The national bestselling author of Snow Way Out returns with more sparkling snow globes and cold-blooded murder...
It’s that time of the year again—the Christmas rush is about to begin, and curio shop owner Camryn Brooks and her BFF, coffee shop owner Alice “Pinky” Nelson, need to hire additional help. Their former high-school classmate, Molly Dalton, is not exactly who they had in mind. Has the rich socialite worked a day in her life? But Molly practically begs for the job.
On her first day, Molly seems to be in her own little world, and Cami worries that her new employee may flake out. The problem turns out to be far worse than that when Cami discovers Molly dead in the back of the shop, after drinking a poisoned cup of coffee. Soon there is an avalanche of suspects as Cami starts shoveling through the clues—including a shattered snow globe of Marilyn Monroe. Now Cami will have to venture out of her safety zone before the pathological poisoner stirs up more trouble...
Christine Husom is the Minnesota author of the medium-boiled Winnebago County Mysteries and the cozy Snow Globe Shop Mysteries. She holds an undergraduate degree from Concordia University in St. Paul, trained with the St. Paul Police Department, and served with the Wright County Sheriff's Department. Husom is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She loves meeting readers at book clubs and other venues.
I liked these characters in Snow Way Out as you saw from my review yesterday. They are even better in The Iced Princess.
I knew Cami was adopted by her aunt and uncle when she was just a little girl, after her parents had died, but the connection she has with her deceased mom really resonated in this story. You see pennies happen to appear out of nowhere when Cami is troubled or just needing a sign of love. I don’t know why this didn’t stand out to me more in the first book. I wish I had a connection like that with my mom, my dad, or my son. Reading about them in this story just gave me a warm feeling.
We have 2 new characters in this story, Molly Dalton and Emmy Anders. Molly was one of Pinky and Cami’s classmates who married very well but is bored being home. Emmy is an older retired woman who has some time on her hands. Cami and Pinky had been talking about hiring some extra help for the holidays so they offer both a them part-time employment. On their very first day tension is in the air and one of them dies. The last body was found in the park, this one is right in their store. Can Cami get to the truth and find why someone was killed in her store on their first day of work? She finds out there are more than the obvious suspect but can she get the police to see that too?
This story moves at a fast clip. Secrets from long ago are revealed and could have monumental consequences. There are several twists to keep us readers on out toes. This mystery was very well written and plotted. I liked the start of a new romance. I enjoyed the small bits of comic relief to keep the story from getting too heavy. The characters are growing too. I really like Cami’s adoptive parents. Beth is having chemo treatments and Eddie tries to stay by her side or keep her close by so he can take care of her even though she is a very independent woman. They are so upbeat and have such a positive outlook even after all they have been through, and they have raised their children to be the same way.
Oh and don’t forget the beautiful snow globes. After reading this story and Snow Way Outback to back I wanted to give everyone snow globes for Christmas.
I don't care for books with supernatural overtones which this had though the blurb didn't make that clear. Also, the plot was kind of all over the place. There were incidents which were probably meant to seem like twists but actually just seemed kind of bonkers. And the MC and her friends acted more like a mildly annoying high school clique than a group of professionals in their 30s. Add a romance with someone who didn't seem to have a lot of redeeming characteristics and this one just didn't work for me.
THE ICED PRINCESS is a cool second installment in the Snow Globe Shop Mysteries.
Author Christine Husom has created a series that really pulls the reader in. I enjoy spending time in Curio Finds, protagonist Cam’s shop and Brew-Ha-Ha, her friend Pinky’s coffee shop. I can always envision myself walking through the open arch that divides the two stores. I love the interaction between the two friends. It makes me long for small town life with a quaint shop of my own.
This second story in the series is steps above the first book, SNOW WAY OUT, which was a really good. THE ICED PRINCESS is a well written, wonderfully plotted mystery that had me eagerly turning the pages. With as many suspects as snow in a globe, Ms. Husom really had me flurrying for an answer. It wasn’t until the surprising reveal that it all became clear. I know I never would have guessed it on my own.
Author Husom has a winner with THE ICED PRINCESS. Shake-up your reading list with this book today!
A fun snow globe project can be found in the back of the book!
This is the second in the Snow Globe Shop mystery series, but the first one I’ve read. Cami Brooks has returned to her home town from Washington DC to help her parents with their Curio Finds shop while her mother recovers from a serious illness. She’s also fleeing a scandalous episode that involves the Senator from Minnesota. Her good friend Pinky runs the coffee shop next door and the two help each other out during busy periods. With the Christmas season approaching the two friends consider hiring some additional help. Their former high school classmate Molly Dalton isn’t what they had in mind, but she practically begs for the job. At the end of her first day on the job, Cami is stunned to find Molly dead in the bathroom – apparently poisoned.
