasing a Theodore calendar. This whole town from the stores to the tree farm creates the ideal Christmas town with lovely detailed descriptions that make it feel even more magical. Among these details are the beautiful (and candy-themed) displays at the Gumdrop Shop that showcase elaborate and edible artworks. You'll instantly fall in love with this little Christmas town and with Holly White. Each new installment only adds to the wonder of it and to the holiday themes of each suspenseful mystery.

The entire series encompasses the joy and spirit of the holiday season and Slashing Through the Snow is no different. Frost strikes the perfect blend of Christmas cheer and a murder mystery to create another addicting installment.

Slashing Through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost has Holly White busy at the family inn, with the Reindeer Games, and the toy donations. Christmas is rapidly approaching, and Holly must get all the toy donations wrapped by Christmas Eve. She is also trying to keep Karen Moody, a critic for New England Magazine, happy so she will write a good article on the inn. Holly arrives at the inn after dinner to wrap gifts to find an unexpected item in the toy donation bin on the front porch. Someone has killed Karen Moody and they used the gift Cookie gave Holly as the murder weapon. Cookie becomes Sheriff Evan Gray’s prime suspects. Holly, despite being discouraged by everyone she knows, dons her sleuthing cap to clear Cookie. The guilty party, though, is not happy with Holly’s snooping and attempts to warn her off. Can Holly prove Cookie is innocent before Christmas and wrap up the killer for her beau? Slashing Through the Snow is the 3rd novel in A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. I always enjoy visiting Mistletoe, Maine where the residents are friendly and there is plenty of Christmas cheer. The White’s Christmas Tree Farm is a festive place where you can stay at the inn, eat at the Hearth, play in the twelve days of Reindeer Games, pick out a tree, go for a sleigh ride, and relax in front of the fire with delicious hot cocoa. I find the characters to be varied and developed. Cookie and Theodore add the quirky to the story. Cookie’s antics had me laughing. The mystery was well thought out. I enjoyed following the clues in order to solve it. There is misdirection and various warnings. The reveal was suspenseful. The only thing I did not like was everyone telling Holly to stay out of the investigation. They should have known that she would not. I love the descriptions of Holly’s recycled glass candy jewelry. Slashing Through the Snow will get in you in the holiday spirit with all the Christmas activities. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the latest A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery and I cannot wait for the next one (I hope we do not have as long a wait). Slashing Through the Snow is a jolly tale with gooey gumdrops, a teddy bear bonanza, rousing Reindeer Games, a caustic critic, a surfeit of toys, and a cheery Christmas.

What a great way to kick off the holiday reads with a visit to a fictional Mistletoe, Maine and the Christmas Tree Farm, run by Holly White's family. Everyone is a bit on edge when they realize Karen Moody is a critic, and a fan of bashing small businesses in her attempts to become more of an investigative reporter. It's hard to tell at first if some local or a past recipient of a bad review leaves her for dead. Holly's relationship with the local sheriff is thriving, even though he clearly falls on the side of her keeping her nose out of police business. This series has been a lot of fun, it has wonderful characters and atmosphere.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

Another fun Christmas Tree Farm mystery! I love this setting and these characters. I thought there weren't going to be any more of these after the long wait following book 2. So this felt extra special when I started reading. The mystery here is great, and I enjoyed the development of the characters. There was less focus on the Farm events in this book, so new readers should definitely go back and pick up books 1 and 2 because I thoroughly love the world the author has built for this series. Don't miss these!

It was so good, didn’t want it to end, it ending was beautiful. Well written and balanced with the criminal elements and the romantic aspects. Holly was devastated by the outcome of her friend getting arrested for murder. With her penchant for sleuthing, Holly couldn’t sit by without doing all she could to help her friend. Sheriff Evan couldn’t standby and allow Holly to get hurt, he knew he had to act fast, or he definitely could lose her. An intriguingly captivating read with a fabulous ending.

