Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's

Mrs. Claus #5

by Liz Ireland

Santaland is scrambling to keep its secrets hidden from a trio of unexpected holiday guests, but before the New Year’s Eve ball drops, one of the strangers drops dead, and the countdown is on for April Claus to catch a killer . . .


April Claus is looking forward to relaxing with her hubby, Nick (aka THE Santa Claus), in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But just after Santa departs for his deliveries, an elf pulls into Santaland with three people he found lost in the frozen wilderness. The survivors of a scientific expedition are injured, but their presence endangers the future of Santaland. So, while the strangers recuperate at the infirmary, April convinces Christmastown to pull off its grandest, most impossible, most magical feat yet . . . pretend to be normal!

Posing as a touristy, albeit Christmas-centric, arctic town, the elves cover their ears, snowmen take a vow of silence, and the reindeer keep their hooves on the ground. But as New Year’s Eve draws closer, hiding their true selves becomes harder to do, especially when one of the uninvited guests dies under highly suspicious circumstances. With a murderer in their midst, April sets out to find the uncorked culprit before any auld acquaintances should be forgot . . . or worse.

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Holiday, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy, Humor

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

Liz was born in Texas and credits a rural upbringing in a houseful of books for her lifelong love of stories. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, she moved to New York and worked various jobs (book clerk, world’s slowest professional typist, substitute teacher) before landing a job in publishing. Since then, she’s made her home in Austin, Portland (Oregon), Ottawa, Montreal, and now Vancouver Island in British Columbia. In her free time, she enjoys playing in local concert bands, watching classic films, and—of course—reading. In addition to her writing career, Liz has worked for two decades as a fiction editor. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and has served as a regional representative for Crime Writers of Canada.

Under the pen name Liz Freeland, Liz writes the Louise Faulk historical mystery series. She also writes women's fiction as Elizabeth Bass.

Reviews

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Claus’s husband, Nick, has just taken off on his annual trip around the world delivering presents when three human strangers are brought into town. They were found outside of Santaland injured from the cold. That means they need help before they can be sent on their way, so April and the elves work hard on keeping Santaland a secret while treating the strangers. But things take a turn when one of the strangers dies. Can April figure out what happened? Will Santaland keep its secret?

If you haven’t read this series yet, you are in for a treat. Yes, it is a cozy as you are thinking it might be, and the author has done a great job of building that cozy world for us to escape into. Yet the mystery is still well done, and April works hard to solve it. In the end, the clues lead her to a logical conclusion. The characters are as charming as ever, and the new ones fit perfectly into this world. I had to laugh and grin at the antics the characters get up to as the story unfolds. Fans of the series will delight in the latest entry. If you haven’t picked up the series, change that soon. After all, skipping it might just put you on the naughty list.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!*]

The abdominal snowman has been discovered:



A giveaway winner is me!





Very nice, and many thanks to the author and/or publisher, whoever paid the postage for all this.

I did not finish the book and thus won't rate it, but it appears to be a perfectly good book in its niche: a cozy mystery set in a cutesy fantasy Christmastown setting, featuring a young Mrs. Claus amidst a number of other Claus relatives, elves, talking reindeer and mobile, talking snowmen. The non-human characters have names like Jingles, Butterbean, and Gronklehook. Place names are like Gumdrop Manor, Kringle Kastle, that kind of thing. But even in this setting murder happens. The mystery starts off when, just after Santa left for his annual delivery run, three humans are found unconscious in nearby snow fields, one of them stabbed by a reindeer antler.

I lasted around 70 pages then gave up because it was clearly not my thing. I skipped to the last chapter to see how it resolved, though. Again, for appropriate fans of the material it's done very well. It's a sequel (5th in its series?) but reads perfectly well as a standalone; the book delivers everything you need to know.

