Mia Malone is planning a holiday party to promote her catering business, but her party looks to be in jeopardy when a demanding ghost appears, wanting Mia to help her resolve things before her deadline to the other side is up.

This series has developed nicely and I enjoyed revisiting these characters.

This is a short story in the Kitchen Witch mystery series. Mia Malone is getting ready to have an open house at her catering service Mia’s Morsels at the schoolhouse her business is in. As she is decorating for the open house which is part of the Winter Carnival she is visited by a ghost who says she was murdered and that Mia has to solve it. The ghost says to ask “Mary Alice” who is Mia’s grandmother. Mia reaches out to her Grandmother and when they learn the ghost is Dorothy who is well known in Magical Springs they try to figure out the mystery. Mia along with Trent, her Grandmother and Christina all work to try and find out information about Dorothy’s death 20 years ago and track down a mystery but not a murder. All ends well and Dorothy is happy. Not sure if we will see Dorothy in other mysteries or not but it was nice to get a nice Christmas ending. Enjoy this series and look forward to the next installment. Happy Holidays.

Mia is planning a party to promote her business. The only problem is a ghost who is opening doors, chilling the rooms, and making a general nuisance. All the group can find out is Dorothy the ghost needs to find her murderer so she can pass over. Apparently, there’s a 20-year deadline and time is running out. This is a novella and makes a great holiday read. The series has wonderful characters, just a touch of magic, and a mystery with a surprise ending. Enjoy!

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a short, fun story set during the holidays in Mia’s Morsels. It starts with a haunting, and ends with a family mystery solved and a holiday saved. If you’ve read any other books in this series, this one will definitely not disappoint. Though the ghost originally died a long time past, there’s a looming deadline to uncover her story- though no one knows why until the secrets are revealed. Through all of the hauntings, she’s also trying to get the open house / holiday party off without a hitch, and the ghost keeps things lively.

Lynn Cahoon0's novellas are always short fun reads, and this one fits right into that mold. A quick, light look into Mia's relationship with her boyfriend and as always solving the mystery.

This is book 2.5 in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series. I always enjoy the “in between” novellas and this one doesn’t disappoint. Cahoon gives us an emotional mystery, tons of holiday goodness and catches us up with Mia, Grans, Trent and Christina. Plus the recipe included reads as seriously yummy. I can’t wait for the next in this “witchy” series.

Reading this on my kindle I failed to notice it was a novella until I finished it in record time. So I do have a complaint - it should have been longer!

No complaints really. Lynn Cahoon writes this series really well. The characters are friendly and pleasant to spend time with, the stories are good and all the food sounds yummy. Mia Malone runs a catering business with her sister in law Christina, and in this book they are organising an Open House before Christmas with an eye to getting more business.

Christina, Mia and her boyfriend Trent are flat out cooking and decorating when a rather demanding ghost appears seeking Mia's help to solve her murder and help her finally cross over. The team set out to discover the true facts about Dorothy's death. They do this very neatly with just a little help from Mia's extra powers.

This is a short, sweet read which started me feeling quite a bit Christmassy. There was a lot of talk about trees and decorations and pies and cakes and of course a really interesting recipe at the end.
Recommended especially if you are looking for something short and easy to put you in a good mood.

Mia is excited for an upcoming holiday party that she has been planning for to let people in to see her new business. She is hoping that the jovial get together will bring in more customers and its a way to meet new people. During the decorating Mia soon learns that she has an unhappy ghost in her midst. She is worried that the ghost will ruin her party and keep people away from her business. The ghost is actually someone she recognizes. The ghost wants her help, she asks Mia to find out who killed her and she needs to solve the mystery by a certain date. Even though her plate is full Mia decides to look into the woman's death and figure out just what is going on. Follow along to see if Mia can pull off her event and solve a mystery at the same time. This series is fun, inventive, and always a great read.

Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas by Lynn Cahoon is a novella taking place at Mia's Morsels, a catering business based out of an old school house, rumored to be haunted. Mia and her assistant, Christina were planning for a Christmas open house as part of a larger Christmas festival taking place in Magic Springs and her boyfriend, Todd, was there to help her decorate. Mia is a kitchen witch, which is to say, a good witch, and Todd is a non-practicing warlock, having given up that life. She is overwhelmed by the huge lobby, but Todd is taking it in stride. What would she do without him? Then, Dorothy appears. Dorothy is a ghost who has an agenda and a timetable, and it doesn't include Christmas. Can Mia help with Dorothy's problem and pull off this open house?

Mia is a terrific character: kind-hearted, usually optimistic, and ready to help anyone at a moment's notice. Todd has an even bigger heart than Mia and is her perfect boyfriend. This is not so much a murder mystery as just a mystery and it is a nice change of pace. All that dying gets old. Mia is clever, and with the help of her grandmother and Todd, she saves the day. She is able to do this without the help of witchcraft but she is doing a favor for a ghost, albeit, one who had lived in Magic Springs and known her grandmother. It was a fun, quick read abut the fun life of a small business owner in a small town.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas by Kensington Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #kensington #lynncahoon #haveahollyhauntedchristmas

I’ve had mixed feelings about the first two books in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries series by Lynn Cahoon, but when I saw a holiday novella entitled Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas, I just had to pick it up. It was a light, quick read, which was just what I needed.

I really liked the small mystery that Ms. Cahoon created for Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas. Mia’s neck-deep in holiday preparations for her catering business, and all of a sudden, she’s face to face with a ghost who wants Mia’s help in bringing her killer to justice. So amidst all the Christmas festivities, Mia and her friends go about solving the mystery. And I loved there was a bit of a twist at the end.