Another fantastic addition to the series. I absolutely enjoyed reading every bit of this story.

The one thing that I really love about this series is the theme - it's Christmassy and puts the reader in a festive spirit.

The mystery behind Karen's murder kept me guessing till the end. Karen was a vicious critic so number of people who thought ill of her were plenty. but who would go to such an extent that they would want her dead?
For the followers of the series (like me), there's a surprise waiting at the end of the book. I am really curious to know how this new development is going to be explored further in the next book.

Overall, this was a perfect Christmas cozy and I highly recommend it to cozy mystery lovers.

In the middle of September, I started this book and had I not looked out the window from time to time, I would have thought it was Christmas! What a great mystery - when a nasty critic descends on the charming town of Misteltoe, Maine. murder is not far behind and she ends up on a "naughty list" that has her marked for murder. Unfortunately, Holly' s good friend Cookie is the main suspect so the amateur sleuth decides to find out who is framing her elderly friend.

The mystery was fast-paced and had a second mystery dealing with Sheriff Evan Gray's sister Libby. I enjoy reading about The Reindeer Games Christmas Tree farm, The Hearth restaurant and seeing Holly manage the family's new B& B. It's fun to see how the family rallies around Cookie and helps Holly find out "whodunit".

If you're in the mood for a cozy Christmas mystery, this book is for you!

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

If you love Christmas and Mysteries, this is the book for you. This is the third book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series and it was just as good as the first one, if not better. The author has a great, well developed group of characters that will make you wish you were there friends. I would love to live in a 24/7/365 Christmas town like Mistletoe, Maine.

It's a great combination, Christmas Magic and Murder. Highly recommend this series. You may also recognize the book store owner and her husband.... WINK!!

I had a physical copy of the book, gifted by the author, a digital copy from NetGalley, and a purchased kindle copy. My reviews and opinions are my own and uninfluenced.

Author Jacqueline Frost continues her Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series in this instalment, Slashing Through the Snow. It was my first in the collection although it is book three and I found it a fun, thoroughly enjoyable read. I aim to pick up the two books I've missed at some future point. Very highly recommended.

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

Slashing Through The Snow

A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery

By: Jacqueline Frost

Crooked Lane Books

Mystery & thrillers

Publish Date 12 October 2021

#SlashingThrougtheSnow#NetGalley

50 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to first thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

Maine innkeeper Holly White returns to sleuth another seasonal slaying in the third Christmas Tree Farm mystery from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm is going into the B&B business, and Holly White is looking forward to her new role as innkeeper. Even better, Mistletoe, Maine’s sheriff, Evan Gray, has deputized his little sister Libby to help Holly wrap presents for Mistletoe’s toy drive. But a cold wind ruffles the cheery holiday decorations when a new guest checks in: Karen, a vicious B&B critic, who could make or break the new inn. And the short December days turn even darker when Evan and Libby find Karen’s dead body in the gift-wrapped toy donation box.

The suspect list is longer than Santa’s naughty list, and local resident Cookie is on it, since her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon, a metal nutcracker that she gave to Holly. So is Libby, who recently moved to town from Boston in less-than-savory circumstances. But cranky Karen was an oh-holy-nightmare to lots of the townsfolk, such as Evan’s reporter friend Ray; Christopher, the inn’s former contractor; and confectioner Bonnie, whose Gum Drop Shop was a direct target of Karen’s scathing prose.

To figure out the killer’s identity and clear Cookie’s name, Holly and her friends brainstorm at The Hearth, the farm’s café, while her mother keeps them fueled with Christmas goodies fresh from the oven. But if they can’t put the culprit on ice, Holly may never see another Christmas.

Book Review:

This is the third book in a series. I gave it 4 stars. I really enjoyed reading this book. For it being the first book I read in this series I was able to follow along the story line just fine. There was enough information from the story to follow along and not feel lost.

