Kensington Book’s latest trio of cozy seasonal novellas features murders all over the world, from Salem, Massachusetts to Galway, Ireland and all the way to the North Pole!

Carlene O’Connor’s opening story gives the collection its title, and follows the exploits of architectural salvage shop owner Tara Meehan. The American expat is looking to score a bargain at a Galway curiosity shop, particularly in terms of items she can use to spruce up her own store as the Halloween season descends on Ireland. Val Sharkey, the curiosity shop’s owner, is an enigmatic character who’s more than willing to help the niece of his good friend Johnny, not only pointing out specialty items but also signing her up for a free cupcake from a local bakery. Only the bakery doesn’t exist, and soon neither does Val, as a killer gives the older man a ghastly send-off into the underworld.

As one of the last known people to see Val, Tara ends up being a suspect in his murder. Her efforts to clear her name lead her to a secret society known as the Samhain Six. They have an outsized interest in a unique painting she bought from Val, but surely none of them would kill to possess it?

Liz Ireland’s novella Mrs Claus And The Candy Corn Caper combines the Christmas-themed hijinks of her Mrs Claus series with Halloween spookiness. Our heroine April Claus finds herself taken aback by the sheer enthusiasm with which Christmastown has thrown itself into adopting a new holiday. One of the most eagerly embraced aspects is candy corn, which April decided would be the theme of the holiday baking contest. But with thefts and shortages hitting the local candy corn supply, April already has a headache trying to figure out who’s stealing what little they can import, even before a baker working on his contest entry is murdered. Does his death have anything to do with the candy, or was it motivated by something else entirely?

The final novella in the book is A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J Perry. It’s October in the historic town of Salem, with the town’s favorite holiday already having a firm grip on the collective imagination. Our heroine Lee Barrett is still a little wistful at having given up her field reporter lifestyle in favor of working as her cable channel’s program director instead. So when she’s given the opportunity to go back in the field for a human interest story about a cat stuck in a tree, she jumps at the chance. Turns out, though, that the cat belongs to a baker who recently went missing from his own store. With the help of her cat familiar O’Ryan and her own powers of second sight, will Lee be able to help find the missing man before greater tragedy strikes their town?

All three novellas are perfect for spooky season, with the Christmastown tale being one of the few acceptable comminglings of both holidays, in my opinion. I was delighted to be introduced to Tara Meehan, the heroine of Ms O’Connor’s Home To Ireland series, having only been familiar with her Irish Village Mystery novels prior to this. And it’s always a pleasure to spend time with both April Claus and Lee Barrett as they navigate their paranormal-tinged worlds.

There was only one recipe in this volume, accompanying Ms Perry’s entry:

QUOTE
Aunt Ibby’s Recipe Hack of Pat Duncan’s Triple-Layer Halloween Cupcakes

1 package of yellow or white cake mix
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
Tow ¼ oz. squares of baking chocolate, melted
1 can of creamy white frosting
Orange and chocolate Reese’s Pieces

Prepare cake mix according to directions. Put about one cup of batter into each of two small bowls. In one of them, mix in the orange marmalade. In the other mix in the melted chocolate. Line muffin tin with twelve paper liners. Put a rounded tablespoonful of chocolate batter into each cup. Follow with a spoonful of orange marmalade batter. Finish with plain batter. Cups should be about three quarters full. Bake according to cake mix package directions. Cool cupcakes on wire rack, then frost with creamy vanilla frosting and decorate with Reese’s Pieces.
END QUOTE

I feel like I should have perhaps used more marmalade in this recipe, as there really didn’t seem to be much difference between the vanilla and orange layers I baked. The chocolate layer was delicious though, and provided a lovely base for the rest of the cupcake. My kids were more interested in the Reese’s Pieces on top than in anything else – I think they were a little disappointed that the cupcakes themselves had marmalade instead of peanut butter – but more sophisticated palates enjoyed the cupcake as is. If anything, I actually removed the candies from the top of mine so I could better enjoy the rest of the dessert!

Next week, we whip up a different cupcake for a different festive season while investigating the untimely death of an entertainment manager. Do join me!

This book is a wonderful way to get into the Halloween mood/spirit! I enjoy Kensington Publishing's holiday collections, and this one doesn't disappoint. Each story is unique and adds their own charm/spin to the book.

I definitely recommend this book to readers! My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review.

