A short novella, this covers Kate and Tom's wedding and a short mystery. It seems intended to bridge to Tom's possible nwe career as a private consultant. While part of a series, this can be read as a standalone. All of your favorite characters are present, from Lady Barbara to Ivor Tweedy, and Kate's family makes an appearance. The novella format provides quick pacing with a bit more action than I recall from previous books . All in all, just right for a afternoon's read.

Fans of this series will find this latest entry satisfying as heroine Kate is set to marry longtime beau D.I. Tom Mallory. As might be expected, there are impediments to Kate's plans for a perfect Christmas wedding in the small English village of Long Barston. However, delayed flights for friends and family and a wedding dress in close proximity to an arson fire are the least of Kate and Tom's problems. Kate's friend Sheila is missing along with a valuable coin said to have been given to her family by Queen Victoria. As usual author Connie Berry interweaves history and her considerable knowledge of antiques into the narrative.

As often happens with cozies, the plot does suffer from "too stupid to live" decisions by Kate and Tom, as they seek out Sheila and her captor who has connections to drug runners.

Despite this, Mistletoe and Murder is a fun read that features crossroads moments for many of the series regulars, the results of which will almost certainly will be explored in subsequent books.

An entertaining read.

This novella continues the excellent Kate Hamilton mystery series. The story finds Kate and Tom looking into the disappearance of an acquaintance, a potentially valuable coin, drug rings and their own upcoming wedding. This is another great story in the series, with all the string plotting and character development regular readers of the series have come to expect. It’s great to catch up with regular characters and see how Kate and Tom continue to get closer, and the gathering of family members in preparation for the wedding adds a lovely additional element. The whole series is fantastic.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the author and the publisher. This talented author has written a cannot put down cozy mystery. The characters are likable and quirky. The protagonist is getting married again and fate steps in. Things happen. Flights delayed. A fire. A friend disappears. Enjoy this book and be transported for an afternoon.

Mistletoe and Murder is a novella in the Kate Hamilton series by Connie Berry. The author refers to it as book 4.5 in the series since it’s a novella. I enjoyed the story and the return to familiar characters. So, I’ll save my complaint for the end of the review.

Kate and Detective Inspector Tom Mallory are getting married in just five days, on Christmas Eve. Kate’s landlady, Vivian, has the next five days scheduled as if was a military action. There are precise times for meeting with the organist, tasting cake, and picking people up at the airport. But, Vivian didn’t realize Kate would tempt fate stating everything would be “absolutely perfect”.

Kate’s trying to work at Ivor Tweedy’s Cabinet of Curiosities shop in between wedding preparations. When Sheila Parker comes in with a coin collection to be appraised, she has all kinds of stories about the man she’s marring after meeting him online, his nephew who is a banker, and the gold coin given to her great-great-grandmother by Queen Victoria. That coin interests Ivor and Kate, but a break-in at Sheila’s home and her subsequent disappearance worry Kate, and she starts to miss wedding events. And, Tom is in the middle of a case involving money laundering, one he hopes to wrap up before Christmas Eve.

Needless to say, everything spirals out of control until Kate and Tom aren’t sure they’re going to be alive to make it to their wedding. It’s a fast-paced story that brings together all the people readers have grown to appreciate in this series.

And, that’s my problem with Mistletoe and Murder. I know more and more authors are writing novellas and selling them online. I have no problem with that. But, this story, the long-awaited wedding one, is only available on Kindle at the time I’m writing this review. Maybe that will change. That means library patrons won’t be able to read about the wedding. My sister, a big fan of the series, won’t read about it. Maybe readers won’t care. But, if I hadn’t read this online, I know I’d be disappointed to pick up book five and find that Kate and Tom’s wedding was over. Just my personal complaint. If you have a kindle, and want to read book 4.5, check it out.