Eggs on Ice

Cackleberry Club #8

by Laura Childs

The Christmas season at the Cackleberry Club café is marred by murder in the latest book in the New York Times bestselling series, now in paperback.Some say that casting crusty attorney Allan Sharp as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of A Christmas Carol is just playing to type. He's not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you'd have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still, it's a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred's favorite combination diner, craft store, and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.As the days pass, the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled law partner? The former secretary, whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club Toni's almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

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

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2018

About the author

Laura Childs is a pseudonym for Gerry Schmitt and she is the best-selling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, the Scrapbook Mysteries, and the Cackleberry Club Mysteries.

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Reviews

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to rate Eggs On Ice so harshly, but the book was mediocre from the start. I could easily guess the culprit in the story, and the mystery element felt like Elephants Can Remember or some other bad book by Dame Christie.

I think the author may have written the entire book while smack dab in the middle of writer's block. Impressive such a feat might be, it still results in a 2 star book. There was simply too much filler, and even one of the murders was filler!

I will still read the next Cackleberry Club book. That's because despite everything that matters, the domesticity from the very first book is indeed present in this 8th book. I wrote this review unwillingly. I just wanted to delete my entry from Goodreads. But against common sense I've written this nonsense review. I just want to keep writing for 5 star books, you know?

[Mackey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eggs on Ice is the eighth book in a cozy mystery series. I was given this book to read and review without knowing that it was that far along into the series. Unfortunately, where most series give you details in the first few chapters about the characters and how they relate to one another, this book didn't do that. I spent a good portion of my time trying to figure out who was who, how they related to one another and the rest of my time was spent trying to decide if this book was for young adults or perhaps teens. I've been reading quite a few cozies over the past few months so I'm well acquainted with their style of writing. This one, however, had a more "youthful" vibe to it. Perhaps it is a teen read and it just isn't labeled that way. Regardless, it was not a good fit for me. If you choose to read this one, I highly suggest that you start at the beginning! This is not a stand alone at all.

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Newest Adventure Details:

Where: Kindred, Tennessee

Who: Suzanne

I was excited to be visiting the Cackleberry club @ Christmas. I wasn’t there long when it was time to head to the local theater. The Kindred players were putting on “A Christmas Carol", and Suzanne, Toni, and Petra were helping out. The evening was going egg-cellent until attorney Allen Sharpe who was playing Scrooge ended up more than breaking a leg...he ended up dead stabbed to death by the “Ghost of Christmas Past”. I knew right then that my visit was about to get a whole lot more exciting...

My thoughts:

I listened to the audio version of this book for my “hooked on books” feature. The narrator was ok.

This is the 8th book in the Cackleberry club series. I have read a few other books in this series...I usually hate to read books out of order, but since the only books I can’t get right now are Ebooks...I have to take what I can get. Suzanne is so frustrating...she is rude, pushy, and disrespectful. I really dislike this character. Toni is also very annoying. The narrator does Toni’s voice as a small child...which is very fitting. The mystery was a little farfetched, but ok. The concept/setting of this book is great...I mean it’s a restaurant/tea/coffee shop, bookstore, and craft store...otherwise known as my heaven on earth!! I do think this is the end of the road for me.

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[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas season is in full swing in Kindred, Minnesota. The town is getting ready for their local show, “A Christmas Carol”. The lead role of Scrooge is being played by Allen Sharpe. Sharpe isn’t very well loved, so many feel that he has been perfectly cast. Then, during rehearsals he is killed by the Ghost of Christmas Past leaving the town shocked. Regardless of how many people disliked Sharpe, he didn’t deserve that.

To make things even more terrifying, one of the co-owners of the Cackleberry Club Cafe, Suzanne Dietz, is threatened by the killer. Suzanne isn’t going to be scared away, she is determined to discover who the killer is. With a little help from one of her fellow co-owners, Toni, they risk their lives to learn the truth.

