4.5 stars.

After more than a decade away, Mira James isn’t keen on returning to her Minnesota hometown for the holidays. Even less festive is the news of the Candy Cane Killer who’s been very busy slashing through the snow. Eager to earn her official PI stripes, Mira is anxious to track him down. But when the latest victim is a woman from her high school graduating class, the investigation hits a little too close to home.

The book started on 9 Dec, and I read this book on 9 Dec. If that wasn’t kismet, I don’t know what is. By the time I read this, I was already completely hooked by the series.

Mira again managed to get herself entangled in a murder mystery, this time involving a serial killer (high stake!). I was so scared for her the entire time. Every time there was a mention of a candy cane, my heart beat a little faster.

I really enjoyed that Mira finally branched out using her investigative skills beyond her journalist career. I was excited for Mira the PI. This was another perfect blend of mystery, thriller, and comedy, with a sprinkle of Christmas. And of course, one of the main reason I got hooked was the outstanding narration by Jennifer Jill Araya. This book was no exception. Loved this.

This audiobook was so much fun! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this. I love cozy mysteries, and the main character in this series is so likable. Mira is at home during the holidays and the Candy Cane Killer is terrorizing the community. Unfortunately, Mira fits the profile of the victims -- will she be next? This was funny and fast-paced. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this.

December Dread by Jess Lourey and narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya is an absolutely brilliant seasonal murder mystery. When the library she works at has it's funding cut for the holidays, Mira hasno choice but to go home for the season as there is no way she can afford to pay her rent and bills. Mira is not loooking forward to going home, not that she won't receive a warm welcome from her mom, it's just that her father was a notorious drunk who was involved in a fatal RTA. While this freed the two from his abusive outbursts, they had to live with the memory and as such, Mira had been avoiding returning to Minnesota, until now.

However, there is a bright spot. Mira does some freelance investigative reporting for her local newspapaer and teh kindly editor gives her a gift to encourage her to go home for the holidays, a course to achieve her PI licence (which he says she will have to have before she can do any more investigative work for him)

So with pup in tow, off she goes, smack bang into a murder mystery featuring the return of the notorious candy cane killer, and the worst thing? She fits his profile!

At times comical as well as dark, this is a mystery that is perfect for the season. Full of great characters and a strong narrative, I will certainly be looking out for more from Jess Lourey

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, Jess Lourey and the stunning as ever narrator Jennifer Jill Araya for this fantastic ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This was such a fun book! I loved having a good Christmas mystery to listen to in addition to my holiday romances. While this book is technically part of a series, I read this as a standalone and had zero issues. There were references to other books but everything I would have needed to know was explained.

The Candy Cane K🔪ller strikes at the same time every year and leaves a candy cane as their calling card—this premise alone had me wanting to read this book! I absolutely loved that we get a perspective from the killer themself. Such a unique aspect that added depth to the motivation.

I thought Mira was a solid FMC, if a bit over the top at times. Her taking a class to become a private investigator was a storyline I particularly liked and found cool. The main side character, Mrs. Berns, was clearly written to be comedic relief, but I tended to find her annoying and more rude than humorous. I think maybe the author went a little overboard with the attempt to make her funny. However, she did endear me in the end, and I liked the sweet and unexpected friendship that developed between her and Mira.

Some of the writing and dialogue in this book was definitely corny, but I did enjoy that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Is a comedic thriller a genre? Because that’s what I’d classify this as!

As far as audiobook narration goes, I enjoyed listening to this story and thought the narrator did a good job overall. However, I felt like the dialogue for Mira and Mrs. Berns was dramatized and overacted at times, if that makes sense.

Overall, this is a fun one if you’re looking for a cozy mystery with some unique details and with a holiday theme!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio Publishing for giving me access to this audiobook. I honestly had no idea it was part of a whole series before starting however it was definitely strong enough to stand alone. The characters and relationships were already developed but I was able to catch up and not feel lost or behind. Plus the mystery was great! There were twists and turns and while I did guess the murderer, it was after a few red herrings had definitely tripped me up. I loved these characters and totally want to go read the rest of the series now!

After being away for more than decade, Mira James is returning to her Minnesota hometown for the holidays. Her childhood memories aren’t exactly jolly, and with news of a serial killer on the loose she’s less than excited to return.

Mira is trying to earn her PI stripes, so she becomes eager to track the Candy Cane killer down. But when the latest victim is a woman from her high school graduating class, the investigation hits a little too close to home. To make matters worse, Mira suddenly fears that she is next on the killers list.

if you are looking for a quick and easy holiday read with a murder mystery plot, this one is for you! Lowry’s writing will have you feeling the holiday vibes while also wanting to quickly turn the pages so you can solve the Candy Cane murder mystery as well. Very enjoyable read and I will be reading more from this author!

Mira is back to work for a day when she is told she has to close the library for three weeks due to budget cuts and Mira finds herself begrudgingly back in her hometown taking a PI course. Mira finds herself smack dab in the middle of a serial killer investigation and she is being hunted. The countdown is on as Mira and her sidekick work together to try to solve who is the serial killer before it’s too late.
The narrator, Jennifer Jill does a great job portraying Mira and many of the other characters in the book. The tones that inflections used are spot on.

