It’s December in Rudolph, NY, where it’s Christmas all year. This December the local theater group is putting on the annual Christmas Carol. Merry’s mom, an esteemed opera singer, is the lead in this play. She’s also giving a lot of private lessons to improve the cast. When one of the cast members is found dead in Merry’s store, there’s loads of suspects and a variety of motives.

This is an enjoyable Christmas book. Great to buy now and read to prepare for the season.

Vicki Delany’s Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas offers a welcome return to the charmingly festive yet murder-stricken town of Rudolph, New York, where Christmas spirit runs high and malice simmers beneath the surface. The sixth instalment in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series, it’s a seasonal whodunit with all the trimmings, including a perplexing murder, perilous relationships, and plenty of small-town intrigue.

In the deceptively quaint community of Rudolph—famous as America’s Christmas Town—the holiday season is in full swing and the Rudolph Community Theater Players are feverishly preparing for their annual Christmas extravaganza: a musical rendition of A Christmas Carol. However, the little theatre group is unusually full of big egos, and the previously joyous atmosphere of rehearsals is quickly soured by tensions among the cast and crew.

Despite being fonder of true crime than musical theatre, Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs Claus’s Treasures and accomplished amateur sleuth, reluctantly finds herself pulled into the drama due to her mother, retired opera diva Aline Steiner, taking part in this year’s production. What’s more, when a particularly unpopular member of the cast is found dead, Merry becomes entangled in a puzzling murder mystery that threatens to put a dampener on the town’s holiday cheer.

Vicki Delany has a keen eye for the complex relationships and rivalries that underpin small-town life—particularly in the kind of small town that serves as the setting for a cosy murder mystery—deftly capturing the drama and dysfunctional dynamics inherent in the world of community theatre this time round. As Merry is forced to navigate an intricate web of conflicts and motivations among the theatre group, Delany is able to gently skewer many related stereotypes, including the frustrated actor, megalomaniacal backer, and stage mother.

One of the strengths of the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series is Delany’s evocative portrayal of the idyllic but enigmatic town of Rudolph, and in Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas, the town again serves as both a setting and a major character. Through vivid descriptions of people and place, as well as an occasionally tongue-in-cheek approach to the festive aspects, she brings the town to life, providing a picturesque backdrop that perfectly balances the yuletide ambiance with the sense of menace that is never too far away in a place with such a high murder rate.

Indeed, from the snow-laden sidewalks to the cheery shops and eateries, Rudolph exudes a palpable sense of warmth and familiarity perfectly reflective of the feelings that typically characterise the Christmas season, but it does not do so unequivocally. For all the community barbeques, theatre fundraisers, and Christmas-loving locals, there is plenty of malevolence and intrigue bubbling away beneath Rudolph’s jolly façade, which ensures there are plenty of suspicious shenanigans and red herrings for Merry to investigate.

Another strength of the series lies in the well-crafted and endearing characters that populate Rudolph. Merry Wilkinson, with her unyielding determination and quick wit, is an engaging and relatable protagonist—if only she’d dedicate more time to sleuthing and less to romance—who cleverly navigates the intricacies of the murder investigation. Her father, the affable former mayor of Rudolph, who happens to bear a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, adds a touch of whimsy to the story, while her mother, as a former opera star, adds a dynamic and vibrant energy that is both entertaining and mindboggling.

Alongside the series’ regular cast, Delany introduces a host of new suspects and motives in Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas, meaning that there is much for Merry to understand and overcome as she attempts to track down the killer. As the majority of these newcomers are members of a theatre group in which as much drama happens off stage as on stage, their personalities and behaviours are sometimes a tad over the top, but such diversions from the real world never seem too strange in America’s Christmas Town.

Still, despite the many larger than life characters, Delany tempers the story’s overall sense of holiday magic with her portrayal of the darker undercurrents of human behaviour, showcasing how even those with seemingly picture-perfect lives can fall foul of ambition, jealously, and deceit. She skilfully balances the cosy and rather heartwarming elements of the story against the darker themes of Merry’s murder investigation, ensuring that the crime is never overshadowed by the froth.

