Mince Pies to Die For: A festive Christmas cozy mystery set in a winter wonderland

by Mona Marple

The Great Elvish Bake-Off Just Got Deadly

Today Candy Cane Hollow smells like butter and bravado. I’m helping at the Elvish Culinary Guild’s grand induction and tasting, and Gilbert, our house-elf at Claus Cottage, has made the finalists’ bench with his prized mince pie.

Then the celebrity headliner takes one bite of a showpiece pie and drops. Guild security locks the doors while city police sweep the kitchens. Whispers a rival with a temper, an apprentice with something to prove, a sponsor with money on the line, a producer who prefers ratings to recipes.

It doesn’t matter what else I hear; the police decide the killer is Gilbert. They circle the pantry, question his spice tins, and treat every crumb like a confession. With Mrs. Claus calming frantic caterers and Nick keeping me in cocoa and courage, I start sifting clues—swapped tins, “secret” blends, alibis that crumble under heat. This isn’t bad pastry; it’s careful malice.

I’m not letting them pin a murder on my friend. I need answers before the Guild shutters the finals and Gilbert is led out in cuffs.

Mince Pies to Die For is the ninth book in the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery series. A warm, magical and clean holiday whodunit for fans of Hallmark-style cozies and anyone who wishes they could spend Christmas in Santa’s own hometown.

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Praise for the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery

★★★★★ “This Christmas cozy mystery series is by far the best I’ve ever read!”

★★★★★ “Great characters and story lines. A definite read for any fan of cozy mysteries.”

★★★★★ “It’s all things cozy, cute and Christmas perfection.”

★★★★★ “Simple and full of the type of Christmas magic that helps you escape your everyday problems.”

★★★★★ “A delight to read… built on all the wonderful coziness of Christmas Corpse.”

★★★★★ “Magical setting… the mystery was good and not easily solved.”

★★★★★ “So much fun, couldn’t put it down… keeps you guessing.”

★★★★★ “Another fun book in this delightful series… Couldn’t put it down.”

★★★★★ “What a delightful story… It is full of Christmas magic!”

★★★★★ “This was an easy-to-read Christmas murder mystery… a happy ending.”

★★★★★ “This was a great read… The small-town feeling sounded wonderful year-round.”

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Mairi Swan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
This is a cute, magical, Christmas cozy mystery that follows Holly and her companions throughout solving murder cases. In this story they aren't in Candy Cane Hollow but somewhere else where we don't come across the familiar faces from their usual setting. Holly and her sister August are trying to help their house elf Gilbert from the murder accusations that fell upon him.
Though most of the time I'm quite clueless as to who done it, in this one I was right in my suspicion (I'm not revealing anything of course). The story was intriguing, with twists and suspense and the writing had a pleasant flow.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I’ve loved this series. This book was a huge disappointment for me. There were moments and conversations that became repetitive throughout the story. I noticed that several times as I was reading. I missed so many of the characters from the other books as well. I also felt like there was quite a significant plot hole that didn’t get addressed. But maybe in the next book?

Holly and August have traveled with Gilbert for his induction ceremony into the Guild. It quickly becomes obvious that there are some who don’t want Gilbert there, as they consider him to be beneath their status. When a respected chef is murdered, Gilbert is immediately named the prime suspect. As Holly steps in to help, another body is discovered. And now she is the one having to defend herself from an intelligent and deadly killer.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story

I enjoyed the story but found it to be confusing and repetitive at times. I loved all the other books in the series & will continue to read them.

[Paula Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mystery featuring Mrs. Claus and Gilbert. Gilbert is honored with an award for his culinary skills and runs into trouble with Mrs. Claus and her sister August to the rescue with many challenges along the way. Love this series.

[Angie R Geissman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 9 in the series. It is a very cute series. I have to be honest and say this is not my favorite book in the series, but this may be because it wasn’t at Candy Cane Hollow with some of the regular characters that I like. I did guess the murderer in the beginning but then second guessed myself all through the book. It does have a lot of twists and a lot of suspicious candidates throughout the book.
Gilbert is to get a high honor of being inducted into the Guild Hall of Excellence at a culinary institute for his mince pies. Before he gets to go to his ceremony, someone dies eating some of Gilbert’s pie. Holly and her sister August need to clear his name. After being trapped in a blizzard, another murder, several more incidents, conspiracy involving several different people and a very horrible constable, the murders were solved.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book 9 of this delightful series we travel with Holly Claus and her sister August to the Culinary Guild's Hall of Excellence for Gilbert's induction into the guild. What should be a celebratory trip quickly turns into a murder investigation as Gilbert's famed mince pies have been used to murder a guild member. As this murder happens outside of Candy Cane Hollow, Holly must deal with an unknown detective. The detective on the case has to be one of the most unlikable characters in cozy history! He jumps to conclusions, dismisses evidence, pieces clues together to his liking, and ignores Holly's and August's efforts to help. His bad investigative skills has him convinced Gilbert is the murder, prompting Holly and August to become fully engaged in solving the murder regardless of threats from the detective. Through creative sleuthing and piecing together the clues and evidence, Holly is able to discern the identity of the murderer. There is an 'inkling' early on as to who the murderer is, but it is difficult to discern why until the very end.

This book is intense! It is not as 'light' as the others in the series, but it is still enjoyable and a great installment. Outside of Holly, August, Gilbert, Nick and Mimi Claus, the reader is introduced to a whole new cast of characters and it is sometimes difficult to keep track. The Guild is complex, full of characters with mysterious back stories. The headquarters for the guild is monstrously big and a maze of rooms, very much adding to the story, as does the Magical Snow Storm keeping Holly and August confined to the Hall of Excellence.

This is a great installment in the Christmas Cozy Mystery Series - it engages you from the start, as you have to learn a whole new set of characters. The murder happens very early in the story, and there are numerous suspects, even more possible motives, and many many red herrings. The story goes full circle, ultimately ending with Gilbert's induction, but boy does an awful lot happen in between!

[Willow Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly Claus is very proud that her house elf, Gilbert has earned a coveted spot in the prestigious Elvish Culinary Guild’s Hall of Excellence because of his legendary mince pies.
With her sister, August, by her side, Holly accompanies Gilbert to the Guild’s headquarters on Crystal Mountain for his induction, where a murder takes place before the ceremony and Gilbert's mince pies are identified as the murder weapon.
Immediately, the lead investigator on the case decides that Gilbert is guilty and refuses to investigate further, leaving Holly and August to investigate on their own, eventually leading to the sisters’ imprisonment and another murder.
This is a great new cozy with so many suspects and plot twists that I couldn't put it down! And with August’s ex-husband threatening to take her son away from her, there's another aspect to the story.
I really look forward to reading more from this author!
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and I am thrilled to leave this voluntary review!

[Theld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mince Pies to Die For follows Holly and August as they try to clear Gilberts name. Gilbert is wrongfully accused of murder by an overzealous police officer more interested in closing the case than investigating so it's up to Holly to navigate lies, secrets, and setups to save her beloved Gilbert.

This is a delightful read with plenty of twist, turns and heart pounding moments. Holly is almost outmatched and proves that she will stop at nothing to help those she loves. It is almost impossible to figure out before the end who the murderer is in this one which makes this book amazing! It's a fast paced book that you'll never want to put down.

I do have to say though that there was an entire section of chapter 4 that was repeated in chapter 6 that left me confused. I'm not sure if it was just my ARC copy or what was happening but it definitely pulled away from the reading experience a bit.

[Dot Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mona has does it again, way to go.
Gilbert has been earned a coveted spot in the prestigious Elvish Culinary Guild’s Hall of Excellence because of his legendary mince pies. Holly Claus is so proud of him, so Holly and August go with him. It is not long before someone is murdered and Holly is found to be in the middle of trying to save Gilbert, because he has been accused. As time goes by Holly and August are arrested for murder. Time, twist and turns has you guessing who did it. It has more people looking guilty and who is the killer. With a snow storm that has everyone trapped inside for days and it is getting intense. The police officer is trying to pin the murder on anyone that has a remote possible to the murder and he does not want Holly helping.
So dive in and read you will not be disappointed.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and I am glad to leave this voluntary review!

[Julia David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly is really in it this time. Holly and August go with Gilbert as he accepts an induction into the Elvish Culinary Guild's Hall of Excellence. They haven't been there long when a celebrity chef is murdered by poison while eating some of Gilbert's pie. There are so many twists and turns to this story and Holly and August are arrested for murder. The policeman in charge of the investigation does not want to hear anything they have to say, even if it would help the investigation. He has made his mind up that Gilbert is the murderer. There is a terrible storm out and no one can leave, and no one can get there either. How are they supposed to investigate while sitting in a holding cell? Investigating has put all their lives at risk, but Holly knows that she has to find justice for the dead. How will she get out of this one?

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again we follow Holly Claus and her sister as they investigate a murder at the Culinary Guild's Hall of Excellence. Gilbert was to be inducted in the guild for his famous mince pies. This story takes place outside of Candy Cane Hollow and is more intense than the other stories in this series. There is also an antagonistic detective, very unlike Wiggles who encourages Holly’s investigations, who resents Holly’s interference and insists she not get involved. There is a magical blizzard that prevents outside help. Holly perseveres and justice is served. It’s definitely a good story and worth reading.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holley Claus and her sister leave town to attend the ceremony for the guilds excellence award. The celebration for Gilbert turns sour when the food critic dies and the prime suspect is Gilbert. With all his pies gone sour and his reputation is smudged, Holly jumps in to investigate. There is a snow storm that has them all blocked in, even Santa cannot come pick up Holly. With her medical knowledge, Holly begins to investigates. Things get sticky when Holly falls onto the suspect list. This is a cute murder mystery and the characters come to life.

[Debbiebooknerdyoung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly and August travel with Gilbert, to Crystal Mountain. Gilbert is going to be inducted into the Culinary Guild's Hall of Excellence. Unfortunately, a murder puts everything on hold and Holly is tasked with proving Gilbert is innocent of the murder. An interesting read from start to finish. So many possible suspects, and the twists and turns made my brain hurt trying to figure out who the killer was haha. Loved how Holly was bent on uncovering the truth, even at the risk of danger to herself. Enjoyed reading this novel.

