Stealing Santa

Tearoom Mysteries #14

by Elizabeth Adams

As the Christmas season arrives in Lancaster, Maine, a series of bizarre burglaries targets the town’s businesses, apparently carried out by Santa Claus! Elaine Cook and Jan Blake spring into action to solve the mystery, especially after an attempt is made to rob the tearoom. Who is hiding behind Saint Nick’s snowy-white beard?
Meanwhile, realizing that her tearoom taste-testing and missing Bob have added to her weight, Jan is determined to eat healthier. But are the holidays the best time to start a diet? And the arrival of an oddly familiar-looking woman asking about the cousins’ flea-market painting might shed new light on the story behind the scene depicted by Archie Bentham’s artist father.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Christian Fiction, Christmas

Hardcover

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Elizabeth Adams lives in New York City with her husband. When she’s not writing, she spends her time playing with their rambunctious daughter, cleaning up after two devious cats, and trying to find time to read mysteries.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set at Christmas time. Several places in town are broken into, their safes tore open with a crowbar by someone wearing a Santa suit. To add to the mystery the charity is getting large donations in the same amount that has been stolen. There is also someone leaving money and gifts for people around town also dressed in a Santa suit. Jane is trying to diet before her boyfriend gets back and having a hard time with all the Christmas goodies.

[Myra Marquis Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 14th book in this series. I have given up logging the editing errors and reporting them to Guideposts obviously they do not care. I will overlook the little things but I will point out the BIG ones in my reviews. That being said I find it amusing that in chapter 27 when Elaine is on the phone speaking with Abby King in Florida they discuss the weather, Elaine thinks about how special it is to have an old fashioned white Christmas. Then as they are ending the call, "Elaine laughed. It sounded like the community where the Kings spent the summer was a hoot.". OK editors which is it. ..Christmas or summer?

Beyond that this is a cute story. Santa is breaking into places and stealing, large donations are given in the donation boxes for a charity event, Jan is still missing Bob, there is talk and more is discovered about the painting painted by Archie's father.

There is also also enough not answered to pull you into the next one.....

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far I've loved all the Tearoom Mysteries series books, and it amazes me that multiple authors can work together to form such a cohesive narrative - really neat. However, this one just didn't grab me like the others have. It seemed a bit disjointed and in some ways unfinished. Maybe it was just where I was at the time, with Life pulling me away so that I had to read this book in spurts. Regardless, will keep reading the Tearoom Mysteries and enjoying the faith-based, cozy and friendly atmosphere they create.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Santa, the 14th book in the Tearoom Mysteries series, is a fun cozy mystery with lots of layers and subplots. With romance as the undercurrent, cousins Jan and Elaine, do a great job of ferreting out the perpetrator in this Christmas novel. The story highlights the small town of Lancaster, Maine, as the residents and businesses work together for the good of the community during the holiday season. If you like small-town cozy mysteries, you will enjoy Stealing Santa.

[Irene Marston · Rating 5 out of 5]

still enjoying these cousin they are a good read for bedtime good little mystery

[Lynne Fernandez]

I love these mystery stories. I own the entire series! Highly recommend.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two busybody cousins play detective in solving thefts in their town. Little to no mention of the police investigation. Too unrealistic to even enjoy.

[Kristin Aamodt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series very much. Light, warm, uplifting and with mysteries that don’t involved murders.