My only prior experience with coziness comes from a podcast tackling some not-great self-published genre picks, and also the satirical and hilarious A Cozy Christmas Murder. I was willing to try a traditionally published version for comparison. This book comes from Kensington Books, a 50-year-old independent mid-size publisher. I didn't know such things existed anymore. I appreciate their website for their definition of a cozy mystery:

the Kensington Cozies imprint focuses on contemporary mysteries fitting criteria based on the cozy mystery genre, including little-to-no violence, profanity, or sex; likeable amateur sleuths; a murder that happens off-page; and series arcs that allow the sleuths to grow in their professions and relationships.

The description should probably also include, "mentions an extensive list of characters regardless of whether or not they're involved in the main story," because that seems to be a defining feature of these books.

I should mention, the book got a genuine laugh out of me with Christmastown's efforts to pretend to be an ordinary Canadian town for the strangers' benefit, piping in excessive quantities of Celine Dion and Anne Murray music.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's, by Liz Ireland, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 5 of 5 in The Mrs. Claus Mysteries Series. All April wants to do is relax with Santa and enjoy the new year, but when they find 3 strangers in Santaland, and then a murder, April is way busier then she wanted to be, This was a nice coy mystery, I loved Mrs. Claus and the elves.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite comfort series.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

April Claus is worried that something will go wrong as her husband Nick is delivering presents on Christmas Eve and constantly being reassured that Santa always comes back isn't helping. While Nick is away, three people are found in a pile of snow and brought to the hospital in Santaland. While April and the other residents want to help those in need, they worry that these strangers will tell other people about the secrets of Santaland. When one of the visitors dies under suspicious circumstances, April tries to get to the truth of what really happened. At the same time, everyone is trying to disguise the elves, keep the snowmen from talking, and the reindeer from flying in front of their unexpected guests.

This is a cute story and the only downside to the plot is Nick and April are apart for most of the book because I love their scenes together. This cozy mystery does a great job of immersing the reader into a whole other world and is a pleasure to read.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kensington Cozies. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's (Mrs. Claus Mystery #5)" by Liz Ireland takes place over Christmas week. Nick, aka Current Santa, has just taken off on his Christmas journey around the world. April is extra worried for him since weather has been bad and there's some upgrades to the safety level of the sleigh they fought about that didn't happen. On top of that worry, three humans are brought to the Christmas Town hospital after they'd been found out in the snow. One of them seriously injured. While at the hospital the seriously injured one dies.

To keep herself distracted, and the strangers from figuring out where they are, April tries figuring out what happened to the one guy and distracting the other two people. This proves harder and harder, but in the end it wrapped up right where I thought it might. However, I wouldn't say there were a lot of clues that pointed to that ending. Just a couple of well placed ones that had me thinking, well why bother mentioning that unless it's important now or later?

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santaland has just sent Santa off on another year of Christmas Eve deliveries and now it’s time for a week of celebrations. But Santa’s wife April Claus can’t help but worry that something is going to go terribly wrong. And terribly wrong it does! In the midst of the send off revelry, Boots Bayleaf careens into town with three hurt humans in the back of his sleigh. One with a severe wound to his back from a sharpened antler. April and her friends know that strangers to Santaland are a danger to their way of life, but the strangers are all too injured to be moved. So, a plot is hatched. The residents of Christmastown will disguise their village as a small Canadian town until the strangers can be sent away. That means no flying reindeer, no talking snowmen, and no pointy elf ears! But before the plan can even be brought to fruition, one of the strangers is murdered in the Christmastown Hospital. Now April must help Constable Crinkles solve a murder and keep the others from discovering Christmastown’s secrets, all while anxiously awaiting the return of her husband. Will April be able to solve the mystery or will Santaland end up being exposed to the world?

Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s is a holly, jolly good time. It’s like biting into a warm sugar cookie…cozy, comforting, and sugary sweet! The fifth entry in the Mrs. Claus Mysteries series is just as fun as the first. Ireland gives us neat new additions and peeks into Santaland while layering them on top of old favorite characters, storylines, and settings. Constable Crinkles, Juniper, and the extended Claus family are all back for more wholesome, hilarious hijinks. It was real treat to see Christmastown and its denizens try to disguise themselves as an ordinary Canadian town filled with ordinary Canadian citizens…and fail spectacularly. No trip to Santaland is complete without nosy April Claus and her penchant for mystery solving. Ireland gives us a whole new engaging mystery full of twists, turns, and red herrings. A fast-paced, fun frolic through Santaland!

[Terri Wino · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series continues to entertain me. This one was a bit different, as the residents of Santaland tried to downplay their jolliness and all things elf, not to mention silence the talking snowmen, so the two strangers in town who were rescued don't catch on to the fact that they're not in "Canada."

The mystery of who killed the third stranger wasn't quite as interesting as the mystery in past books, but it kept me guessing for a while nonetheless.

These are cozy mysteries, and if you just sit back and suspend belief to enjoy the magic of all things Santaland, they're really enjoyable stories. Looking forward to the next entry in the series.

[M Soh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I love cozy mysteries when done right, and this has a cute spin with the Clauses angle. I just think maybe it’s a little too much cute spin and not enough depth to engage my attention long term.

Taking place in Santaland Mrs. Claus has to hide the fact that there is any such thing as Santa Claus, elves, snowmen, etc from a few explorers that were rescued after one of their party was stabbed by a reindeer antler. The elves are not happy about having to put their post Christmas celebrations aside- or at hiding their identities, non curly toed shoes just don’t work for them. This aspect of the plot was adorable. Where this fell a little flat for me was everything else, from the (I think revisit) to Mrs. Claus, despite attempts to bring up her back story, and the lack of vibrancy around the non elf characters. This sounds a bit ridiculous given this is about Santa land, elves, and abdominal snowmen but it just didn’t flow naturally leaving me with the cute ideas but not a lot of follow through.

Hopefully this will be someone’s fun and cute Christmas tale as it’s got great ideas and is an easy read, it’s just not mine.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for a copy of "Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the fifth book in the Mrs. Claus series. Everything about the series is engaging from the great artwork on the covers to the storylines which draw you in from the first sentence and keep you reading until the last word. I look forward to the next Mrs. Claus book before I even finish the current one.

This story has April worried about her husband - Santa Claus - because he's off on his round the world ride to deliver toys to all the children. When he's late getting back, that really doesn't help matters. This story also has an element of danger to the way of life in Santaland when Boots Bayleaf brings 3 unconscious strangers into town. 2 men and 1 woman that he found and one of them has an antler sticking out of him.

How will they keep Christmastown a secret? It could be a disaster if they told anyone and it became a tourist destination. They have no idea who these people are, all they found in their pockets were 42 American dollars and a business card for a photographer/video maker.

Butterbean decides that they will turn the town into somewhere in the middle of Canada and he pipes Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell music everywhere, not realizing that it would be normal to play Christmas music in December in Canada. The snowmen and reindeer are forbidden to speak, the elves are covering their ears and wearing clothes that went out of style in the 70s. When one of the strangers dies, April ends up inviting them to stay at the Kringle Hotel so she can keep an eye on them.

How they end up getting the strangers to leave and to protect the secret of Santaland makes for great reading. As always there is a lot of great adventure and suspense. Sadly Santa being away for his big ride means that he's not featured in most of the book. The conclusion of the story is quite surprising as the culprit is not someone that would have been suspected.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 - 4.25 stars! This is book 5 of the series and returns to what I expect from the series after a brief dip with book four.

April aka Mrs. Claus has settled into her role as Mrs. Claus. It is finally christmas, April is looking forward to her New Year's celebration with Nick after the hustle and bustle of the season. Christmas week takes a strange turn when a virus runs through the reindeer herd and a trio of strangers put Santaland at risk. All of the characters I have grown to love return in this edition.

This definitely feels like a christmas book. Its set at the North Pole. There are christmas events, christmas carols, talking snowmen, reindeer and a mystery. This is a cozy mystery, so no major violence.

