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A Tisket A Tasket Not Another Casket: A Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery
Excitement is in the air as everyone in Mermaid Bay is preparing for the Christmas season. This year promises to be more dazzling than ever when the business council sponsors a competition for the town’s lucrative summer fireworks contract. The quaint little beach town is ready to be wowed with choreographed shows and drone action that light up the night sky.
Instead of goodwill and sparkles, two of the teams take the competition to new lows with corporate espionage, feuds, and sabotage, and Jade and her team at ‘Tis the Season are ground zero for all the explosive action. When one of the competitors turns up murdered near Jade’s shop, she has to solve the mystery before the holidays are ruined.
Instead of goodwill and sparkles, two of the teams take the competition to new lows with corporate espionage, feuds, and sabotage, and Jade and her team at ‘Tis the Season are ground zero for all the explosive action. When one of the competitors turns up murdered near Jade’s shop, she has to solve the mystery before the holidays are ruined.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
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33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 5, 2025
A Tisket, A Tasket Not Another Casket by Heather Weidner is the 3rd book in the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery series. It’s set in the small beach town of Mermaid Bay, Virginia and stars Jade Hicks. She runs an adorable shop called ‘Tis the Season that sells tons of unique ornaments. It’s almost Christmas, and yet again, trouble is brewing!
This time trouble starts with a bang! Boom! It’s a fireworks contest, and the stakes are high. The winner gets the summer contract with the Mermaid Bay city council. Each fireworks team has their own tricks and secrets that make their shows unique. They want to protect those secrets and maybe steal from the others. They might even kill for those secrets; but when there’s a murder, it may be about more than fireworks.
This cozy mystery series by Heather Weidner is another one that I love! Who doesn’t love Christmas? I love the vibe of the town and the uniqueness of Jade’s shop. I’d love to shop in a store filled with themed Christmas trees! And her store has lots of different rooms because it was a home at one time. Each room has its own special theme too. Kids can even visit Santa since it’s getting close to Christmas!
I enjoy seeing the characters each time I travel back to Mermaid Bay. It’s got its share of quirky characters, but it’s also got ones that are more down to earth. It’s a good balance. The same goes for the characters who just show up for the new mystery. Sometimes the characters who seem sketchy and would be suspects end up being really cool and normal! It’s those normal ones you sometimes have to keep an eye on. This book has plenty of suspects that you’ll have to weed through to get to the culprit.
This was a really fun mystery to solve. Oh, and there’s also a secret blogger who is posting gossip about the town…someone who has inside information. Or maybe they’re just really observant. That’s another mystery that will keep you guessing. I had my suspicions, but I couldn’t decide on which character it was!
I highly recommend A Tisket, A Tasket Not Another Casket for its well-plotted mystery, the town’s cozy vibe, the quirky characters, and the Christmas shop! 5 stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This time trouble starts with a bang! Boom! It’s a fireworks contest, and the stakes are high. The winner gets the summer contract with the Mermaid Bay city council. Each fireworks team has their own tricks and secrets that make their shows unique. They want to protect those secrets and maybe steal from the others. They might even kill for those secrets; but when there’s a murder, it may be about more than fireworks.
This cozy mystery series by Heather Weidner is another one that I love! Who doesn’t love Christmas? I love the vibe of the town and the uniqueness of Jade’s shop. I’d love to shop in a store filled with themed Christmas trees! And her store has lots of different rooms because it was a home at one time. Each room has its own special theme too. Kids can even visit Santa since it’s getting close to Christmas!
I enjoy seeing the characters each time I travel back to Mermaid Bay. It’s got its share of quirky characters, but it’s also got ones that are more down to earth. It’s a good balance. The same goes for the characters who just show up for the new mystery. Sometimes the characters who seem sketchy and would be suspects end up being really cool and normal! It’s those normal ones you sometimes have to keep an eye on. This book has plenty of suspects that you’ll have to weed through to get to the culprit.
This was a really fun mystery to solve. Oh, and there’s also a secret blogger who is posting gossip about the town…someone who has inside information. Or maybe they’re just really observant. That’s another mystery that will keep you guessing. I had my suspicions, but I couldn’t decide on which character it was!
