Madness in Christmas River

Christmas River #3

by Meg Muldoon, Randye Kaye (Narrator)

It's Christmastime again in Christmas River. And all hell is breaking loose. Pie baker Cinnamon Peters has plenty on her plate this season. Between running her popular pie shop, planning her upcoming wedding to the town's sheriff, and trying to lose weight to squeeze into her oh-so-perfect and oh-so-tight wedding dress, it's all Cinnamon can do to keep her head on straight. But when Cinnamon's cousin goes missing, and strange acts of violent vandalism start plaguing Christmas River, Cinnamon is quickly pulled into a shady world of danger that threatens to send her careening over the edge of sanity. Will Cinnamon make it to her wedding without losing her mind? Or will she get dragged down into madness?

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Christmas, Cozy, Holiday, Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published December 10, 2013

About the author

For a very limited time receive a FREE cozy mystery and recipe book when you sign up for Meg Muldoon's mailing list! Sign-up here: http://eepurl.com/zcGr1

Meg Muldoon is the author of over 20 feel-good mysteries, including the bestselling Christmas River Cozy Mysteries and The Dog Town USA Cozy Mysteries. A former small town news reporter, Meg has always had a special place in her heart for lost dogs, homeless cats, and feisty old locals. She enjoys Marionberry pie, red cowboy boots, and craft glue guns. Meg specializes in writing stories filled with humor and heart, and her books have been featured in the Amazon Kindle Top-100.

Meg lives in Central Oregon with two Great Pyrenees, a cattle dog named Huckleberry, and a rascal cat named Frank.

Reading Order:

THE CHRISTMAS RIVER COZY MYSTERY SERIES
Murder in Christmas River – Book 1
Mayhem in Christmas River – Book 2
Madness in Christmas River – Book 3
Malice in Christmas River – Book 4
Mischief in Christmas River – Book 5
Manic in Christmas River – Book 6
Magic in Christmas River – Book 7
Menace in Christmas River – Book 8
Missing in Christmas River – Book 9
Meltdown in Christmas River – Book 10
Midnight in Christmas River – Book 11
Mistake in Christmas River – Book 12
Matrimony in Christmas River - Book 13
Malarkey in Christmas River - Book 14 (Coming Spring 2025!)

THE CHRISTMAS RIVER COZY MYSTERY NOVELLA SERIES
Roasted in Christmas River – Novella 1
Cinnamon Peters & the Rabbit Bandit – Novella 2
Caught in Christmas River – Novella 3
Crushed in Christmas River – Novella 4
Hounded in Christmas River – Novella 5
Framed in Christmas River – Novella 6
Trapped in Christmas River - Novella 7
Merriment in Christmas River - Novella 8

THE HOLLY HOPEWELL COZY MYSTERY SERIES
The Silence of the Elves – Book 1
Elf Confidential - Book 2

THE DOG TOWN USA COZY MYSTERY SERIES
Mutts & Murder – Book 1
Bulldogs & Bullets – Book 2
Corgis & Conspiracy - Book 3
Pyrenees & Poison - Book 4 (Coming Soon)

THE COZY MATCHMAKER MYSTERY SERIES
Burned in Broken Hearts Junction – Book 1
Busted in Broken Hearts Junction – Book 2

THE WITCHES OF BROOMFIELD BAY MYSTERY SERIES (with Jools Sinclair)
Ginger of the West – Book 1

Reviews

[Emmeline Webb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't want to be mean so I'll just say nothing.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madness in Christmas River
Christmas River, Book 3

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Audible Plus
Dates Read: 1/31/24 - 2/1/24
Stars: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Randye Kaye

The Characters:

Cinnamon Peters
Daniel
Warren (grandfather), Lots of friends and family since this book takes place over Thanksgiving and Christmas

The Story:

I love this little pie shop and this little town. This mystery did not follow the usual, there was no recent murder and I think that was a nice change. And it was nice to celebrate the holidays in Christmas River.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3 Christmas River

Cinnamon and Daniel are preparing for their wedding and it is Thanksgiving and they are having a houseful of guests. As they prepare, Daniel has to leave to go back to CA, where he used to be a detective. As that is going on, Cinnamon starts getting some weird things on her doorstep, and then her car is destroyed and her dog attacked and she is threatened. When Marie turns up missing, they don't really worry until the attacks start happening. While Daniel is gone, his second-in-command spends more time with Cinnamon and she helps him to learn that love is not a bad thing.

It was a good continuation of the story, but I felt that things were missing as this jumped from July to November.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story line and I like all the characters. Although I was pretty sure I knew who the bad guy was, I didn't know why and so didn't trust my instincts. But, that's ok. I still liked the book and will read more in this series. :)

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinnamon is getting ready for her wedding to Daniel and things get complicated. Cinnamon's aunt returns for the lighting of the Christmas tree to pay a bribe to keep some silent on her part in the disappearance of a boyfriend. It was a good story and easy read.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series, it keeps getting better.

