I love a good cozy crime book as a palette cleanser between more serious reads and Jess Lourey's Murder by Month series always delivers on that. "December Dread" is giving all of the cozy christmas vibes you want for this time of year. The banter between the characters is as delightful as ever and the crime part of the story is as always a solid mystery.

Another great cozy mystery in this series. Jess never disappoints. I'm really loving this series so much. Such a fun series with fun characters and a good amount of mystery in each book.

A well-written story. I am enjoying this series. Looking forward to seeing what the author does next.

Being that it was December, I was excited to read a holiday-themed mystery book. Now, this series is not new to me. I have read several "Mystery of the Months" before so I was excited to get this one as an ARC.

Mira is a spunky young woman, a great character, who is just getting by in a little town, working two jobs. In this installment of the series, Mira is laid off from one of her jobs, and its Christmas time, so she goes home. A home that has a few unpleasant memories. (Whose home and home town doesn't?)

But Mira finds solace in reconnecting with her mother and a few people she remembers from high school. Since this is a murder mystery, it doesn't take long for Mira to involve herself in a mystery that centers on the murder of a high school classmate who looks eerily like her....what is going on in the midwest every december? Mira just has to know!

This is a great series! Mira is a great character! And this one had me guessing....ok, so I had a little inkling who it was ....but I enjoyed the author's explanation all the same. Good mystery.

Jess Lourey delivers yet another fantastic installment in the Murder-by-Month series with December Dread. While this book takes us away from the quirky and infamous Battle Lake, it still maintains all the charm, wit, and suspense that make this series such a joy to read.

Mira James finds herself back in her hometown for Christmas, giving readers a fascinating glimpse into her life before Battle Lake. This change in setting brings a fresh perspective while still staying true to the series’ signature cozy mystery feel. Familiar faces from Mira’s past resurface, adding a nostalgic and heartwarming touch to the story. It's lovely to Mira get in touch with her roots & finally lay some demons from her past to rest.

But don’t be fooled by the holiday cheer—Lourey masterfully weaves in a chilling mystery. A serial killer is on the loose, targeting women and leaving candy canes as a sinister calling card. The tension builds beautifully, balancing the warmth of the season with the dark undercurrent of danger.

As always, Mrs. Berns steals every scene she’s in with her sharp tongue, sarcasm, and no-nonsense attitude. Her acerbic wit is one of the highlights of the series, and she does not disappoint in this installment.

On the relationship front, Mira and Johnny finally seem to be moving forward, which is a relief after so much back-and-forth. And then there’s Luna, the loyal German Shepherd—truly the star of the show. Without giving too much away, let’s just say Luna proves to be more than just a companion in this book.

Overall, December Dread is another stellar addition to a series that never fails to entertain. It’s the perfect mix of cozy mystery, humor, suspense, and heart. If you’ve loved the previous books, this one will not disappoint!

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer & Jess Lourey for this arc!

This was amazing! The author kept me hooked and at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book with her tightly woven plot. I was suspicious of the killer right away since when he first showed up, however, the author managed to throw me off! To say that I'm a fan would be an understatement!

So cute!! Can I call a book with a serial killer in it cute? Who cares, this one was CUTE.

I thoroughly enjoyed December Dread by Jess Lourey. This one did a "standalone, but part of a series" RIGHT. There were a few call-backs to the other books (I assume), but I didn't feel like I was missing anything crucial to the story.

The insights into the killer's mind were appropriately creepy. The relationship between the FMC and her bestie, Mrs. Berns, was a hoot. And the "who the killer is" twist? I suspected it, convinced myself otherwise, and then immediately changed my mind during their last encounter before the reveal. And it was SO well done!

December Dread gave me Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) vibes, without being over the top homage-y. To be honest, I requested this one on a whim and delayed reading/reviewing it.. but as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked and now I want to read the rest of the series!

In a similar vein to Finlay Donovan and Stephanie plum. Mira is an amateur sleuth, and has some wacky things happen to and around her. December brings us the candy cane killer. This was fun and cozy! Can’t wait to read more!

Avoiding the same fate as the rest of the Candy Cane Killer’s victims, Mira gives a glimpse of what it’s like being in a PI class, self-defense class, and being a spy in the online dating world. Another thing that hooked me was the way the book was written: fewer adjectives and casual/sarcastic tone in the first person. It would sometimes switch to a 3rd person when narrating the killer’s side but the contrast was clear anyway. Even though the face-to-face scene with the killer was very short, this is still a pretty good read if you’re looking for a not-so-intense and still Christmas-themed novel.

I love this holiday mysteries series, it's always suspenseful and imaginative. The books are fun and hard to put down, I loved this book in particular for the holiday season. It's funny and witty, and overall just a very enjoyable mystery.

The book was so good she goes home to spend Christmas with her mom and ends up getting in the past and Solvang the candy cane killers mystery it was great

While this is apparently the eighth book in the Murder by Month Romcom Mystery series, I was originally looking for a holiday time/theme book, so it was my first read. It read fine as a stand-alone. Some other reviewers mentioned that previous books in the series took place where Mira and Mrs. Berns live, instead of Mira's hometown, which may have helped, as the characters were all new.