The trio of strangers are taken to the hospital after being discovered half frozen in the outer lands of Santaland. The trick is to keep them from discovery that Santa is real. they concoct a plan to hide what they really are which results in some comical situations. There were plenty of suspects in the eventual murder. Kept me guessing.

I love this series and eagerly anticipate the next one!

[Elyse Mcnulty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs.Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s (Mrs Claus #5) by Liz Ireland is the 1st book in this series I have read. It is a funny and cozy Christmas mystery. 3 “Humans” are rescued in the mountains outside of Santaland and are in the hospital now, which leaves the town in a dilemma. How do they hide “Santaland”from these strangers? The Snowmen and Reindeer are told they cannot talk and the Elves must wear normal clothing and cover their pointy ears. In the midst of all of this, Mrs Claus (April) is trying to determine who murdered one of the strangers in the hospital. This story will keep you turning the pages and laughing. Enjoy!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is fun. This was a strong entry in the series. Even though I figured out the murderer fairly easily. The author made it all fun. There was tension and silliness. I really enjoy the Santaland setting.

There were a number of editorial problems like extra words or wrong words.

Nothing to warn about.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love how the author has created an entire world where little in reality is actually there. The characters are believable including the talking snowmen and reindeer. The book was a great read.

[Lori Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, festive tale with a murder mystery tied in. I truly enjoyed this book.

[Talie Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.3 stars for this
Respectfully was not as engaged in reading the book, at first I was like the names in the book are making me giggle but the story line was a bit ghastly. I wanted to really like this Book.
Also this was my first story book from the Mrs. Claus series maybe this one wasn't it.

Also what intrigued is that we usually never stories on Mrs. Claus so I was really delighted to begin reading the book.

Please do not take my review too seriously you end of liking it just not for me.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspend disbelief and enter into the world of talking snowmen and reindeer, not to mention a Santaland citizenship of mostly elves. It's a world April Claus entered after falling in love with northerner Nick, ruggedly handsome. You guessed it. Nick is the real Santa Claus. At least until his nephew Christopher turns 21. In the meantime, April is dealing as well as she can with her husband setting out in a reindeer powered sled, sans seat belts, she notes, to deliver Christmas gifts and cheer around the world. What's a wife to do? And, what's a wife to do when three injured "normal" humans are brought into Santaland after being found nearly dead in the desolate northern area.

April and the residents of Santaland take on what may be their most impossible task ever, to pretend Santaland is simply a small, isolated village with a Christmas obsession. They'll pretend to be "normal". To complicate matters, it seems one of the notoriously cranky reindeer may be guilty of stabbing one of the humans with its pointy antlers. Did you know reindeer can indulge, and do, in antler toupees? They've also been known to overindulge in sweets and one of April's personal reindeer is working on losing weight. Hmm, maybe these reindeer aren't so unlike us humans after all? In any case, the gored victim ultimately mysteriously dies while the other two recover, meaning the not-so-well-taken plan to pretend to be "normal" must go on. All the harder when, well, I'm not telling. But it gets even more complicate, not to mention funny, as the plot moves along. Even romance gets some space with April's human friend Claire's budding romance with Jake Frost. You guessed it, a relative of Jack Frost, Their relationship turns frigid....rather literally, actually. And, his Uncle Jasper? Oh, don't ask. He's an artist and....well, again, not telling. You're going to have to read the book.

Seriously, this is one of those series I love to read when I'm simply looking for a fun read. The fact there is a murder mystery involved is just a plus. The whole "let's pretend to be normal humans" plot line is what really holds it together, especially with April's tendency to snoop. If nothing else, it gives her something else to focus on besides the worrisome fact that Nick is late in returning. April is likable, although at times seems overwhelmed, and the various other characters, human, snowmen, reindeer, and elves, not to mention a witch, all exhibit unique personalities that make you feel like you know them. Cannonball may be my new favorite although I think that varies from book to book. In any case, a fun holiday read with both laugh out loud humor and some tense moments. Thanks #KensingtonPublishing for allowing me this early look at what is up for April and the quirky residents of Santaland this holiday season.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

---Synopsis---
When Boots Bayleaf—a strange, taxidermist elf—finds three half-frozen humans in the Farthest Frozen Reaches, April Claus worries that Santaland’s secret will be divulged to the entire world. One of the humans, an explorer named Eric, is rushed to Santaland’s infirmary with a fake reindeer antler in his back. Another explorer had died from a plane crash.