[Kathy Brackin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cutest series for the holidays!! With some mystery 😎🎄

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved to be back with familiar characters! This was again cute & cozy mystery. This time plot had also some depthness that I liked.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so much fun. I haven't been reading them in order.... just as quick as the libray get them to me after a short hold.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madness in Christmas River by Meg Muldoon is the third book I've read in the series. Each book seems to get better and I think this is a really great cozy series. The home town setting is descriptive and makes me want to visit there. The characters continue to be well developed and are people you would want to know. The mystery is carried out throughout the entire book and I was surprised how the mystery was solved. There are twists and turns to keep you guessing. Besides the mystery there are issues to be resolved by various characters and that makes the book more personable. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written cozy mystery any time of the year. The Christmas River Series is a real winner, find out for yourself.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Thanksgiving in Christmas River and Cinnamon is hosting while planning her Christmas wedding to Sheriff Daniel. Her cousin, Marie, is in town for both events and mysteriously goes missing just after Thanksgiving. Cinnamon finds no trace of her besides a wayward ornament on the porch containing a picture of a man that she's never seen before. Deputy Owen arrives soon after asking her if she saw anything odd that night since someone vandalized the town Christmas tree. Before she can figure out what is going on, someone vandalizes her car and hurts poor Huckleberry, leaving behind another picture of the mystery man. Then, to top it off, her ex-husband, Evan shows up in town. Sully, her grandfather's old friend who used to be sheriff, tells her that the picture is of a man who went missing 30 years ago. He was a troublemaker and no one was sad to see him leave but he left town right around the time that Marie did. When Deputy Owen shows Cinnamon that Evan hid an ornament full of diamonds at his old cabin, Cinnamon wonders if he is the vandal. But no, it is Sully. He knew that Marie and her boyfriend had killed the troublemaker and had been blackmailing them ever since. Now that her husband is dead, Marie has to make the payments by putting the diamonds in the ornament that goes on the town's Christmas tree. Evan figured out what was going on and stole the ornament before Sully could get it, making Sully think that Marie had stopped paying. So she went into hiding and Sully started torturing Cinnamon to get Marie to come out of hiding and pay up. Sully is arrested, Marie comes home, Evan leaves town, hopefully for good, and Cinnamon and Daniel get married.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love the little town of Christmas River. It has some of the most colorful and quirky characters I have read in a long time. The mystery is light but still good and gives you a chance to exercise your brain as you are entertained by the antics of these affable people who have the same problems as all of us. The town sounds like all small towns across the country with gossips and the good and the bad folks who make things interesting.

All hell seems to be breaking loos as Cinnamon Peters prepares to marry her sheriff boyfriend for Christmas. Running her shop, planning the wedding and trying to lose weight to fit her dress seems like more than she can handle. But of course that is much too little and another bit of business, which she has no idea about is crowding her life and making things difficult.

Then Cinnamon's cousin goes missing and acts of vandalism start happening and Cinnamon is quickly pulled into a dangerous situation that could send her over the edge. Oh, and let us not forget the new deputy who may be good looking but is a cold fish in the personality department.

Randye Kaye did a good job of bringing the characters to life and making this an enjoyable listen. I hope to hear more from her.

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet

Please be aware that this one is even shorter at 84 % of the page count. A plot that spans years and ends on a high note.
Daniel will have to leave town to help in a murder investigation at his old department. However with the wedding only a month away and Christmas just around the corner life is hectic. The morning after seeing him off in the early hours she finds a Christmas ornament with a picture of a young boy in it. What does this have to do with the vandalism that occurred on the towns Christmas tree. Her Aunt, who has come for the wedding, has also disappeared. Whilst her ex-husband has again made an appearance. When her car gets vandalised and her dog is hurt things get even stranger. Her wedding dress is slashed to ribbons and someone is leaving her threats. Will the culprit be found? Who is the young boy in the pictures being left ar each place where vandalism has occurred? Why did her Aunt pull a vanishing act? Will the wedding go ahead as planned?

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cinnamon Peters runs a pie shop and is getting hitched to the sheriff during the Christmas season. Not really a great time in a place called Christmas River where they really do up Christmas, then Daniel has to go back to California to help with a case.

While he was gone all sorts of things happen. Cinnamon's cousin goes missing, her car gets vandalized and her dog hurt. Her ex is in town causing problems and it's a lot for her to handle. She has to figure out what is going on before something worse happens.

I like Cinnamon and some of the regulars around Christmas River. Though it was short it still had a pretty good mystery. I was pretty sure I knew who might be in on things but I wasn't sure why until it clicked at the end. :)

It's a short cozy read/listen which is what I needed in between a couple of longer listens.