Ms. Cahoon took the time to develop Mia’s relationship with her boyfriend, Trent, which was appreciated. And her roommate and grandmother also had essential parts in the story. It wasn’t bogged down with too many characters or an overly complicated plot. It was a pleasant, short interlude before the next full-length novel.

Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas was a fun holiday read with a paranormal twist. I’d suggest picking up this book if you’re looking for an introduction to this series or looking for a light, short, holiday read.

Have A Holly Haunted Christmas (Kitchen Witch Mystery #2.5)


Mia’s back for a quick holiday adventure!

Mia’s trying to promote Mia’s Morsels, her new all-purpose food business by putting on a Christmas event. While the town's most famous ghost has decided she wants her murder solved! The problem is no one knows she was murdered!

This is a short but fun read. I can hardly wait to rejoin Mia and the gang in April for their next adventure!

5*****

Mia will return for her next full-length adventure in Three Tainted Teas (Kitchen Witch Mystery #3) on 04/26/2022!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.

Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas is a novella in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon.

Mia is preparing to host an open house to promote her business when a ghost shows up. She wants Mia to find out who killed her and claims that Mia’s grandmother has information.

This was a fun, quick read. I really enjoy this series. It has great characters and a lot of humor.

Thank you to the author, Kensington, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

It's the Holidays and Mia, Christina, and Trent are getting the the school ready for an Open House. The trees are decorated, the food is prepared, the children's choir is ready to entertain, and then a ghost decides to crash the party. Dorothy is convinced she was murdered twenty years ago and she wants Mia to discover whodunit before she fades away...

This was a fun and interesting novella in the Kitchen Witch series. I love all the characters so much. They're people I'd love to hang out with. I do wish this book were just a little longer as the ending felt a little rushed (although that did not detract from the story at all). I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas by Lynn Cahoon is the 2.5 novella in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series, and another fun addition. I enjoy all of Ms. Cahoon's series, and I'm enjoying this one too. Mia Malone is a kitchen witch who is starting over in Magic Springs, Idaho where her grandmother lives, and witches and warlocks are accepted. Mia has open a new gourmet dinner delivery business and her ex's sister Christina. In this adventure, they are dealing with a unhappy ghost, Dorothy, who needs them to find out who killed her in the next few days, so she can pass to the other side. I enjoyed this clever story, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this cozy mystery with includes a little magic.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.75
Keywords: Paranormal, Culinary Arts, Witchcraft, Cats, Ghosts, Christmas

The Kitchen Witch Mysteries Series by Lynn Cahoon follows Mia Malone, witch and chef, as she solves crimes in the town of Magic Springs, Idaho. She runs a cooking and catering business in a haunted old school. There’s also a cat (always a cozy plus).

In this particular book, Mia Malone must solve the mysterious death of her resident ghost so she can move on and join her husband in the afterlife. If that is not stressful enough, Mia has to throw a Christmas Party at her business (and home) without it being ruined by poltergeist behavior.

I have read (and loved) all the novels in this series, but this is my first novella. I would recommend readers start at the beginning of this series, because the brevity of the book (81 pages) does not allow for describing the backstory of each character or reference.

It can be painful waiting for the next book in a cozy mysteries series, so I loved this jolly treat of a novella as I wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy for an honest review.

This is a novella in the series. I was given permission to read this last night. I had no problem holding my own while reading, definitely a standalone. I have read all in the series except the previous novella.

I find these entertaining. I’m always up for a trip to Magic Spring. In this installment, Mia, Trent, & Christina are trying to get the school set up for an open house during the Christmas holiday season. They hope to increase demand for Mia’s products when a ghost makes her presence know, Unfortunately, she doesn’t tell them who she is but does want them to find her killer.

Grans isn’t forth coming in her knowledge of the deceased. This was a great holiday story.

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

The mysteries by this author always keep me guessing. I love all the characters (especially Trent). I do hope some day the cat gets free of the spell he is under. This is another good read in the series.

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

I’m not a particular fan of short stories, but I like them sometimes as a way to get to see if I’d like a series. I am also not a fan of holiday-themed books. However, this was just the ticket. Mia is preparing for a holiday party to begin her meal business/cooking school when she’s visited by a ghost who wants to find out who murdered her. Between dealing with the ghost and getting ready for the party, Mia is ready to throw in the towel. This was a cute, fun novella, and even though I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, I had no problems following along. Now I really want to read the other ones. Great short story. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC to review. The request was fulfilled today, day before release, so luckily this was a novella.

I think it's important to have read the other parts of this series; it certainly didn't come across as stand-alone, with readers expected to know who was who and what had happened earlier. So, coming in cold, I didn't exactly get a good first impression.

The protagonist Mia's boyfriend Trent spent all of his dialogue mansplaining and telling her what to do, which was annoying and not encouraging me to read any more in this series. I also had the observation others did - a lot of funny talk about decorating for Christmas, but overall there were not a lot of Christmas vibes to this story? And neither were there many witchy vibes - offhand references to spells and a ouija board, the latter of which I don't consider witchcraft per se.

If you've read the rest of the series and enjoyed, I think this'd be a "just fine", quick read. A low-stakes tale that you can get through quickly, with a lot of mentions of food. Three stars rounded up from me.

This was a quick read but enjoyable. Good characters and an interesting premise.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.