This is a group of three fun Halloween stories by three separate author’s the first by Carleen O’Connor where Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists into her archival age store. When a stranger appears in her shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and ominous message she suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots. can Tara solve the mysteries before the Galloway Mystery tour without anymore deadly consequences.
Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland
Christmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration planning a huge carnival rides games and a candy corn themed bake off. Until the the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries among the elves and tragedy strikes Santalands newest bakery. This leaves Mrs. claus to sort through the tricks and treats as she races to unmask a Halloween fiend.
A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J Perry
Rumors swirl when a wealthy bakery owner goes missing and his beloved cat Cupcake is found under mysterious circumstances. Now amid Salems wicked rivalry Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire or the truth about his disappearance. All fun enjoyable stories everyone would like.

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene o’Connor, Liz Ireland, Carol J. Perry
Sorry to say that I couldn’t get interested in the first two novellas. The third story by Carol J. Perry entitled Triple Layer Halloween Murder was the only one I really liked. Possibly this was because I have read most of the rest of the Witch City series that this novella is one of 13 so far. I gave it 3 stars because of that one. Maybe if I had read books by the other authors then I might have liked their stories better.

I enjoy these compilation books as they really allow readers to sample, so to speak, several authors at a time or read from their favorite authors in one book. I am new to each of these authors, so I was excited to get into the Halloween spirit with these characters. All three of these cozies are very entertaining, I look forward to reading more from each of these writers. (I thought I already reviewed this book. I am so sorry for the late review.)

With three novella-length Halloween cozy mysteries packed into one adorable, orange package it's impossible to go wrong. I LOVE holiday themed cozy mysteries, particularly for spooky season, and these did not disappoint. I'm a huge fan of Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series so I was particularly excited to read that novella, but I enjoyed them all. I probably preferred the first two to the latter, just because I'm not into the slightly mystical elements that were introduced and I thought the mysteries were just more interested in the first two. The first one, by O'Connor, was an extremely pleasant surprise, with a super interesting plot involving the origins of Halloween and mysterious cupcakes that kept me enthralled. And Mrs. Claus solving crime is always a hit!

Thanks to Kensington Books for my copy!

5 stars - 9/10

Tara is trying to get ready for the upcoming Halloween Mystery Tour by adding some decorations to her shop. She turns to the towns curiosity shop to meet her needs. When she soon learns that the proprietor of the shop was murdered not long after she visited the shop she knows she must figure out who the killer is before the police set their sights on her. Follow along and see if she finds a killer or if she ends up in jail herself!
Christmas town is gearing up for the Halloween season, why should they only celebrate Christmas? Events are being planned and a candy corn-themed bake off seems to be a major event. When the owner of the towns newest bakery is found murdered everyone is wondering if the bake off has something to do with it. Mrs. Claus doesn't want the celebration to be ruined so she decides to investigate herself. Can she find a killer before the Halloween celebration is ruined?
Salem is getting ready for their month long Halloween celebration and Lee can't wait. When a local bakery owner goes missing and his favorite cat is found a few days later people wonder just what could have happened. Lee can't help but start looking into this new mystery in hopes of finding out just what could have happened. Will Lee figure things out and be able to have a good story for the news or will everything remain a mystery never to be solved.
A great trilogy for the Halloween season, each story unique in its telling!

I’m a big fan of Carlene O’Connor’s work, so I was eager to read Halloween Cupcake Murder and it did not disappoint. I read her Irish Village series and the first two of her Home to Ireland series, which shares a setting with Halloween Cupcake Mystery. This story is much darker than the other two as befitting the Halloween theme. It was a suspense-filled read that teased supernatural elements. I enjoyed the character development, the pacing, and the story overall and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys cozies or stories set in Ireland. The problem for me was the other two stories, which I really couldn’t get into. It’s not that there was anything wrong with them, it’s just that the vibe of each was very different. They would each appeal to different sorts of readers. The Halloween theme wasn’t really enough for the three stories to hang together.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Halloween Cupcake Murder from Kensington Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is three books in one, each with a Halloween theme.

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR
When shopping for Halloween decorations Tara Meehan buys a painting that represents the first Halloween. Shortly after buying this painting, Tara finds the shop owner dead.

Then Tara is chosen to be a member of "The Samhein Six", a group of men and women that live and breathe for the Samhain Festival. The Sanheim festival celebrates the very first Halloween every year at the cave of cats. Tara doesn't know why she was chosen, and doesn't think this is something she wants to join.

The events are all connected and Tara eventually finds the answers to this mystery.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND
A murder of a bakery elf takes place in Christmastown and Mrs Claus is determined to find the killer.

A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY
A prominent bakery owner goes missing, along with his calico cat. Lee Barrett finds the kitten in her oak tree. Her surveillance camera shows someone dressed as an astronaut that seems to be looking for the kitten.

Lee and her police detective boyfriend combine forces to find the missing bakery owner and solve the mystery

I've read books by Carlene O'Connor and Carol. Perry and these did not dissapoint.

This is the first book I have read by Liz Ireland. I liked the style of writing and the characters, but had a difficult time with the over-the-top Christmas theme. I love reading Christmas stories, but this one was challenging. All the elf names were odd, and there were so many of them. I think I would like to try a book by this author that isn't such an extreme Christmas story.

A wonderful collection of Halloween themed cozy mysteries! The reason I picked this book up was because of Carlene O'Connor and her Home to Ireland series. I saw that the first story in the collection is a novella for that series and I couldn't pass that up! Tara has moved from her home in the US to Galaway, Ireland to run an architectural salvage business and home decor store. Unfortunately, she seems to keep finding dead bodies! A wonderfully written cast of characters that are fun as well as lovable wrapped in great plots that keep you reading until you unravel the mystery. I enjoy my visit each time! However, the beauty of picking up a collection of novellas like this is that you get introduced to new characters and series as well. Liz Ireland's novella takes you to Christmastown which is a walk through all of the childhood stories, cartoons and movies about Christmas that we all enjoyed! You have elves, living snowmen, abominable snowmen, talking reindeer and so much more, but with an adult cozy mystery twist. Unfortunately, not all elves are nice and fun loving as Mrs. Claus finds herself having to solve murders more than she cares too! It was a fun read and an incredible walk down memory lane that made me giggle more than once! The third story was also from a new to me series and I think I have found a new batch of favorite characters! Carol J Perry's addition to the collection is a novella from her Witch City Mystery series and I am hooked! Lee works for a local news station and seems to find herself helping to untangle mysteries as she also tries to get her story! She is surrounded by an intriguing cast of characters that are realistic and relatable. I will definitely be going back and catching up on this series so I can be ready for new additions! All three stories use the same theme of Halloween and Halloween cupcakes are central to the story. It is fun to see how each author takes the theme and twists it into a fun and entertaining story with their own unique twists! Now to see if I can find a good batch of Thanksgiving or Christmas novellas to read!

Halloween Cupcake Murder compiles three separate stories by Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry. I have not read any of the previous books from these three series and was excited to be able to read the Halloween-focused stories in Halloween Cupcake Murder to see if I wanted to read more from these authors and their respective series.

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR-
I thought that this story had the most “Halloween vibes” out of the three stories. I liked the MC, Tara, and thought that the short mystery was fun. I will most likely read more from this series. 4.0/5.0 stars.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND-
I wanted to like a story on a candy corn caper but this story just was not for me. I couldn’t get into it and I don’t plan to continue reading the books from this series. 1.5/5.0 stars.

A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY-
I really enjoyed the Salem, Massachusetts setting and how the cozy companion was helpful in solving the mystery. I know the format of these short stories differs from a full-length cozy mystery, but the ending still felt a bit rushed. I plan to read more from this series. 4.0/5.0 stars.

Overall, I rate the entire compilation 3.0/5.0 stars. Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry. My comments are an independent, honest review.

I picked this one up because I’m a fan of the first author. I wish I had at least skimmed the previous books from the series since it had been a while. Technically it isn’t necessary to read them first, but you would definitely enjoy the story more if you did. I enjoyed this story, but it was a little spookier than the previous ones. I really like the Tara character and the quirky town. She’s a smart, independent woman.
I definitely have to back up, and read the two stories.

Disclaimer- I have not read anything previously by Carleen O'Conner, so I am unfamiliar with her work and I do not feel comfortable reviewing her contribution. I am familiar with Carol J. Perry and Liz Ireland's series, so I will talk about those 2.

Mrs, Claus and the Candy Cane Caper- The North Pole has already celebrated Halloween- with very mixed results! However, the elves and Clauses are willing to take it on again. Instead of pumpkins, the big thing this time is Candy Corn- which makes sense for how much they love their candy canes! The interplay of very different holidays in a Christmas themed place makes for a great adventure. Mrs. Claus has her hands full!

A Triple Layer Halloween Murder- What could be better than Halloween in Salem? Well, if you don't like crowds probably this- reading about it from a safe distance. Like Mrs. Claus, this book features a bakery. Lee Barrett is looking into a disseverance and it involves a cat that isn't O'Ryan! You won't want to put it down!