[moxieBK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Madness in Christmas River (Christmas River #3) — Meg Muldoon; Narrator: Randye Kaye (71 chapters) Jan. 7, 2023

While Cinnamon is working on wedding plans, the people she grew up to love gather around and comes home to help celebrate, including her fly-by-night aunt (who mysteriously goes missing in the middle of planning) and a friend of her grandfather. Then little “presents” start showing up addressed to Cinnamon’s that seems to insinuating that an unsolved murder is closer to being solved than she realizes.

Of course, when it does come to a head, her world shakes a little and she has to adjust to the new reality.

This series is growing on me, and through the character’s growth, I am enjoying it a lot.

This is a great book to listen to while doing monotonous work—like painting walls! Time goes fast too!

Three stars.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Random acts of violence are occurring in Christmas River. First, the town’s Christmas tree gets trashed, and then the acts seem to be directed at Cinnamon. Her car is damaged and her dog is hurt. Then, a relative goes missing. Cinnamon thinks that, somehow, all these strange things are connected. She should be excited about her upcoming wedding, but instead, she is worried about what is going to happen next. It’s an intriguing tale with just the right mix of mystery and romance, with some danger and small-town antics thrown in for good measure. Even though the book is a novella, author Meg Muldoon doesn’t short-change her readers. This story has everything it needs for a great Christmas cozy mystery.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during Christmastime, #3 in the Christmas River series finds Cinnamon Peters furiously baking pies, steadily prepping for her wedding, kind of trying to trim down to fit in the gown her grandad bought...and reluctantly solving crimes that seem to harass her and her loved ones. (Poor Huck!) Her cousin Marie goes missing the same night someone (or multiple someones) trash the big tree in the town square. Is it related? Why is her ex husband hanging around trying to talk to her, even after her fiance warned him off? Why does Sheriff Brightwell have to leave town smack in the middle of wedding prep to help out with a case in his old district?
Won't spoil it, but cute ending!

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a good, very readable kind of cozy mystery set in the little town of Christmas River, Oregon. "Madness in Christmas River" is the third in the Christmas Rivers series by Meg Muldoon. It is an enjoyable series with characters that you like, and of course, a few who you do not like as well. The main character is Cinnamon Peters, who runs a bakery/ pie shop; in this story, she has plenty going on beyond running her pie shop. Cinnamon is planning her upcoming wedding to the town’s sheriff and all seems fine until trouble rears its ugly head. If you are looking for a nice, relaxing series with an interesting - and realistic - main character, then this may be for you!

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

More capers abound for poor Cinnamon, more than one would imagine would occur in such a small, quaint town as Christmas River. It is a good thing that Cinnamon is so resilient and bounces back so quickly, since unfortunate incidents seem to shadow her constantly. It is equally fortunate that Daniel Brightman is such a patient, forgiving man, since Cinnamon's feelings so greatly depend and fluctuate due to her failed previous marriage, trust issues and challenges to her independence. The introduction of Marie was quite a kick and added some fresh punches to the story line.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked the other Christi as River stories you’ll like this one as well. I thought it was better than Mayhem (#2) but not as good as Murder (#1 I the series). The author does a great job of mixing plot development with action, and not focusing too much on the character relationships rather than the story. I think the recipe for Santa’s vacation pie would put this into 5 Star category not problem. It’s the perfect story to get you in the Christmas mood, cozy mystery style.

[KylieAtkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really want to taste all the pies and cookies Cinnamon makes throughput these books. They all sound sooooo yummy.
The mystery was really good (I didn’t pick this one which was unusual for me). It spanned a few decades and involved a few people. We met some new people and found out more about hunky Deputy McHale (with an interesting revelation).
There was lots of loving moments, quite a few shocking moments and even a wedding which rounded it out to be a good holiday read. 🎄🎁🎅🏻

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. The mystery kept me guessing and the romance between Cinnamon and Daniel was a sweet second chance romance with lots of angst. I enjoyed all the main characters. The interactions between Cinnamon and her grandpa are fun and also sweet. There’s some humor and suspense as well as romance. Cinnamon and her best friend have some great moments as well. A five star story.

[Jo Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine outing for Cinnamon and her friends in Christmas River. Christmas is on its way, there is snow all around but someone is determined to make a mess of Cinnamon and Daniels wedding. Long kept secrets surface in the third part of this fun series.

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually liked the story, it’s just that it needed some major editing. The word “just” was just used all too often.

Also: trigger warning for those who struggle with eating disorders and weight loss. Why would anyone buy a wedding dress that is already too small?

[Samantha Troelsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wedding for Christmas

Cinnamon is back and still can't stay out of trouble. This time she's planning a wedding and getting threats of harm against her. A quick, cozy read that I really enjoyed.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read, although not quite as well edited as the previous ones. I'm still looking forward to reading the next one.

[Colleendearborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this light mystery, the humor, quirky characters and narrator. Got it through Audible/Amazon.

[Meonicorn (The Bookish Land) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Some people are off characters in this book. But still a cozy story to listen to.

[Felicia Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one kept me guessing the entire time! I never saw that ending coming.

[Jennifer Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story.