I highly recommend A Tisket, A Tasket Not Another Casket for its well-plotted mystery, the town’s cozy vibe, the quirky characters, and the Christmas shop! 5 stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
January 27, 2025
"A Tisket A Tasket Not Another Casket (A Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery #3)" by Heather Weider is Christmas Time setting with a Fireworks competition. Honestly, I thought it might be Fourth of July timing because of the cover but it is Christmas Time. There are three fireworks companies in town to put on their displays as a competition for who does get the Fourth of July contract though.
Unfortunately, with every competition there's going to be drama between some of the contestants. Especially if there is already a family feud going on. Things get a bit Shakespearean. There's a forbidden love, families fighting and someone ends up dead. Of course this all seems to keep happening on/near Jade's shop 'Tis the Season.
Unfortunately, with every competition there's going to be drama between some of the contestants. Especially if there is already a family feud going on. Things get a bit Shakespearean. There's a forbidden love, families fighting and someone ends up dead. Of course this all seems to keep happening on/near Jade's shop 'Tis the Season.
June 7, 2025
I kept reading, but I didn’t really enjoy. The murder motive came along pretty early on, but was pretty much ignored by Jade until towards the end of the story when she stumbled across it. In the mean time she was mostly busy running her store and trying to find out about a mysterious blogger.
I kept wondering how large that beach cottage turned into shop is:
Thirty people and their goodies take up a lot of room. So do 300 christmas trees. Particularly if you consider that browsing customers need room to manouver.
While the geometry pulled me from the story, the narrative failed to pull me in. The story is very much dialogue driven. Most of the information is convayed through dialogue and dialogue is rarely broken up by action tags. Which gave the impression that quite often the characters were rambling.
It’s the third book in the series, and I felt like I was missing some information. Jade has solved a couple of mysteries before and everyone - including her boyfriend the sheriff - expects her to solve, if not at least look into the murder of the man she found in the neighbouring lot. But Jade seems a bit of a home body; she does most of her sleuthing on the internet. Or people just happen to present themselves to her. Other than ‘she’s done it before’ there didn’t seem to be much urgency for Jade to investigate. Jade doesn’t come off as particularly nosy or curious and she did not know the victim or his family or their business rivals.
I didn’t feel the Jade-must-investigate-this vibe. I didn’t even get that when Jade nearly got run over, another body was dumped at her store (a live one), or shots were fired. Is someone threatened by her internet research? And why are the feuding families making her store the gravitas of their feud? Do they consider it as some sort of neutral ground?
And why were all the fireworks companies hanging around town for weeks? To check out the competition they say. But it’s December. Don’t they have any shows to prepair for New Year? This would have been so much more believable if the story had been set months away from typical fireworks events.
The story also needed more actual sleuthing, i.e. sleuth talking to people (without them popping round to her store because that’s convenient).
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
I kept wondering how large that beach cottage turned into shop is:
We have over three hundred decorated trees, and today, we have thirty artisans in our multipurpose room showing off their handmade holiday specialties.
Thirty people and their goodies take up a lot of room. So do 300 christmas trees. Particularly if you consider that browsing customers need room to manouver.
While the geometry pulled me from the story, the narrative failed to pull me in. The story is very much dialogue driven. Most of the information is convayed through dialogue and dialogue is rarely broken up by action tags. Which gave the impression that quite often the characters were rambling.
“Glad to be here. We retired and sold the place in New Jersey to my nephew and moved down here to be closer to my daughter and her kids. And thanks to you for having all those events at your store that drive the hungry customers over here. The bus tours are great! Though I see you did have a bit of unwanted action earlier.”
It’s the third book in the series, and I felt like I was missing some information. Jade has solved a couple of mysteries before and everyone - including her boyfriend the sheriff - expects her to solve, if not at least look into the murder of the man she found in the neighbouring lot. But Jade seems a bit of a home body; she does most of her sleuthing on the internet. Or people just happen to present themselves to her. Other than ‘she’s done it before’ there didn’t seem to be much urgency for Jade to investigate. Jade doesn’t come off as particularly nosy or curious and she did not know the victim or his family or their business rivals.