Moreover, Delany’s adept use of misdirection ensures that the mystery remains gripping throughout, while Merry’s interactions with her peculiar and sometimes stupefying fellow Rudolph residents—particularly her frustratingly oblivious employee Jackie O’Reilly—add plenty of humour and the occasional moment of exasperation to the story. The wide pool of suspects and the continual danger that Merry finds herself facing also lend the story an air of suspense that lasts until the satisfying dénouement.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is an appealing and surprisingly complex cosy mystery that seamlessly blends festive charm with brutal murder. Delany’s engaging storytelling, richly developed characters, and evocative worldbuilding make it the perfect Christmas addition to any cosy mystery enthusiast’s reading list.

I have always loved this series and am so happy that it is back . In book 6 , Merry Wilkinson owner of Mrs. Claus’ Treasures in Rudolph New York . In the latest novel Merry has to solve the case of who killed the cast member of the musical production A Christmas Carol .
This is a quick , easy and fun read . I absolutely love this series and look forward to the next installment.

I just reviewed Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany. #HaveYourselfaDeadlyLittleChristmas #NetGalley

Christmas is descending on America's Christmas town and someone wants to make sure that Jacob Marley's ghost in the local theater production isn't the only ghost lurking about! Merry and crew are once again thrust in the midst of a holiday murder and it's looking like it maybe someone close to home that is the culprit or even the next victim! This cozy mystery series is always a delight to read and this book is no exception! Great plot with lots of layers as well as twists and turns will keep you turning pages furiously in order to uncover the villain behind the murders! The characters are so very well written that they feel like real people that you are coming back to visit rather than just reading about characters on a page. Once again this author delivers an outstanding performance! I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Rudolph, the town that celebrates Christmas all year long, is preparing for the actual event. One of the highlights of the lead up is the community players Christmas play. This year they are doing a musical version of A Christmas Carol, which means Merry’s mother, the famous former diva, will be taking part both on and off the stage. There is nothing amateur about the tensions running rife through the cast and crew, mainly led by the new Artistic Director whose money is financing some great things but who is causing all kinds of rifts.

When an unpopular member of the cast is murdered in Merry’s shop, Merry gets drawn into the search for the killer. She wants to protect her mother and her shop assistant, who now assumes the role the deceased would have played and who has both means and motivation. As Merry learns more about the murder, she discovers that there are lots of secrets in her little town. Trying to sort through rumour and gossip, she begins to wonder if the murder was a case of mistaken identity.

When she finally does figure things out, she finds herself in grave danger but never fear. She is feisty and is not about to go quietly. And she has her wonderful dog, Matterhorn, to help her. Four purrs and two paws up.

I am so glad Rudolph, NY is back! Thank you #CrookedLane and #VickiDelany for bringing back this series! And thank you #NetGalley for the kindle ARC.

We are back in Rudolph, NY with Merry and her friends and family and....... another murder.

More Christmas themed fun is happening when the local community theater brings "A Christmas Carol" to the stage. It's all drama when a dead body turns up and the finger is pointed at the theater and the play. But exit stage right as Merry reluctantly pursues another murderer as this one is a bit personal with her mother involved with the production.

Another enjoyable read from Vicki Delany and a good addition to the series. I"m giving this a solid 3.5 stars. It has been 3 years since the last book and I did find Merry to be a bit more dry in this story. So I did take a bit off the rating for that. But it will not stop me from promoting this story and this series.

I think it could be read as a standalone. But I do recommend going back and reading from the start. Vicki Delany does a wonderful job of bringing the town to life. And killing a few people in the process. Well written and I highly recommend.

Another Year Round Christmas mystery Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas plunges an amateur Christmas production of A Christmas Carol into murder. The cast is at sixes and sevens and there are lots of suspects. The setting of the murder is our heroine's store, Mrs. Claus's Treasures. where Merry finds the victim. Merry starts trying to find the perpetrator and then her mother is frightened by an intruder in her home. Her mother is also a retired diva who is acting in Christmas Carol. Enjoy the mystery romp.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany is a wonderfully written mystery that kept me guessing.