This is about Holly who runs the family Inn on the Christmas Tree farm. It is the grand opening and she has invited a B&B critic for a week-end and hoping for a great review. This critic ends up dead and a family friend is accused of the murder.

As the murder investigation is going the farm continues on with the holiday happens. Holly just can’t wait around for her sheriff boyfriend to figure out the murder because she doesn’t want her friend to be in jail during the holidays. She goes out and starts nosing around. This never ends well.

This was a great book and got me into the holiday spirit. This also has great friend and family vibes. I now want to go back and read the first two books so I have more background on the whole town.

We all have our favorite Christmas cozies and this series is mine. It gets me in the spirit every time. Hmm...murder at Christmas gets me in the spirit? Wonder if my hubby should be worried?

Frost did an excellent job in providing plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. I had no clue and was flabbergasted at the big reveal. My one complaint was all the hoopla with Meg and I did not feel much closure with her character. Maybe I missed it being so flabbergasted.

The ending was beautiful. That is all I will say about that as my lips are sealed tighter than gorilla glue.

This is a series you can pick up at any book and you will ok. I suggest some peppermint cocoa while reading next to the Christmas tree. Snow optional.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.

Slashing Through the Snow is the third book in Jacqueline Frost’s Christmas Tree Farm mystery series. The Reindeer Games B&B is fully booked with the holidays quickly approaching. One of the guests is a controversial critic, Karen Moody, who is well known for her slashing reviews. No matter what Holly White does to meet her demands it is never enough.

When the critic is found with her head bashed in a toy donation deposit box on the front porch of the inn, all evidence points to Holly’s dear friend, Cookie Cutter. With her elderly friend the only suspect, Holly begins to “discreetly” ask questions, with increasingly dangerous consequences. Even though her boyfriend, Sheriff Evan Gray, repeatedly asks Holly to stand down and let him do his job, she just can’t seem to help herself and her curious nature.

This series is a holiday delight for cozy mystery lovers. The interesting and quirky characters, lovely rural Vermont setting, and well woven mysteries are a treat. I very much enjoyed this book and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Cute murder mystery at Christmas. Inn keeper Holly White is determined to find out who murdered a guest at her inn during the Christmas holidays. Her Sheriff boyfriend is doing his best to solve the mystery and keep Holly safe at the same time. This is my first book of the series. I look forward to more.

This is book 3 in the Christmas Tree Farm series and the B&B is about to open. Set in Mistletoe, Maine the Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm is celebrating another Christmas. Holly is hosting the Toy Drive and her boyfriend Evan the local sheriff have too solve a murder before they send friend, Cookie to jail. Now the killer is determined too see Holly not celebrate the the holiday. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I first read this series back in 2018 [and to be honest, if I had realized it had been so long ago, I might have been tempted to reread the 2nd book as a refresher as I had a difficult time remembering who some of the characters were and what actually happened in book 2 - THOUGH, if it was as bad as everyone talked about in the book, Holly had no business ever "snooping" again] and so when I saw that there was going to be a third book, I was really excited to read it.

That said, this book was just not for me [I was very disappointed to be honest]; I knew who the killer was the second they were introduced [though I didn't know the why, which is why this gets two stars - even if the why is absolutely ludicrous], I was mad at Holly for most of the book for NOT DOING HER JOB [WORK comes before sleuthing - WHY is this so difficult for authors to write? There are a good many that ARE writing that way and in my opinion, it is important. IF you own a business, or are running a business, or are a manager, your job should absolutely come first - NOT running around trying to do the sheriff's job!!!! <spoiler>An example here - there has been a murder at the Inn and the NEXT DAY, instead of taking care of her guests and making sure their needs are met after a super terrifying night, Holly goes SHOPPING [and sleuthing] for T W O hours, leaving her guests on their own, to figure stuff out. It is no wonder that they all checked out. I wouldn't want to stay in an Inn like that either, murder aside. If the Innkeeper is that uninvolved, it's time to find a new inn </spoiler>], and the tired old trope of the "best friend/family member/sweet old lady who'd never hurt a soul" being accused of the killing was extremely off-putting. Add to all that the story was incredibly repetitive, the idea that the sheriff would put up with all of Holly's shenanigans [I don't care that they are dating - what she did was hinder an investigation - there is sleuthing and there is breaking the law yourself. Holly was butting up against the latter many times in this book] and an ending that even my cat could have seen coming [<spoiler>I will say the reveal was very good - Holly was just helping out a bridesmaid and not even sleuthing when she is attacked by the killer and that was the "realest" part of the whole book, even while the reason was a bit ludicrous. WHO chooses murder over going to the police OR to their handler, who KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE KAREN?? SMH. </spoiler>], this all just added up to a book that I could barely stand to pick up and read [when you pick up a book, read a chapter and then find other things to do because you just don't want to have to read another chapter [it took me nine days to read this if that tells you anything], you know the book is so not working for you].