Well this is just all over the place. There’s the whole drama with the Senator. The little old lady with a criminal past. A strangely unemotional husband. A long-lost stepbrother. An unexpected confession of a murder no one ever suspected. A strange man with a suitcase. Several “customers” who are behaving oddly. And a possible ghost who keeps turning the bathroom light on when no one is there…. Or maybe it’s an electrical short.
It seemed to me that Husom was trying too hard to confuse and confound the investigators (and the reader) in order to have a mystery plot with some twists and turns. Nothing seemed to work for me. Cami behaved like a junior-high tween more often than a professional woman. I didn’t feel any spark between her and her apparent love interest (except that she seems to melt in his arms when he kisses her). And the whole resolution of the mystery seemed rushed.
This installment in A Snow Globe Shop mystery series starts out with the likeable heroine, Cami Brooks, needing to hire extra help at her curio shop for the holiday rush. How convenient when Molly the socialite and Emmy the retiree walk in and volunteer. Things don’t start out well their first day as the new employees don’t seem to get along. Then Cami finds Molly dead in the bathroom. With the police on her tail, Cami determines to unravel the clues leading to the killer. But when both Molly and Cami are hiding secrets about their backgrounds, things get more complex and more suspects mushroom around her. Can she find the killer before he decides to put her on ice?
I really, really enjoy this series! "The Iced Princess" is the second book in this series and is as good as the first one.
In this book Christmas is standing in front of the door and curio shop owner Camryn Brooks and best friend Pinky who owns the coffee shop next door are in busy times. They decide they need extra hands and hire former high-school classmate Molly Dalton and Emmy, an older lady who wants something to do. They are not really the first choice the ladies wanted, but they both practically beg for the job, so they decide to give them a chance.
When Camryn finds Molly murdered in the bathroom, all eyes go to Emmy due to her history, as Molly is poisoned. But is Emmy really the killer? Camryn finds it hard to believe and dives into the investigation herself and discovers a secret about Molly and her mom, no one thought possible.
The book is an easy read, you get sucked into the story and just want to continue to read on and on! The characters are very likeable and I felt part of the story. I very much enjoy the writing style of Ms. Husom. The mystery is good, even though I did quickly felt a certain person might be the killer and that indeed was the case. Still, it was a great book to read and again, I really love this series! There are also Snow globe-making projects and tips included!
I am really enjoying this series and will be starting the next book soon. So far there are just 3 in this series, but I sure hope there are more to come.
The Iced Princess Snow Globe Mystery, Book #2 Christine Husom 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The national bestselling author of Snow Way Out returns with more sparkling snow globes and cold-blooded murder...
It’s that time of the year again—the Christmas rush is about to begin, and curio shop owner Camryn Brooks and her BFF, coffee shop owner Alice “Pinky” Nelson, need to hire additional help. Their former high-school classmate, Molly Dalton, is not exactly who they had in mind. Has the rich socialite worked a day in her life? But Molly practically begs for the job.
On her first day, Molly seems to be in her own little world, and Cami worries that her new employee may flake out. The problem turns out to be far worse than that when Cami discovers Molly dead in the back of the shop, after drinking a poisoned cup of coffee. Soon there is an avalanche of suspects as Cami starts shoveling through the clues—including a shattered snow globe of Marilyn Monroe. Now Cami will have to venture out of her safety zone before the pathological poisoner stirs up more trouble...
Snow globe-making projects and tips included! (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Cami and Pinky. They are good friends and they would do almost anything for each other. I like reading about their conversations and fun antics and they felt like realistic characters to me. I liked the mix of old characters from the previous book and new characters that we meet for this book. The secondary characters added a lot to the story.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I love the setting of the curio shop. All of the snow globes gave the story a whimsical feeling and I think this is a great setting for a cozy mystery. I could picture all of the snow globes and the scenes they depicted and that made me smile.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues tossed in to make it nearly impossible to solve. That is what I look for in a mystery.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I have read the first book in the series (which I liked) and now I am looking forward to reading the next one.
To me, there is nothing more Christmasy than a snow globe, and in author Christine Husom's mystery series, the "Snow Globe Shop" mysteries, the action is set in a shop that caters to snow globe collectors and lovers! Pure heaven! So there's a murder now and then, you've got snow globes to make you happy!
In Husom's latest book, "The Iced Princess," the Christmas season is nearly here, and Cami Brooks is hoping for a terrific holiday sales season. But when a new employee is found dead in the back of the shop, well, let's just say sales might be dipping as low as the temperatures in Minnesota! With help from her family and friends, Cami sets out to find out who poisoned the pretty debutante - it could be anyone, and Cami intends to find out who, before they come after her next!
I really enjoyed Christine Husom's first book in this series "Snow Way Out," and was thrilled that the second book is just as charming. Husom's characters are well-developed and the snow globe shop/coffee shop setting is just fun. Plus, Husom's background as a former law enforcement officer lends an air of credibility to the mystery solving aspect of the story.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, cold weather, or snow globes and Christmas, then you will love "The Iced Princess." I highly recommend it!
The Ice Princess is a good mystery with lots of strange and interesting people. It takes place in the small town of Brooks Landing, Minnesota. The main character, Camryn Brooks, owns a gift shop that specializes in snow globes. She shares space with her good friend Pinky Nelson, who runs a coffee and baked goods shop. There is a murder in the gift shop and Camryn takes it upon herself to try to solve the murder. She is good friends with two of the men on the police force. Together with other inhabitants of the town, the murder and other mysteries surrounding the murder, are solved. It's a "cozy mystery" taking place right before Christmas and is a satisfying and good read.
I enjoyed this book and thought the plot was interesting and the way things came together at the end was well-done. It's nice to see three women, Molly, Pinky, and Erin get along so well and confide in each other regarding the investigation and their lives. I appreciate that this is a "clean cozy" and it is fitting there isn't strong language, but having all three friends continually saying, "Golly", "Gee whiz", and "Holy Moly" started detracting from the story. Otherwise, I enjoyed the book and am interested to see if more will come of the obvious chemistry between Molly and Clint.
Second in the series. Cozy mystery set in a curios shop selling a lot of snow globes. The main character has done the route of being an up and coming star in DC working for a senator and now retreating to her hometown and safety of her parents shop who coincidentally fall ill and need her help just after she gets caught in a flagrant situation with her boss’s husband. In this story, she is feeling overwhelmed by the customers and hires extra help - a former schoolmate with few skills and an old lady with mood swings. When the schoolmate turns up dead in her shop bathroom, the flickering lights and dreams of her ghost help solve her murder. Not my favorite cozy but gentle and had some fun twists.
Ms Husom's "The Iced Princess" was a most enjoyable read. I have to admit I did not figure out who-dun-it but was not entirely surprised. Set in Wisconsin, the town of Brooks Landing is charming and full of characters, several of which are introduced in this story. Cami, the heroine of the story, is managing a snow globe shop for her parents. Although she doesn't plan to be a sleuth, she manages to stick her nose in the investigation. There comes a point where you become so engrossed in the story you just have to find the answer. That's what makes it exciting. I will be looking for the next Snow Globe Shop Mystery very soon.
This was not a bad book it just couldn’t hold my attention. Once I stopped I found it difficult to pick it back up. It was like that distant friend you care about but not enough to check in with daily.
The characters seemed to real…almost boring. Cami’s friends were dull and childish at times.
Will I read the other two books in the series? Probably not unless they happen to fall in to my lap.
I hate writing negative reviews. This could have been a situation as not the right book for me at the time. Please conduct your own review and thoughts after reading the book yourself. You will have a different than I.
Not too hard of a mystery to solve (actually rather obvious), but enjoyable.
Originally I was skeptical about a series set in a snow globe shop. How many mysteries/ puns can you come up with for snow globes? It seems to be a rather limited topic, right? So far, the second book has shown that this series is not set on limiting the mysteries to include snow globes. Thank goodness! The set up of the store and coffee shop make it convenient for the main character to be away from her shop to investigate, a problem which is often faced by these characters.
Camryn and Pinky are busy at work when two people decided that they would like to work for them. On the very first day the two women did not get along and after Camryn goes to lunch and makes it back one of the women end up dead. It is basically an interesting mystery because it ends up getting two people arrested regarding the same person but for different reasons. It has a little spark between two people that would not normally have a spark and it will be interesting in the next book of this series. A good quick mystery and guessing at the end.
I like this series! I used to collect snow globes and really like them so I would love to visit this shop!
This book had characters to love and characters to love to hate. Too bad Molly died, I think she would have been a good addition to the group. But the way things worked, secrets were told and there were things that were nicely cleared up.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Challenge: Holiday Book Bingo 2018 - Published in December (16) and Stars on cover (20). Published December 1, 2015, this continues the mystery series whose main character works in a snow globe shop; making a snow globe using glitter and glycerin is included. Good conclusions to all but one of the mysterious happenings
A nice community with a close group of friends has been created. There was too much rehashing of events that occurred, that day or the original crime. We’re not four, we have obtained object permanence. It’s good to go over events, etc at some point as a reminder to the readers, but not as a constant device. It’s tiring and creates too much stoppage instead of forward momentum.
Curio shop proprietor Camryn Brooks and her best friend Pinky Nelson (who owns the adjoining coffee shop) join forces to hire two new employees in anticipation of the upcoming Christmas rush. Molly, one of Cami’s former classmates is a socialite, who has never worked a day in her life, while Emmy, a frequent customer of the coffee shop, is a widow, looking to work to stave off boredom. Neither of them, however, has any retail experience. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and Molly is found dead in Cami’s shop after drinking poisoned coffee. Suspects abound, and Cami quickly embarks on a quest to clear Emmy’s name and find the real killer. Overall, this is a good book. I was a little disappointed that neither Christmas nor the snow globes featured prominently in the mystery. However, the writing was entertaining, and the long list of suspects kept me guessing to the end.