Christina Romeril’s "A Nutcracker Nightmare" is a cozy mystery wrapped in holiday cheer with just the right amount of small-town drama. Twin sisters Alex and Hanna, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop in Harriston, Montana, are gearing up for their high school reunion when—plot twist!—murder strikes. The victim? Kyle, the former star quarterback. The weapon? A nutcracker. (Yes, you read that right.) Things go from bad to worse when Hanna is accused of the crime after a public spat, leaving Alex to play sleuth and uncover the secrets lurking in their classmates’ holiday sweaters.

This book is such a treat! It’s giving major Hannah Swensen vibes but swaps the bakery for chocolate and books (um, yes, please!) and doubles the fun with twin protagonists. The festive high school reunion setting adds a touch of nostalgia, and the clever nods to other cozy mystery favorites like Agatha Raisin and Meg Langslow are the cherry on top for cozy fans. The plot is twisty, the characters are charming, and the small-town gossip is chef’s kiss.

I’m giving "A Nutcracker Nightmare" 4 out of 5 stars! It’s a delightful mix of holiday magic, mystery, and chocolate—what’s not to love? If you’re into cozy mysteries with a festive flair, this one’s a must-read. I’m already counting down the days until the next installment in the "Killer Chocolate Mysteries" series!

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. I liked the story and will add this author to my list to keep up with.
#ANutcrackerNightmare #NetGalley

A Nutcracker Nightmare by Christina Romeril is the second book in the Killer Chocolate series. Loved this series about twins that run the Murder & Mayhem bookshop. This book definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit with a little bit of murder solving. Overall this was a good read.

Twin sisters and co-owners of the book and chocolate shop Murder and Mayhem are helping out with the local high school reunion weekend. The former quarterback has recently come back to town and still thinks he’s a player in more ways than one. He pushed someone’s buttons the wrong way and is discovered bludgeoned by a nutcracker the twins brought for a decoration. Now Hanna is a suspect and Alex plans on doing some sleuthing to clear her sisters name, but not before another alumni is found dead. What is going on and who is targeting the class? Can Alex help the investigation before she becomes a victim too?

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library.
This was a cute, cozy murder mystery. I love these types of books. This one was a bit easy to figure out from the beginning. But it is perfect for Christmas time! It has a Chrisrmas theme throughout and is a fast, easy read or listened to. I would read more from this author! The characters are enjoyable, and I really enjoyed the book.

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night. A fun holiday cozy!

High school reunions can be as drama filled as high school. Twins Hanna and Alex are helping out at the local reunion. Former football star Kyle is causing problems for multiple people and in particular Hanna. When Kyle is found murdered Hanna is the main suspect. The mystery was strong and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are likeable. Overall a good Christmas cozy.

The twins are back for their second book and second Christmas season of making delicious chocolates and spreading holiday cheer. I do believe that this cozy had the most odious victim I have ever come across, but even an odious victim deserves justice. In addition to the hustle and bustle of the holiday, a high school reunion of sorts brings several people to town for the holiday season, including a variety of suspects. As with any reunion, people talk about past events including the tragic loss of young life which may or may not have a bearing on this mystery. The alumni aren’t the only one engaging in chit chat amongst themselves, it seems that there is an anonymous gossip known as Miss T, who likes to spill the tea and create a bit of drama such as making disparaging remarks about Alex. Alex has no time for drama, Hanna’s fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, spurring Alex into sleuth mode with the help of her friends and her romantic interest. This is a stand-along mystery where the secrets of the past and present collide creating clues and misdirects. This cozy is thoroughly enjoyable with a set of twins who are relatable and some delectable sounding chocolates, plus a recipe or two found at the conclusion of the story. I give this one 5 chocolates out of 5.

Thank you netgalley for letting me review this book.

I love books that make me want to eat everything that is talked about in this book.

a former classmate is found dead so the search is on to find out who did it. Just when you think you may know what is going on a new twist is revealed. Of course one of the people who found the dead body becomes the main suspect, so she tries to prove her innocence.

As we read we find out some secrets about the person who was found dead which leads us to question everything we may know.

enjoy this tasty cozy mystery and see if you can figure out who the killer is before more people become victims of the crime.

#netgalley #anutcrakernightmare

A Nutcracker Nightmare by Christina Romeril serves up a delectable blend of chocolate, nostalgia, and murder. Whether you're sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace or unwrapping holiday gifts, this cozy mystery will keep you guessing until the final page.

