What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
16 days and 07:12:56
15 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
The Holly & Mark Mystery Series #1
Home for the Homicides: A Holly & Mark Mystery
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Win a free print copy of this book!
16 days and 07:12:56
15 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
'Tis the season . . . for murder.
This program features multicast narration.
"[Narrator Angela] Dawe proves herself to be a virtuoso vocal shape-shifter, moving seamlessly from one character to another and drawing listeners in. A roller coaster of an audiobook." —Kirkus Reviews on Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (Earphones Award winner)
"The festive, quirky love child of a holiday whodunit and a steamy romance.” —Sara Raasch
When Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd report to the idyllic town of Christmas to investigate a very less than idyllic murder, they’re in for more than the average whodunnit.
Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it’s the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle ornament in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth—after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn't exist?
The stakes are the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town's entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes—and there's only one spot.
Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it's not only their careers on the line, it's their hearts, too—regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer—without killing each other—is on.
Co-authored by New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan series) and USA Today bestseller Hannah Morrissey (Black Harbor series), Home for the Homicides is a sexy, light-hearted romp, with a dash of merriment and murder.
"...narrator Angela Dawe has created distinctive voices for each character, and it's a true joy to hear them again." —Library Journal on Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (Earphones Award winner)
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
This program features multicast narration.
"[Narrator Angela] Dawe proves herself to be a virtuoso vocal shape-shifter, moving seamlessly from one character to another and drawing listeners in. A roller coaster of an audiobook." —Kirkus Reviews on Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (Earphones Award winner)
"The festive, quirky love child of a holiday whodunit and a steamy romance.” —Sara Raasch
When Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd report to the idyllic town of Christmas to investigate a very less than idyllic murder, they’re in for more than the average whodunnit.
Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it’s the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle ornament in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth—after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn't exist?
The stakes are the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town's entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes—and there's only one spot.
Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it's not only their careers on the line, it's their hearts, too—regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer—without killing each other—is on.
Co-authored by New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan series) and USA Today bestseller Hannah Morrissey (Black Harbor series), Home for the Homicides is a sexy, light-hearted romp, with a dash of merriment and murder.
"...narrator Angela Dawe has created distinctive voices for each character, and it's a true joy to hear them again." —Library Journal on Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (Earphones Award winner)
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
Audible Audio
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Elle Cosimano
18 books8,938 followersUSA TODAY and New York Times bestselling author, Edgar® Nominee, Bram Stoker® Nominee, & ITW Thriller Award winner.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
arcs-to-read
July 12, 2026Well, this looks cute and sounds fun 😍🤭🩷 gosh, I love Christmas so much 🎄❤️🎅
April 30, 2026
First, thank you to NetGalley for the e-Arc of ‘Home for the Homicides’ in exchange for my honest review.
This was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed the prologue and the voice of the narrator. I enjoyed that the book was super self aware and spent a lot of time being extra hallmark movie cringey and that the authors leaned into it and called it out through the presence of the narrator. I actually was interested in the crime and wanted to see who the murderer was and at times when I just really wanted to stop reading, I didn’t because I wanted to know!
The things I enjoyed were mostly the humor and the absolutely ridiculous nature of the town and the towns people. It was a read where you needed to suspend a lot of your disbelief and just enjoy the ride.
My negatives…
Though a lot of the romance was believable, it sometimes just felt a little weird or confusing. I think because the entire voice of the book had a lot of self deprecating humor and didn’t take the story seriously it was hard to really care about the characters and their feelings for each other.
I hated the stupidity of our FMC and MMC. It was pretty tiring how incompetent they were with their deductive skills. Made a lot of the read hard to get through.
Sometimes, I was just bored. I felt like there was a ton of extra with little point? This is going to sound crazy but I feel like the cringe wasn’t leaned into enough in some spots. All of the characters felt like they were flirting with being weird but aside from their names/occupations they just kind of fell flat. I get that we are making fun of a Christmas movie trope but I still want to actually enjoy being there. It was like on the cusp of something really entertaining but didn’t actually hit the sweet spot for me.
Three stars for the escapism and attempt at being something different and original in terms of self deprecation and awareness with a splash of murder. Not the best though, I think it could have been better.
This was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed the prologue and the voice of the narrator. I enjoyed that the book was super self aware and spent a lot of time being extra hallmark movie cringey and that the authors leaned into it and called it out through the presence of the narrator. I actually was interested in the crime and wanted to see who the murderer was and at times when I just really wanted to stop reading, I didn’t because I wanted to know!
The things I enjoyed were mostly the humor and the absolutely ridiculous nature of the town and the towns people. It was a read where you needed to suspend a lot of your disbelief and just enjoy the ride.
My negatives…
Though a lot of the romance was believable, it sometimes just felt a little weird or confusing. I think because the entire voice of the book had a lot of self deprecating humor and didn’t take the story seriously it was hard to really care about the characters and their feelings for each other.
I hated the stupidity of our FMC and MMC. It was pretty tiring how incompetent they were with their deductive skills. Made a lot of the read hard to get through.
Sometimes, I was just bored. I felt like there was a ton of extra with little point? This is going to sound crazy but I feel like the cringe wasn’t leaned into enough in some spots. All of the characters felt like they were flirting with being weird but aside from their names/occupations they just kind of fell flat. I get that we are making fun of a Christmas movie trope but I still want to actually enjoy being there. It was like on the cusp of something really entertaining but didn’t actually hit the sweet spot for me.
Three stars for the escapism and attempt at being something different and original in terms of self deprecation and awareness with a splash of murder. Not the best though, I think it could have been better.
May 8, 2026
Romance with a murder… yes please!
I enjoyed this rom com with a side of a dead body. Two agents working a case in .. get this.. a town called Christmas! 🎄 A bit dragging in the middle and towards end, but 4 stars for creativity. I hadn’t read anything like this before. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
I enjoyed this rom com with a side of a dead body. Two agents working a case in .. get this.. a town called Christmas! 🎄 A bit dragging in the middle and towards end, but 4 stars for creativity. I hadn’t read anything like this before. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
August 1, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
I wish I was able to rate this higher because I was really looking forward to this ARC. Christmas, murder mystery, romance, and written by Elle Cosimano? It had what seemed like the perfect ingredients to concoct a book I would love.
The satire was funny, to an extent, and Mark and Holly had a fun (albeit very HR-frowned-upon) relationship. I think this could really work as a legit TV Christmas movie with some tweaks.
My #1 Issue: FMC USED GENERATIVE AI/AI WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES! EWWWW!!!!
This was an immediate ick for me. As an author/anyone in the publishing industry that touched this book, you should be against generative media in all forms. No AI images, no AI videos, no AI music, no AI books. It really IS that serious because AI has huge negative ecological effects and major ethical concerns. Also, FMC uses “an AI website” it to get an image to use while she creates a fake tinder account. Hello??? Catfishing existed well before AI. So unnecessary!!! The characters also assume multiple times that any catfishing images they come across are AI, instead of just saying they’re fake. Really annoying.
Beyond that, the names/jokes in this were so deeply unserious, it took me out of the story each time. I get it’s parodying a Hallmark movie, but good lord. Noelle North, Ginger Belle, Buddy Thelf, Frank N Sands, Ott Langzein, Candace “Candy” Cane???? All the balls and penis jokes as well… I can laugh at my fair share, but the overwhelming amount felt like I was reading something written by a middle schooler.
The killer was also easily predictable - I caught on before the book was 50% over. :/ Better luck on my next ARC I guess.
I wish I was able to rate this higher because I was really looking forward to this ARC. Christmas, murder mystery, romance, and written by Elle Cosimano? It had what seemed like the perfect ingredients to concoct a book I would love.
The satire was funny, to an extent, and Mark and Holly had a fun (albeit very HR-frowned-upon) relationship. I think this could really work as a legit TV Christmas movie with some tweaks.
My #1 Issue: FMC USED GENERATIVE AI/AI WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES! EWWWW!!!!
This was an immediate ick for me. As an author/anyone in the publishing industry that touched this book, you should be against generative media in all forms. No AI images, no AI videos, no AI music, no AI books. It really IS that serious because AI has huge negative ecological effects and major ethical concerns. Also, FMC uses “an AI website” it to get an image to use while she creates a fake tinder account. Hello??? Catfishing existed well before AI. So unnecessary!!! The characters also assume multiple times that any catfishing images they come across are AI, instead of just saying they’re fake. Really annoying.
Beyond that, the names/jokes in this were so deeply unserious, it took me out of the story each time. I get it’s parodying a Hallmark movie, but good lord. Noelle North, Ginger Belle, Buddy Thelf, Frank N Sands, Ott Langzein, Candace “Candy” Cane???? All the balls and penis jokes as well… I can laugh at my fair share, but the overwhelming amount felt like I was reading something written by a middle schooler.
The killer was also easily predictable - I caught on before the book was 50% over. :/ Better luck on my next ARC I guess.
September 2, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley and MacMillan audio for the ALC of this title.
Okay, so, this book was super cheesy, over the top and completely ridiculous but I ate it up! I had so much fun with this one. You definitely have to go into this one expecting a cheesy Christmas “Hallmark” movie-ish murder mystery. It’s not serious just fun! The murder mystery was a fun twist to the usually Christmas romcom. If you like Meghan Quinn’s holiday books and love Finlay Donovan, you will LOVE this one! The audio was fantastic and really added to the story. The ending was shocking to me! 4.5 stars.
Okay, so, this book was super cheesy, over the top and completely ridiculous but I ate it up! I had so much fun with this one. You definitely have to go into this one expecting a cheesy Christmas “Hallmark” movie-ish murder mystery. It’s not serious just fun! The murder mystery was a fun twist to the usually Christmas romcom. If you like Meghan Quinn’s holiday books and love Finlay Donovan, you will LOVE this one! The audio was fantastic and really added to the story. The ending was shocking to me! 4.5 stars.
