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Casey Cook, PI #1.5
The Perfect Christmas Gift
Lily was nineteen years old when she arranged to meet Clara and run away with her. But Clara didn’t show up, breaking Lily’s heart. Now Lily is seventy-six years old, and she still thinks about Clara every day. One of her friends wants to find Clara as a Christmas gift for Lily, and she knows the perfect PI for the job: her granddaughter, Casey Cook.
When Gran hires her to find Clara, Casey is thrilled. Now she’ll be able to buy Emily, her girlfriend of six months, the perfect gift for their first Christmas together. But despite how well things are going between them, Emily hasn’t given Casey a key to her apartment. When Casey raises the subject, Emily refuses to discuss it with her.
Will the holiday season be a happy one for Casey? Will she find Clara in time for Christmas?
The Perfect Christmas Gift is a short Christmas cozy mystery featuring lesbian PI Casey Cook. It’s approximately 14,000 words long.
When Gran hires her to find Clara, Casey is thrilled. Now she’ll be able to buy Emily, her girlfriend of six months, the perfect gift for their first Christmas together. But despite how well things are going between them, Emily hasn’t given Casey a key to her apartment. When Casey raises the subject, Emily refuses to discuss it with her.
Will the holiday season be a happy one for Casey? Will she find Clara in time for Christmas?
The Perfect Christmas Gift is a short Christmas cozy mystery featuring lesbian PI Casey Cook. It’s approximately 14,000 words long.
- GenresShort Stories
44 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2016
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ettritch
34 books42 followersSarah Ettritch writes stories featuring strong female characters. Her protagonists are often lesbian.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 16, 2018
This is a really sweet and poignant short story that takes place after "The Missing Comatose Woman".
For only 44 pages, the story packs in a lot:
Casey and her girlfriend are spending their first Christmas together and Casey has no idea what to give as the perfect gift.
A senior friend of her Gran's is looking for her long lost first love and Casey is hired for the job. I found that this plot line really elevates the narrative especially.
And Casey is struggling with her own insecurities in her growing relationship.
Like the book the short story is based upon, all of the characters are great and it's well written.
"The Perfect Christmas Gift" is definitely worth the read. However, this is not a standalone. Read "The Missing Comatose Woman" first to get the true value of this vignette.
For only 44 pages, the story packs in a lot:
Casey and her girlfriend are spending their first Christmas together and Casey has no idea what to give as the perfect gift.
A senior friend of her Gran's is looking for her long lost first love and Casey is hired for the job. I found that this plot line really elevates the narrative especially.
And Casey is struggling with her own insecurities in her growing relationship.
Like the book the short story is based upon, all of the characters are great and it's well written.
"The Perfect Christmas Gift" is definitely worth the read. However, this is not a standalone. Read "The Missing Comatose Woman" first to get the true value of this vignette.
March 31, 2019
The Perfect Christmas Gift is the perfect lil sequel to The Missing Comatose Woman. Through lov2laf, I get to know about these books. Gran, Casey and Emily are back for more adventures and just like in the first book, Gran provides the belly laughs. The case that Gran hires Casey for is quite heart wrenching, and I am very happy that Ms. Ettritch does not slam dunk my heart in the end. Casey and Emily's romance progress nicely and as sweet as ever.
Gran, Casey's grandma makes these books worth spending time with.
Here are some teasers
" I bet you already knew that, though, " Gran said to Casey. " With your radar, and all "
" Gaydar, Gran, and no, I didn't know. "
" Right now, you have the most important key. "
" What's that? "
" The key to her heart. "
Casey gaped at her. " That's mushy. You're not usually mushy. "
" It's Christmas. I'll be back to my old self next week "
" What do you young people say? MTI? "
" TMI, Gran. Too much information "
Highly recommended 💕
Gran, Casey's grandma makes these books worth spending time with.
Here are some teasers
" I bet you already knew that, though, " Gran said to Casey. " With your radar, and all "
" Gaydar, Gran, and no, I didn't know. "
" Right now, you have the most important key. "
" What's that? "
" The key to her heart. "
Casey gaped at her. " That's mushy. You're not usually mushy. "
" It's Christmas. I'll be back to my old self next week "
" What do you young people say? MTI? "
" TMI, Gran. Too much information "
Highly recommended 💕
December 26, 2016
A light sweet story!
