How could Holly White not have a Christmas wedding?? As preparations are underway for not only the wedding but the town’s annual parade, everyone is excited to have a famous ballet company in town to perform the Nutcracker to add to all the festivities. But as the parade winds it way down the streets, something is amiss with the head ballerina. Amateur sleuth Holly is once again embroiled in a holiday murder which she needs to solve quickly is she is going to get to the church on time. I loved the quirky characters, the reindeer games and the delicious sounding desserts and coffee. This is a fun holiday audiobook to enjoy with your own cup of delicious coffee. I received an early copy from Netgalley and Dreamscape Media and this is my honest review of the audiobook.

Holly gets herself into trouble yet again, while helping her soon to be husband , Sheriff Gray solve a murder in the small town of Mistletoe. Will Holly and Sheriff Gray solve the murder in time for their wedding?

I love how this series has come full circle from heart break to happily ever after. As the previous audiobooks-Allyson Ryan does a fantastic job bringing all the lovely, quirky people or Mistletoe to life. Jacqueline Frost has created a wonderful town, full of fun people, Reindeer Games, and shops. This audiobook, while it could be listened to on its own and be amazing, is even more wonderful if you listen to the whole series!

I didn't read books 1-3 to get ready for this ARC and now I wish I had. Not b/c I didn't understand what was going on but because I want the entire backstory and to know what happened and how we got to where we are in the series! So I now have more books to add to my TBR! This was my 1st book by Jacqueline Frost (that can't be her real name, right?) but will not be my last!

#StalkingAroundtheChristmasTree
#NetGalley

Stalking Around the Christmas Tree is the fourth book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. I had no knowledge of the other books in the series and enjoyed this one as a standalone. There were a few parts that made me wish I knew more backstory on the characters or just more context for certain scenarios that I’m sure would have been better if I was familiar with the other books. This did not stop any of my enjoyment, all this did was make me buy the first book in the series. 

Holly and the town sheriff are down the wire getting everything ready for their Christmas wedding. While planning this there is also a big holiday event in town that is put on by the inn Holly works at. There was a ballet that was part of this event and during a parade the star of the ballet was found dead. 

Holly is not a cop, she is an innkeeper but she acts like a cop and is on the hunt for information. I loved how Holly navigated the town and figured out everything she did. She is more determined than ever, and with only days until her wedding she has to solve this murder to continue her Christmas fairytale. 

I found so much of this book to be creative, especially the way the character was murdered. It was so ridiculous that I thought it would not be possible to die in that way. I looked it up, it’s possible and I still can not stop thinking about it. I don’t want to say it here because it was such a clever way to kill off a character. 

I love Christmas books and I love mysteries. When you put both together you get a very enjoyable experience. I will definitely be going to check out the first book in this series and that’s what I recommend you do!

I forced myself to listen to this to the half way point. The story is very silly, with stereotypical characters and simply foolish antics that would never really happen.

I had hoped that this would be a cozy small town Christmas mystery - it was just not a good listen. The narrator's voice sounded very much the same for various characters. It was hard to distinguish between the ancillary characters.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this novel - it just wasn't for me and I can't recommend it.

This book had everything you want in a cozy Christmas murder mystery, but there was something about it that just didn't vibe for me. I don't know if it was how it was written, or the narrator trying too hard, or the fact that I didn't read the previous three, but I was annoyed constantly while listening to this book. That said, the plot was well laid out, there was the main murder and a side plot that was equally interesting, as well as the main character's wedding. Maybe what annoyed me was the constant laundry list of wedding activities and reindeer games, plus running the inn, plus selling jewelry, plus unnecessary descriptions of what the cat ate? I think it was all just too much. The main character literally would have had to be four people for the amount of stuff she did. And she talked about how she would never be able to get it all done, but THEN SHE NEVER DID ANY OF IT, she went and solved a murder after being told repeatedly not too. That said if you have audible plus books 1 and 2 of this series are included so I might check those out, and I recommend if you aren't familiar with this series to start from the beginning. It's not that I couldn't follow it, as I absolutely was never confused, but it would have helped me connect more to the town and characters and the level of reality suspension required to believe this all happened simultaneously and she was able to solve all the murders. A solid 3.5, stars from me. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Setting the Scene: "Tis the season to solve a murder—and innkeeper Holly White knows she’ll have to make her list and check it twice if she wants to catch the killer in the fourth Christmas Tree Farm mystery from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

For inn keeper Holly White, Christmas time in Mistletoe, Maine, is the ultimate holiday gift. Business at the Reindeer Games Inn is booming, her wedding to Sheriff Evan Gray is nearly here, and the annual parade is about to begin. The town is lucky to have another gift this year with the state’s ballet company staying for several performances of The Nutcracker. But disaster strikes when Tiffany, the lead ballerina, shows up dead on a float during the parade, the Rat King’s mask nearby. Holly will have to spruce up her sleuthing skills if she wants to catch the killer before Christmas—and her wedding day...

With an impending snowstorm and the ballet company on the way out of town, Holly must act quickly if she wants to find the person responsible for this terrible murder. Will she be able to save Christmas—or will her investigation turn cold like the weather?"

What I Thought: Julie Anne Lindsey (writing as Jacqueline Frost) just continues to delight readers with a cast of characters who become friends and a setting the reader would love to call home, all the while plotting diabolical crimes. In this latest outing to Mistletoe, Maine, we are treated to all things Christmas, including the Nutcracker ballet, Reindeer games, and a Christmas wedding. Not even a stalker, a murder, and a Nor' Easter in the midst of it all can dim the Christmas spirit. I look forward to many more Christmases with Holly, Evan, and the characters we have come to love.

The Reindeer Games are back in action with a ballet troop in town, wedding planning underway for a Christmas Eve wedding, a stalker and a killer which puts Holly once again in the crosshairs! This series makes me smile every time I listen to a new book from the series! The characters are charming and relatable while the plot is always detailed with just the perfect amount of twists and turns that you may or may not see coming! If you are looking for a fantastic Christmas themed cozy mystery, then you need to have this series and especially this book on your list. I can't see what is in store for the characters in future books, but it will be hard to pass this one as my favorite as a good wedding is hard to beat....that is if the bride doesn't get knocked off before the I do's!!! You'll have to read to find out!

After a bit of a wait, this cozy series is back for a fun finale! Jacqueline Frost (aka Julie Anne Lindsey, Bree Baker, Julie Chase) brings her welcoming characters from the Christmas Tree Farm back for Holly and Evan’s wedding, and of course a murder to be solved. Although this author excels at creating fun mysteries and characters, this gang is my personal favorite. “Cookie” Cutter just can’t be beat. I can’t bear to spoil anything! Please trust that if you love Julie and/or cozy mysteries, you’ll love this. When you do, be sure to find her Cozy Queens Facebook group, where she’s very active (and frankly, just as charming and likable as her writing style.) Loved it!
Allyson Ryan is back to narrate and, as always, does a nice job voicing each character. Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing early access.

Fantastic! I love the idea of a Christmas wedding and it’s perfectly fitting for Holly. The town is adorable and picturesque, making an idyllic background for all this Christmas. Add in the Nutcracker and it feels like it really is that time of year. The mystery was front and center but didn’t take Holly away from her other responsibilities. The characters, as always, are welcoming and make you want to visit. There’s the added drama of the continuing storyline so read this series from the beginning. Highly recommended for holiday cheer and a great mystery.