Will Merry figure out who killed Paula and why?

Merry Wilkinson
Our sleuth is Merry Wilkinson. She owns Mrs. Claus' Treasures in Rudolph, New York. This is Merry's busy time of year, with Christmas coming up fast. She is busy as can be at her shop, and one of her employees is in the local performance of A Christmas Carol, which means Merry is covering at the shop for her. This doesn't mean that Merry is all work; she is making time for her boyfriend, best friend, and family.

I like Merry. She tries to be honest with everyone. In this installment, she tries not to get involved in the murder investigation. However, she can't shut her mind off, which I can totally understand and find admirable. Matterhorn, her Saint Bernard, is also adorable, and the way that Merry takes care of him is lovely. Mattie steals the show every once in a while.

The Mystery
Rudolph's amateur theater group is putting on A Christmas Carol - the musical version. Merry's mother, the famous retired opera singer Aline Steiner, is part of this year's performance. Because of this, Merry is more involved than in previous years. Anyway, she gets acquainted with the cast and crew during rehearsals. One of the cast members is killed in Merry's shop while she is in the back room. But it has been busy, and there were many people around until there wasn't. Paula wasn't well-liked by many people. Okay, the only one who liked her was her son, not that she deserved to die.

I actually thought a different person, who was upsetting more people, would be the victim. And I completely fell for a red herring that the sleuth dismissed, but I was sure would pop back up. I didn't see the actual culprit in there at all. Well played, Ms. Delany.

Four Stars
My rating for Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany is four stars. I highly recommend this book and the series to all. It is a fantastic mystery set in the time before Christmas.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Another charming installment in the year round Christmas series. I love sharing these books with my dad. An excellent whodunit to while away being stranded in an airplane. I read it in one sitting.

Rudolph, New York is the most Christmasy town there ever was. A town that is truly centered around everything Christmas. Merry Wilkinson is the owner of Mrs. Claus’s treasures, a cute little gift and decor shop in America’s Christmas town. It’s the beginning of December, and the town is gearing up for their annual amateur trauma society play. This year it’s a Christmas Carol, but what should be a cheerful time becomes tense as rivalries begin amongst the cast and crew of the production. Tensions come to the forefront when one of the cast members is found dead While shopping. Just so happens she dies in Merry’s shop. Everyone in the cast and crew is a suspect, and even Merry. She is determined to get to the bottom of this before all the Christmas cheer is sucked out of this town.

This is my first forte into the year-round Christmas mystery series. The concept of this is really cute and the mystery is engaging and intriguing. . We have some quite colorful characters in this cozy Little Christmas town. They add flair and charisma to the story, which I truly enjoyed. Vicki Delany is an imaginative and creative author. She continuously comes up with new ways to keep us thinking and turning the pages.

Merry Wilkinson’s mother, opera singer Aline Steiner, has agreed to come out of retirement to be part of the musical version of A Christmas Carol that the local theater company is doing this December. However, things aren’t going well at rehearsals, as Merry witnesses first hand. Then someone associated with the play is killed in Merry’s shop, and Merry’s assistant is a suspect. Can she figure out what is going on?

It's been three years since we last visited these characters, but I slipped back into their world again in no time. It was fabulous to be back, and I remembered just how much I loved the setting of Rudolph, New York, and the characters. I enjoyed getting to see them grow here, and the I’ll be interested to see how some relationships go forward. The plot was a little uneven, but we still get plenty of suspects and some surprises along the way to a fantastic climax. If you enjoy a Christmas cozy, you owe it to yourself to check out this series. Fans will be thrilled with the latest book.