This is the eighth book in the Cackleberry Club series and actually the first one I read. I can’t believe I haven’t tried to read this series sooner, especially since I’m a huge fan of Laura Childs’ writing and her other cozy mystery series. I was a little concerned that I was jumping in too late but I had nothing to fear. I felt drawn into this series from page one.

Although these characters had a history I obviously knew nothing about, I was able to catch on quickly with the information intertwined throughout the book. I truly felt like I already knew these characters and they were old friends. There was no “getting to know you” period needed for me.

The storyline itself was intriguing with quite a number of suspects. I did have my suspicions about who did it but had no clue as to how or why. I was surprised by the exciting ending.

As often happens to me when I read a Laura Childs’ book, I devour it quickly and then can’t wait for the next one. In this case, I have a nice backlist to read. This is the perfect book to read the week before Christmas. I loved every minute of it.




FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am always excited when I get to visit the ladies at the Cackleberry Club Café. It’s Christmastime and in addition to the café being all decked out they are planning a Christmas Tea and helping the Kindred Players behind the scenes for their upcoming production of A Christmas Carol. Sadly they have to add a funeral luncheon to their busy schedule when the Ghost Of Christmas Past kills Scrooge during rehearsal – and they weren’t acting.

Scrooge, aka Attorney Allen Sharpe, is dead, stabbed while onstage with people watching. All they saw was a ghost, nothing to help police identify the person, but Suzanne gave chase, was threatened with a knife and the killer got away. Solving the crime isn’t going to be easy, the victim had wronged a lot of people. No matter how hard they try or how many times they are warned off Suzanne, Petra, and Toni find themselves egg-xactly where they shouldn’t be. Right in the middle of another murder investigation and skating on thin ice.

What I love most about this series is that the characters are genuine. You could easily walk into a café in Minnesota and find friends like Suzanne, Toni, and Petra bustling around, serving up delicious food, shelving new titles in the book nook or teaching a class in the craft area. They take part in community events. The watch out for each other and the people important in their lives. Unlike normal people, they do occasionally get wrapped up in a murder, but their hearts are always in the right place.

This time I was totally gobsmacked when the killer was revealed. Not on my radar, not in my wildest dreams. Twists galore sent me in a whole different direction. I did have to skip a few pages due to a trigger situation, so maybe I missed something there, but I had really zeroed in on one person. With plenty of cozy-ish action and suspense, it was fun to trail along as the characters and I both learned who the killer was at the exact same time.

Kindred, Minnesota is a happening place and I have enjoyed every visit. The entire series is egg-cellent. There are big future plans in the works so I am really excited about returning again next year!!

[Shelleen Toland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Christmas season at Cackleberry Club Cafe. Most everyone in town was in the play Scrooge, when an actor was killed. Suzanne and everyone saw it happen and it was a ghost. Or at least someone dressed up as a ghost. Then Suzanne chases the ghost and almost gets killed herself. I have not read any other books in this series but yet seemed to know the characters. Suzanne works in the cafe but always seems to be investigating murders. She is engaged to Same who works as a Doctor. Her 2 friends are Toni and Petra who also run the cafe. You get to see their friendship and how the people in the town all support each other. Suzanne always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police even tell her to stay away from the investigation as well as her fiance.
I received this from First To Reads for review.

[Alice Liu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a lukewarm 4-star read for me until the end, where it lost an additional star. Suzanne, the heroine, fails to connect any dots, so there is no real suspense or buildup. At the climax she becomes exceedingly vacuous, so when the murderer nearly succeeds in killing her, she's completely oblivious to the fact that her life is in danger. She doesn't solve the murder mystery. Things just happen to her and eventually the murderer reveals himself.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

