Superstar singer Emma Wild is back for another murder mystery in her Canadian hometown of Hartfield, Ontario. Things are heating up with Emma’s high school sweetheart, the handsome Detective Sterling Matthews, but when her movie star ex, Nick Doyle, comes looking for her with a huge diamond engagement ring, Emma’s world turns upside down.
When the owner of The Sweet Dreams Inn is stabbed to death with a chunky knitting needle, Nick is the prime suspect. Emma and Sterling must work together once again to prove Nick's innocence and find the real killer.
Three’s a crowd on this murder case. Will Emma make up her mind between her first love and her Hollywood hunk?
I really enjoy Emma as a narrator and protagonist. This book split the focus between the mystery and her current love triangle. I would have preferred more attention be put on the mystery, but the story was still fun.
This book is second of four holiday/winter-themed short cozy stories by Harper Lin. Emma Wild is still in her cozy Canadian hometown, which of course means someone’s bound to end up dead, right?
As Emma rings in the New Year at her parent’s house, the reader gets the opportunity to meet some new characters. There’s nothing wrong with the characters, but they aren’t as quirky as I’m used to with most cozy mysteries. I’m not counting it as a negative, just making an observation.
This short story was interesting enough, but I’m starting to see a pattern unfold about how the plot will unfold. As an avid reader, identifying this pattern is not always the best thing because it clues me in to who is definitely not the perpetrator. This can really ruin the surprise for the reader and should be avoided if possible.
The fact the story is able to pick up within a week of the last really helps the storyline. Where we last left off in Killer Christmas, Emma has reconnected with her high school sweetheart and her Hollywood movie star recent ex-boyfriend arrived on her parent’s doorstep with an engagement ring. The love triangle is front and center throughout this book and Emma is once again angsty over who she should choose. However, this book does a good job at trying to better develop the two men that are vying for Emma’s heart. I didn’t mind the love triangle part and I was actually impressed with how the author chose to end this book.
The story itself is a quick and easy read. I didn’t find the killer to be obvious (with the exception that they fell into the pattern). Overall I’d recommend this is you are looking for a quick and light read over the holidays.
An entertaining holiday read. The second in the Emma Wild series and she is trying to decide which gorgeous man to choose. I hope that we learn soon but I have a feeling that, as the last in the series takes place on Valentine's Day, we will have to read all four!
Really enjoy this series of Emma Wild and her adventures. Good storylines and easy to keep track of the characters. I would recommend this book, but start at the beginning with the first book.
I was let down by the ending. I was hoping Emma would make up her mind. (I hope that she chooses Sterling.) The mystery itself is satisfying and the characters are engaging.
What I like about this set of cozy mysteries is that they're short and sweet. Basically go back to back. I feel as if I'm watching (reading) a weekly series.
This second entry in the series still charmed. I like the amateur detective pop singer Emma and the small town simplicity to the murders. This one included a too twee Victorian B & B and its crotchety unpleasant, nasty-minded old lady owner who gets stabbed by a knitting needle. This of course allows us to meet the local senior knitting group and ultimately, knitting solves the crime. Be still my needleworker's heart!
However, the competition for Emma's heart between her movie star ex and her high school boyfriend is just ridiculous. That brings down an otherwise sweet bit of cozy murder.
ATY 2019 #19 - author with multiple books on my TBR
This series is seriously addicting! I adore Emma, she is such a fun character to read, I might not agree with all she does but maybe that’s why I enjoy her point of view.
The triangle gets more intense, with Nick and Sterling both trying to win her over. At some point they start going on about making a bet to win her, to which she OBVIOUSLY opposes, and it was sort of weird??? But the rest of the time the two men were sincere and understanding when telling her they are happy to be with her if she so wishes, despite her doubts.
The mystery was really nice too. I didn’t figure it out until the end, and I guess you couldn't really, but I also had no suspicions. It was great that finally I saw
I managed to time this right and read it at the end of the year, and even if the New Year’s Eve vibes were not strong, I still enjoyed it right then.
I read the first book then had to buy the set. This was an enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns.
The story picks up within a week of where we left off in Killer Christmas, Emma has reconnected with her high school sweetheart and her Hollywood movie star ex-boyfriend arrived on her parent’s doorstep with an engagement ring. The love triangle is front and center throughout this book and Emma is once again apprehensive over who she should choose. I didn’t mind the love triangle part and I didn’t figure out the killer right away. It is a quick and easy read.
A fun little mystery set in a Canadian small town. I was slightly disappointed that so little happened to resolve the love triangle set up in the previous book. And the "tagging on" to the investigation felt a little more contrived to me (but that comes with the territory in many cozies).
But Emma and her town were fun to spend some time in, even if I didn't get everything I would have asked for from the book.
Second in the Emma Wild Holiday Mystery series. Lighthearted and quick cozy mystery read with some romance thrown in which is quite common for these types of books. It is a short read, almost more of a novella rather than a novel. In this edition, Emma's ex is in town trying to win her back when the owner of the inn where he is staying is found murdered and he is the last one to see her alive and the first one to find her body.
Love triangle, cozy mystery, and murder, who wouldn't like this book!? I love Harper Lin's writing and her books are fun and whimsical to read. I enjoyed the plot of this book and I like that the home-town, first love and the good-looking famous movie star are competing for the main character's affection. Overall, this was my favorite in the series so far.
This series is just a quick, happy read to relax your mind and smile. Let's face it what woman wouldn't want two men interested in her at the same time??? Onto #3