I didn’t feel the Jade-must-investigate-this vibe. I didn’t even get that when Jade nearly got run over, another body was dumped at her store (a live one), or shots were fired. Is someone threatened by her internet research? And why are the feuding families making her store the gravitas of their feud? Do they consider it as some sort of neutral ground?
And why were all the fireworks companies hanging around town for weeks? To check out the competition they say. But it’s December. Don’t they have any shows to prepair for New Year? This would have been so much more believable if the story had been set months away from typical fireworks events.
The story also needed more actual sleuthing, i.e. sleuth talking to people (without them popping round to her store because that’s convenient).
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
February 8, 2025
A TISKET A TASKET NOT ANOTHER CASKET by Heather Weidner
The Third Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery
Things are booming in Mermaid Bay as three fireworks companies have arrived to compete for the lucrative contract to provide displays for the entire summer season. There's more than incendiary blasts in the air, there's a feud between the two family operations. Accusations of spying, sabotage, and actual fights flood the town. More excitement arrives in the form of a new blog. Mermaid Whispers is disseminating lots of gossip causing everyone to wonder the blogger's identity. That excitement pales when Jade Hicks finds what she thinks is trash in the lot next to her shop. The pile of clothes turns out to be one of the competitors. While her Sheriff boyfriend is officially investigating the murder Jade is preparing a new murder board in her home. After all, she's helped solve two other murders, what's one more?
Mermaid Bay is a quaint town to visit, no matter the season and I enjoyed visiting during the winter as the town begins to gear up for Christmas. Of course, it's always Christmas as 'Tis the Season, Jade's Christmas store. It's fun seeing the variety of ornaments, not just Christmas themed ones. After all, why not have a tree up all year, changing the ornaments to match the season! I appreciate the small town atmosphere and the good friendships that have blossomed. I loved seeing Neville and Chloe again, though of the two I am definitely Team Neville!
What a group of characters comprising the firework's competitors! It was amazing to see what the feuding families would do next. Talk about childish and unprofessional behavior! A TISKET A TASKET NOT ANOTHER CASKET provides a solid mystery, although thanks to some obvious clues I knew why the victim was killed well before Jade. Jade's sleuthing was fairly circumspect, although she and her shop were always in the midst of things.
Fireworks abound in A TISKET A TASKET NOT ANOTHER CASKET, both literally and figuratively, making this third Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery a fun and exciting read.
The Third Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery
Things are booming in Mermaid Bay as three fireworks companies have arrived to compete for the lucrative contract to provide displays for the entire summer season. There's more than incendiary blasts in the air, there's a feud between the two family operations. Accusations of spying, sabotage, and actual fights flood the town. More excitement arrives in the form of a new blog. Mermaid Whispers is disseminating lots of gossip causing everyone to wonder the blogger's identity. That excitement pales when Jade Hicks finds what she thinks is trash in the lot next to her shop. The pile of clothes turns out to be one of the competitors. While her Sheriff boyfriend is officially investigating the murder Jade is preparing a new murder board in her home. After all, she's helped solve two other murders, what's one more?
Mermaid Bay is a quaint town to visit, no matter the season and I enjoyed visiting during the winter as the town begins to gear up for Christmas. Of course, it's always Christmas as 'Tis the Season, Jade's Christmas store. It's fun seeing the variety of ornaments, not just Christmas themed ones. After all, why not have a tree up all year, changing the ornaments to match the season! I appreciate the small town atmosphere and the good friendships that have blossomed. I loved seeing Neville and Chloe again, though of the two I am definitely Team Neville!
What a group of characters comprising the firework's competitors! It was amazing to see what the feuding families would do next. Talk about childish and unprofessional behavior! A TISKET A TASKET NOT ANOTHER CASKET provides a solid mystery, although thanks to some obvious clues I knew why the victim was killed well before Jade. Jade's sleuthing was fairly circumspect, although she and her shop were always in the midst of things.
Fireworks abound in A TISKET A TASKET NOT ANOTHER CASKET, both literally and figuratively, making this third Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery a fun and exciting read.
January 19, 2025
This books brings plenty of fireworks as firework companies compete in Mermaid Bay. All the while a "mermaid" is running around spilling the tea. Jade Hicks, the FMC of this series, relies on her connections to the town to help for boyfriend, Sheriff Nick find justice and find the town gossip. The cast of characters sound like they would make good friends, they are a great group of eclectic characters. We can't forget the importance of a dog or cat or both to the story. Chloe, Jade's cat, even helps solve the mystery that ignited when the fireworks companies came to town.