An attorney portraying Scrooge in the Christmas play is stabbed. A ghost showed up at the appropriate moment, but an imposter wielding a dangerous knife wore the cheesecloth costume. Many suspects offer differing motives for knocking off the not-so-well-liked attorney. Suzanne attempted to pursue the villain, but backed off when the suspect aimed the knife at her. Junior's trailer catches fire after being evicted from one location, and he moves in with ex-wife Toni temporarily. Suzanne, of course, can't resist helping Sheriff Doogie with his investigation, putting herself in danger. Although it's set around Christmas, it lacks the atmosphere of Christmas, in spite of snow. Fans of the series will enjoy a visit with the characters.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ladies at the Cackleberry Club are enjoying the Christmas season when attorney Allen Sharpe, playing Scrooge in a community production is killed during rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred's favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni's almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

This is such a great series, well written, full of humor and a plot that provides a great number of suspects, and varying reasons for the murder. The murder was unique in the fact that I don't ever remember a book where a ghost, especially the ghost of Christmas past, did the killing.

Eggs on Ice is a perfect addition to this series, and I enjoyed every word of it. This is one of those keep turning pages and just one more chapter books. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

I read a digital copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read program.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

EGGS ON ICE, the eighth book in the Cackleberry Club Mysteries by Laura Childs, brings A Christmas Carol to life on the pages. Protagonist, Suzanne, and her best friend, Toni, volunteer behind the scenes for the community production. They get caught up investigating when Scrooge is murdered by the Ghost of Christmas Future right in front of their eyes during dress rehearsal. I thought it was a very unique and clever setup for the murder and added a certain mystic to the scene. It just so happens that Scrooge is played by the town’s miserly scrooge and as they investigate, find even more people who weren’t all that unhappy with his death. I enjoyed the imagery and colorful descriptions the author provides in introducing the characters, which accurately captures their personalities. It makes the people in the story memorable.

The interaction between Suzanne and her best friend, Toni, provides great interaction and opportunities for one-liners which had me chuckling. I found it heartwarming that Suzanne not only volunteers for various community projects, but also takes in rescue horses to foster until she finds people to give them forever homes. Her caring personality is exhibited over and over again, even when having to deal with Toni’s trying ex-husband, who is short a brick or two but is arrogant enough to think he’s got the full stack.

I also appreciate that Ms. Childs starts her books off quickly with a crime, which moves the story along instead of dragging down the pace with too much backstory and set up. Even if you haven’t read any previous books in this series, this is easily read as a standalone. While there isn’t a ton of action in the investigation (Suzanne has a business to run and she devotes herself to it) there is a heart-pounding conclusion to wrap the story up, and had me sitting on the edge of my seat.

I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this was the first in the series that I have read, I felt like I was quickly able to know who was who among the regular characters, and definitely by the time the book ended, I felt like I knew them and wanted to visit again. I definitely want to start reading from the beginning, but this shiny, new copy at the library just tempted me so much, I had to borrow it. The Cackleberry Club diner and its adjoining book store and knitting store sound so cool!

I actually did figure out who the killer was, but when that happens (few and far between lol), I enjoy reading along and seeing how soon the characters will pick up on it. The showdown was really good. Toni's husband Junior had lost his trailer in a fire and was storing all his tools in Suzanne's car. I think Suzanne was probably very thankful she still had those tools in her car when it came to confronting the killer. This was a Christmas themed book, but I can read about Christmas any time of the year. Kindred sounds like a fun place to be at Christmas, minus the murders of course!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! My first but not last by this author. The ending was a little abrupt so that was disappointing but overall, I enjoyed this so much. The friends are so fun.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eggs on Ice by Laura Childs is the eighth A Cackleberry Club Mystery. Suzanne Dietz along with her partners, Toni and Petra own The Cackleberry Club in Kindred. It is a combination café, bookstore and craft corner. Suzanne and Toni have volunteered to work backstage at the Oakhurst Theatre where the Kindred Players it is putting on a production of A Christmas Carol. Allan Sharpe, the town curmudgeon and a local lawyer, was cast perfectly as Scrooge. Suzanne and Toni are learning how to operate the curtains and lighting board while watching the scene between Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past. Both actors play their parts beautifully, but Scrooge fails to get up when the act finishes. Suzanne approaches Allan and discovers he was stabbed. She gives chase to the ghost until he threatens her with his knife. The next day Amber Payson comes into the café to speak with Suzanne. Amber is the police’s prime suspect and she needs Suzanne’s help in clearing her name. As the days go by, the evidence mounts against Amber, but there are many people who disliked Allan including the play’s director. Then someone sets fire to Junior’s trailer and he needs a new place to live (oh, dear). Is the fire connected to the murder? Suzanne and Toni are searching for clues and find another victim. The Cackleberry Club ladies needs to find the murderer before he strikes again. Can they find the nefarious killer or will one of them end of a Ghost of Christmas Present?