It's a welcome return to Rudolph, New York and Mrs. Claus’s Treasures in December. The local amateur dramatic society is busy rehearsing for a musical version of A Christmas Carol but things are not going well. When a group member is strangled to death at Mrs. Claus's Treasures, Merry is determined to help find her killer since Merry’s mother Aline & her shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly are among the key suspects. I enjoyed reuniting with this tight-knit community in this engaging story.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

Fun read! I missed Merry and the gang! Great story that kept me guessing till the end. Loved the family and the sense of community in the small town.

HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS by Vicki Delany
The Sixth Year-Round Christmas Mystery

Christmas is coming and Rudolph, NY is gearing up for its busiest season. The Year-Round Christmas town is counting on its production of a musical version of "A Christmas Carol" to make up for last year's debacle. With Merry’s mother, former opera star Aline Wilkinson, providing musical direction as well as performing, shows are quickly being sold out. But all is not Christmassy cheer with the amateur company. The new artistic director is throwing her money around, but making enemies with longstanding members, including the director and wardrobe mistress, and Tiny Tim is being played by a ten year old bully! The less Merry has to do with the amateur production the better, but when Mrs. Cratchit is murdered in her shop, she can’t help but get involved.

Christmas, theatre, and murder - three of my favorite things. I was filled with nostalgia when I discovered Rudolph's theatre group was putting on a production of a musical version of "A Christmas Carol" because decades ago I played Belle in a community theatre production. Having worked in theatre in my younger days I had to smile at the goings on of this group. With varying degrees of talent, inflated egos, and limited budget, community theatre makes the perfect ground for murder!

The fact that the victim may not have been the intended target leads to all manner of possibilities creating a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. I loved how Merry fully intended to leave the murder investigation to the professionals, but, well, things happen. While many of the characters are quite brusque, the relationships between Merry and Alan as well as Merry's parents are loving and wonderful to see.

A Christmas murder with theatrical flair, HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is a holiday treat good year-round.

I always love Vicki Delany’s novels, and this one was no exception. It was fun to return to the festive town of Rudolph which seems to be cursed with an unusually high number of murders. Fun but not silly, easy to read but not simplistic, these cozy mysteries tread a fine line. If you are in the mood for an enjoyable Christmas mystery, look no further!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Christmas is taken very seriously in Rudolph, New York. It has been named America’s Christmas Town, and the month of December is when tourism is at its peak—knowing that, the local theater group decides to put on a musical version of A Christmas Carol. But tensions are rampant throughout the cast, with rivalries threatening the production. Things get even more perilous when the actress playing Mrs. Crachit is murdered in Merry’s shop. With a short time until the musical debuts and needing to get her shop reopened, Merry must find out who the killer is and why. Can Merry do it? Or will the musical and Christmas be ruined?

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth book in The Year-Round Christmas Mystery series. While it is book six, you can read this as a stand-alone. But I suggest reading the first five books before picking this one up. I wish I did because I needed clarification about different characters. On the plus side, the author does not refer to the previous books, which was enjoyable. I was just left to muddle out the characters.

I loved the premise of this book. A town where Christmas is celebrated year-round is adorable. Plus, I loved the name Rudolph. The author also explored what it was like to live in a small town in Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas. The gossip and information grapevine was terrific and mostly on point. I also liked that Merry was friendly with most other people in town (except for the grumpy bookstore lady).

The main storyline of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas centers around Merry, the murder of Paula Monahan (Mrs. Crachit), and Merry’s amateur investigation into the murder. It took a while for the murder storyline to get going. The author did an extensive job of laying down Paula’s backstory (and how unlikable she was). While the storyline was well-written and well-fleshed, the author could have trimmed down some aspects, like the journey to the neighboring town or Merry finding out that Ian was cheating on his wife. Neither had any bearing on the storyline (except to distract from who the killer was). But I do wonder if they will be part of the next book.

I liked Merry, and I could see myself being friends with her. She was grounded and an average person. Her reaction to her mother’s theatrics was funny (did I say that out loud was said a lot). She truly cared about the townspeople, even if some of them (Jackie) drove her up the wall. I also liked the way that she looked into Paula’s murder. She didn’t do it as a super sleuth but as an average person trying to figure it out. I loved seeing her thought process and the moment she realized who it was.