This book is a super example of why I enjoy cozies, from the charming town vibe to the fun cast and the mystery. Poor Jade, she and her Christmas shop, sounded like trouble magnets in this story. However, it was that trouble that kept the story moving. We also had plenty of LOL moments such as Sebastian commenting about Jade's murder wall. I recently enjoyed a series on Hallmark Mysteries and after reading this book can't help but this it would make a fun series.
Heather Weidner definitely tops my list of cozy authors and this book is a terrific example of why. I would definitely recommend it. In addition to recommending the book, I would recommend the recipes in the back of the book. YUM.
Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This book is a super example of why I enjoy cozies, from the charming town vibe to the fun cast and the mystery. Poor Jade, she and her Christmas shop, sounded like trouble magnets in this story. However, it was that trouble that kept the story moving. We also had plenty of LOL moments such as Sebastian commenting about Jade's murder wall. I recently enjoyed a series on Hallmark Mysteries and after reading this book can't help but this it would make a fun series.
Heather Weidner definitely tops my list of cozy authors and this book is a terrific example of why. I would definitely recommend it. In addition to recommending the book, I would recommend the recipes in the back of the book. YUM.
Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 21, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Heather Weidner for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Tisket A Tasket Not Another Casket. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Excitement is in the air as everyone in Mermaid Bay is preparing for the Christmas season. This year promises to be more dazzling than ever when the business council sponsors a competition for the town’s lucrative summer fireworks contract. The quaint little beach town is ready to be wowed with choreographed shows and drone action that light up the night sky.
Instead of goodwill and sparkles, two of the teams take the competition to new lows with corporate espionage, feuds, and sabotage, and Jade and her team at ‘Tis the Season are ground zero for all the explosive action. When one of the competitors turns up murdered near Jade’s shop, she has to solve the mystery before the holidays are ruined.
I’ve read another book by this author. I really love her cozy books! The writing was great. I really enjoy the characters. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I definitely want to go back and read them. I love Christmastime cozies. Mermaid Bay was definitely giving off cozy small town vibes. I would for sure check out other books by this author!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christmastime cozy mysteries!
Excitement is in the air as everyone in Mermaid Bay is preparing for the Christmas season. This year promises to be more dazzling than ever when the business council sponsors a competition for the town’s lucrative summer fireworks contract. The quaint little beach town is ready to be wowed with choreographed shows and drone action that light up the night sky.
Instead of goodwill and sparkles, two of the teams take the competition to new lows with corporate espionage, feuds, and sabotage, and Jade and her team at ‘Tis the Season are ground zero for all the explosive action. When one of the competitors turns up murdered near Jade’s shop, she has to solve the mystery before the holidays are ruined.
I’ve read another book by this author. I really love her cozy books! The writing was great. I really enjoy the characters. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I definitely want to go back and read them. I love Christmastime cozies. Mermaid Bay was definitely giving off cozy small town vibes. I would for sure check out other books by this author!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christmastime cozy mysteries!
January 29, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up. This mystery book was a fun, cozy Christmas read. Mermaid Bay sits on the coast of Virginia. Three different groups of pyrotechnicians are participating in a fireworks contest over the holidays. The winner of the contest will provide the ultimate fireworks display for the town’s July 4th festivities. Along with the firework displays, the town finds itself surrounded in pure chaos and murder.
Pros:
*Fun characters and small town vibe with the rumor mill
*The author made it easy to imagine scenes
*Great surprise to see the recipes provided at the end of the book
Cons:
*Quite a few redundant scenes and conversations
*Long, drawn out scenes at times
*Zero chemistry between Jade and Nick - I don’t necessarily need hot and steamy scenes, but I would have enjoyed some innocent passion between the two
*Very predictable outcome
All in all, I would recommend this book. I’m looking forward to reading about Mermaid Bay’s next adventure.
Thanks Netgalley!
