Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth mystery A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series. When the little town of Rudolph, New York puts on the play A Christmas Carol for the holiday season the town of full of drama, both on and off the stage. When Merry Wilkinson, small shop owner and amateur detective, finds a body in her shop, Mrs. Claud’s Treasures, she is on the case.

I have loved this series from the beginning and this newest Christmas themed Ozzy didn’t disappoint. I love this town and the characters in it, especially Merry. In my opinion, this was a great read and a fun cozy mystery. Rudolph is the type of town o would love to live in, minus the murder, and I am always excited to take a trip back here and follow Merry as she uncovers the killer. If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend it. This is a great series and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this cozy mystery!

I was so excited to see this latest entry in the Year Round Christmas series and this did not disappoint. I loved catching up with Merry and her community in Rudolph, New York right as rehearsals for A Christmas Carol are in full swing. Merry's mother, Aline has bowed to peer pressure and has taken a position as music director and actor in the local production so Merry has a front row seat to the arguments and hostility caused by the new patron and artistic director, Catherine Renshaw. When a body of one of the actors is discovered total chaos breaks lose with finger pointing and lots of bickering.
I really enjoyed seeing Aline taking a more active role in this story. She has normally been a side character a little bit above the rest of the town as befitting her role as Metropolitan Opera Diva. Seeing her pulled into a more central role was lots of fun. As always I enjoyed seeing Merry get pulled into the investigation as she tried to find out just who would want the unfortunate actress dead and to also try and protect her long time assistant Jackie.
This is a fun mystery with a beautiful and festive setting and a delightful collection of characters. Delany keeps the story moving at a fast pace with just enough day to day life to make Rudolph feel like a real town - and a town that would be really fun to visit. My only problem is that the dog on the cover, while cute, in no way resembles the enormous St. Bernard Mattie who steals the scene whenever he is on the page.

Vicky Delany is a favorite cozy mystery author, so I was very happy to see this new mystery in the Year-Round Christmas series. And it was wonderful. Full of cozy holiday cheer in this small town in upstate New York, the setting was perfect, the characters are interesting, and the mystery was a mystery until the end. I'd love to live in this town with these friends, and I'd love to see more in this series. It works well as a standalone for those new to the series, as well as continuing storylines for longtime readers. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance digital copy!

This is an enjoyable holiday cozy, set in Rudolph, New York, ‘America’s Christmas Town’. While sixth in a series, it’s easily read as a stand-alone. Merry Wilkinson owns a gift and décor shop in town, while trying to support the town’s various activities. This time, her mother has volunteered to help the local community theater program put on a musical production of A Christmas Carol. Turns out, there’s more drama behind the scenes than in front of an audience! Artistic temperaments, jockeying for better roles, leadership challenges all contribute to lots of challenge. Things come to a head when a member of the group is found strangled, in Merry’s shop! Was the victim the actual target or was it someone else in the group? Why were they killed in Merry’s shop? Is Merry’s mom at risk? So many questions and a fun read to solve the mysteries.

Someone's killed Mrs. Cratchit! In Merry's store! There's been a fair amount of conflict around the casting and production of the town Christmas play A Christmas Carol but murder? Merry, whose mother sings opera and whose father looks like Santa, finds herself, along with her friends, investigating what happened. I'd not read the earlier books in this series but Delany does a good job of making a newbie familiar with the characters (including Merry's dog). It's also fairly standard cozy stuff but there are a few red herrings and well Christmas! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

Oh my, life in the amateur theater. Wow, I have always enjoyed live theater and hope that everyone doesn’t have the drama they have in Rudolph. The story is great. I love the relationship between Merry and her dad. He kind of reminds me of my dad. I would love to live in a town where it was Christmas year-round. Another favorite of mine is Mattie. I would take her in a heartbeat. Great story and awesome characters. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

I am not new to Vicki Delany's writing so I will start this review by saying: excellent storytelling and character development. Though a sixth in the series and not having followed the series from the start, I had no trouble following the storyline.

Based around the local production of A Christmas Carol musical, the story begins with a simmering tension between the cast and the crew. And then, a murder! One of the cast is murdered in Merry's store. Merry's mum and shop assistant make it to the suspects list.

Apart from the murder mystery and interesting set of characters, another thing that stood out the most in this story is boundaries. Merry has to repeatedly remind others of it.

Coming to the murder mystery and the motives, we have a long list of suspects - from Merry's mother and shop assistant to victim's spouse and the production crew. There's also a rumor about if they were the intended victim. As the story began, the bad guy in the spotlight wasn't the victim but someone else. So, when Merry first finds the body, I wondered if they were killed. Turns out, that wasn't the case.

I didn't like the ending as much as I thought I would. Yes, there were plenty of red herrings and a long list of suspects. The killer's identity and their motive - I cannot say I was surprised by the denouement.

Having said that, this book makes an excellent Christmas read. So, if you are looking to start your Christmas Cozy reads early, or looking to add a few books to your Christmas TBR, you might want to consider Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany.