August 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for my advanced readers copy!
Spoiler free review!
Content warnings: death, murder, grief, stalkers, cussing ( + some interesting alternatives lol), crappy families, and quite a bit of spice, no like actually
Think of a Christmas Hallmark movie if it were mixed with an early 2000s cop show and has some really bad Gen Alpha slang and is set in a sex obsessed tourist trap that’s entirely Christmas themed (no like the towns name is Christmas)
That’s really the best summary I can give.
Listen to be fair most of the bad slang was spoken by a Gen Alpha character so it’s not the worst.
Overall more like a 3.85 star read which is actually not a horrible rating for me.
This entire book screamed Christmas and is the perfect seasonal romcom with a murder mystery side plot. Well I’m actually not entirely sure if it as the main plot or not but it felt like it to me. Maybe more like they’re both side plots that are like coexisting if that makes any sense lol. Basically what I’m trying to say is that it’s a good mix of the two.
Romance: I did actually like Mark and Holly’s relationship and they were both very funny (though some of their scenes could get SPICY) And then ofc the classic obstacles show up in they’re getting together but overall I found their romance plot very cute
The Crime: The best way I can describe the whole like murder mystery trying to find the killer thing is one of those Netflix documentaries where they have a new suspect every episode and then there’s evidence and with the way it’s edited you’re like “wait they could actually be the killer” and then at the end wait that makes so much sense that that persons the actual killer. If you’re coming just for the actual crime part this probably isn’t for you as like I said it’s more of a partial plot than the main one.
Writing: I really enjoyed the writing in this, it was very easy to read and follow. I’m not sure how I felt about that third person narrator guy who would randomly drop in with commentary but honestly he was kind of a vibe. This isn’t like the most well written thing I’ve ever read but it was very fun and quick and if it were actually winter when I was reading this I could see myself finishing it within a day or two.
Anyhow thx for reading this review and hope this helps you choose your next seasonal read <3
Spoiler free review!
Content warnings: death, murder, grief, stalkers, cussing ( + some interesting alternatives lol), crappy families, and quite a bit of spice, no like actually
Think of a Christmas Hallmark movie if it were mixed with an early 2000s cop show and has some really bad Gen Alpha slang and is set in a sex obsessed tourist trap that’s entirely Christmas themed (no like the towns name is Christmas)
That’s really the best summary I can give.
Listen to be fair most of the bad slang was spoken by a Gen Alpha character so it’s not the worst.
Overall more like a 3.85 star read which is actually not a horrible rating for me.
This entire book screamed Christmas and is the perfect seasonal romcom with a murder mystery side plot. Well I’m actually not entirely sure if it as the main plot or not but it felt like it to me. Maybe more like they’re both side plots that are like coexisting if that makes any sense lol. Basically what I’m trying to say is that it’s a good mix of the two.
Romance: I did actually like Mark and Holly’s relationship and they were both very funny (though some of their scenes could get SPICY) And then ofc the classic obstacles show up in they’re getting together but overall I found their romance plot very cute
The Crime: The best way I can describe the whole like murder mystery trying to find the killer thing is one of those Netflix documentaries where they have a new suspect every episode and then there’s evidence and with the way it’s edited you’re like “wait they could actually be the killer” and then at the end wait that makes so much sense that that persons the actual killer. If you’re coming just for the actual crime part this probably isn’t for you as like I said it’s more of a partial plot than the main one.
Writing: I really enjoyed the writing in this, it was very easy to read and follow. I’m not sure how I felt about that third person narrator guy who would randomly drop in with commentary but honestly he was kind of a vibe. This isn’t like the most well written thing I’ve ever read but it was very fun and quick and if it were actually winter when I was reading this I could see myself finishing it within a day or two.
Anyhow thx for reading this review and hope this helps you choose your next seasonal read <3
tbr
May 19, 2026Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Did Not Finish
August 22, 2026I decided to DNF this one because the tongue-in-cheek, campy tone ultimately wasn’t a good fit for me. The premise is clearly designed to be a playful mashup of cozy mystery, holiday romance, and small-town Christmas absurdity, and I can see it finding an enthusiastic audience among readers who enjoy that kind of humor.
For me, though, the heightened silliness and holiday whimsy kept me from connecting with the story or characters. I found myself more aware of the contrived nature of the setup than invested in the mystery or romance.
This is very much a case of the book not being for me rather than a judgment on what it is trying to accomplish. Readers looking for a lighthearted, festive mystery with plenty of camp and romantic tension may have a much better time with it.
For me, though, the heightened silliness and holiday whimsy kept me from connecting with the story or characters. I found myself more aware of the contrived nature of the setup than invested in the mystery or romance.
This is very much a case of the book not being for me rather than a judgment on what it is trying to accomplish. Readers looking for a lighthearted, festive mystery with plenty of camp and romantic tension may have a much better time with it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you for the ARC Elle Cosimano, Hannah Morrisey and NetGalley!! You have really kicked off the mystery, small town, Christmas season with a bang‼️
This is a very special book full of fun antics, crazy characters, and incredible twists and turns along the way. I even didn’t figure out who killed the character until close to the end and that is saying a lot because I usually know 😁😁!!
Have fun reading this great little Christmas story as you curl up on the couch and enjoy 😊😊!!
This is a very special book full of fun antics, crazy characters, and incredible twists and turns along the way. I even didn’t figure out who killed the character until close to the end and that is saying a lot because I usually know 😁😁!!
Have fun reading this great little Christmas story as you curl up on the couch and enjoy 😊😊!!
August 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Elle Cosimano, and Hannah Morrissey for an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mix a little murder with a Hallmark movie style Christmas town and you’ve got Home for the Homicides. I recommend the Finlay Donovan series all the time, so I was sooo excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book.
When a tourist gets murdered in the small town of Christmas, Holly and Mark, two detectives from the Big City get roped into the investigation with a promotion for one spot in the major crimes division on the line. In a rivals to lovers, only one bed, second chance romance story, these two agents are on a time crunch to save Christmas. The descriptions of the town, characters and businesses pulled in so many holiday elements, but the FMC and MMC made some questionable decisions that detracted from the story a bit. I was missing that “laugh out loud” element that I found in the Finlay Donovan series. Overall, this is a cute, campy style romance that puts you in the holiday spirit.
Mix a little murder with a Hallmark movie style Christmas town and you’ve got Home for the Homicides. I recommend the Finlay Donovan series all the time, so I was sooo excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book.
When a tourist gets murdered in the small town of Christmas, Holly and Mark, two detectives from the Big City get roped into the investigation with a promotion for one spot in the major crimes division on the line. In a rivals to lovers, only one bed, second chance romance story, these two agents are on a time crunch to save Christmas. The descriptions of the town, characters and businesses pulled in so many holiday elements, but the FMC and MMC made some questionable decisions that detracted from the story a bit. I was missing that “laugh out loud” element that I found in the Finlay Donovan series. Overall, this is a cute, campy style romance that puts you in the holiday spirit.
August 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love the shenanigans of the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano. I love the dark, gritty writing of the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey. I really thought together it would be a winning combo, but unfortunately this didn’t work for me.
The narrator who I had high hopes for became repetitive rather than funny and didn’t add anything to the story. The whole book is kitschy and every trope is over exaggerated to the point of just being ridiculous.
Two detectives from the SBI, Holly and Mark, who are on the naughty list get sent to solve a murder in the small town of Christmas where the Jingle Bell Jubilee is a little over 2 weeks away. If they can solve the murder they will save the town’s must lucrative event and get a coveted spot in Major Crimes.
I get that this was supposed to be picking on all hallmark-esque movies but for me it took it too far and in doing so I wasn’t invested in the outcome of the case or the romance between Holly and Mark.
I love the shenanigans of the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano. I love the dark, gritty writing of the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey. I really thought together it would be a winning combo, but unfortunately this didn’t work for me.
The narrator who I had high hopes for became repetitive rather than funny and didn’t add anything to the story. The whole book is kitschy and every trope is over exaggerated to the point of just being ridiculous.
Two detectives from the SBI, Holly and Mark, who are on the naughty list get sent to solve a murder in the small town of Christmas where the Jingle Bell Jubilee is a little over 2 weeks away. If they can solve the murder they will save the town’s must lucrative event and get a coveted spot in Major Crimes.
I get that this was supposed to be picking on all hallmark-esque movies but for me it took it too far and in doing so I wasn’t invested in the outcome of the case or the romance between Holly and Mark.
August 30, 2026
What a fun ride!I chose this as a holiday read and it did not disappoint. I’m quickly learning that the romance/thriller crossover is exactly my sweet spot. The innate sarcasm, the fast pacing, and how delightfully over-the-top the drama got. There were definitely a handful of moments where I cringed or rolled my eyes, but honestly, it just added to the fun.Overall, a super enjoyable read that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a suspenseful, witty escape this fall.Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Out this October.
July 31, 2026
Cozy murder meets cozy smut. This book had all the vibes, banter, and whodunnit that Finlay Donovan fans will love, set in a picturesque town.
Detectives Holly and Mark are sent to investigate a murder in Christmas and must solve the case before the town’s annual Jingle Bell Jubilee.
Throw in a little career defining competition, dysfunctional family backstory , a cast of on-theme characters, and palpable sexual tension and you have a fun, quick read that did not disappoint.
Hope this the first of many collabs from these authors
Detectives Holly and Mark are sent to investigate a murder in Christmas and must solve the case before the town’s annual Jingle Bell Jubilee.
Throw in a little career defining competition, dysfunctional family backstory , a cast of on-theme characters, and palpable sexual tension and you have a fun, quick read that did not disappoint.
Hope this the first of many collabs from these authors
Did Not Finish
August 26, 2026Received this as an ARC, and while I’m grateful for the ARC, I DNF’d at page 88. I just couldn’t… This book definitely reads more YA than adult.
Some of the names in here were Anna Olaf, John Snow, and Clark Griswold… I just want to know how they’re getting away with these names? 😂 but again, I received an ARC of this so it may be different in the published version.
Some of the names in here were Anna Olaf, John Snow, and Clark Griswold… I just want to know how they’re getting away with these names? 😂 but again, I received an ARC of this so it may be different in the published version.
July 26, 2026
This book was hilarious! So clever with all the Christmas references. Murder mystery meets a comedy show! Perfect holiday season book. I enjoyed reading it and laughed throughout.
Want to Read
April 21, 2026This looks adorable! I love a good murder for Christmas! Can't wait! Pub: 10/2026
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
August 23, 2026
I have been a huge fan of Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series. It is one of my favorite audiobook series of all times. I was thrilled to receive an ARC of her newest release, Home for the Homicides.
Holly and Mark, special agents, are assigned to go to a small town, Christmas, to solve a homicide. Whoever solves the homicide will get placed in a department that both Holly and Mark want.
It pains me to say that I did not like this book at all. I found it so over the top cheesy and over cliched. I got to the point that I was cringing when it just didn't stop. This is likely to be a case of "not all books are for all people". Hopefully there will be others that love this book as much as I loved the Finlay Donovan series.
For me, this was a big departure from the Finlay Donovan series.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Holly and Mark, special agents, are assigned to go to a small town, Christmas, to solve a homicide. Whoever solves the homicide will get placed in a department that both Holly and Mark want.
It pains me to say that I did not like this book at all. I found it so over the top cheesy and over cliched. I got to the point that I was cringing when it just didn't stop. This is likely to be a case of "not all books are for all people". Hopefully there will be others that love this book as much as I loved the Finlay Donovan series.
For me, this was a big departure from the Finlay Donovan series.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and St. Martins Press for this ARC.
I will admit that in the beginning, I was skeptical. The writing style and grammar wasn’t at all what I was used to, but it definitely improved as the story went on. I’m so glad I stuck around because I truly ended up LOVING this story!
Set in the picturesque and perfect small town of Christmas, Special Agents Mark and Holly have to overcome old feuds to work together and solve the town’s first murder.
The story is funny, sweet, and steamy- all the best aspects of a romcom- rolled into a holiday murder mystery.
I really loved the FMC Holly. I thought she was spunky and adorable and smart. I didn’t particularly fall in love with Mark- he was a bit 2 dimensional in my opinion.
The thing that really stood out was the snarky narrator that would break the fourth wall. It was unexpected and hilarious, and a great addition to the book.
Overall great story, and I hope to read the next installment in the series!
I will admit that in the beginning, I was skeptical. The writing style and grammar wasn’t at all what I was used to, but it definitely improved as the story went on. I’m so glad I stuck around because I truly ended up LOVING this story!
Set in the picturesque and perfect small town of Christmas, Special Agents Mark and Holly have to overcome old feuds to work together and solve the town’s first murder.
The story is funny, sweet, and steamy- all the best aspects of a romcom- rolled into a holiday murder mystery.
I really loved the FMC Holly. I thought she was spunky and adorable and smart. I didn’t particularly fall in love with Mark- he was a bit 2 dimensional in my opinion.
The thing that really stood out was the snarky narrator that would break the fourth wall. It was unexpected and hilarious, and a great addition to the book.
Overall great story, and I hope to read the next installment in the series!
July 26, 2026
This was a really cute read. Loved the characters and all the antics that went on in the town of Christmas. Loved the hallmark Christmas vibes. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
THE ICICLES ARE SHARP, AND THE COUNTDOWN TO THE FESTIVAL IS ON. "A deliciously sexy, zany, and fast-paced romantic holiday thriller that turns a picturesque town into a high-stakes countdown for survival."
In Home for the Homicides, bestselling authors Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey deliver a delightfully zany, fast-paced, and wildly seductive holiday cozy-noir romantic comedy mystery. The story hinges on two fiercely competitive, bickering special agents navigating immense professional and interpersonal hurdles to catch a brutal copycat killer inside a picture-perfect, ultra-traditional Christmas town.
Hallmark holiday romance charm vs. cold-blooded festive murder.
"Two bickering special agents on thin ice are forced into an undercover partnership to solve a bizarre nativity-scene homicide."
An undercover redemption assignment at a seasonal festival turns into a terrifying waking nightmare when a tourist is stabbed to death by an icicle ornament, forcing two rival agents into a frantic race to find the killer before they destroy the town—and each other.
Elevator Pitch
A punchy, holiday-themed romantic suspense novel where two rival special agents on thin ice are sent to a crime-free, Christmas-obsessed town to solve a bizarre nativity-scene murder, competing for a single promotion while dodging the ghosts of their own romantic past.
Review Breakdown
Intro: Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd are bitter rivals, and both are desperate for career redemption after hitting a major professional slump. The ultimate prize—a single available promotion to Major Crimes—tracks straight to their newest assignment: the aggressively festive and crime-free town of Christmas. When a tourist is discovered stabbed to death by an icicle ornament directly inside the town's public nativity scene, local law enforcement is entirely out of its depth. Holly and Mark must team up under strict orders. Still, as the 12-day countdown to the town’s economy-saving Jingle Bell Jubilee begins, they must hunt down a killer while dodging the lingering romantic tension of a disastrous holiday party hookup from the previous winter.
New Series:
Book 1 in the Holly & Mark Mystery Series establishes a brand-new, deliciously fun, and steamy collaborative sandbox for the two beloved crime fiction authors.
Setting
The deceptively pristine, sweet-smelling, and hyper-traditional holiday fishbowl town of Christmas, where swearing is actively frowned upon, but a killer is quietly stalking the unpaved local squares.
Vibe
Sassy, light-hearted, and dripping with banter. It feels like the cozy, small-town seasonal warmth of a Hallmark movie colliding with the sharp, witty meta-paranoia and chaotic comedy of Finlay Donovan and the gritty edge of Hannah Morrissey.
Genre
Holiday Romantic Comedy / Cozy Whodunit Mystery / Romantic Suspense
Themes
~The Comedic Friction of Enemies-to-Lovers Rivalry
~The Commercialization and Illusion of Festive Sanctuaries
~Career Redemption Over Intense Professional Vulnerability
~The Complicity and Hidden Grudges of Small, Insular Communities
Standout Characters
~Holly Frost: The sharp, ambitious, and deeply defensive special agent who uses witty banter to guard both her professional reputation and her fragile heart
~Mark Shepherd: Holly’s fiercely competitive, brooding rival agent whose laser focus on the Major Crimes promotion masks a serious lingering fixation on Holly.
~The Town Elite: A highly eccentric group of Christmas organizers and festive shopkeepers whose entire financial survival hinges on keeping the public murder under wraps.
Author Writing Standout
Having read all of their solo books, Hannah Morrissey's trademark edgy sharpness and Midwestern noir atmosphere marry perfectly with Elle Cosimano's legendary talent for zany, chaotic humor and addictive, rapid-fire pacing. Their collaborative prose is a total delight, managing a crisp, multi-POV timeline that plays into our favorite holiday tropes while subverting them at every single turn.
Takeaway
You cannot fully unwrap the truth of a community until you look past the beautiful packaging; sometimes the most idyllic holiday traditions hide the coldest grudges.
Title Significance
Home for the Homicides functions as a brilliant, tongue-in-cheek subversion of the classic "home for the holidays" sentiment—instantly signaling to readers that this festive escape features a high-stakes body count.
Metaphor
The icicle ornament weapon serves as a flawless metaphor for the town itself—seemingly clear, beautiful, and seasonal on the outside, but structurally rigid and capable of inflicting lethal damage when weaponized.
Why You Should Read
Having thoroughly enjoyed their previous books and their initial collaborative teasers, I can guarantee this is the ultimate, bingeable seasonal blockbuster read for fans who want their holiday romance served with a brilliant, clever side of murder.
My Thoughts
COSIMANO AND MORRISSEY DELIVER A FLAWLESS, FIVE-STAR HOLIDAY BLOCKBUSTER.
"An electric collaboration that seamlessly blends razor-sharp enemies-to-lovers banter with a propulsive, twisty winter whodunit."
The narrative pacing turns the screw with absolute perfection. The snappy, sexual-tension-filled dialogue between Holly and Mark kept me grinning from ear to ear, while the countdown to the festival created a genuinely frantic level of suspense. It is a deliciously fun, sexy, and smart mash-up that belongs on everyone's autumn stack. Can't wait for the next in the series!
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5).
"A flawless, five-star festive triumph that proves nobody handles collaborative holiday malice quite like Cosimano and Morrissey."
Recs
Read this if you devoured the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano, Hannah's gritty twisty thrillers, Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (John Fram), Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series, A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington, or Sounds Like a Plan series by Dwayne Alexander Smith and Pamela Samuels Young.
Special thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 13, 2026
Oct Must-Read Books
In Home for the Homicides, bestselling authors Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey deliver a delightfully zany, fast-paced, and wildly seductive holiday cozy-noir romantic comedy mystery. The story hinges on two fiercely competitive, bickering special agents navigating immense professional and interpersonal hurdles to catch a brutal copycat killer inside a picture-perfect, ultra-traditional Christmas town.
Hallmark holiday romance charm vs. cold-blooded festive murder.
"Two bickering special agents on thin ice are forced into an undercover partnership to solve a bizarre nativity-scene homicide."
An undercover redemption assignment at a seasonal festival turns into a terrifying waking nightmare when a tourist is stabbed to death by an icicle ornament, forcing two rival agents into a frantic race to find the killer before they destroy the town—and each other.