Pros:
*Fun characters and small town vibe with the rumor mill
*The author made it easy to imagine scenes
*Great surprise to see the recipes provided at the end of the book
Cons:
*Quite a few redundant scenes and conversations
*Long, drawn out scenes at times
*Zero chemistry between Jade and Nick - I don’t necessarily need hot and steamy scenes, but I would have enjoyed some innocent passion between the two
*Very predictable outcome
All in all, I would recommend this book. I’m looking forward to reading about Mermaid Bay’s next adventure.
Thanks Netgalley!
July 23, 2025
A Tiskit A Tasket Not Another Casket by Heather Weidner was wonderful!! This is a wonderful hometown feel book, that has all the action of the Hatfield's and McCoys. Loveable characters, Two rival firework company families, competing for a summer beach blast display, for the residents of Mermaid Bay, Virginia. For mystery fans, we have a gossip columnist, a fight under the boardwalk, security cameras shot out by a pellet gun in the middle of the night, a bruised man bleeding from the head, and trash bags found in a yard, that turned up a dead body. But who is responsible, and will we find out before Christmas! I Loved this book, and it had all the holiday vibes, and bonus recipes in the back of the book.
November 15, 2025
It’s Christmas time in Mermaid’s Bay and this year, the business council is hosting a fireworks competition. But the sparks aren’t limited to the displays as two of the teams aren’t above sabotage and perhaps worse. Soon, Jade Hicks, owner of the Christmas shop, Tis the Season. is pulled into a murder investigation when the body of one team member is found next to her store.
A Tisket A Tasket Not Another Casket by Heater Weidner is an entertaining Christmas Cozy with an interesting mystery and a likeable protagonist. Overall, a fun fast read. And, as an added bonus, there are some delicious sounding Christmas recipes at the end.
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Level Best Books in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
A Tisket A Tasket Not Another Casket by Heater Weidner is an entertaining Christmas Cozy with an interesting mystery and a likeable protagonist. Overall, a fun fast read. And, as an added bonus, there are some delicious sounding Christmas recipes at the end.
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Level Best Books in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
January 21, 2025
Not only do I love a good Christmas themed cozy, I also love a location that takes me back to a place in time. This book series does both for me. I have spent several years in the Williamsburg area and this series makes me feel like I’m visiting again. There are so many quaint towns in the area That it makes me want to find one and move back.
Add in a solid murder mystery, the cutest puppy, and some quirky, fun, and lovable characters and you have yourself one heck of a murder mystery. And in the fireworks and it is spectacular. Don’t miss the recipes at the end of the book! I plan to make several of these for Galentine’s Day gifts for friends.
Add in a solid murder mystery, the cutest puppy, and some quirky, fun, and lovable characters and you have yourself one heck of a murder mystery. And in the fireworks and it is spectacular. Don’t miss the recipes at the end of the book! I plan to make several of these for Galentine’s Day gifts for friends.
January 26, 2025
Set in Mermaid Bay, Virginia, Christmas is fast approaching. In order to drive tourists, the town is having a fireworks competition. Three companies have been invited and the winner will get the contracts for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Jade and her shop ‘Tis the Season seem to be the site of the action. The firework companies may have great displays but their corporate behavior is lacking. I really enjoy the characters in this book and it was an interesting story. I think her boyfriend Nick is a little slow to react to Jade’s calls. The recipes at the end are not to be missed! #netgalley
March 1, 2025
This was my first visit to Mermaid Bay. A delightful cozy mystery. Many light moments along with the murder mystery and other problems. A fireworks challenge kept things lively. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
April 2, 2025
Overall, it was a great read: a pleasant writing style, a compelling investigation, lovely festive vibes with some Italian flair. And also, it was fun and refreshing to read a plot about a different topic, in this case the world of fireworks. Recommended!
August 5, 2025
Loved it. Will recommend to others.
July 16, 2025
This is the first book I have read in the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe series. But it will not be the last. And I will go back and read the first two books in the series. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed getting to know Jade, her sheriff boyfriend, Nick, and the rest of the gang in Mermaid Bay. I loved the town setting and could see myself making a trip there if it existed. The fireworks competition and the characters associated with the different teams added depth to the story. Lots of twists and turns to the murder mystery that will have you invested and anxiously waiting to see who is guilty. Just a fun and entertaining read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!
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