Eggs on Ice contains good writing along with gentle pacing. Eggs on Ice is a cozy mystery that is best not read as a standalone. Details that readers need are not included in the eighth A Cackleberry Club Mystery (some information is imparted as the book progresses). I recommend beginning with Eggs in Purgatory. The Cackleberry Club is a unique restaurant with a Book Nook and the Knitting Nest. It sounds like my type of café. We get wonderful descriptions of the unique yarns they carry. I have never heard of the some of the yard blends Petra works with and has ordered for the shop (though, I am eager to find and create objects with them). The main characters are likeable and relatable. The three women are best friends despite their diverse personalities. Suzanne is the main voice of the story. She is engaged to Dr. Sam Hazelet and they have a warm, loving relationship. Toni is unique with her beliefs and her husband. There are a variety of off-beat characters in the story with Junior Garrett, Toni’s wacky sort-of husband, being the quirkiest. He constantly finds himself in trouble thanks to his bad choices and lack of intelligence. The murder occurs in the first chapter of the book. We then follow Suzanne as she goes about her daily activities (working, spending time with friends and her fiancé) while questioning interested parties she encounters. Suzanne along with Toni do break into one interested parties’ home to look for clues. There is little action in the book until the end. I like Suzanne’s style of questioning. She is not intrusive or demanding which I appreciate. I kept hoping Suzanne would put together the clues and identify the killer (whom I identified before the body left the theater). It was interesting how Suzanne subdued the killer, but it seemed unrealistic (the item has a safety feature that prevents it from being used in that manner). The ending was abrupt and felt incomplete. It needed another chapter to wrap up the whodunit satisfactorily (answer questions about the crime and the killer’s reasoning) and give readers a happy ending (see them celebrating Christmas would have been nice). I did not feel that Eggs on Ice is on the same level as the authors other works (A Tea Shop Mystery series and A Scrapbooking Mystery series). There are details missing from the story such as the main characters last names (Toni and Petra) and I am curious what state Kindred is in. There are recipes at the end for the items served in The Cackleberry Club. I wish there had been instruction for how to make the quilted tote mentioned in the book by Petra. Eggs on Ice is a cute and humorous cozy mystery set is a charming small town filled with off-beat individuals.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4. It is Christmas season at Cackleberry Club Cafe. The town was getting ready for the Christmas Play, The Christmas Carol. During rehearsals, the scene with Scrooge and the ghost was playing out on stage in a very odd way. When the ghost exited, Scrooge was dead. Who killed Alan Sharp? He was playing Scrooge, but he was the most unliked man in town, so many people could have done it. The fact that the whole cast saw the murder, yet no one realized what was happening makes it even harder for Sheriff Doogie to figure out. When a second murder occurs and Junior's trailer gets torched, things just become more confusing. Suzanne is once again asked for help by Amber, the main suspect. Is she risking her own safety and that of her friends?