I realize I am the outlier here and [for once] I am okay with that. This was how I read this book. In seeing all the 4-5 star reviews makes me realize that I must read my books [and have different expectations] differently than most people, and I think I am finally okay with that too. Does my experience with this book mean I wouldn't read another one in this series? I am not sure. Right now, I'd lean towards not reading one, but I have also learned in the past that one bad read [for me] doesn't mean the next one would be one as well. I will say though, Holly's shenanigans in this book make it very difficult for me to want to read another and if that feeling continues, I would have to say I'd be passing on another one should it be written. As someone who loved the previous books, I am very disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jacqueline Frost, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holly White is not about to let her friend Cookie be arrested for murder no matter how annoyed her boyfriend, Sheriff Evan Gray gets. True, Holly had to admit, she had escaped death a time or two in past investigations, but she hoped that wouldn't happen this time. I've really enjoyed this series by Jacqueline Frank and this book, Slashing Through the Snow is a great addition to Ms. Frost's Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. The characters are very likable and the town of Mistletoe, Maine is enchanting. This is a really fun cozy mystery with a very romantic scene included. So heartwarming!

Slashing Through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost is about a woman name Holly who lives on a Christmas tree farm named Reindeer Games in a town called Mistletoe. It is not sickeningly sweet but a hotbed of murder. This is the third Christmas in a row with one and the sheriff is frustrated. It happened right on the front steps of the inn at Reindeer Games, which sadly is owned by Evan's girlfriend, Holly, who had nearly lost her life involving herself in the last tow murder investigations. He desperately wanted to keep her safe. She desperately wanted to solve the murder, as the only suspect was Cookie, an adorable older lady who had made Holly's family her own. Who would solve the murder? Could Evan keep Holly safe?

This is the third book in this very specialized series, written by this very specialized author. Holly, as do all cozy heroines, has a past, as well as pets. She lives in a room at the inn she runs, on the property of her parents' Christmas tree farm. She has been seeing Evan for a year and it has made her so happy. She has a natural curiosity, which has gotten her in plenty of trouble, before she got involved with murder. She has surrounded herself with friends that are always there to help and she calls on them often. This is the coziest of cozy mysteries without being over the top. Some call Mistletoe too good to be true, but no one who lives there believes that. The mystery was a good one, if a little obscure. The murderer turned out to be someone no one even suspected, but Evan. The danger Holly put herself in was very unique and except for the danger, very humorous. In fact the entire book was relatively light-hearted and very fun to read. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Slashing Through the Snow by Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #crooked lane #slashingthroughthesnow #jacquelinefrost

Another good book in the series. I love visiting this Christmas town and enjoy the characters. Trouble does always find the MC.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third in this delightful series. I always love visiting Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm in Miseltoe, Maine. There is always something going on in this quaint town. A bed & breakfast is opening and Holly is faced with a cranky bitter critic.

The critic is killed and suspect abound.

Loved the twists and turns.
Hoping for many more books in this series.

I was given an Advanced Reader’s Copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.