Moreover, April’s famous husband Nick Claus has not returned from delivering gifts. Day after day, April anxiously looks to the sky for the silhouette of a sleigh and pulled by reindeer.

When Eric is found dead by an elf nurse and the doctor declares that the cause of death was formaldehyde poisoning, Mrs. Claus and detective Jake Frost (a distant relation of Jack Frost) suspect that one of Eric’s disgruntled colleagues finished him off.

Desperate to get to the bottom of the case without exposing Santaland, April offers to house the two surviving humans in Castle Crinkle and proposes that the Santalanders dress and behave like Canadians. Unfortunately, the elves overdue the disguise and transform Santaland into a parody of Canada.

Who killed Eric? Was a colleague angry that Eric proposed such a dangerous expedition, or was a reindeer worried that the humans would expose Santaland’s secret? And what happened to Santa? The stakes are very high in Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's, book 5 in the Mrs. Claus series by Liz Ireland.

---Thoughts---
I always enjoy returning to the cozy, magical world of Santaland. Unfortunately, the magic in this book was more subdued because the elves, snowmen, and reindeer wanted to hide Santaland from the humans. Moreover, I did not feel as connected to the characters. Juniper and Nick had less of a presence in the book. The only magical creatures were reindeer, and I must admit that they are my least favorite characters in the series.

Still, the mystery was well-written and had a satisfying conclusion. This may not have been a 4 or 5-star read, but I am glad I read Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s. I hope that in a future book, Juniper will be able to visit Oregon. How will an elf adapt to the human world? I’m hoping for an outrageously funny story, reminiscent of Tarzan.

Even though this was not a perfect story, I will read anything set in Santaland. I’m sold on the series’ premise.

-For more cozy mystery reviews, check out my blog Cozy Mystery Reads

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's released in September but I made myself wait until right before Christmas to start reading it because, well, it's about Santa and Santaland.

Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before NewYear's is the fifth book in the Mrs. Claus Mystery series by Liz Ireland and even though a murder occurs, Ireland makes readers rethink if Santa is real or not. Here, let me explain .....

Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare before New's Years starts with (Nick) Santa Claus heading out in the sleigh to deliver presents to kids all over the world. This leaves his wife, April (Mrs. Claus), back in Santaland worrying about him returning safely. Nick and April are the current Mr and Mrs. Santa Claus. They reside in Castle Kringle with Nick's mother, his brother's widowed wife, Tiffany, and nephew Christopher, who will be the next Santa when he is older.

While all of Santaland is being festive an elf rides into town on his sleigh with three injured humans !! One of the male humans has a rindeer antler in his back. The other two are unconscious. April has them taken to Doc Honeytree immediately. The humans, Sam, Eric, and Elaine are in no condition to travel and have to stay in the hospital in Santaland !!!

April has an emergency meeting called and they decide in order to keep the secret they have to make Santaland look like a normal place. It is decided to pretend they are a town in Canada. This means that the snowmen cannot talk or move around like normal, the reindeer cannot talk as well, and the elves need to be "normal" meaning they have to hide their ears and wear "normal" footwear.

Unfortunately when Eric is found dead in his hospital room April has more important things to deal with .... who killed him. This is going to be hard seeing as noone from Santaland knew him and had reason to kill him .... so she tries to focus on Sam and Elaine.