Elevator Pitch
A punchy, holiday-themed romantic suspense novel where two rival special agents on thin ice are sent to a crime-free, Christmas-obsessed town to solve a bizarre nativity-scene murder, competing for a single promotion while dodging the ghosts of their own romantic past.
Review Breakdown
Intro: Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd are bitter rivals, and both are desperate for career redemption after hitting a major professional slump. The ultimate prize—a single available promotion to Major Crimes—tracks straight to their newest assignment: the aggressively festive and crime-free town of Christmas. When a tourist is discovered stabbed to death by an icicle ornament directly inside the town's public nativity scene, local law enforcement is entirely out of its depth. Holly and Mark must team up under strict orders. Still, as the 12-day countdown to the town’s economy-saving Jingle Bell Jubilee begins, they must hunt down a killer while dodging the lingering romantic tension of a disastrous holiday party hookup from the previous winter.
New Series:
Book 1 in the Holly & Mark Mystery Series establishes a brand-new, deliciously fun, and steamy collaborative sandbox for the two beloved crime fiction authors.
Setting
The deceptively pristine, sweet-smelling, and hyper-traditional holiday fishbowl town of Christmas, where swearing is actively frowned upon, but a killer is quietly stalking the unpaved local squares.
Vibe
Sassy, light-hearted, and dripping with banter. It feels like the cozy, small-town seasonal warmth of a Hallmark movie colliding with the sharp, witty meta-paranoia and chaotic comedy of Finlay Donovan and the gritty edge of Hannah Morrissey.
Genre
Holiday Romantic Comedy / Cozy Whodunit Mystery / Romantic Suspense
Themes
~The Comedic Friction of Enemies-to-Lovers Rivalry
~The Commercialization and Illusion of Festive Sanctuaries
~Career Redemption Over Intense Professional Vulnerability
~The Complicity and Hidden Grudges of Small, Insular Communities
Standout Characters
~Holly Frost: The sharp, ambitious, and deeply defensive special agent who uses witty banter to guard both her professional reputation and her fragile heart
~Mark Shepherd: Holly’s fiercely competitive, brooding rival agent whose laser focus on the Major Crimes promotion masks a serious lingering fixation on Holly.
~The Town Elite: A highly eccentric group of Christmas organizers and festive shopkeepers whose entire financial survival hinges on keeping the public murder under wraps.
Author Writing Standout
Having read all of their solo books, Hannah Morrissey's trademark edgy sharpness and Midwestern noir atmosphere marry perfectly with Elle Cosimano's legendary talent for zany, chaotic humor and addictive, rapid-fire pacing. Their collaborative prose is a total delight, managing a crisp, multi-POV timeline that plays into our favorite holiday tropes while subverting them at every single turn.
Takeaway
You cannot fully unwrap the truth of a community until you look past the beautiful packaging; sometimes the most idyllic holiday traditions hide the coldest grudges.
Title Significance
Home for the Homicides functions as a brilliant, tongue-in-cheek subversion of the classic "home for the holidays" sentiment—instantly signaling to readers that this festive escape features a high-stakes body count.
Metaphor
The icicle ornament weapon serves as a flawless metaphor for the town itself—seemingly clear, beautiful, and seasonal on the outside, but structurally rigid and capable of inflicting lethal damage when weaponized.
Why You Should Read
Having thoroughly enjoyed their previous books and their initial collaborative teasers, I can guarantee this is the ultimate, bingeable seasonal blockbuster read for fans who want their holiday romance served with a brilliant, clever side of murder.
My Thoughts
COSIMANO AND MORRISSEY DELIVER A FLAWLESS, FIVE-STAR HOLIDAY BLOCKBUSTER.
"An electric collaboration that seamlessly blends razor-sharp enemies-to-lovers banter with a propulsive, twisty winter whodunit."
The narrative pacing turns the screw with absolute perfection. The snappy, sexual-tension-filled dialogue between Holly and Mark kept me grinning from ear to ear, while the countdown to the festival created a genuinely frantic level of suspense. It is a deliciously fun, sexy, and smart mash-up that belongs on everyone's autumn stack. Can't wait for the next in the series!
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5).
"A flawless, five-star festive triumph that proves nobody handles collaborative holiday malice quite like Cosimano and Morrissey."
Recs
Read this if you devoured the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano, Hannah's gritty twisty thrillers, Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (John Fram), Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series, A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington, or Sounds Like a Plan series by Dwayne Alexander Smith and Pamela Samuels Young.
Special thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 13, 2026
Oct Must-Read Books
May 18, 2026
HOME FOR THE HOMICIDES ⭐️⭐️💫/5. Release Date 10/13/26. This book took me so much longer to finish than it should have. As someone who obsessively reads holiday books and thrillers, this one missed the mark for me.a few weeks before Christmas in the little town of Christmas, a murder occurs that leaves the town and all the tourists on edge. Needing this wrapped up with a bow quickly, 2 detectives from the Big City (of course who share a history) are assigned the case with strict deadlines. I think that I could not figure out the identity of this book, and struggled with the pace. I do think it will be a hit, it hits lots of marks, but for I feel like I either wanted it to be MORE thrilling or just have more balance of theme. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1.5*
This isn't a knock against this book, but why are so many FMCs lately red heads?
Anyways. To the story. I don't know if I dislike third person omniscient pov, but I definitely didn't like it here. In the beginning, it was so in my face, and then it dropped off. It was done in a comedic style because the main characters can talk to the narrator. I always forget how goofy holiday stories, especially Christmas ones, are. Everything feels like a skit.
I also did not like Holly for many reasons. I'll list out a few for you. She hooked up with Mark at a Christmas party then proceeded to stand him up and not talk to him again once he got the promotion instead of her. Then when they got thrown on a homicide case in Christmas and she refused to share the bed with him and he left her to sleep in the room, she made a fake dating profile to try and figure out what girl he'd hook up with for a place to stay.
She's also so stuck on the idea that anything and everything is Mark trying to get a leg up on her WHEN HE ALREADY HAS THE POSITION IN MAJOR CRIMES AND WANTS TO SOLVE THE CASE TO LEAVE CHRISTMAS that she goes from 0 to 100 accusatorily mad every time she hears he did something. Chill tf out. Neither of you wants to be on this punishment mission. Just get things done and go home.
"Cut me out of the investigation again, and I'll make it my personal mission to take your job." 1) is that not your mission already? Could've fooled me. 2) Holly acknowledged two pages prior that he just wanted to solve it and placate his mom. Does she have short term memory loss??
And she's hypocritical to boot. She found an email chain between John and Ginger and chose to not tell Mark when he asked if she found a lead. Okay.
I heavily dislike insta-love. Mark and Holly hooked up once early into both their employments at SBI. And then Holly didn't talk to him from then on three days later. You can't tell me that Mark fell so hard for her in such a short amount of time that he canceled dates because 'none of them were Holly'. There's no background as to why she is his "dream girl".
When Holly suggests getting some drinks, Mark responds with, "I think I just fell in love with you, Frost" and she just stops functioning. Has she never heard of a joke? There's literally nothing but basic attraction, and animosity on her end, between them.
The Gen Alpha slang was painful, but I get it. However, if someone unmatches you on a dating app, the conversation disappears. So yes, they got into the victim's tinder profile, but those three matches aren't necessarily all the guys she talked to. If the perpetrator was smart, he would've unmatched.
On top of that, Holly and Mark rifled through the victim's hotel room before the crime scene photographer showed up. The one they called. That's not how things are done... Jack, the sheriff in Christmas, has no idea that 'confidential' means he can't share details about the ongoing investigation with anyone not involved with the case -- family included. The inconsistencies are killing me, and I don't even work in law enforcement.
Don't get me started on the date with John. That was a crap show and a half all because Mark couldn't control his emotions.
There's no tension. I'm told Holly likes him romantically, but you could've fooled me. Mark too. I don't know what he likes about her other than that she's attractive and a hard worker.
God. The sex scene was so painful to read. They essentially had a screaming contest, and the loser was me for having to read it.
"'Did you mean it when you said I was the best agent at the SBI? ... Then prove it and trust me.'" Holly proved to me time and time again that she's not reliable when it comes to her pride and ability to take accountability and admit when she's in the wrong.
Is Mark a fucking child? "I triple-dog dare you to kiss me." The whole situation was ridiculous. If he truly loved Holly and she ruined every other woman for him, as he said, he wouldn't have struggled to tell Noelle off. Thank goodness Noelle said, "'there's someone else'" before trying to kiss him. Smh.
I don't want to go back and look for it, but I could've sworn they pegged the victim's time of death as later .. but the confession out of Noelle was that she waited for the victim and had a cat fight before stabbing her with an icicle ornament at 8:00 PM. I'd imagine the ornament had to kill her immediately, but there was also no blood? How did this woman prop her up on the nativity scene? If the victim died instantly and fell in that exact spot, wouldn't it have knocked over the thing she was propped on? Also how did she know what Ginger looked like? There were so many tourists in town for the holidays.
They apprehended Noelle at the nth hour, less than three hours until Christmas. You mean to tell me that the news got out of the killer being caught and everyone and their mother booked their trip / accomodations to Christmas as the clock struck midnight on Christmas? Yeah, okay. Totally saved the Jingle Bell Jubilee.
Why was Ben mad at the parade? Didn't he return to Christmas because he wanted to talk to the police and help find the killer? It doesn't make sense. He was more mad in that scene than he was when Holly and Mark chased him down.
If you're looking for a good mystery, I wouldn't read this. If you're looking for a romcom, I wouldn't recommend this either. If you want to cringe a lot and laugh, give this a shot.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.
This isn't a knock against this book, but why are so many FMCs lately red heads?
Anyways. To the story. I don't know if I dislike third person omniscient pov, but I definitely didn't like it here. In the beginning, it was so in my face, and then it dropped off. It was done in a comedic style because the main characters can talk to the narrator. I always forget how goofy holiday stories, especially Christmas ones, are. Everything feels like a skit.
I also did not like Holly for many reasons. I'll list out a few for you. She hooked up with Mark at a Christmas party then proceeded to stand him up and not talk to him again once he got the promotion instead of her. Then when they got thrown on a homicide case in Christmas and she refused to share the bed with him and he left her to sleep in the room, she made a fake dating profile to try and figure out what girl he'd hook up with for a place to stay.
She's also so stuck on the idea that anything and everything is Mark trying to get a leg up on her WHEN HE ALREADY HAS THE POSITION IN MAJOR CRIMES AND WANTS TO SOLVE THE CASE TO LEAVE CHRISTMAS that she goes from 0 to 100 accusatorily mad every time she hears he did something. Chill tf out. Neither of you wants to be on this punishment mission. Just get things done and go home.
"Cut me out of the investigation again, and I'll make it my personal mission to take your job." 1) is that not your mission already? Could've fooled me. 2) Holly acknowledged two pages prior that he just wanted to solve it and placate his mom. Does she have short term memory loss??
And she's hypocritical to boot. She found an email chain between John and Ginger and chose to not tell Mark when he asked if she found a lead. Okay.
I heavily dislike insta-love. Mark and Holly hooked up once early into both their employments at SBI. And then Holly didn't talk to him from then on three days later. You can't tell me that Mark fell so hard for her in such a short amount of time that he canceled dates because 'none of them were Holly'. There's no background as to why she is his "dream girl".
When Holly suggests getting some drinks, Mark responds with, "I think I just fell in love with you, Frost" and she just stops functioning. Has she never heard of a joke? There's literally nothing but basic attraction, and animosity on her end, between them.
The Gen Alpha slang was painful, but I get it. However, if someone unmatches you on a dating app, the conversation disappears. So yes, they got into the victim's tinder profile, but those three matches aren't necessarily all the guys she talked to. If the perpetrator was smart, he would've unmatched.
On top of that, Holly and Mark rifled through the victim's hotel room before the crime scene photographer showed up. The one they called. That's not how things are done... Jack, the sheriff in Christmas, has no idea that 'confidential' means he can't share details about the ongoing investigation with anyone not involved with the case -- family included. The inconsistencies are killing me, and I don't even work in law enforcement.
Don't get me started on the date with John. That was a crap show and a half all because Mark couldn't control his emotions.
There's no tension. I'm told Holly likes him romantically, but you could've fooled me. Mark too. I don't know what he likes about her other than that she's attractive and a hard worker.
God. The sex scene was so painful to read. They essentially had a screaming contest, and the loser was me for having to read it.
"'Did you mean it when you said I was the best agent at the SBI? ... Then prove it and trust me.'" Holly proved to me time and time again that she's not reliable when it comes to her pride and ability to take accountability and admit when she's in the wrong.
Is Mark a fucking child? "I triple-dog dare you to kiss me." The whole situation was ridiculous. If he truly loved Holly and she ruined every other woman for him, as he said, he wouldn't have struggled to tell Noelle off. Thank goodness Noelle said, "'there's someone else'" before trying to kiss him. Smh.
I don't want to go back and look for it, but I could've sworn they pegged the victim's time of death as later .. but the confession out of Noelle was that she waited for the victim and had a cat fight before stabbing her with an icicle ornament at 8:00 PM. I'd imagine the ornament had to kill her immediately, but there was also no blood? How did this woman prop her up on the nativity scene? If the victim died instantly and fell in that exact spot, wouldn't it have knocked over the thing she was propped on? Also how did she know what Ginger looked like? There were so many tourists in town for the holidays.
They apprehended Noelle at the nth hour, less than three hours until Christmas. You mean to tell me that the news got out of the killer being caught and everyone and their mother booked their trip / accomodations to Christmas as the clock struck midnight on Christmas? Yeah, okay. Totally saved the Jingle Bell Jubilee.
Why was Ben mad at the parade? Didn't he return to Christmas because he wanted to talk to the police and help find the killer? It doesn't make sense. He was more mad in that scene than he was when Holly and Mark chased him down.
If you're looking for a good mystery, I wouldn't read this. If you're looking for a romcom, I wouldn't recommend this either. If you want to cringe a lot and laugh, give this a shot.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Home for the Homicides
~Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey
Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey brings together two authors living at opposite ends of the bookshelf, hanging them together on a Christmas book tree strung with twinkle lights, dropping them into a Hallmark town, and tossing them into a snowball fight where genres hit at random and somehow all manage to stick.
Meet Special Agents Mark Shepherd and Holly Frost of the SBI, the State Bureau of Investigations, a division that exists to assist smaller departments throughout the state when they run short on manpower. But after their in-office shenanigans, Commander Davenport has made it clear that the pressure is on. Whoever delivers the most impressive performance will take over the Major Crimes assignment desk.
Then murder comes to the town of Christmas, a place where crime practically has to make an appointment to show up. With the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee approaching, Mark and Holly are shipped off to solve the murder before the festivities begin. The pressure is on, but secrets get in the way, pride has to be put aside, a killer remains on the loose, and the two have to fight off a connection they insist doesn't exist. Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays! It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Cosimano and Morrissey team up to create a cast of quirky, off-the-wall, and endearing characters that carry both authors' fingerprints. Holly is the rule follower who takes her work seriously. She's shaped by trauma and her avoidance of Christmas, and her heartaches and struggles feel genuine and relatable, making her easy to root for. Mark is Holly's opposite in almost every way: the class clown with a badge, all bravado and bad decisions, and a smooth-talking charmer who somehow always manages to come out smelling like candy canes. Beneath the swagger, though, he carries the fear that he'll never be enough for anyone.
Together, the two are hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps. They shouldn't work as well as they do, but somehow they taste great together. The supporting cast are more than decorations on the Christmas tree, although a few feel beautifully placed rather than fully developed, leaving me wishing I had gotten to know them a little better.
The pacing is quick and light, although it occasionally slides onto a patch of ice when the plot tries to juggle a few too many baubles at once. The banter crackles, the slow burn simmers, and the enemies-to-lovers tension earns its steam. Readers are dropped into the Hallmark town of Christmas, complete with a coffee shop serving Christmas-themed specialties, then handed a murder involving a decorative icicle, a hunky lumberjack stripper who isn't shy about throwing his axe around, and a list of suspects whose names alone are enough to make readers laugh out loud. The town of Christmas is rendered so warmly you can practically smell the cinnamon before you spot the crime-scene tape.
If you're looking for a different take on a holiday-themed book that runs the gamut of genres, Home for the Homicides should be on your TBR for its October 13, 2026 release. This isn't the book for readers looking for an airtight procedural or deep literary snowdrifts. But for anyone who wants their whodunit wrapped in bright lights and tied with a bow made of banter, this is a charming, bingeable holiday read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and authors Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey for the opportunity to preview Home for the Homicides. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Home for the Homicides.
~Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey
Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey brings together two authors living at opposite ends of the bookshelf, hanging them together on a Christmas book tree strung with twinkle lights, dropping them into a Hallmark town, and tossing them into a snowball fight where genres hit at random and somehow all manage to stick.
Meet Special Agents Mark Shepherd and Holly Frost of the SBI, the State Bureau of Investigations, a division that exists to assist smaller departments throughout the state when they run short on manpower. But after their in-office shenanigans, Commander Davenport has made it clear that the pressure is on. Whoever delivers the most impressive performance will take over the Major Crimes assignment desk.
Then murder comes to the town of Christmas, a place where crime practically has to make an appointment to show up. With the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee approaching, Mark and Holly are shipped off to solve the murder before the festivities begin. The pressure is on, but secrets get in the way, pride has to be put aside, a killer remains on the loose, and the two have to fight off a connection they insist doesn't exist. Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays! It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Cosimano and Morrissey team up to create a cast of quirky, off-the-wall, and endearing characters that carry both authors' fingerprints. Holly is the rule follower who takes her work seriously. She's shaped by trauma and her avoidance of Christmas, and her heartaches and struggles feel genuine and relatable, making her easy to root for. Mark is Holly's opposite in almost every way: the class clown with a badge, all bravado and bad decisions, and a smooth-talking charmer who somehow always manages to come out smelling like candy canes. Beneath the swagger, though, he carries the fear that he'll never be enough for anyone.
Together, the two are hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps. They shouldn't work as well as they do, but somehow they taste great together. The supporting cast are more than decorations on the Christmas tree, although a few feel beautifully placed rather than fully developed, leaving me wishing I had gotten to know them a little better.
The pacing is quick and light, although it occasionally slides onto a patch of ice when the plot tries to juggle a few too many baubles at once. The banter crackles, the slow burn simmers, and the enemies-to-lovers tension earns its steam. Readers are dropped into the Hallmark town of Christmas, complete with a coffee shop serving Christmas-themed specialties, then handed a murder involving a decorative icicle, a hunky lumberjack stripper who isn't shy about throwing his axe around, and a list of suspects whose names alone are enough to make readers laugh out loud. The town of Christmas is rendered so warmly you can practically smell the cinnamon before you spot the crime-scene tape.
If you're looking for a different take on a holiday-themed book that runs the gamut of genres, Home for the Homicides should be on your TBR for its October 13, 2026 release. This isn't the book for readers looking for an airtight procedural or deep literary snowdrifts. But for anyone who wants their whodunit wrapped in bright lights and tied with a bow made of banter, this is a charming, bingeable holiday read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and authors Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey for the opportunity to preview Home for the Homicides. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Home for the Homicides.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Actual rating: 3.75 stars.
Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Minotaur Books for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Home for the Homicides is a satire of the typical Made-for-TV Christmas movies. Featuring a murder in the quaint town of Christmas, where crime never happens. Special Agent Mark Shepherd wants to keep it under wraps that he comes from the town of Christmas, but when his class clown antics get him and another agent sent there to solve a murder, he knows a town this small can't keep a secret. Special Agent Holly Frost just wants to get this murder solved so she can leave this uncanny valley of a town and go back to the Big City where she (and her very many f-bombs) belongs. But the agents are up against a ticking clock with the Jingle Bell Jubilee only days away. Can they find the murderer before then? Can they save the town's leading income source? Can they suppress their budding chemistry? Home for the Homicides comes out on October 13th and is available for preorder now.
As someone who is an avid Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas watcher, I had such a silly, fun time with this one. I wish I had known going in that it would be more like that than serious because my expectations would have been properly set. I think going into it with the wrong mindset is probably the reason this one isn't a higher rating from me. Which is definitely a me problem. I loved seeing all of the nods to the Made-for-TV Christmas Romance and all of the tropes being built up and knocked down. Also, Holly Frost might be my spirit animal. The way she views the town and can't help but drop f-bombs and be a little too real, a little too sloppy is so relatable. I liked Mark Shepherd because he was able to see that a town like Christmas just isn't real. It's a small town that has a major influx of cash when the tourists come to town for the holiday and holiday themed events. But nothing's ever quite real. Everything is played up for the tourists. And I love that he could see that and choose to go somewhere that may have a darker side to it but that is always real and itself. I felt like I was able to picture the town of Christmas so well. I think the authors did a good job setting the scene any time the reader gets introduced to a new location. It all felt so Christmassy and I think it's going to be a good read for fans of Mysteries, Romances, and Made-for-TV Christmas movies.
I do agree with others that the silliness/the campiness kept the reader at arm's length some of the time. I felt it the most when it comes to the romance subplot. I think it was hard to take the couple seriously because this is a satire of the genre. I can't take you seriously when you don't take you seriously. Ya know? But I still enjoyed seeing their yearning and angst throughout. I felt like there were times when the characters would say they hit a dead end with the case but literally two pages ago you mentioned something that needed to be investigated and never did the investigation for it. (Trying to be a bit vague here.) Like when they had a small window of time that they couldn't account for with one of the suspects and then they never tried to get an alibi for that window of time. Not a huge deal in the scheme of things because I think the mystery aspect of the story makes sense as a whole.
Overall, this was such a fun and quick read for me. This is my first time reading from either author so I'm definitely willing to pick up more from them in the future. This is the first book in a series so I'm really looking forward to it.
Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Minotaur Books for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Home for the Homicides is a satire of the typical Made-for-TV Christmas movies. Featuring a murder in the quaint town of Christmas, where crime never happens. Special Agent Mark Shepherd wants to keep it under wraps that he comes from the town of Christmas, but when his class clown antics get him and another agent sent there to solve a murder, he knows a town this small can't keep a secret. Special Agent Holly Frost just wants to get this murder solved so she can leave this uncanny valley of a town and go back to the Big City where she (and her very many f-bombs) belongs. But the agents are up against a ticking clock with the Jingle Bell Jubilee only days away. Can they find the murderer before then? Can they save the town's leading income source? Can they suppress their budding chemistry? Home for the Homicides comes out on October 13th and is available for preorder now.
As someone who is an avid Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas watcher, I had such a silly, fun time with this one. I wish I had known going in that it would be more like that than serious because my expectations would have been properly set. I think going into it with the wrong mindset is probably the reason this one isn't a higher rating from me. Which is definitely a me problem. I loved seeing all of the nods to the Made-for-TV Christmas Romance and all of the tropes being built up and knocked down. Also, Holly Frost might be my spirit animal. The way she views the town and can't help but drop f-bombs and be a little too real, a little too sloppy is so relatable. I liked Mark Shepherd because he was able to see that a town like Christmas just isn't real. It's a small town that has a major influx of cash when the tourists come to town for the holiday and holiday themed events. But nothing's ever quite real. Everything is played up for the tourists. And I love that he could see that and choose to go somewhere that may have a darker side to it but that is always real and itself. I felt like I was able to picture the town of Christmas so well. I think the authors did a good job setting the scene any time the reader gets introduced to a new location. It all felt so Christmassy and I think it's going to be a good read for fans of Mysteries, Romances, and Made-for-TV Christmas movies.
I do agree with others that the silliness/the campiness kept the reader at arm's length some of the time. I felt it the most when it comes to the romance subplot. I think it was hard to take the couple seriously because this is a satire of the genre. I can't take you seriously when you don't take you seriously. Ya know? But I still enjoyed seeing their yearning and angst throughout. I felt like there were times when the characters would say they hit a dead end with the case but literally two pages ago you mentioned something that needed to be investigated and never did the investigation for it. (Trying to be a bit vague here.) Like when they had a small window of time that they couldn't account for with one of the suspects and then they never tried to get an alibi for that window of time. Not a huge deal in the scheme of things because I think the mystery aspect of the story makes sense as a whole.
Overall, this was such a fun and quick read for me. This is my first time reading from either author so I'm definitely willing to pick up more from them in the future. This is the first book in a series so I'm really looking forward to it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey (Oct. 2026) [reading in August]
Holly & Mark Mystery #1
336-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Romance, Cozy Mystery, Humor
Movie Rating Equivalent: NC-17 for adult content including language and sex
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🍬🔍👮♂️👮🏼♀️☃️🎄
Featuring: Bibliography for Elle Cosimano, Bibliography for Hannah Morrissey, Christmas Town, Tourism, State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Special Agents, Murder Investigation, Work Trip, Sexual Tension, Sex - Detailed, Reckless Clown vs Ice Queen Pushover, Jolly vs Grinch, Enemies-to-Lovers, Unnumbered Chapters, Dual POVs, Acknowledgments - Letter from Authors
HBO Spice presents its newest segment, Hallmark After Dark, where you can unwrap Heart & Sin! From the creative minds behind Finlay Donovan and Black Harbor comes the ultimate holiday event: Home for the Homicides.
Meet Holly Frost—a grinchy ice queen whose chronic fear of standing up for herself somehow got her "promoted" all the way down to the basement mailroom. Enter Mark Shepherd—a reckless, jolly class clown whose latest workplace prank just put his entire career on the line.
Forced together, this unlikely duo heads to the most Rankin/Bass-looking, claymation-esque Christmas town in America to solve an out-of-nowhere murder mystery.
This story has it all:
F-bombs dropping faster than snowflakes 💣
Steamy, completely unprompted sex scenes 🔥
Non-stop jokes, ridiculous plot twists, and terrible puns 🎭
Sexual frustration that they aggressively work out... and then repeat 💥
A cast of 100% sexy characters, murder, total crazies, and orphans 🎄
...and moments so hilarious you’ll be laughing out loud until the credits roll! 🍿
Recommend to others: Very likely! It’s definitely not for everyone, but as long as you don't shun spice, grab the popcorn and give it a try!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Holly & Mark Mystery (with Hannah Morrissey)
1. Home for the Homicides (2026)
Songs for the Soundtrack: "Finally It's Christmas" by Hanson, "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John, "When Christmas Comes"
by Mariah Carey, "Cold December Night" by Michael Bublé, "Christmas Love" by Justin Bieber, "Carol of the Bells" by Mannheim Steamroller, "Santa Baby" by Etta James, "Jingle Bells (Acapella)" by Cimorelli, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby, "Mistress For Christmas" by AC/DC, "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" by Nat King Cole, "Got You By The Balls" by AC/DC, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time" by Panic! At The Disco
Books and Authors Mentioned: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss, Murder, She Wrote by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link; Frozen by Jennifer Lee [based on] The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen [and] The Ice Queen by Hans Christian Andersen; Home Alone by John Hughes, Game of Thrones by David Benioff, George R. R. Martin, Vanessa Taylor, D. B. Weiss, Jane Espenson, and More, [adapted from] A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin; A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz [based on] Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz; Home Alone by John Hughes, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Night before Christmas [originally titled] A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement-Clarke Moore
Holly & Mark Mystery #1
336-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Romance, Cozy Mystery, Humor
Movie Rating Equivalent: NC-17 for adult content including language and sex
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🍬🔍👮♂️👮🏼♀️☃️🎄
Featuring: Bibliography for Elle Cosimano, Bibliography for Hannah Morrissey, Christmas Town, Tourism, State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Special Agents, Murder Investigation, Work Trip, Sexual Tension, Sex - Detailed, Reckless Clown vs Ice Queen Pushover, Jolly vs Grinch, Enemies-to-Lovers, Unnumbered Chapters, Dual POVs, Acknowledgments - Letter from Authors
HBO Spice presents its newest segment, Hallmark After Dark, where you can unwrap Heart & Sin! From the creative minds behind Finlay Donovan and Black Harbor comes the ultimate holiday event: Home for the Homicides.
Meet Holly Frost—a grinchy ice queen whose chronic fear of standing up for herself somehow got her "promoted" all the way down to the basement mailroom. Enter Mark Shepherd—a reckless, jolly class clown whose latest workplace prank just put his entire career on the line.
Forced together, this unlikely duo heads to the most Rankin/Bass-looking, claymation-esque Christmas town in America to solve an out-of-nowhere murder mystery.
