I am not new to Heather Weidner's writing so I will say this: I knew this was going to be a brilliant series debut. I enjoyed reading every bit of this book. There were plenty of red herrings, an interesting set of characters and side stories, a couple of furry babies - a dog and cats, and, not to forget, a dash of romance.

The story begins with just another routine day in Jade Hicks' life. She works at the store, attends a meeting with the town's business council member, fills online orders, etc. Then comes a change in her daily routine - a threat in the form of a voodoo doll. Although the person who received it doesn't believe their life is at stake, Jade is worried. Then, that person is found dead.

The victim's niece, Amy, inherits the bookstore and decides to make a few changes. Amy and Jade become friends and sleuthing partners. Jade learns from Amy that a local real estate agent is purposely trying to tone down Amy's dreams of expanding the bookstore (Amy has plans to host a couple of events, add more genres to the shelf and so on.)

As Jade and Amy try to dig deeper into the case, they learn not everyone is happy with the town's zoning decisions. Was this the reason why Emory was killed? But that doesn't make sense because her store is under zoning regulations.

There were too many red herrings, making it impossible for me to identify the killer. Speaking of killer, their identity was an unexpected surprise. I was led to believe (ahem, red herring!) that a particularly nasty somebody was the culprit.

The mystery kept me guessing till the end. I loved the characters and their side stories. Apart from Jade, the one other character that I liked the most is that of Amy. She's so energetic, enthusiastic, and full of ideas - I would love to see a cozy series featuring Amy as main character.

If you are looking for a new cozy series, love year-round Christmas shoppes and furry babies, and excellent storytelling, you might want to give Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones by Heather Weidner a try.

4.5/5

Jade Hicks and her French Bulldog, Chloe reside in a cottage in the beach village of Mermaid Bay, Virginia. Jade inherited the cottage, as well as "Tis the Season", (a Christmas-themed shop) from her grandparents. Jade and her fellow Mermaid Bay residents are preparing for their annual Christmas in July celebration when a jogger on the beach trips over a suitcase. Unfortunately, the suitcase contains bones! Soon, Jade and her Mermaid Bay neighbors are receiving threatening letters and even a few voodoo dolls. Who is threatening the residents of Mermaid Bay-- and why?

Being more familiar with mysteries than cozy mysteries, it took me a bit to get into this one. Without including spoilers, I will say that it got off to a slow start. However, a few chapters into the book, I became more engrossed in the mystery. The story is a little slower-paced than other mysteries that I have read. The characters are likable, although they could've used a little more fleshing out. I was confused about how a person is flattered at being asked out by one man and then, minutes later confirms her relationship with another. It wasn't a deal breaker, but I found it odd. I also noticed that the main character, and a few others, communicate by scrunching their noses a good bit. This is something I haven't encountered before. It does not, however, detract from the mystery. Lastly, the "developers vs. landowners" theme is not a favorite of mine. This is personal. I happen to live in an area where this is constantly an issue. Lastly, I found the use of Voodoo dolls strange, since there were no characters involved in the religion. I found the ending a surprise, although I am not sure how believable.

As a cozy mystery, there are no expletives and very little violence. This is a "feel good " story, great for a beach visit or travel. Don't expect page-turning action. Do expect likable characters in an adorable village by the sea. I would definitely visit Mermaid Bay myself.

Read this story if.....

...you love cozy mysteries.

... you love stories that take place at the beach.

... you love small-town stories.

... you love stories that take place in the south.

While it definitely has a very catchy title, this book just didn't grab me in the way that I hoped. Some parts good, tho.

The first book in the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery series is Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones by Heather Weidner. This is a strong start to what appears to be an entertaining series. I liked the small-town seaside location, the Christmas store, and the cat and dog's role in the narrative.

Overall this was a cute mystery for the Christmas season. I really wanted the characters to be more flushed out. There were to many details that didn't help the story. I really enjoyed resort town of Mermaid Bay. Jade Hicks runs a Christmas shop and tries to solve another shop owners murder. Did I mentioned that she has a French bulldog named Chloe.
#SticksandStonesandaBagofBones #NetGalley.

First in a new series. I found it highly enjoyable. Mermaid Bay sounds like a fun town. With Christmas in July comes a bunch of trouble ensues ending up in murder. Jade, the owner of the Christmas shop sets out to find the murderer. A good solid mystery with characters that are wonderful. Thanks # netgalley and # level best books for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. this is a really good mystery very well written with great characters I highly recommend for all mystery lovers.

Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones by Heather Weidner is the first in the new Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery series. As the shop owners in Mermaid Bay prepare for their Christmas in July festival trouble comes to town in a series of nasty surprises and threats, followed by a murder. Jade Hicks, owner of the Christmas shop, is worried that if the culprit isn’t identified that the mayhem will continue to the detriment of the festival and the town.

I loved the range of characters, some quirky, others annoying, and some I’d like as friends. The relationships between the friends were warm, and I wondered if or when the sheriff would move into the love interest column. There were a few inconsistencies in the beginning but overall this was a well-written cozy and I look forward to the next in the series. (I reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

This is a first in a new series and I found it to be likable.
Jade owns a year round Christmas shop in Mermaid Bay, and she finds herself tangled up in a bizarre murder investigation.
I think the story has potential and I enjoyed the relationship between the cat and dog.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
#SticksandStonesandaBagofBones #NetGalley

Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones was a good cozy mystery. I enjoyed the Christmas store, small-town beach setting, and the involvement of a cat and dog throughout the story. Overall, I thought it was a good story and kept me interested in what was going to happen, although slightly predictable towards the end. I thought the book was a little dialogue-heavy and could’ve included more descriptions to set up the characters and setting a little more.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

a fun cozy mystery set in a small beach town in New England. Enjoyed this one, although I did tend to skim a bit in the middle. Still though, a good read and one I recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!

This was a really good start to a new series! The characters were so much fun and I can't wait for more of them in the future books! The mystery itself was also entertaining and interesting and kept me reading. Definitely a quick read too!

Good start to a new cozy series! I was approved for this one after it was already released and I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was delightful- entertaining, different voices for each character and emotions thought out. I loved getting to know these easy to like characters and look forward to reading the next one in their series!

Very entertaining cozy mystery with a bunch of fun characters. I knew I would like it from the title and cover, and the story was a smooth read start to finish. The motive was obvious to me almost from the start, so I was surprised that the investigation did not move along more logically and quickly. The spark between Jade and Nick is sweet, and the two seem well suited to each other. Nick may be the cop, but Jade is a bonafide sleuth in her own right. And the recipes at the end are quite a bonus!! Fun read!

Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones by Heather Weidner is the first book in the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery series. This is a good beginning to what looks to be a fun series. I really like amateur sleuth Jade Hicks, who owns the Christmas Shoppe, "Tis the Season in Mermaid Bay. She is very personable and intelligent. The secondary characters are quite likable too. I especially like Sheriff Nick Driscoll and Jade's new friend Amy. This was a fun read and I look forward to the next book in the series.