I want to start by saying I have not read the other books in this series. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was a new release. After listening, I realize that it is a book that was published in 2012 and maybe just released on audio. All that aside, I like the story, easy to follow without having the background of the other books. I would compare the story as a cross between Stephanie Plum (Evanovich) and Kinsey Millhone (Grafton). I liked the sidekick, Mrs. Berns, she added a lot of sarcasm and humor which I appreciated. I was kept guessing until near the end about who the murderer was, which is always nice. It is an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries and those that like the other authors I mentioned above.
The book felt dated with reference to dial up and not having a cell phone, which took me out of the story a little. Again, I thought it was a new release so that confused me.

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.

In December Dread, a woman, Mira, returns home for the holidays and becomes wrapped up investigating a series of murders of women her age by the “candy cane killer”. This book was a murder mystery but also hilarious and so heartwarming. I loved it. Mira’s friend, an older woman called Mrs. Berns stole the show with her snarky wit. Mira’s mom and her classmates in her private investigator class warmed my heart. And from a mystery standpoint, I was guessing until the very end and loved all the little clues that were dropped that I absolutely interpreted wrong so I was thrown off course. It was very clever and very entertaining.

This book is hilarious! It has everything I could ever want in a cozy mystery.. intrigue, 80s throwbacks, ridiculous online dating scenarios, lovable characters, a little romance, and even some insight into the killer's mind.
In this latest book in Jess Lourey's Murder by Month series Mira James goes back to her hometown in Minnesota for Christmas and enrolls in a fascinating PI class. We get to meet Mira's mom and learn more about her past. But the Candy Cane Killer has also arrived in town, and unfortunately the latest victim is someone Mira knows.
I love the characters in this series - the more I get to know them, the more I enjoy their antics, and luckily Mrs. Berns is back from vacation and has a larger part in this one. I say this every month but this is the best book yet in the series, I feel like Jess Lourey really came into her own in this one and has bridged the gap between cozy mysteries and the thrillers she wrote later in her career.
The audiobook narration by Jennifer Jill Araya is perfect, she has just the right voices and timing for each character.

4 stars

This is my second Jess Lourey of this series and I'm really digging it. I want to go back and read the others to get more of the background, but you don't need to in order to enjoy these books. Jennifer Jill Araya does such a great job. She makes Mira real and relatable. She's able to handle the lightness and the snark and the witty and the vulnrable.

Mira James is such a fun FMC. She's quirky, she's determined, she's unlucky (stumbling about 7 dead bodies/murders in 7 months), and may or may not be on the FBI Watch List. I read September Mourn and both that one and this one has Mira travelling outside of Battle Creek where she comes across her murder to investigate.

This one was better I think than September Mourn because of the fact that the killer had some chapters told from their POV also which was a fun addition. This one also had Mira in direct danger, too, which upped the stakes.

Mrs. Berns, as always, is there for the comedic relief and is such a fun character to have around. I'm so glad she seems to be a staple in these because I adore her character.

Thank you, Jess Lourey, Brilliance Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.

It was a cute mystery thriller whodunit perfect for the holiday season. I enjoyed the side characters as much as the main ones. I’d read more from this author I just don’t think the epilogue was needed it gave me the ick

If you're looking for a perfect read to cozy up with this holiday season, December Dread by Jess Lourey is a must-read! The suspense builds beautifully, and the ending ties everything together in a satisfying way. It's a great mix of holiday cheer and thrilling mystery—just the right balance for getting you into the spirit of the season while keeping you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating, festive read!

This book is about our main character who has solved some crimes in the past by sleuthing. It's December and money is tight and the library where she works is closed for three weeks so decides to go back to her mom's house in her home town and there is a serial killer in their area who is killed only in December and his targets get a candy cane before they get murdered. His kills have a particular type and our main character fits the description but that's not how she gets involved in this. Her high school best friend gets killed which is why she wants to catch him or rather help police with important information to catch him.
She is also taking PI classes and I liked that she is actually getting professional classes and she joins self defense classes which makes her honestly better than other sleuths I have read about. I like how serious she is with detective work.
Talking about the mystery, serial killer books are usually extra creepy because we have read how they are ruthless and won't hesitate in murdering someone but seeing what the family of the victims go through gave the story a lot more depth and made it emotional because the victim was not just a victim but someone's daughter, friend, etc.
I couldn't figure out who the killer was but the clues were there for readers to figure out. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book.

I hadn't heard of this series before but even though this was technically book 8, I don't think I really missed anything. This was a fun mystery and kept you on your toes for the entire book. I especially loved the old lady best friend. It always makes books a little more fun when there's a fun side character. This book had a fun Christmas twist and I wouldn't mind reading the others in the series to see how the author plays up each month.

Mira spends December with her mom and enrolls in a PI course. Meanwhile, the Candy Cane Killer is striking tall brunettes just like Mira. Mira of course gets involved in solving the case alongside Mrs. Berns.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with a Christmas theme, this is for you! I enjoyed reading about Mira's character and her investigation. Unfortunately, I guessed the killer a little too quickly. I give it 3.5/5 stars.

Looking for something new this holiday season to read? Well look no further! December Dread by Jess Lourey delivers an exciting twist on a Christmas murder mystery! The "candy cane killer" plot kept me hooked from start to finish, pulling me deeper into the intrigue with each page. The mix of holiday cheer and suspenseful thrills makes it a perfect pick for mystery lovers looking to add a dash of Christmas to their reading list.