Mira is a great unexpected heroine who is just living her life, but apparently keep stumbling onto murders which generally progresses to her being caught in the evil crosshairs of a murderer. Mrs. Berns seems to not necessarily value her own safety, and a friend with a target on her back is fine. She leaves where they live to join Mira in her hometown as she ends up seeking the Candy Cane Killer.

The book was quite enjoyable, and I laughed out loud at a few parts, like her extra 'assignment' in her PI class, and some of her adventures as a fictional character on a dating site as they tried to lure the killer. And Mrs. Berns is the sort of old lady that I hope to someday be. The story earned 4 out of 5 stars and was a great cozy, midwest mystery.

I'd like to thank the publisher for an advanced reader's copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn't finish the novel. I really struggled with the writing style of this book. I couldn't "lose myself" in the story and forget that I was reading. Sentences like "The killer isn't worried about the dog" and "The radio is set to a.m." read like a laundry list of instructions. I'm being told vs being shown. I may try to come back to this book later at another time. Since I didn't fully finish the book I'll refrain from any star rating on GoodReads. I appreciate that you gave me this book since I am a Minnesotan and I may try it with the audiobook at a later date. I believe I'll probably relate to more things in the novel than I realize.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

December Dread By Jess Lourey
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

If you're looking for a laugh-out-loud cozy mystery to read during this holiday season, look no further than December Dread, part of Jess Lourey's Murder By Month Mysteries. This was SUCH a fun and light-hearted mystery - perfect for an afternoon of cozy reading around the warmth of your Christmas tree.

While I haven't read any of the series before this one, I felt like this one worked well as a standalone, especially for the holiday season. With that being said, though, I'll be going back now and reading the other books in this series because I enjoyed this one so much!

The story's female MC is Mira, a lovably intelligent - and slightly self-deprecating - woman who, when finding herself on a forced sabbatical from her job as a small-town librarian, returns to her hometown for the first time in a decade to spend the holidays with her mom. There's a serial killer on the loose in the Midwest, who targets slim brunettes by delivering a candy cane to their homes just before their death. And did I mention Mira is a slim brunette? And that her childhood friend was one of the killer's most recent victims?

Mira was a fantastic MC, but it was her friendship with "over ninety-year-old" Mrs. Berns that really stole the show for me in this read. The banter between these two women was comedic gold and was what made the story so funny in the midst of Midwestern women being terrorized and murdered by the Candy Cane Killer. It's not often a cozy mystery about a serial killer can create such laugh-out-loud moments, but Lourey makes it happen brilliantly with this book. While the majority of the story is told from Mira's POV, the interspersed chapters from the killer's POV were spine-tinglingly chilling and added a layer of creepiness to this otherwise cozy read.

Fans of cozy mysteries, holiday reads, quick-witted banter, and read-in-one-sitting books will really enjoy this latest installment from the Murder By Month Mysteries! A ho-ho-holiday thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review.

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This was a good read overall. It felt more like a cozy mystery rather than a thriller to me and was a very enjoyable read. While I was reading it I couldn't see a candy cane without thinking about the book. If you're looking for a quick holiday read, without the hallmark romance this would be the one for you!

When Mira returns to her hometown and works at getting her PI license, the Candy Cane killer is on the loose. It hits close to home when one of her classmates is one of the victims. Will she be able to help find the killer, or only get in the way of finding them?

This is a fast paced book with great characters and a great plot. I have enjoyed all of the Murder of the Month mysteries that I have read.

Thank you much to Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

This was a fun and easy Christmas read! I loved that it was a Christmas serial killer murder mystery set in the Midwest! As a Wisconsinite the name drops of Wisconsin was such a fun treat!

I liked the main character a lot and was rooting for her the whole time!

I hadn't read any other books in the series and and no problem enjoying this one as a stand-a-lone. I'd definitely read more books in this series, especially the holiday ones!

This is out now!

3 1/2 stars. Serial killers and Christmas don't seem much like holiday spirit but Mira and Ms. Berns more than make up for that. I love both of them. Mira is relatable and a bit sarcastic which I identify with. Ms. Berns is just so full of life and pretty much game for anything. I wish I had half that much spirit at less than her age. There are funny moments and just moments that make you smile.

And on top of that not a bad mystery either. I haven't read any other in the series but I will have to correct that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was my favorite book in the series so far! I love that Mira got away from Battle Lake, and that Ms Berns joined her pretty quickly! I liked the serial killer mix in, and that it wasn’t necessarily just Battle Lake people in the story. It was starting to get repetitive for me until these last 2 books.

"Going home for the holidays can be murder."
December Dread is the eighth book in the Murder by Month Mystery and was a cozy mystery book. It follows Mira as she goes home for the holidays but the catch is there is a serial killer on the loose who is known as the Candy Cane Killer. The author wrote this well and every character was great in this book. Overall, this seasonal read was one that I enjoyed and would recommend to any reader who loves mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this holiday read in exchange of my honest review of December Dread by Jess Lourey.