This story has it all:
F-bombs dropping faster than snowflakes 💣
Steamy, completely unprompted sex scenes 🔥
Non-stop jokes, ridiculous plot twists, and terrible puns 🎭
Sexual frustration that they aggressively work out... and then repeat 💥
A cast of 100% sexy characters, murder, total crazies, and orphans 🎄
...and moments so hilarious you’ll be laughing out loud until the credits roll! 🍿
Recommend to others: Very likely! It’s definitely not for everyone, but as long as you don't shun spice, grab the popcorn and give it a try!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Holly & Mark Mystery (with Hannah Morrissey)
1. Home for the Homicides (2026)
Songs for the Soundtrack: "Finally It's Christmas" by Hanson, "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John, "When Christmas Comes"
by Mariah Carey, "Cold December Night" by Michael Bublé, "Christmas Love" by Justin Bieber, "Carol of the Bells" by Mannheim Steamroller, "Santa Baby" by Etta James, "Jingle Bells (Acapella)" by Cimorelli, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby, "Mistress For Christmas" by AC/DC, "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" by Nat King Cole, "Got You By The Balls" by AC/DC, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time" by Panic! At The Disco
Books and Authors Mentioned: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss, Murder, She Wrote by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link; Frozen by Jennifer Lee [based on] The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen [and] The Ice Queen by Hans Christian Andersen; Home Alone by John Hughes, Game of Thrones by David Benioff, George R. R. Martin, Vanessa Taylor, D. B. Weiss, Jane Espenson, and More, [adapted from] A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin; A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz [based on] Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz; Home Alone by John Hughes, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Night before Christmas [originally titled] A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement-Clarke Moore
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You're familiar with how exaggerated its Christmas setting is. If a Hallmark Christmas film and a cozy murder mystery had a somewhat inappropriate offspring, this would be it.
Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd are dispatched to the idyllic town of Christmas after a tourist is murdered near the nativity scene, strangled with an icicle ornament. The town isn't ready for such a crime, especially with the Jingle Bell Jubilee just twelve days away. Holly and Mark must solve the case swiftly, but another issue complicates matters—they're vying for the same promotion. Plus, they have unresolved feelings after their encounter at last year's office Christmas party.
I truly enjoyed the dynamic between Holly and Mark. Their rivalry, attraction, and ongoing banter kept romance lively without overshadowing the mystery. Both characters have career mistakes to atone for, giving them additional motivation. Seeing them strive to collaborate while competing adds some of the book's funniest scenes.
The town of Christmas is delightfully over-the-top in the best way. Its Christmas-themed names, holiday customs, decorations, festivals, and constant references to Christmas are intentionally cheesy. I liked how the authors clearly embraced this style instead of attempting to make the setting realistic. An omniscient narrator occasionally joins the story, adding another quirky, self-aware touch.
The mystery kept me engaged, with many suspects and secrets beneath the holiday cheer, making it fun to figure out who was responsible. I also appreciated that the twelve-day countdown added urgency to the investigation. The town aims to solve the crime before its biggest festival, and Holly and Mark are eager for a professional victory.
A few aspects prevented this from being a five-star read for me. Some of the humor and Christmas puns felt overly abundant at times, and certain parts of the story were so exaggerated that you simply have to accept the silliness and enjoy the journey. There were also moments when romance captured my interest more than the investigation. However, once I let go of the expectation of a serious mystery and embraced the book for what it was, I really enjoyed it.
I also found that Cosimano and Morrissey's writing styles blended surprisingly well. The humor, romance, mystery, and darker elements come together cohesively, rather than seeming like two separate authors telling different parts of the story.
Overall, Home for the Homicides is a witty and fun holiday mystery that maintains a light-hearted tone. It features murder, romance, sexual tension, quirky characters, numerous suspects, a heavy dose of Christmas cheer, and two investigators more intrigued by either killing or kissing each other than actually solving the case.
I suggest this to readers who love cozy mysteries, holiday romances, enemies-to-lovers, workplace rivals, forced proximity, Christmas themes, witty banter, and spicy mysteries. It's especially ideal for those who have watched a charming small-town Christmas movie and thought, "This would be better with a murder."
Thank you to Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of Home for the Homicides. I am grateful for the opportunity and will provide an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd are dispatched to the idyllic town of Christmas after a tourist is murdered near the nativity scene, strangled with an icicle ornament. The town isn't ready for such a crime, especially with the Jingle Bell Jubilee just twelve days away. Holly and Mark must solve the case swiftly, but another issue complicates matters—they're vying for the same promotion. Plus, they have unresolved feelings after their encounter at last year's office Christmas party.
I truly enjoyed the dynamic between Holly and Mark. Their rivalry, attraction, and ongoing banter kept romance lively without overshadowing the mystery. Both characters have career mistakes to atone for, giving them additional motivation. Seeing them strive to collaborate while competing adds some of the book's funniest scenes.
The town of Christmas is delightfully over-the-top in the best way. Its Christmas-themed names, holiday customs, decorations, festivals, and constant references to Christmas are intentionally cheesy. I liked how the authors clearly embraced this style instead of attempting to make the setting realistic. An omniscient narrator occasionally joins the story, adding another quirky, self-aware touch.
The mystery kept me engaged, with many suspects and secrets beneath the holiday cheer, making it fun to figure out who was responsible. I also appreciated that the twelve-day countdown added urgency to the investigation. The town aims to solve the crime before its biggest festival, and Holly and Mark are eager for a professional victory.
A few aspects prevented this from being a five-star read for me. Some of the humor and Christmas puns felt overly abundant at times, and certain parts of the story were so exaggerated that you simply have to accept the silliness and enjoy the journey. There were also moments when romance captured my interest more than the investigation. However, once I let go of the expectation of a serious mystery and embraced the book for what it was, I really enjoyed it.
I also found that Cosimano and Morrissey's writing styles blended surprisingly well. The humor, romance, mystery, and darker elements come together cohesively, rather than seeming like two separate authors telling different parts of the story.
Overall, Home for the Homicides is a witty and fun holiday mystery that maintains a light-hearted tone. It features murder, romance, sexual tension, quirky characters, numerous suspects, a heavy dose of Christmas cheer, and two investigators more intrigued by either killing or kissing each other than actually solving the case.
I suggest this to readers who love cozy mysteries, holiday romances, enemies-to-lovers, workplace rivals, forced proximity, Christmas themes, witty banter, and spicy mysteries. It's especially ideal for those who have watched a charming small-town Christmas movie and thought, "This would be better with a murder."
Thank you to Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of Home for the Homicides. I am grateful for the opportunity and will provide an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The romance was easily the weakest part of this book. They had unresolved tension from their past, sure, but how am I supposed to feel invested in that when she's constantly checking out other men and he's out here describing his ex-fiancée like this:
...Hello?? And I'm supposed to root for him ending up with his work partner after reading that?
If this was the authors' attempt at creating jealousy, I hate to tell you, but it was done terribly. There's a difference between making your characters jealous and making them seem like they'd genuinely rather be with someone else. Mark still had way too many soft feelings for Noelle, even after getting together with Holly. I don't care that he felt guilty about ending the engagement. The way it was written made it feel like Noelle could've gotten him back if she'd just tried a little harder, and I hated that Holly didn't even know any of this. At several points, it felt like he had stronger feelings for his ex than for Holly.
And how exactly are we supposed to believe Holly is the endgame when the main way we're shown his feelings is... him getting jealous? That's it? The book keeps insisting that —
— but... when? How? Because we certainly weren't shown that. Other than him getting jealous, I don't remember anything that actually convinced me she meant more to him than a girl he liked. Meanwhile, there's an entire chapter dedicated to him comforting his crying ex, and I was just sitting there wondering why I should be rooting for this relationship at all. Based on the way his internal monologue constantly described Noelle, I would've completely believed he would've cheated. That's how little confidence I had in this romance. That's how badly this whole thing was done.
The worst part? None of it even served a purpose. Holly never finds out, it doesn't lead to any meaningful conflict, and even during the climax, it amounts to absolutely nothing. So what was the point of writing it that way?
You could argue that the romance was only the B plot and the mystery was the real focus. That would be fair... if the mystery had been any more interesting. Unfortunately, it felt pretty generic too. It needed higher stakes, more tension, and more suspense. The little notes scattered between chapters didn't help either. They mostly just repeated what was about to happen in the next paragraph, and instead of building anticipation, they made parts of the book feel almost like a spoof.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible read, but neither the romance nor the mystery fully delivered for me.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Opening a favourite book for the first time in ages and being reminded of why you fell in love with it.
...Hello?? And I'm supposed to root for him ending up with his work partner after reading that?
If this was the authors' attempt at creating jealousy, I hate to tell you, but it was done terribly. There's a difference between making your characters jealous and making them seem like they'd genuinely rather be with someone else. Mark still had way too many soft feelings for Noelle, even after getting together with Holly. I don't care that he felt guilty about ending the engagement. The way it was written made it feel like Noelle could've gotten him back if she'd just tried a little harder, and I hated that Holly didn't even know any of this. At several points, it felt like he had stronger feelings for his ex than for Holly.
And how exactly are we supposed to believe Holly is the endgame when the main way we're shown his feelings is... him getting jealous? That's it? The book keeps insisting that —
Holly is everything to him
— but... when? How? Because we certainly weren't shown that. Other than him getting jealous, I don't remember anything that actually convinced me she meant more to him than a girl he liked. Meanwhile, there's an entire chapter dedicated to him comforting his crying ex, and I was just sitting there wondering why I should be rooting for this relationship at all. Based on the way his internal monologue constantly described Noelle, I would've completely believed he would've cheated. That's how little confidence I had in this romance. That's how badly this whole thing was done.
The worst part? None of it even served a purpose. Holly never finds out, it doesn't lead to any meaningful conflict, and even during the climax, it amounts to absolutely nothing. So what was the point of writing it that way?
