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.

In the December installment of this Murder by Month series, Mira is placed on holiday leave from the library (budget cuts) and heads home to her mother's Paynesville home for Christmas and to take a PI training course nearby. Her boyfriend is visiting an aunt in Texas and Mrs. Berns is with relatives in Fargo, so she's on her own at the start of the novel. When she arrives, she learns a childhood friend has been murdered by a serial killer who only strikes in December (and targets a specific type of woman). Mira immediately is drawn to investigate, partly because she fits the profile of the targets. Soon, she is joined by Mrs. Berns, that delightful spitfire of a senior who eggs her on in the investigation.

As is true of every book in this series, there is a perfect combination of detective work and humor (thanks, Mrs. Berns!) as Mira confronts her past and attempts to solve the murder. And, once again, the author provides a perfect glimpse into small town Minnesota life and Minnesota winters! A very entertaining read! Looking forward to the next one (sure wish I'd get to review an audiobook in this series!)

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this book. My opinions are my own!

This was a fun and cozy thriller / murder mystery perfect for the season. Will try and read the other books in this series. I liked the characters and the mystery was well crafted.

Although this book is part of a series, you’d never guess it. It stands perfectly well on its own—if not for the list of previous books at the front, I wouldn’t have known!

I thoroughly enjoyed December Dread—so much so that I stayed up way too late to finish it. Mira is a character who lives simply but possesses extraordinary detective skills. Watching her and the hilarious Mrs. Berns team up to track down a serial killer was a delight!

What truly impressed me was how well the mystery was crafted. I didn’t guess the killer’s identity until Mira uncovered it herself. That’s no small feat—I’m usually pretty good at figuring out “whodunits,” but this one kept me guessing until the end.

This book was engaging, entertaining, and full of clever twists. I’m looking forward to checking out more of the series!

When Mira returns home for the holidays, a serial killer strikes again, and her curiosity as a budding private investigator leads her to start her own dangerous investigation. This gripping and fast-paced whodunit, featuring the witty partnership of Mira and Mrs. Berns, blends suspense with nostalgia, making it the best entry in the series yet. A compelling story with engaging writing, it’s impossible to put down!

I sat down this morning to read this cosy mystery and I couldn't put it down, I read it in one sitting. It is well written with characters that I really liked and is as cosy as a mug of hot chocolate. I loved it

I enjoyed this one! I usually don't enjoy cozy mysteries, but because this read more like a light thriller, I think that is why I enjoyed it.

Although this story followed Mira, Mrs. Berns was the star. Her sassy, witty comments gave me life, especially during the moments when the story felt a bit far fetched.

Great mystery, winter/Christmas read and overall pretty interesting characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A return to form for this delightful comic mystery series after a bit of a glitch in the November installment.

I was relieved to see a funnier, more subgenre-appropriate theme for this book, and while I generally don’t love serial killer novels, this has a light touch, holiday themes, and keeps up the funny and sweet tone that has made this series so enjoyable.

I’m still not sure why we’re calling these RomCom’s since they have virtually no romantic plotlines aside for Mira’s once-per-book date with Johnny. This is not a complaint, as I generally don’t care for romantic subplots, more a question as to why these books continue to be marketed that way. I’m also still confused about the main character’s age (based on childhood details given in this book, she would have to be late 40s/early 50s, but she’s written more like a late 30s character).

The humor is excellent as always, and though this one has less zaniness to it (we don’t see the mayor much), it still feels clever and the jokes never feel cringey or forced. Mrs Berns remains an absolute delight, and there are some sweet but not overly saccharine moments between Mira and her mom.

This book was so much fun! It was a little bit grittier than the other cozy mysteries that I've read but I liked that. It had a lot of Christmas, festive fun included and was the perfect book to start the Christmas season. The pacing is fast and even in a reading slump, I found myself constantly reaching for this one. I can't wait to pick up the others in the series.

Book #8 in the Murder by the Month series. Each book can be read as a stand aone and enjoyed but Jess Lourey should be a must-read author on your TBR list. Her books are always entertaining and the mystery has enough twists that it's hard to figure out "who done it" before the reveal. DECEMBER DREAD finds our intrepid PI, Mira James, chasing the Candy Cane Killer. She's in her home town and surrounded by people she knows so how could one of them be a killer? Reading this was an enjoyable way to pass a chilly evening.

Thank you NetGalley! As always a great addition to the murder of the month book. This was my favorite one yet, probably due to proximity to Christmas.

Mira heads home for the holidays, though very reluctantly. Though with a candy cane killer targeting women, Mira is committed to solving the case. When one of the murders hits close to home, it freaks her out a little bit because then she realizes she may just be the next one on the killers list.

I actually really enjoy this series. It is pretty good. Mira and Berna just crack me up. Miss series brings together a solid mystery and humor, to deliver a great read each and every time!

Being a thriller reader who likes a sprinkle of everything else throughout the year, I wanted to find some more thriller/ mystery holiday reads to mix up with the cozy ones. That’s where December Dread by Jess Lourey comes in. This is part of a Murder by Month romcom series and is number 8, but don’t let that stop you from reading. These books can be read alone and in any order.

There is the Candy Cane Killer who has returned for another holiday season. They leave their mark by leaving a candy cane on their next victims door. Mira James who returns home knows some of the people who have been victims and she fits the profile of these women. She tries to figure out who the killer is while taking a private investigator program. Will she figure it out before it’s too late or will she become the next victim?

This was an easy light read and not as intense as some thriller/ mysteries are. There is online dating and very little romance, so don’t let the romcom aspect throw you off, if that’s not your thing. The next book is January Thaw which I plan to read.

December Dread is one of the books in Jess Lourey’s series Murder by Month Mysteries. When the library is temporarily closed in December, Mira heads home to stay with her mother. She anticipates rebuilding their relationship and never dreams that she’ll be caught up in the hunt for a serial killer.

This is a cross between a cozy mystery and a thriller, although I tend to think of it as a cozy on steroids. The plot is somewhat convoluted and detailed and the humor is appealing, as are the characters. I found it a bit difficult to keep track of the various locations visited throughout the book. The small towns are in proximity to each other and they tended to blend together. There were times the story was a little far-fetched but if the reader can overlook that aspect, December Dread is an enjoyable and easy read. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

December Dread by Jess Lourey was a fun and humorous cozy mystery.
A riveting mystery with an intriguing plot, packed with witty storytelling and characters you’ll instantly fall in love with.
Another great mystery and I love how the characters are developing over the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am going to try and read the other books in this series. I really liked all the characters as well. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Another fantastic and fun installment in the murder by month series with Mira and friends. These are such entertaining books, and I love every installment as much as the one before it!

good mystery about a couple and staying in a house and the other couple there. kept me on my toes . good mystery and figuring stuff out.

Mira and her sidekick Mrs. Berna are back. December in Battle Lake, MN is getting festive. Mira gets temporarily laid off from the library sending her home for the holidays in her home town.

She busies herself with a PI class and a self defense course that she’ll put to work when she starts to sleuth out the Candy Cane Killer that is striking in neighboring towns.

I enjoyed the ride along trying to figure out who’s the bad guy! There was a fine line up of suspects, each twist helping cross each one of the list, Mira figured it out before I did!

I laughed out loud several times at the many Mrs. Berns one liners! So funny!