Readers cannot help but fall in love with this book as well as the entire series. Ireland really paints the picture for readers with her descriptions. And as you read and get lost in the story, you feel like Santa is real !! And who doesn't like to have that feeling whatever time of year you read these books ? So I highly encourage you to grab a glass of eggnog or cup of hot cocoa and a sugary snack and spend some time in Santaland ..... you'll love it !!!!

[Katreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S
By Liz Ireland
The Fifth Mrs. Claus Mystery

Santaland is in a state of excitement as everyone sees Santa off on Christmas Eve. Now comes the time of year for fun and relaxation...and celebration. April Claus, however, is anything but relaxed. Her husband has just left for a trip around with world in an ancient sleigh with no seat belts! She can't help but worry, even though everyone keeps telling her that Santa always comes back. But soon everyone is worrying. Boots, an elf living near the Farthest Frozen Reaches, has just brought three injured strangers to town -humans! As the strangers recuperate in the hospital everyone works to transform the town into a normal Canadian town, so the strangers will have no idea where they really are. When one dies, however, April must add solving a murder to her to-do list!

Every time I sit down with a Mrs. Claus Mystery I know I am in for a good time. I laughed so hard at Butterbean's transformation of Christmastown into the Canadian Centretown. Hearing Anne Murray and Celine Dion instead of Christmas carols, having maple leafs and Canadian flags strung about, I'm still giggling about the suggestion to change the Tiny Gliders ice show from the Nutcracker into the greatest hits of Gordon Lightfoot! And the changes the elves had to endure! Perhaps I found everything extra funny living on a border town and being of a certain age (you'll understand when you read what the elves are wearing!), but I'm grinning as I write this, just picturing it.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S is more than just a funny mystery, albeit it is a very funny mystery. Relationship issues are highlighted while themes of belonging, fitting in, and self discovery make the book more than just fun. It's meaningful. There's also an intriguing mystery that ties everything together, along with the joy of Christmas and that special time between Christmas and New Year's.

Laugh out loud funny while simultaneously touching MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR'S is the perfect way to ring in the New Year!

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

April Claus was hoping for one peaceful holiday season, but instead, Santaland’s post-Christmas cool-down is fully canceled thanks to a plane crash, a potential cover-up, and—because why not?—a fresh new murder to solve. When three half-frozen scientists get way too close to discovering the truth about the North Pole (magical reindeer, sentient snowmen, elves with serious workplace drama—just normal Arctic things), April scrambles to keep Santaland’s biggest secrets under wraps. But that’s easier said than done when one of the outsiders winds up dead and the suspect list includes everyone who didn’t want Santa’s whole operation exposed.

To make matters worse, the elves have gone incognito to fool the newcomers, which is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. (Elves pretending to be regular humans? Chaos. Absolute chaos.) Meanwhile, April has to juggle small-town politics, a growing list of suspects, and a murder investigation that could unravel Santaland faster than a reindeer strike. With the clock ticking down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, she has to solve the case before the big countdown—because nothing says “Happy New Year” like an entire magical village being exposed on social media.

Liz Ireland nails the balance of cozy mystery, holiday absurdity, and laugh-out-loud moments (seriously, the elves trying to “blend in” is worth the price of admission alone). The mystery itself is solid, the world-building remains as charming as ever, and April continues to be the only person in Santaland with common sense. The pacing does lag a little in places, but honestly? The sheer commitment to North Pole shenanigans makes up for it.

Final verdict: 4 out of 5 stars—a festive, fun, and slightly unhinged holiday mystery that keeps the series going strong. Whether you're here for the murder, the undercover elves, or the fact that April really deserves a vacation at this point, this book delivers. By the time the clock strikes midnight, Santaland’s secrets might still be safe—but don’t be surprised if someone doesn’t make it to next Christmas.

[Tracy Condie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santa aka Nick Claus is on the way to deliver happiness to the children of the world, but April is back in Santaland dealing with three humans who have wandered into the farthest frozen reaches and have to be convinced that they are in northern Canada and not the North Pole. All three are exhausted, one loses a toe and another has a reindeer's antler sticking out of his back. Off to the Santaland Hospital they go with lots of sweet snacks and limited exposure to the locals.

