Doorbuster Death: A Small Town Christmas Shopping Dog Cozy Mystery

by Maisy Marple

Holly Garland thought her first Black Friday as manager of Evergreen's Department Store would be chaotic—just not deadly. When beloved bargain hunter Ginger Frost is trampled in the doorbuster rush, everyone assumes it's a tragic accident. But Holly notices something the police someone deliberately rearranged the store displays to create a dangerous bottleneck. What looked like holiday shopping chaos was actually the perfect cover for murder, and Holly is determined to find out who turned Black Friday into a killer's opportunity.

With her best friend Ivy serving up coffee and gossip from The Cozy Carafe next door, and her mischievous corgi Jinglebell "helping" at every turn, Holly dives into investigating the victim's tangled web of relationships. From estranged spouses and bitter business rivals to old betrayals and explosive secrets, it seems half of Yuletide Harbor had reason to want Ginger gone. But when Holly starts receiving threatening messages warning her to back off, she realizes the killer is watching—and getting nervous. As Christmas draws closer and the stakes get higher, Holly must untangle the clues before she becomes the next victim on someone's deadly shopping list.

Full of festive charm, quirky small-town characters, and cozy mystery twists, "Doorbuster Death" kicks off a delightful new series where Christmas shopping is competitive, the hot chocolate flows freely, and amateur sleuths prove that holiday spirit includes a healthy dose of justice. Perfect for fans of lighthearted mysteries who love their murders with a side of mistletoe and their detectives armed with determination, friendship, and an adorable corgi sidekick.

Genres: Christmas

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2025

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main characters are Holly and her friend Ivy. This is the first Black Friday event in her department store since she became the manager. She trying to get it all right but as the open the doors, the surge tramples one of the customers. Now they know it's on purpose but not who did it. They start to ask questions and are warned if they don't quit now it'll be the last thing they do. Can they figure this out before it's too late ?

[Jeanette Cepietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good cozy mystery

I enjoyed reading and following Holly and Ivy as the solved this murder. They made a good team and followed clues, just not police instructions to solve the mystery.

[Patricia L. Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read