The secondary characters made the book. They were each fleshed out and had distinct personalities and quirks. They made the book so much more interesting to read. I also suspect that Noel (Merry’s father) is Santa.

The storyline of the musical did make me laugh. It was a realistic look at what happens when a group of passionate people get together. It also showcases how egos can ruin a show and how people must take constructive criticism. Aline, Merry’s mother, was the only one who stayed out of the pettiness, and that was because she was a famous opera singer. She dealt with that type of stuff for years. I loved that she put the verbal smackdown on the group towards the end. Someone should have done it sooner.

The mystery angle was terrific. I wasn’t a fan of it getting off to a slow start, but the author showcased all the suspects and the motives. I had a plethora of people to pick a suspect from. But I couldn’t. The author did an excellent job of throwing out red herrings. I was blindsided by who the killer was. It was the last person I would have even suspected. And that person’s motive was ridiculous.

The end of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas was great. The author wrapped up the murder storyline in a spectacular way. I also liked how the murderer confessed (twice). It was like that person could have cared less about being in jail.

I would recommend Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Vicki Delany for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I made a rookie mistake in picking this one up – I failed to notice that this is book 6 in a series. Sometimes this isn’t an issue, and the books can be read out of order without really compromising the story telling, but in this case I really felt like I might have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters better from the start.

There were some engaging passages of the book, but overall I just found it dragged a bit too much in some places, and there seemed to be quite a bit of filler.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is book #6 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series by Vicki Delany.

It’s December in Rudolph, NY. Merry’s business is busy with Christmas shoppers. The community theater is performing A Christmas Carol and there is discontent amount cast and crew. When a cast member is murdered, was it related to the play?

This was an entertaining Christmas story. The characters are the type of people I enjoy spending time with. Some have their eccentricities that make them interesting. I love how Merry’s dad handles it when her mom starts telling one of her stories. There was a lot more drama behind the scenes than there was on stage. I guessed and discarded several suspects only to realize I was right at one point. This was a lot of fun and I will probably re-read it during the holidays.

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

The sixth book in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series and the first that I have read. This did not affect my enjoyment or understanding of events and characters in the book at all.

Merry Wilkinson owns Mrs. Claus's Treasure shop in Rudolph, New York, a town which celebrates Christmas all year round. Merry's father is called Noel and looks like and acts as Father Christmas. Occasionally he even seems to actually be him!

This year the amateur dramatic society is presenting A Christmas Carol and the competition for roles is running hot. There are plenty of arguments, lots of bad feeling and, eventually of course, a murder. It is a good story and an intriguing mystery with plenty of fun characters.

I enjoyed this very much and reading it nearer to Christmas would certainly help raise your Christmas spirit!

Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth book in the A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series by Vicki Delaney.

What a wonderful surprise when I saw that Crooked Lane had picked up the A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series.

The residents of Rudolph, N.Y., are looking forward to Christmas, just two weeks away. Also, the local theater group is getting ready to perform a musical version of The Christmas Carol. Catherine Renshaw and her husband have retired from their furniture business and have moved to Rudolph, and she has become the new artistic director of the theatre company. As rehearsals progress, a fair amount of infighting among the members creates a fair amount of strife.

Merry goes to her office to check on her pup, and when she returns to the sales floor, she finds the body of Paula, who had the role of Mrs. Cratchit in the play. With the murder in Merry’s shop, she will come under suspicion for Paula’s death and will start an investigation to clear her name.

There will be no shortage of suspects for Merry to investigate. Suspects will include almost all of the theatre group. Even Merry’s employee, Jackie, an understudy for Mrs. Cratchit, and Merry’s mother, a retired opera star and musical director of the play, are suspects.

This book is a beautiful addition to this enjoyable series. The story is well-written and plotted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Most of the recurring characters are back once again. The characters are well-developed and fascinating.

I’m looking forward to reading more books in this enjoyable series.