It's not a story dripping with tension, drama or steamy scenes. It's about the strength of true love. A bit sad but hopeful. Sometimes you can't make it on your own, you need help. I was eager to discover if Casey would find the long lost love and if they could even be together. It was a cute journey, not a very strong romance but I love it nonetheless.
It's not a story dripping with tension, drama or steamy scenes. It's about the strength of true love. A bit sad but hopeful. Sometimes you can't make it on your own, you need help. I was eager to discover if Casey would find the long lost love and if they could even be together. It was a cute journey, not a very strong romance but I love it nonetheless.
March 28, 2023
3.5 rounded up, a cute short story follow up to The Missing Comatose Woman
November 20, 2020
A cute short holiday sequel to The Missing Comatose Woman
Casey and Emily have been together 6 months now, and Casey is trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for Emily, as they deepen their relationship.
Casey is also on the case to find an elderly friend of her grandmothers first love interest from when they were young teens. Who also happened to be a woman. It was touching to hear about the history and decisions made in such different times.
Casey and Emily have been together 6 months now, and Casey is trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for Emily, as they deepen their relationship.
Casey is also on the case to find an elderly friend of her grandmothers first love interest from when they were young teens. Who also happened to be a woman. It was touching to hear about the history and decisions made in such different times.
January 7, 2023
The Perfect Christmas Story!
I have to say this was a very cute Christmas Romance. Not only do we have Casey and Emily back again from “The Missing Comatose Woman”. Their relationship is now six months in. There is a Christmas Gift thing going on. Casey is struggling to get the perfect give for Emily while her Gran wants to get a gift for her closest friend Lily. She wants to hire her. This is so sweet and very straightforward. Simple and classic. Now so do I venture into more of Sarah Ettritch?
I have to say this was a very cute Christmas Romance. Not only do we have Casey and Emily back again from “The Missing Comatose Woman”. Their relationship is now six months in. There is a Christmas Gift thing going on. Casey is struggling to get the perfect give for Emily while her Gran wants to get a gift for her closest friend Lily. She wants to hire her. This is so sweet and very straightforward. Simple and classic. Now so do I venture into more of Sarah Ettritch?
December 13, 2024
Casey Cook has been dating Emily for six months and, as Christmas approaches, she's desperate tp find the perfect present for her.
But her mind is a blank and her wallet is nearing empty.
Gran steps in with $500 - if she finds a woman who didn't turn up to elope with her girlfriend 50 years ago.
There's not much more to it but what you get is a very pleasant festive read.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more in the series but it has been eight years since “The Perfect Christmas Gift” was published.
3 Stars.
But her mind is a blank and her wallet is nearing empty.
Gran steps in with $500 - if she finds a woman who didn't turn up to elope with her girlfriend 50 years ago.
There's not much more to it but what you get is a very pleasant festive read.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more in the series but it has been eight years since “The Perfect Christmas Gift” was published.
3 Stars.
October 22, 2018
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
A cute short story well written and entertaining. A sequel to a novel that now l must go and read.
A cute short story well written and entertaining. A sequel to a novel that now l must go and read.
April 29, 2026
In this 14,000-word novelette, Casey is hired to find another missing person, although this time her quarry is not in a coma. Casey’s grandmother’s good friend Lily has been searching in vain for her long lost girlfriend—someone who she had planned to run off with over fifty years before. Meanwhile, Casey and Emily have been seeing each other for six months and Emily has not yet asked Casey to move into her apartment.
But there’s no need to give any more of the plot. It’s totally predictable, but so what? The long and short of it is that this is a charming story or love—both young and new—that every lesbian should read. It O. Henry was a lesbian, this is a story that he (or she, as it were) would have written.
Final Rating: 4.25
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 1250 other lesbian mysteries by over 400 authors.
But there’s no need to give any more of the plot. It’s totally predictable, but so what? The long and short of it is that this is a charming story or love—both young and new—that every lesbian should read. It O. Henry was a lesbian, this is a story that he (or she, as it were) would have written.
Final Rating: 4.25
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 1250 other lesbian mysteries by over 400 authors.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews