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.