This is another adventure into the absurd, with elves wearing clothes from the 80s, walking in shoes without curly tips and talking with a Canadian accent, aye. The reindeer have been grounded, the snowmen are silenced, and the elves are forced to wear retro clothes. Who would have guessed that an elf would have mobility issues wearing shoes without a curly tip? The elves need to party like it's Christmas eve and April needs to catch a killer. The suspect pool is limited much like the amount of time that April has to get this mystery and others solved before Nick makes it back. What other mystery you ask? Well the Dowager Claus is feeling (down) low and has a personal nurse to help her. What exactly are they working on and where did Nurse Coco come from and why doesn't Nurse Cinnamon know who she is???

This Mrs. Claus mystery is like all the others before it, a stand-alone crazy cozy that helps to keep spirits bright! There is plenty of back story but you really should check out the earlier books to get the full picture of Santaland and all the April experiences.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the Mrs. Claus mystery series by Liz Ireland. I enjoy reading this series due to its characters, humor, and zaniness. I can always count on a great escape to Santaland. It brings a spring to my step whenever I can escape the craziness of the political ads running most of this summer.

This installment deals with an injured group of searchers looking for Santaland. These individuals want to make millions off of developing the area into a major tourist attraction. They are found close to death after their plane crashes in the mountainous area not far from the town and transported to the small hospital in town.

Unfortunately, out of the blue, one of them dies. Let the well-plotted mystery begin.


I applaud the town’s cooperation in trying to make the strangers believe it is an ordinary town in the Artic Circle. It made me laugh many times.
Another concern for April and the town is the delay in Santa and the team’s return from delivering Christmas presents around the world.

This story had plenty to keep you interested and the twist and turns were as much fun as a rollercoaster.

The book is a standalone story but I would read them from the start in order to get a better understanding of the recurring characters.

I received an advanced readers e-copy of the book and am not required to leave a positive review. This series always moves to the top of my read pile.

[Shannon Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Thank you, Kensington Books and Net Galley, for my copy of Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's!!***

This book was so cozy and magical, can it be December already?! The author did an amazing job immersing the reader in the world-building and characters. I loved every single character. You couldn't pay me to hate Santaland and its citizens. THEY'RE TOO PURE AND WHOLESOME. Except when they wished for the strangers to fall off the face of the earth, but who doesn't love complex characters?

The mystery was all right, but I guessed who the murderer was right away. I hoped to be wrong, but I was never led astray to believe otherwise. April's thought process and recollection of memory when it came to the killer was so weird to me because it didn't add up. It was so painfully obvious, but April literally forgot an important encounter when she was going over evidence that I wanted to scream at my screen because it was RIGHT THERE.

I was surprised that Nick was MIA in this book. I don't how active he is in the rest of the series (I haven't read them yet, though I plan to), but I thought he was going to have a bigger presence.

The ending was good after the reveal of the killer, and I was thrown for a loop when it was discovered how said killer escaped and the chase it ensued.

[ReadThisAndSteep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I always look forward to a new installment of this unique and festive series, and this one did not disappoint!

These escapist and whimsical books, set in Santaland, feature Santa's wife, April Claus, as the amateur sleuth. The world-building is fantastic, with many imaginative touches. I love the author's attention to detail with everything in Santaland, which is all so cleverly done and delightfully on theme. In this one, the elves rescue and care for three injured scientists who absolutely cannot know they have stumbled upon Santaland. So the residents try hiding everything, from singing snowmen to their elf ears, and their shenanigans deliver many humorous moments. But when one of the visitors dies suspiciously, the plot thickens, and Mrs. Claus must uncover the culprit.

In addition to the festive and super cozy setting, the book is full of charming characters. The elves, reindeer, and Santa's extended family are vibrant and memorable, and I enjoy spending time with them. April is a bright, likable sleuth. Her investigative skills have sharpened, and she has a great group around her to help. The mystery was well-plotted and kept me guessing. This book is a treat and a true comfort read with delightfully festive and fiendish fun!