In the cozy town of Harriston, Montana, twin sisters own the establishment called Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop. They find themselves embroiled in a holiday mystery as delightful as it is deadly.

As the local high school reunion approaches, the twins are busy preparing for the festivities when they stumble upon the lifeless body of their former classmate… bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker.

Romeril weaves a web of secrets, rivalries, and nostalgia. As the suspects turn into victims, it’s a race against time to unmask the killer before people become mere memories in a yearbook.

The novel's strength lies in its Christmas spirit that mingles with suspense, making this a terrific read. Romeril's writing kept me engaged, and the chemistry between the characters added warmth to the chilling mystery for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hanna and Alex are catering a class runion when a former classmates is found dead by being hit over the head with a Nutcracker. Soon Hanna is accused of being the prime suspect and Alex has to find the real murder to prover her sisters innocence.

I love this series but wasn't crazy about this installment, because of the book being centered around a class reunion. I had a hard time getting into the story and keeping all the new characters strait. That said I do look forward to reading book 3 when it comes out.

I like the idea of small Harriston holding an all-school reunion at the holidays. Twins Hanna and Alex, who own Murder and Mayhem, which is known for its' poisonously named handcrafted chocolates, are on hand to provide sustenance for the party. As people begin to reconnect, it's clear that some were better liked than others. When unpleasant Kyle winds up dead, it's not a big shocker, but the fact that Hanna is the number one suspect after a run in with the oaf is. Alex thinks it's important for them to find the culprit. I like the wide range of their friends. They cover a wide range of experience and ages.

A Nutcracker Nightmare is the second book in Killer Chocolate, a cozy mystery series. Though I am reading the second one first I still was able to enjoy the story fully. I do need to read that first one now. Sisters Alex and Hanna live together and jointly own Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop in fictional Harriston, Montana where this is set. When they signed up for a best chocolates competition, they didn't realize the competition would be delayed several times and finally fall right during the Christmas season when they were swamped with candy orders. Can the sisters keep up with everything including trying out recipes of new chocolate favors to create for the shop?
I did think it was pretty neat that the names of their chocolates go with the theme of their shop. Some of the names of the chocolates include True North Nicotine Caramel, recipe included and Gingerbread Gelsemine Truffle, recipe included. In real life would these names of chocolates be off putting or draw people in? I'd say both.
With high school reunion weekend coming up, some of the former students are looking forward to it and some just want to try to avoid their foes. When an arrogant former student shows up everyone tries to avoid him. They know how rotten he still is. One of the sisters is accused of murder because of an action that was said to have happened. Will this candy maker still be able to stir the chocolate pot, or will the cooking fires be growing cold? The victim was very unlikable so many had a reason to want him out of the picture.
Loved the Christmas theme, it was there but not overwhelming. I enjoyed this mystery set around the holidays and it kept me reading to see how it was solved.

Pub Date 17 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own,

I really enjoyed this book and being back with my favorite Montana twins. I appreciate that these characters are in their mid-40s, makes them so much more relatable to me. The victim was very unlikeable which makes for many suspects, especially at a high school reunion.

I absolutely loved book one - A Christmas Candy Killing . I couldn’t wait to see what twin sisters Alex and Hanna find next .

This book does not disappoint. When the sisters attend their high school reunion and the former star quarterback is found dead, Hanna finds herself on the suspect list . Can Alex save her sister and find the real culprit.


A good read plus all the mention of Chocolate will have you reading until the end .

First of all, I love the mystery bookstore/chocolate shop premise. Naming the chocolates after poisons is a cute idea. Now for the negatives. The first half of the book dragged but the second half was good. Alex is so annoying. She dismisses everyone’s concern for her and has no problem putting her twin sister in harm’s way, all to satisfy her curiosity. How old is she?

I am really enjoying the mysteries in this series. They are well done and have no shortage of good suspects. I like the characters and the small town feel and the mysteries move well. This is a series I will for sure continue!

This was book #2 of the Killer Chocolate series but it works fine as a standalone. Twin sisters Alex and Hanna own the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop and have a High School reunion coming up. The class star quarterback is killed during the reunion and the sisters are thrust into the middle of the investigation. The mystery was okay but I got a little confused trying to keep all the minor characters straight. I loved the small town setting. Overall, an entertaining cozy mystery set during Christmas so this would be a good holiday alternative if you're not in the mood for a Hallmark movie romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.