3.5/5

Title: Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas
Author: Vicki Delaney
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publish Date: 09/19/23
Rating: 5 stars


A fun and festive cozy mystery. The great characters and an intriguing storyline had me hooked from the very first page. Plus it's a Christmas cozy which are some of my favorites. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

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

5/5 stars: This is the sixth entry in Delany's A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series that takes place in December and is set in Rudolph, New York, America's Christmas Town. I love the small town holiday filled atmosphere Delany's crafted in this series. In addition, the characters incredibly likable; Merry's a delight and I love her relationships with her friends and parents and her growing romance with toymaker Alan. Oh and one can't forget the ever so adorable pet sidekicks... Matterhorn, the St Bernard and Ranger, the Jack Russell Terrier. Most importantly Delany's mystery blends the just the right balance of clues, red herrings and suspects and will keeping you guessing until the final reveal. While you could read this series out of order, if you're looking to start at the beginning pick up Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen, books one, and start celebrating the holiday's early.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Merry is back in another Year Round Christmas Mystery! This time she finds herself involved with drama centering around a local production of The Christmas Carol. When a cast-member is murdered in Merry’s shop and both her employer and her mother are suspects, Merry must investigate again!

Another good entry in this series! I like a lot of the development that was made in this book. I also definitely did not predict the whodunit here! If you haven’t read any in this series yet, you can still read this one although you should go back and read the others at some point!

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

This is a fun and festive series for all the Christmas cozy mystery fans. Full of small town cheer and a decent mystery.

<i>ARC Provided by NetGalley<i>

Despite the fact that this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone novel. Apparently, the series ended, but due to popular support, a new novel was written, and what a charming book it is.

Merry lives in the town of Rudolph, New York, the Christmas capital of the area. The people in the village take pride in all things Christmas. This year they are putting on the musical version of A Christmas Carol. Merry’s mom, a former opera singer on the big stage, is involved in the play, as is Merry’s employee, Jessica. Without getting into too many details, there is much drama surrounding this year’s play as a new producer is involved, and many of the longtime actors are not happy with the decisions made.

I will say there is a large cast of characters in this book, so many at the beginning that I was afraid I couldn’t keep them all straight! However, as the book progressed, the personalities got fleshed out and I was able to discern who was who and what their connection to Merry was. With such a large cast, it makes it harder to figure out who is good and who is bad, which becomes all the more important when a member of the acting troupe is found dead in Merry’s store.

The mystery was deftly handled, and I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. I may have to go back and read some of Merry’s other adventures!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As Christmas approaches in Rudolph, New York, tensions are rising when the local dramatic society prepares to put on a musical version of A Christmas Carol. This wouldn't normally impact Merry Wilkinson's life since she keeps busy running Mrs. Claus's Treasures, a gift and decor shop. But Merry's mother who is a retired opera singer has a part and is directing the musical numbers.

Merry happens to be at the theater and witnesses the tensions herself. A new person in town is the troop's artistic director and she is always trying to override the director and influence the casting. One of Merry's employees is in the chorus and the understudy for Mrs. Cratchit and has delusions of talent. When the woman playing Mrs. Cratchit is killed in Merry's store while Merry is in the backroom dealing with a dog issue, her employee and Merry herself come under suspicion.

Merry wants to investigate to clear her name and that of her employee but she doesn't know enough about the players. She has never been interested in theater herself. However, the local gossip network, or which her landlady is a charter member, is on the case providing Merry with clues she gladly shares with the detective on the case. Tensions rise as the production gets nearer to its first night and Merry is on the case to find the murderer.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery which is sixth in a series. I haven't read any of the others but didn't have any trouble getting into the story and learning about the characters. Fans of cozies and fans of this series will enjoy this story.

HAVE YOURSELF A DEADLY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is the sixth book in the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries by Vicki Delany. I’m so happy to see the reappearance of this series and it was a delight to be transported back to Rudolph, NY and reunited with its residents. With memorable characters, Christmas cheer galore, a musical production of A Christmas Carol, and a grinch who’s resorted to murder, the author pens a delightful yuletide tale to captivate the reader. The protagonist, Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures is the embodiment of the Christmas spirit. I just adore how close she is to her father, Noel, who is the town’s Santa. There are moments of sweet Christmas miracles happening in the story and Merry is known to say that she knows her dad isn’t Santa Claus, but sometimes she has to wonder. Her mother, a retired opera diva, can be a bit of, well, a diva, but it’s easy to see the love she has for her family. There are also moments of humor that had me laughing out loud, such as one that involves dogs, a squirrel, and a Christmas float.