You could argue that the romance was only the B plot and the mystery was the real focus. That would be fair... if the mystery had been any more interesting. Unfortunately, it felt pretty generic too. It needed higher stakes, more tension, and more suspense. The little notes scattered between chapters didn't help either. They mostly just repeated what was about to happen in the next paragraph, and instead of building anticipation, they made parts of the book feel almost like a spoof.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible read, but neither the romance nor the mystery fully delivered for me.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 2.5
Review: TLDR: This was a f*cking mess
I'm not sure I have ever felt so conflicted about a book in my life. I should preface this by saying I'm a massive fan of Elle Cosimano. Massive. She's a local to me author and I absolutely adore her writing. Which is why I'm devastated to say that I did not enjoy this book. Not even a little bit. Well, maybe that's not true. I actually feel pretty invested in the romance. But also at the same time I think the MMC is kinda dumb and also incredibly confusing. There were so many times it felt like his personality contradicted itself but not in a growth way in a you can tell two people were trying to write the same character way. Also, this felt like the authors were trying WAYYY too hard to be quirky with the writing. And also at the same time the FMC was using gen AI AND saying things like Rizz. It felt very "I'm not a regular mom, I'm a cool mom [who is also out of touch about how people feel about AI]." I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. There were times I was enjoying this book (the banter as good!), but then there were times that this book made me question if I enjoy reading anymore. This took me eight days to read. Which is ALOT of days for me with an under 400 page book. I also told myself I was going to DNF it about 42 times, but I was genuinely interested to see where the romance would go. I doubt I will continue the series. Also wtf was up with the 3rd person omniscient narrator? That we literally never find out who that is?
Synopsis: Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it’s the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth—after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn't exist?
The stakes are the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town's entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes—and there's only one spot.
Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it's not only their jobs on the line, it's their hearts, too—regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer—without killing each other—is on
Review: TLDR: This was a f*cking mess
I'm not sure I have ever felt so conflicted about a book in my life. I should preface this by saying I'm a massive fan of Elle Cosimano. Massive. She's a local to me author and I absolutely adore her writing. Which is why I'm devastated to say that I did not enjoy this book. Not even a little bit. Well, maybe that's not true. I actually feel pretty invested in the romance. But also at the same time I think the MMC is kinda dumb and also incredibly confusing. There were so many times it felt like his personality contradicted itself but not in a growth way in a you can tell two people were trying to write the same character way. Also, this felt like the authors were trying WAYYY too hard to be quirky with the writing. And also at the same time the FMC was using gen AI AND saying things like Rizz. It felt very "I'm not a regular mom, I'm a cool mom [who is also out of touch about how people feel about AI]." I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. There were times I was enjoying this book (the banter as good!), but then there were times that this book made me question if I enjoy reading anymore. This took me eight days to read. Which is ALOT of days for me with an under 400 page book. I also told myself I was going to DNF it about 42 times, but I was genuinely interested to see where the romance would go. I doubt I will continue the series. Also wtf was up with the 3rd person omniscient narrator? That we literally never find out who that is?
Synopsis: Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it’s the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth—after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn't exist?
The stakes are the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town's entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes—and there's only one spot.
Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it's not only their jobs on the line, it's their hearts, too—regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer—without killing each other—is on
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hilarious and spicy romcom/light mystery! It's probably closer to 4.5 stars than the 4 I gave it.
Thanks to NetGalley I received an ARC of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait for the audiobook being narrated by Colin Donnell and Patti Murin!
Imagine if your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies were on HBOMax and had a snarky 3rd party narrator to pop in and make fun of all the common romance and holiday tropes and you've got this book! While several romance authors have recently tried to do the humorous, tongue in cheek spicy holiday romance, Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey have been the first to succeed and avoid it becoming super weird and unsexy (I still cannot look at candy canes the same way) or super cheesy. Add in a mystery plot line and this book is a winner.
Mark and Holly are rival police investigators with a history of incredible chemistry and a one time hookup made complicated by only one of them getting the promotion they both wanted but now both their jobs are on the line due to hilarious but poor personal choices. They're thrown together to solve a murder in a town that is literally called "Christmas" and is the embodiment of every holiday small town. As their investigation proceeds full of banter and lingering glances, their relationship deepens..
There were many, many times I laughed aloud at the absurd situations or dialogue and the spice was quite hot. There was some "personal trauma related to Christmas" for both characters that was initially introduced in a mocking, "so-it's-that-trope" kind of way but later I felt they got too serious about it and forget they were supposed to be making fun of the "her memories of Christmas were tragic" bit. I also think the humor dropped a bit as the plot proceeded and I missed that.
The mystery wasn't too hard to figure out because in a small town there are only so many characters, and just like in Murder She Wrote you know it's gotta be someone you've been introduced to. That being said, I wasn't expecting a great whodunnit and was quite satisfied.
At one point, I thought we were going to have the typical 3rd act breakup due to a simple misunderstanding/character sees something and assumes the worst but I was pleasantly surprised the authors avoided that.
All in all, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wishes their Hallmark Christmas movies weren't quite so G rated.
Thanks to NetGalley I received an ARC of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait for the audiobook being narrated by Colin Donnell and Patti Murin!
Imagine if your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies were on HBOMax and had a snarky 3rd party narrator to pop in and make fun of all the common romance and holiday tropes and you've got this book! While several romance authors have recently tried to do the humorous, tongue in cheek spicy holiday romance, Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey have been the first to succeed and avoid it becoming super weird and unsexy (I still cannot look at candy canes the same way) or super cheesy. Add in a mystery plot line and this book is a winner.
Mark and Holly are rival police investigators with a history of incredible chemistry and a one time hookup made complicated by only one of them getting the promotion they both wanted but now both their jobs are on the line due to hilarious but poor personal choices. They're thrown together to solve a murder in a town that is literally called "Christmas" and is the embodiment of every holiday small town. As their investigation proceeds full of banter and lingering glances, their relationship deepens..
There were many, many times I laughed aloud at the absurd situations or dialogue and the spice was quite hot. There was some "personal trauma related to Christmas" for both characters that was initially introduced in a mocking, "so-it's-that-trope" kind of way but later I felt they got too serious about it and forget they were supposed to be making fun of the "her memories of Christmas were tragic" bit. I also think the humor dropped a bit as the plot proceeded and I missed that.
The mystery wasn't too hard to figure out because in a small town there are only so many characters, and just like in Murder She Wrote you know it's gotta be someone you've been introduced to. That being said, I wasn't expecting a great whodunnit and was quite satisfied.
At one point, I thought we were going to have the typical 3rd act breakup due to a simple misunderstanding/character sees something and assumes the worst but I was pleasantly surprised the authors avoided that.
All in all, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wishes their Hallmark Christmas movies weren't quite so G rated.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3/5? Idk, I was really conflicted on how to rate this book.
Here's the thing: you'll probably enjoy this book a lot if you turn your brain off and just... accept how ridiculous the book is. Even the book itself pokes fun at how ridiculous it is. I mean, it's literally murder in a Hallmark movie - what are you expecting? Don't go into this book expecting a Super Serious (TM) murder mystery. Yes, that is the plot, but it's just... not that serious.
Actually, my big gripe with this book is that I didn't care for our MCs much. Mark was... fine? But I hated Holly. I thought she was rude and had no skills of self-reflection. She was the kind of person who refused to accept that she could be wrong in any situation ever. Also, that situation at the beginning with the pot brownies kind of set the stage for my dislike of her. How are you a whole police officer and going around eating random ass brownies from random people? IDK feels like you're too dumb to be a cop for me.
Also! It pissed me off so much how rude she was to Mark about him getting to be in serious crimes, while she was working in mail crimes. How is that his fault he got in... unless he did something, like, special, such as bribing their bosses, they're the ones who chose to give him the promotion. And whether you like it or not, a lot of getting ahead in life is being social and knowing how to talk to people... along with some other issues, Holly just came off as a bitch.
Mark... I didn't like how close he let the ex-fiancee get. I get he grew up in this ridiculous ass town where they probably teach nothing but to be overly nice, but he had no spine, either with the ex or with his mom. I really hope he cuts his mom out completely in future books. None of that redemption arc BS. But I honestly can't quite get too mad over Mark and ex-gf, cause Holly spent a lot of the book pining over another guy too.
The writing was pretty good! Nothing to complain about there.
The murderer is obvious. But like I said above, don't go into this expecting a serious mystery. It's a mystery with the ridiculousness of Hallmark. The big city is literally called Big City. Make of that what you will.
Overall, it's okay. A fun little read, but I'm not sure I'd pick it up again, or read a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Here's the thing: you'll probably enjoy this book a lot if you turn your brain off and just... accept how ridiculous the book is. Even the book itself pokes fun at how ridiculous it is. I mean, it's literally murder in a Hallmark movie - what are you expecting? Don't go into this book expecting a Super Serious (TM) murder mystery. Yes, that is the plot, but it's just... not that serious.
Actually, my big gripe with this book is that I didn't care for our MCs much. Mark was... fine? But I hated Holly. I thought she was rude and had no skills of self-reflection. She was the kind of person who refused to accept that she could be wrong in any situation ever. Also, that situation at the beginning with the pot brownies kind of set the stage for my dislike of her. How are you a whole police officer and going around eating random ass brownies from random people? IDK feels like you're too dumb to be a cop for me.
Also! It pissed me off so much how rude she was to Mark about him getting to be in serious crimes, while she was working in mail crimes. How is that his fault he got in... unless he did something, like, special, such as bribing their bosses, they're the ones who chose to give him the promotion. And whether you like it or not, a lot of getting ahead in life is being social and knowing how to talk to people... along with some other issues, Holly just came off as a bitch.
Mark... I didn't like how close he let the ex-fiancee get. I get he grew up in this ridiculous ass town where they probably teach nothing but to be overly nice, but he had no spine, either with the ex or with his mom. I really hope he cuts his mom out completely in future books. None of that redemption arc BS. But I honestly can't quite get too mad over Mark and ex-gf, cause Holly spent a lot of the book pining over another guy too.
The writing was pretty good! Nothing to complain about there.
The murderer is obvious. But like I said above, don't go into this expecting a serious mystery. It's a mystery with the ridiculousness of Hallmark. The big city is literally called Big City. Make of that what you will.
Overall, it's okay. A fun little read, but I'm not sure I'd pick it up again, or read a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews