Title: Bloodstains and Candy Canes
Author: Marla A. White
Genre: Holiday Cozy Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Attending a swanky cookie exchange is the last thing on veterinarian Dr. Mandy Brown’s holiday to-do list, but she agrees to help a friend out. The party comes to a screeching halt after a body turns up on the kitchen floor, a carving knife jutting out of his back. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mandy comes face-to-face with Officer Dylan Shaw, a man she thought she was dating until he ghosted her. Tensions escalate as motives for murder come out of the pantry as fast as guests scarf down the pot-spiked brownies, making everything all the merrier.
Although the case seems open and shut, Mandy doesn’t believe the evidence. Can she and Dylan put their differences aside and find the real killer, or risk one of the bakers getting away with murder?
My Review:
A sic holiday mystery with a deadly cookie exchange. You’re going to want to strap on your detecting cap for this one. There are more suspects than varieties of Christmas cookies, I, for one, loved the backstabbing in this mystery.
The setting is Hollywood, and the victim is a total sleaze. He got what’s coming to him. It all takes place at some rich lady’s cookie exchange which was a fun twist. Motives galore plus hey, the cookies.
The characters are weirdos but in a good way. I liked how each one had their own beef with the victim. Colorful characters are my jam, and the author nails each one through her writing.
The on again off again relationship between Mandy and Dylan totally reminded me of an ex. Authentic writing all the way. Feelings are all over the place for Mandy which I totally related to. Men can be jerks sometimes.
A fun holiday cozy mystery I read in one hour. You gotta read this book!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Marla White is a story analysis instructor at UCLA and writing coach who lives in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Kentucky where she took her first horseback riding lesson. After dabbling in hunters, barrel racing, and weekly trail rides, she fell hopelessly in love with the sport of eventing. She conquered Novice level before taking a break to pursue novel writing but hopes to return to the saddle some day soon. When she’s not writing, she’s out in the garden, hiking, putting together impossibly difficult puzzles, or (of course!) baking.
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Reviewed by: Kris