Laura Childs is a gifted author when it comes to blending the setting and the characters into her mysteries. I would love to visit the fictional Midwestern town of Kindred in this book. This series' strength comes from the friendship between Suzanne, Toni, and Petra. Suzanne is the ringleader when it comes to detecting. Petra is the calming influence and Toni wants to party. They all work so well together in the business with each bring a specific talent to the enterprise. Another strength is the Cackleberry Club Café itself. This is where everyone goes to meet, gossip, and dine, which allows Suzanne to gather information and ask questions. The one thing that bothers me is the men. Sheriff Doogie can't seem to figure anything out without Suzanne's help/interference, Junior is a bit of a doofus and Sam, who is a doctor, can't make a meal? I know this is a book about the women, but the men make them look bad as well. The author did a great job at keeping me guessing. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was a twist and I discovered I was wrong. The murder’s motive was the usual, money, yet it was barely mentioned. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, however I liked the earlier ones in the series better. The publisher provided me with a copy of this book through the First Reads Program. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 8th book in the Cackleberry Club series sees Suzanne and Toni front and center for the murder of Allen Sharpe.
Cast as Scrooge in the community play. In which both ladies are working as crew.
The shady lawyer's murder takes place in plain sight of cast and crew.
With the shroud covered murder barely managing to escape Suzanne after she gives chase.

Though she has been more than warned to keep her sleuthing skills to herself. Suzanne finds herself drawn into the investigation as news of the murder sets tongues wagging around town. And more and more of the prime suspects find their way through the doors of the Cackleberry Club for Petra's irresistible fare. While spilling more than their fair share of coveted gossip tea as to who the elusive killer might be.


This is by far one of the most enjoyable books in this series. Toni provides just the right amount of comic relief to balance out Suzanne's more practical approach to whodunit.
Add in Petra's sage advice and an ever growing list of suspects and motives for the esquire's extinction.
And what one gets is a cozy mystery worth its weight in hot cocoa and fuzzy socks.
This is the kind of book that keeps the pages turning just out of a sheer "need to know" who, why, or what will happen next.

Reviewer's Note:
This 8th book in the Cackleberry Club series is one that may be read as part of its intended series or as a standalone.
I received this book for review from First To Read.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scrooge doesn't get a second chance to redeem himself this time as someone has cut him off from the rest of his life and in front of a room full of witnesses, but who was the "ghost" that did him in?? Suzanne needs to rush to figure this one out or she might be the next to be cut from life! Tons of options fill the role as suspect when Scrooge is well hated by everyone so that will make things even more difficult for Suzanne and her sidekicks to figure it all out! Excellent plot, superb characters and a bit of holiday cheer tossed in to really spice the entertainment level up! I can't wait to read or rather listen to the next book!!!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The local town production of the Christmas Carol
is in rehearsal in Kindred, Minnesota.
Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café
and her cohort, Toni are part of the stage crew.
Suzanne realizes that the huge Ghost from
Christmas Past is not the scripted ghost. She then
realizes that the man playing Scrooge, attorney
Allan Sharp has been murdered during the scene.
The story has intrigue, mystery, suspense. There
is quite a tangled web of clues, plenty of secrets
revealed with lies uncovered. The mystery has
been uniquely blended with a cast of complex,
well defined, some quirky and all very interesting
characters.
An enjoyable Christmas mystery.
This is book # 8 in the Cackleberry Club Mystery
series. It can be read as a stand alone as the
author weaves the past and present together
effortlessly.
Recipes Included.
I volunteered to read Eggs on Ice. Thanks to the
Penguin’s First-to-Read Program for the opportunity.
My opinion is my own.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little cozy. It's the eight in the series but the first I have read and I very easily slipped right into the characters and their town. The murder happened on page 6! Woo Hoo - that's how I like my cozies to start. Out of the gate, running full speed. The characters are really very likable and the restaurant they run is able to keep the dialogue and information flowing. This is my second book from this author and I am definitely interested in reading more. Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Eggs on Ice" is a cozy mystery. It's the eighth book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the previous whodunits.

So a murder is committed in front of a lot of witnesses, but the murderer is wearing a costume. Suzanne saw the murder and later asked some questions about who had a motive or could have done it. But there is no clue or evidence to narrow down her suspects. On a whim, she decided to break and enter into one of her suspects houses even though she didn't know what, exactly, she was looking for. She also basically told another suspect that she thought he was the murderer, even though nothing clearly pointed at him. Of course, she discovers who the murderer is when that person tries to kill her at the end.