[Barb Foerst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilbert is being inducted into the Elvish Culinary Guild's Hall of Excellence. and of course the Wood girls are along for the ride. Soon after their arrival a magical blizzard locks everyone inside the Guild. Some of the members heckle Gilbert about being inducted as Gilbert is just a kitchen elf. When one of the members is found dead after sneaking a bite of Gilbert’s mince pie, Gilbert finds himself charged with murder. Holly and August start an investigation to save Gilbert.

I loved this book. Great mystery and wonderful characters.

[Kara Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 9th book in this series; I’ve read and loved all the previous books, but this book could stand alone pretty well. I adore the Christmas aspect of this series and Holly is a fabulous main character. The story was really good, as usual, but I was reading an ARC and there were some logical fallacies and repetitiveness that were perhaps tightened in the final edit. I still enjoyed it a lot, so I’m still giving it a five. This is one of my favorite series, so I definitely recommend it and this book. Although I did receive the ARC, which I appreciate, these are my honest opinions.

[Gayle B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great holiday cozy! Favorite elf Gilbert is up for a prestigious culinary award. Holly and her sister August have joined Gilbert at a resort to cheer him on. When a judge for the tastings is found dead after seemingly sampling Gilbert's mince pies is found dead, all eyes are on Gilbert. Holly and August begin investigating to find the truth but more people suspiciously die. Holly and August are now believed to be the murderers. And this has devastating consequences for August. Good, complex mystery with lots of twists.
I received a free copy and voluntarily provided a review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly’s been in some crazy situations in cases she’s been involved with, but she’s usually got police inspector Wiggles on her side. When murder struck the culinary institute she and August were at with Gilbert for his induction in the guild, it seemed like someone was out to frame Holly from all directions.

But they didn’t know her too well and the fact that she was a bulldog when it came to getting answers. Loved how she got her proof and confronted a killer—a super satisfying ending to a sometimes nail-biting investigation.

[Marcie Rostosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilbert finds himself in a pickle when going to get recognized for his minced pies. Holly finds herself investigating this case, since she thinks the inspector assigned to it, has already made up his mind that Gilbert is guilty. So if you want to find out how this turns out. I highly recommend you get the book. Ms. Mona has done a great job. The characters are great and the plot is wonderful. I loved it.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the most difficult case Holly has investigated so far. Up against the arrogance of the lead detective, but of misleading and planted information and clues. Very difficult but she never gives up. I loved that there were several threads that were in danger of unfavorable consequences. August’s issue with her ex. Gilbert’s innocence, as well as the various characters that helped Holly along the way. Fantastic story!

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do really enjoy the stories but struggle with how repetitive the writing is at the same time. And especially when I find a string of dialogue twice, the area they are in sometimes changes which confuses me. I read the first 7ish books in a week over last Christmas and do mostly enjoy it and will keep reading. Just think the editing could use some help for continuity in all the books in this series.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I love this series and look forward to reading these during the holiday season... but something was off about this one. There was a ton of repetition in the lines and thoughts, so much so that a few times I actually had to look to make sure I hadn't accidentally hit something to make me re-read a chapter. It was still a good story with characters I enjoyed, but I hope when the next one comes out it is back to better editing again. :)

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Gilbert, this was his chance to shine his very brightest, but instead, he was the top suspect in a murder! But Holly and her sister are determined that justice is served, even though it would appear that the police are just as determined that their hands are tied.

Another fun read from Candy Cane Hollow.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Marple has done it again!
Another exciting story with some of the Candy Cane Hollow crew.
Gilbert has been selected for a prestigious award for his outstanding baking, but as always, things don't go quite to plan.
Great characters and an excellent storyline.

[Zanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read this book I was watching the Wednesday series. I did picture Gilbert making his mince pies at a place non to similar. It may not be set in Candy Cane Hollow but it still has the mystery and invites the reader to think who did it. Read it and you won't be disappointed.

[Amanda Reads Cozies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know if there’s ever been a character in a cozy I despise as much as Inspector Grimwald. Well done creating a truly terrible character in a position to make life difficult for ou beloved Holly.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilbert is receiving an honor, being inducted into the prestigious Elvish Culinary Guild’s Hall of Excellence. Holy is so proud of him.
When a food critic is found dead, Gilbert becomes the prime suspect. There goes the celebration.
Surprises, twists, murder and secrets as Holy, Gilbert and August try to help. Even though Holly was told to not get involved in the investigation.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Jennifer Wertz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery. The mystery has so many twists and turns you will be kept guessing until the very end. This is a fantastic series. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

[Delores Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this 9th book in this cozy mystery series was lonnnnnng and drawn out and Police Inspector Grimwald's obnoxious and rude behavior was tiresome and made it a struggle to finish the book.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a good plot with interesting characters and descriptive writing that allows you to visualize the setting.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the story and couldn’t stop reading! Holly really has a tough time with this murder. Snowed in, Gilbert framed, and so many suspects! It was a wonderful Christmas sleigh ride!