It was all too easy to get caught up in the Christmas cheer and pageantry, and forget that a murderer lurks in the shadows. Yet, Ms. Delany is a master at weaving a tightly plotted mystery into an inviting setting that I’d love to visit. When the arrogant Mrs. Cratchit, of the play, is murdered in Merry’s shop no less, she can’t help get involved. I like that Merry doesn’t take unnecessary risks yet manages to suss out clues and convey them to the detective. There were lots of suspects—practically the entire troupe of actors had contentious interactions with each other, including Mrs. Cratchit—and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. With a heartwarming conclusion, you’ll be counting down the days until the Christmas season is once again here.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Vicki Delany’s Year-Round Christmas Mystery series is back in the sixth installment, and it’s certainly beginning to look like Christmas. Merry Wilkinson just wants to prepare her shop, Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, for the hopefully mass of shoppers while supporting the town’s amateur theater performers in their production of A Christmas Carol. Unfortunately, her mother is in the cast, and Merry learns all about the tensions and rivalries that threaten to quit.

Everything seems to have imploded when one of the group is discovered dead in Merry’s shop. Now Merry is determined to find out who and why in order to save her mother, her shop assistant Jackie, as well as herself from being suspects.

I was so excited to return to Rudolph and all the characters. While this is the sixth book in the series, you could start here without being lost or confused or even be given spoilers of the previous novels. The atmosphere is always welcoming and so quaint. The characters are well liked and many are adorable, especially Matterhorn the Saint Bernard.

Sometimes I do feel annoyed with the personality of Merry. For example, she allows a little too much leeway with her shop assistant Jackie. Merry’s character is such a sweetheart, but I sometimes wonder if that is going too far. Another example is how she lets her best friend Vicky push her towards suspicions when Merry feels its not relevant or accurate. It feels more like Vicky is the detective and Merry is the sidekick. It might be interesting to have one of the series from Vicky’s POV.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

This is book 6 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series. I've read several in the series and this one actually takes place in December with the community putting on the play,n A Christmas Carol. Merry is too busy with her store but just about everyone she knows is involved including her mother and her clerk Jackie. When a murder occurs the entire cast and crew are suspects. I enjoy the small town atmosphere and how everyone knows each other. Can be read as a stand alone.

I didn’t realize this was the sixth book in the Year Round Christmas series, so I was a bit late to the party. But it read fine as a stand alone. The town of Rudolph, New York is really cute with all the Christmas references of businesses and places. I think if I lived there I’d get a little weary of it, especially if my name was Merry.

The folks in this little town sure do LOVE local theater. The town seemed obsessed with the production. I’ve never been personally involved with local theater so I can’t speak to that enthusiasm.

The first 27% of the book was painfully sloooow, but I wanted to review it so I plugged on. Guess what? I got hooked! I began to know Merry and her family… her dad Santa Claus and her mom a former opera star. The other characters were intersting, as well and quirky as people seem to be.

The story takes off when Merry finds a dead body in her shop, Mrs. Claus's Treasures. The mystery begins…who killed Paula? Was it connected to the play? Paula could be a difficult cast member and her large 10 year old son's behavior, didn’t help. This kid was not a suitable Tiny Tim portrayer. Would shop worker Jackie been desperate enough to kill someone to get a better part in the play? She does seem to harbor delusions of grandeur and desire to be the entertainment world's next big star. How about the victim's husband? They were definitely not the perfect couple? There could be lots of suspects in this little town.

Nothing really too exciting here more simply Have Yourself a Deadly Christmas is a fun, quick read with a tight little mystery

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and I was _so excited_ when a new book was announced. This lives up to the hype! I can't say no to a theater-related mystery and it was great to catch up with Merry and the gang.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is the sixth in the Year Round Christmas series by Vicki Delany. In Rudolph, New York, Merry Wilkinson and friends are preparing for Christmas. A local woman, Paula is found dead in Merry’s shop. Paula is a member of the Rudolph Community Theater Players and is a royal P.I.T.A. No one is overly upset that she is dead but Merry doesn’t like that someone killed her in her shop while Merry was in the back.

As of the death, Jackie, her shop assistant becomes the primary suspect since she wanted Paula’s role in the local theater production. Merry is determined to solve this murder and keep Randolph’s reputation untarnished. This town is trying to be the all-year Christmas destination for tourists.


I enjoyed the red-herrings and twists in the story plot. This is the first in the series that I have read and did not feel lost while reading. The story is a standalone book.

I was given an advanced copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review. Thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley and the author for creating and publishing the book.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is a fun cozy mystery set in the quirky town of Rudolph, New York, where it’s Christmas all year round. Merry Wilkinson owns the local gift shop and knows just about the whole town. Everyone is looking forward to the local theater group’s production of A Christmas Carol, including Merry’s mom, Aline, a retired opera singer who is the music director. The cast, however, is arguing about everything from costumes to parts. Then the actress playing Mrs. Crachit is found dead, murdered in Merry’s shop. Everyone involved in the musical is under suspicion, including Merry’s mom and her shop assistant, Jackie, which gives Merry plenty of reason to start snooping around.

I’ve read a couple in this series before. I like Merry, her family and friends, and of course her dog, Matterhorn. The mystery itself was put together well. There were several suspects and clues and it’s fun to hang out with Merry and her gang. The story moves along at a good pace with several funny moments and some tense scenes. I also like that Merry actually tries to call the cops when appropriate.

I enjoyed it. But I am a sucker for a good Christmas cozy.