Thank you to Kensington Books for the gifted review copy!

[Cuppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for the trope that Santa is a real person he really does live in a secret city at the North Pole, so obviously Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus mysteries are just my cup of tea, Peppermint tea, that is. This is the fifth annual book in the series which means that I now look forward to a new Mrs. Claus book every fall. Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Years did not disappoint! Santa has just left on his annual flight around the world and all the elves are celebrating. Their work is done and they are ready to party until the New Year rings in. But April is left worried about Nick. That old sled doesn't even have seatbelts! And then an elf arrives with three injured humans found in the wilderness. One of them has been stabbed with a reindeer antler. Where did they come from and who would have attacked them? And how can they keep them from telling the secrets of Santaland to the world when they return? Things go from bad to worse when the injured person dies - but not from the stab wound he sustained. On top of everything, Nick (Santa) has not returned. April has her hands full once again with Santaland mysteries to solve. Reading a Mrs. Claus mystery every year is a great tradition to start if you haven't already. Nothing like a little merry mayhem to get you into the holiday mood.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Claus knew that by marrying the Big Guy, she would live in a magical world of elves and flying reindeer and talking snowmen. As one of the few humans who lives in Santaland, she knows that it was important to keep its existence a secret. She is already worried about Nick who is on his annual journey and has not reported in when three human strangers are rescued from an icy death. Whilst they want to help the injured people, April knows, as they get better, it will be nigh on impossible to keep the secret for long.

She enlists the aid of all the residents to try to act “normal’ but when the most severely injured person is murdered, April needs to discover the killer while continuing to maintain the farce. It is up to her because Nick cannot get home immediately. There are plenty of slips along the way but when one of the victims escapes and goes on walkabout with a talking snowman, she knows the gig is up unless she can find some solution to their problems.

As usual, along with the charming characters trying so hard, there is a good mystery that is only revealed towards the end. And what follows is a Santaland Keystone Kops chase. All ends well and secrecy is maintained. It makes for a fun pre-holiday read. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the Mrs. Claus series. It's Christmas and there is a problem with Santa's sleight.
April Claus is looking forward to relaxing with her hubby, Nick (aka THE Santa Claus), in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But just after Santa departs for his deliveries, an elf pulls into Santaland with three people he found lost in the frozen wilderness. The survivors of a scientific expedition are injured, but their presence endangers the future of Santaland. So, while the strangers recuperate at the infirmary, April convinces Christmastown to pull off its grandest, most impossible, most magical feat yet . . . pretend to be normal!

Posing as a touristy, albeit Christmas-centric, arctic town, the elves cover their ears, snowmen take a vow of silence, and the reindeer keep their hooves on the ground. But as New Year’s Eve draws closer, hiding their true selves becomes harder to do, especially when one of the uninvited guests dies under highly suspicious circumstances. With a murderer in their midst, April sets out to find the uncorked culprit before any auld acquaintances should be forgot . . . or worse.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

MRS. CLAUS AND THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE NEW YEAR’S is the fifth book in the Mrs. Claus Mysteries by Liz Ireland. I look forward to each installment in this charming series and always move it directly to the top of my TBR pile as soon as I receive a copy. This whimsical, humorous cozy mystery caught my attention and held it as protagonist April Claus tries to protect Santaland from turning into a tourist destination while sussing out a murderer. The attempts of the elves to dress and behave like humans produced chuckles and I couldn’t help but admire the author’s vivid imagination in world building Santa’s North Pole. All of the characters, be they human, Elven, snowmen, or reindeer, have such unique and fun personalities that each scene became a grand adventure. The murder mystery itself was well-plotted but is only part of the story instead of the driving event. If you enjoy humorous fantasy with fun, adorable characters, while trying to solve a mystery, then you’ll love Ms. Ireland’s newest release!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.