I was very excited to see these series continuing and I will eagerly await more installments!

I'm a big fan of Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series which is why I picked this collection of Halloween cozies. (Halloween is not my jam, typically.) The other two series are new to me. The authors included relevant backstory details of their main characters without bogging down the current day mystery. I thought it was cute that all three mysteries involved cupcakes.

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR
An American living in Galway, Tara runs an salvage shop and is preparing for the big Halloween weekend festivities. She was the last person to see another shop owner alive and she is adamant that it was murder. Then she receives a cupcake just like the one at the scene of the crime. She's now got to figure out who is targeting her and why. I liked the supporting characters a lot and would pick up a book in this series. I really enjoyed learning about some of the Gaelic roots of our modern Halloween traditions. The resolution to this mystery was rushed and the way the clues fell into place was a little too simple.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND
I love the detailed world Liz Ireland has created where elves, anthropomorphic reindeer and snowmen live and work alongside the Kringle family creating Christmas magic. Since Mrs. Claus is from our world, she introduced Halloween and Santaland is all in.

A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY
This one is set in a version of Salem MA that has the biggest, most comprehensive local cable access station complete with a news anchor and meteorologist. Lee Barrett is the program director but wishes she was still a roving reporter. Her boyfriend is a cop which makes sleuthing easier. This was my least favorite of the three. It was pretty obvious from the start who was the murderer.

*Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

A quick read when you’re in the mood for some light reading.
These are three fun stories to read.
Halloween cupcake murder. Tara Meehan wants to give her store a bit more in the flavor of Halloween and what better way to get ideas than to look at other stores and see how they are decorated. After finding in her mind the perfect item she returns once more to the place of purchase only to find the owner has been murdered in the meanwhile. A partially eaten cupcake next to him.
Mrs. Claus and the candy corn caper.
This brings us to the land of Sante Claus with his elves and reindeers’. Mrs. Claus likes to introduce some new holidays besides Christmas and her first attempt is Halloween. Elves are very competitive so of course some competitions are being introduced. The festivities take a turn when tragedy strikes the newest bakery with a cupcake as the only clue.
A triple layer Halloween murder.
What place comes to mind when thinking about Halloween and witches. Salem, Massachusetts is the place to be. A story in Salem must have a touch of paranormal and that is provided by Lee Barrett with her visions and her trusted cat.

Three short stories sure to put you into a Halloween mood! Each short story ccenters around a Halloween cupcake in one form or another. These authors are well versed in the who, what, where, when and why of a cozy mystery so it was pure entertainment. My reading circle always chooses these themed books and we are always ahppy we did.

While I am new to these three authors, I loved the cover of the book. Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. This book did not disappoint. All three stories were spooky and creepy for a good scary read. I plan to look up each of these authors in order to read more of their stories. Thank you Netgalley for a copy. A review was not required.

I really enjoyed each of these author’s takes on a Halloween cupcake murder, and it was fun to read stories from some series I hadn’t visited lately. It made me want to go read their latest book or the one I left off with. I quickly did remember who was who, so no worries if anyone’s not read any of these series. The authors did a great job of identifying characters but not giving away surprises from the regular series.

The whodunit in each one was a surprise for me and I loved how even though these were short stories, they had plenty of mystery and details to flesh it out. Always a pleasure reading the Halloween collection from this publisher!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Excellent anthology full of Halloween fun, dastardly deeds, mysterious villains, amateur sleuths, and cupcakes! I enjoyed all three books so much. And I found a couple of new-to-me authors.

1) Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor: Tara is spending Halloween in her new home city of Galway. Things are going well until she goes to visit a curiosity store for some decorations for her own store.... And then the owner dies under mysterious circumstances. Tara will have to work quickly to solve this one before it's her last Halloween as well.

2) Mrs. Claus and the Cady Corn Caper by Liz Ireland: It's Halloween in Christmastown and everyone is getting into the spirit. Until someone takes things a little too far and one of the baker elves is murdered. Mrs. Claus has her work cut out for her solving this one
(New author for me)

3) A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry: Halloween-time in Boston and the areas favorite cupcake maker has disappeared. Amateur sleuths Lee works with her police officer boyfriend to solve this one. Unless it's already too late.
(New author for me)

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

I'm not usually a fan of novellas for the series I read because they don't really advance the storyline much but these were different, particularly the first one that really threw a whopper at me! All of these were solid mysteries and, if fleshed out, could have been a full book each but were perfect at this length. I enjoyed all three of them. They can be read as standalones but are better read in their place within the series because of the backstories for the characters.