I’m always excited when I see another Mrs. Claus Mystery by Liz Ireland has come out. Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves actually takes place right before Christmas, so it’s even more Christmas-y than normal!

There is a lot of upheaval in Christmasland with all the new technology that is being introduced. The reindeer go on strike because of it, snowmen are taking their lives into their own hands, elves are being fired from their jobs, and the elite (Santa’s family) are still holding massive desert events and firework shows. This means it’s up to Mrs. Claus (once again) to find out who destroyed the first place ice sculptor and to get her bestie out of jail because she’s been accused of murder.

I love the way that Ireland is able to combine the cozy mystery genre with fantasy. Her world building is astounding and each book is even more detailed than the previous one. The details of the castle, village, and even the jail are so realistic and easy to visualize. I would love to see these books made into a TV series.

As for the characters we get to see a lot of characters from previous books and some new ones, including Mrs. Claus’s best friend from the regular world, Claire, who quickly adapts to all the quirkiness in the new world around her. Quasar, the reindeer, really shines in this book. And all the new technology, which to me is like another character, is really interesting and makes for some funny and crazy moments.
We are three books in now and we still haven’t gotten to know Santa that much, so I’m interested to see if that’ll be coming up in any of the future books.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery that is a bit different, but still filled with so much delicious food, well developed characters, and gorgeous scenery, then you should put this series on your TBR pile!

This third outing with Mrs. Claus includes her friend from Oregon, Claire, who doesn't really believe that Santa is real. She adjusts pretty quickly to talking reindeer and snowmen, and actual elves, and she falls hard for Jake Frost, who drops by to help with...you guessed it...another murder! Automation and technology have come to the North Pole, much to the disappointment of the reindeer, who go on strike when automated drones seem destined to replace them. When one elf seems to disappear, and another ends up murdered, April Claus is on the case. I enjoy spending time at the North Pole, and I love the clever, creative names given to people, places, and activities. Very original! Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an 'ARC.

This is the third installment in the Mrs. Claus Mystery series. It is a standalone story. I have enjoyed the two Mrs. Claus books I have read. I like the characters, the theme, and the imagination. We are dealing with automation in this story and should it replace beings in doing all chores or just mundane/repetitive tasks?

So, who caused the drone to knock off Blitzen’s head on the winning ice sculpture? And who killed Virgil. Good questions that April and Claire investigate.

There were plenty of suspects and abundant twists, turns and mis-directions to keep the reader guessing. I enjoyed the antics. The pace was just right, I could not turn the pages fast enough.
I was so glad to see Quasar come into his own. He isn’t as simple as people make him out to be.

I am looking forward to the next installment.

I was given an advanced readers’ copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review. I chose to do so.

I love this series so much! I obviously had to read it out of season but it was so enjoyable and I would read a Mrs.Claus Mystery at any point of the year.

If you enjoy silly and fun books with a mystery of who dun it this book would fulfill that fun side while also allowing for you to try and solve the mystery alongside April Claus, the wife of the current Santa Claus, Nick. This was my favorite of the whole series because of the relationships April has with her helper elf, Jingles, her best friends, her husband, and even her mother-in-law.

While this novel is silly and fun, the mystery aspect is very serious such as murders, and destruction of property. The humorous aspects of the novel are the reaction to Mrs. Claus when she is trying to find out why someone was murdered and who in this Christmas town would be able to murder someone. You never would think crimes would happen in this town but it shows bad and good people are everywhere.

I can't wait for the next installment of this series and I will be picking up the physical copy for my shelves. I fully recommend this book to my fellow cozy crime readers!!

This is the third installment in the Mrs. Claus mystery series. Liz Ireland has created a detailed and fascinating world where humans, elves, snowmen, and reindeer live and work in relative harmony. April, originally from Oregon, is the current Mrs. Claus and this is her second Christmas living in Santaland. However a reindeer strike, snowboarding snowmen, bot elves, and a murdered accountant elf threaten to derail the Christmas deliveries.

I liked that Claire, April's friend from Oregon, came to vacation in Santaland. Her wonder and disbelief at the workings of this very fantastical place along with relating to April's "mainland" life were great. If you like Christmas and mysteries, this is a great series to get lost in while enjoying a hot chocolate or egg nog latte.

*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.

Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves is the third book in this series. It’s the week before Christmas and as if Santaland wasn’t busy enough, an elf is murdered and Mrs. Claus and her best friend, Claire, along with Detective Jake Frost, are on the case. I love this series. There are plenty of humorous moments. I also liked that I did not guess who did it. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The third installment of this funny and fanciful cozy mystery series is out September 27th and I was lucky enough to get an ARC to read and share my thoughts with ya'll!

If you are someone who listens to Christmas music by the time Halloween rolls around, this book is for you. In fact, if you haven't already started this series and you are a Christmas fan, you are slacking and need to add this series to your list ASAP!

Because this is an ARC, they prefer that I don't share text from the book as it might change before publication, so you will just have to take my word that this book is filled with some funny lines. There are lots of good jokes to be made in Santaland. In this book, April's best friend from down south comes up for Christmas. I was glad that April had a best friend sidekick for this book, and hopefully, she will be back for future installments. We also got to see more interaction between April and Nick (aka Santa) in this book, it was enjoyable to read their scenes as they get more used to their unique married life.

If you want a fun, humorous cozy mystery with all those Christmas vibes, this is the series to read, on a cozy afternoon, with a cup of cocoa in your hand! 4 stars!

This book is full of laughter and lots of imagination. The snowmen can get into a lot of trouble. I would never have thought it was possible. The elves of course can be a handful. It is even more comical because Mrs. Claus (April) has a good friend visiting Santaland for the first time. The murder kept everyone guessing. If you enjoy a murder with lots of laughter this is the book to get.

Mrs. Clause and the Evil Elves by Liz Ireland is the third book in the Mrs. Claus Mystery series. It's the week before Christmas at the North Pole. There are some major problems: such as the reindeer being on strike. There are disruptions at events and, oh yes, a murder. Meanwhile April's, Mrs. Claus, best friend from Oregon, Claire has arrived for a two week vacation. She sure gets her eyes opened to the beauty and delights of the North Pole. Too bad she sees some some of the not-so-wonderful side too.

I loved this book! The storyline flows well. The characters are very likable and it's a great addition to the series.

I’m generally not a holiday-themed book person, but I got the first one of these and was hooked. This is the third book, and it’s still so darn cute. The mystery in this one isn’t as good as in the last two books, but that doesn’t diminish the fun, great characters, and whimsical atmosphere of this latest. I loved to see April’s friend Claire in this one because I felt she needed a friend from her other life in her new one. I’m hoping she stays. Add to that Nick and his family, the hilarious snowmen, grumpy elves, and the winter wonderland, and this was a fun book to spend a few hours with. Can’t wait for the next one! Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Thank you to NetGalley for a pre-release of this book.

Looking for a lighthearted Christmas mystery full of intrigue? This is the book for you. It starts out fun from the very start! Just be aware that this book is part of a series.

Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves by Liz Ireland
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Published: September 27, 2022

Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves is the 3rd book it the Mrs. Claus series by Liz Ireland. This book can easily be read as a standalone mystery! I chose to read this book as part of my "Christmas in July" books and I am so glad I did!

This book was so much fun! I loved celebrating Christmas in Santaland with Mr. & Mrs. Claus and all the elf residents! Who knew the week before Christmas would be filled with so many events and festivities in Santaland...I always thought there would be a lot of sleepless nights because of all the last minute work to do. I am so glad I was wrong about that! This is way more fun!

I love the author's writing style. This book was funny and engaging and had a fun mystery with lots of twists and turns. I love the characters and that Mrs. Claus is a natural sleuth, but not a natural Claus!

I definitely recommend reading this book! It is a lot of fun and will keep you guessing until the very end! The suspense is great and the story is engaging! There were even some parts that had me on the edge of my seat!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I constantly had a smile on my face when reading 'Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves'. This series is so delightful, and this is another winner. Santaland and the inhabitants and dysfunctional families are just like anywhere else, but with delightful whimsey and creativity. April Claus is devoted to solving another mystery and navigating life as the wife of Santa. Her friend Claire is visiting from Oregon, and is both bewildered and astonished by Santaland. It is just so much fun! I do want to find out what happened to Mrs. Brightlow after her smackdown from Santa's mother, and can't wait for more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I really enjoyed the first book f this series and also enjoyed the second one, however this one just did not do anything for me. I’ll be the fit to admit I am not much of a series reader, I tend to get bored after a bit and maybe that is what has happened here.

I still think the writer is brilliant and her imagination is creative , it all just became a bit sweet for me

I love this series. The world building is amazing and witty and makes this such a fun read. And it's also a good mystery.

April's friend Clare is visiting from Oregon. Santaland is a bit much for her to take in and it is especially chaotic as Christmas is a week away. Not only is it the busiest and most festive time of the year, but the reindeer are on strike as someone has introduced mechanical versions and they feel threatened.

Juniper's boyfriend, or so she believes, is also missing and Juniper can't seem to get anyone to take her seriously. Blinky is rather eccentric and an inventor, so his family believes he's just off inventing.

But when someone is murdered and Juniper is framed, April calls upon her sleuthing skills and the help of a detective acquaintance-Jake Frost to get to the bottom of the mystery and help prove Juniper is innocent.

This was an utterly, delightful, cozy mystery! The characters are completely quirky, the setting is magical, and the plot is very imaginative. It is everything you could want in a holiday story.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mayhem takes place in the North Pole during the Christmas season.
Mrs. Claus is showing off her relatively new home to her best friend. A lovely reindeer ice sculpture is destroyed by a reindeer drone. That is the start of North Pole mayhem.

With unhappy reindeer and elfen mayhem, the North Pole is a mess. It must be resolved to save Christmas.

A light read for the holidays

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Publication Sept. 27, 2022

Fun! I loved it! Quirky characters! Santaland! Santa Claus. Sugarplums! Candy canes! Elves! Flying reindeer! And, oh, yeah, murder.

April and Nick have been married a year-and-a-half and she's still not quite adjusted to life in Santaland. Come on. How long would it take you to adjust to being Mrs Claus and living amidst talking snowmen, elves, not just flying but talking reindeer with an attitude, and getting about in a reindeer powered sled?

Life in Santaland isn't all sugarplums and candy canes, however. Something is afoot. The reindeer are on strike. Then, a kamikazee drone reindeer crashes into a stunning ice sculpture. It's towing a banner saying: "This is just the beginning!!!" The beginning of what? Where did it come from? Is that a threat? Who controlled it? April vows to find out. Then things get worse. Someone is found murdered.

Ironically, I found myself so caught up in the whimsy of the delightful world Liz Ireland has created for us that I almost forgot about the murder at times. I mean, drone reindeer? Clogging elves? A robot elf servant in the Claus castle? Antler toupees? Snowmen on hover-boards? Talking snowmen, at that? How do you put a living snowman back together after they've, well, been powderized by a crash on said hover-board? All this and more, oh, so much more, while April is entertaining Claire, a friend from Oregon who arrives disbelieving. Can you blame her? At least she likes the cold. She also makes a great ice cream.

The mystery starts with a missing man, er, elf, Blinky. He's a bit, well, odd. An eccentric genius, let's say, and has had a habit of going off alone at times. This time, however, he has a girlfriend, Juniper. At least she thinks she's his girlfriend. She hasn't heard from him and is worried. April isn't so sure but wants to support Juniper, even when Juniper is arrested for killing a long time friend with a crush on her. If you're going to be arrested, however, I must admit that Santaland sounds like the best place to be arrested and spend your time in jail.

I don't want to give away any more of the plot or the delight that is Santaland, so won't detail the plot further. Let's just say, Santaland is both everything we ever imagined the North Pole to be like and nothing like our dreams. The reindeer are competitive, we've all heard of those reindeer games, but resent the gradual intrusion of technology into their world. Heck, so do many of the residents. The reindeer aren't the only ones who might lose their jobs. April's experiences with the robot maid are a perfect illustration of what can go wrong, not to mention that the sedentary snowmen are hardly cut out for nimbly guiding hover-boards. That said, even 12 year-old Christopher Claus, who will take over as Santa when he is 21, wants a robot for Christmas. Nick is sort of a Santa Regent, so to speak.

Is the murder related to the encroachment of technology into Santaland? Are the competitive reindeer causing the problems? What would Christmas be like without reindeer? Will Nick, er, Santa be able to soothe nerves and bring all the factions together in time for Christmas Eve? Even Pamela, the usually serene grand dame elder Mrs. Claus, dumps food over someone's head. Whoa.

They've called in detective Jake Frost to help. Although this is my first read of this series, it's obvious he's known to both Nick and April and, oh, my, visiting Claire is entranced on first sight. Will April be able to solve the murder, attend all the ceremonial festivities, soothe her reindeer friends, keep her red suited husband safe, and referee Claire's attraction to Jake, not to mention the fireworks display that sounds a bit, well, overboard? You're just going to have to read the book. Set aside your rational self, buy into the fantasy, and enjoy a great mystery with some of the quirkiest characters you can imagine. Fun!

Thank you, thank you, #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for taking me away on a fun, imaginary trip to Santaland. Murder aside, I want to go back! Thanks for introducing me to this series.

I really enjoy this quirky whodunnit series set in the North Pole. If you like a fun mystery in a unique setting, you won't be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for a copy of "Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves" in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in the Mrs. Claus series and once again it was an exciting adventure. April (Mrs. Claus) has her friend Claire visiting from back home. That doesn't stop April for getting involved in mystery and murder once again.

Evil elves are causing all sorts of mayhem in Santaland. The reindeer are on strike just days before Christmas. April's friend Juniper gets arrested. Butterbean is setting off fireworks that you just know will not end well.

We get another visit from Jake Frost. Hopefully we will see more of April's friend Claire in the next book because she made a great addition to this one.