I prefer mysteries that have more clues and a puzzle to solve, plus I didn't like how she felt justified in breaking the law. There was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex.

I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always great to visit Kindred and sink into a chair at the Cackleberry Club (although Toni and Junior annoy me no end, Suzanne, Petra, Sam and the animals more than make up for that), I really like the fact that the Cackleberry Club is always prepared to step up and do something for someone else, whether an individual or a group, charity doesn't always begin at home sometimes it begins at the Cackleberry Club.

Christmas is on the way and A Christmas Carol is going to be the production at the Kindred Theatre, the three ladies of the Cackleberry Club are helping behind the scenes (Petra is helping with costumes as it is something she can fit in around hospital visits to her husband, Toni and Suzanne are backstage dealing with lighting and effects), the man playing Scrooge seems to be typecast as he seems to be Scrooge pre the four ghost visits, even so it seems  shocking that someone would kill him, but this is what happens, now with the weather getting worse and the Sheriff concentrating on one person as the murderer Suzanne needs to decide if she is going to be good (and stay out of it) or bad and try and help.

[Bonnie Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggs on Ice was a great read. Laura Child's has a back to drawl the reader into the story which I great to me as a reader. With Christmas just around the corner the Cackle berry Club has it's hands full with a Christmas Tea and A Cheese and Wine Tasting at a Church and a Toy Drive on their plate , if that's not enough well then there is the Christmas Play of A Christmas Carol that being put on but then Scrooge get skilled and its all hands on deck to find the killer but then there's a Trailer fire and another murder on top of the first. So with the Sheriff and the staff of the Cackle Berry Club they will get to the bottom before Christmas.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a local is killed during the rehearsals for A Christmas Carol no one is really surprised. The dead man, Allen Sharpe, wasn't a well liked man and everyone believed his part as Scrooge was a perfect fit. The Ghost of Christmas Past killed him although the man who was playing the part got sidetracked and someone took his place, taking the opportunity to murder. Suzanne saw it happen and chased the killer but once he threatened her she backed away. Suzanne knows that she must investigate to find out who the killer is and who it was that threatened her. The problem the man had plenty of enemies to choose from. Could it have been his business partner, or was it Toni's ex-husband, or maybe a person that he sexually harassed while working for him. The list is long but that doesn't stop Suzanne, with help from the other Cackleberry Club, from looking into things. Will she be able to find a killer or will she be the next victim. Follow along and find out!!! This is a well written series that always has a great mystery to solve. I hope that I'm as fun as these ladies are when I get to be their age. I can't wait to see what they get into next.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT my favorite of the series - there was just too much going on and too much subterfuge and not enough real clues. I will say that I was surprised at the killer, but who wouldn't be as they were only in the book in a couple time and very briefly at that. Hmph.

[Lea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author, so my first in this series. I was not impressed. Susanne isn’t likable or really friendly. Toni is made out like the idiot friend and Petra is barely a character but portrayed as the goodie religious one. It was hard to see why they liked Susanne the way she treated them. I don’t know if this is because I read it out of order or they’re just awful characterizations.
There’s almost no Christmas or holiday in this book, aside from the play and that it’s set in December.
And the book just ends, I turned the page expecting more and it was recipes.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Very simple and expected.

[Destiny (myhoneyreads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 Skimmed the last 150 pages. Full review will be up on my blog soon. I have regrets.

[Katreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

EGGS ON ICE by Laura Childs
The Eighth Cackleberry Club Mystery

Winter has arrived in the Midwest and Suzanne Dietz and her pal, Toni, are trying to figure out the ropes as stagehands for the local production of A Christmas Carol. Allan Sharp is giving a great performance as Scrooge, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise as the man is hated by most of the town. Suzanne and Toni are suitably spooked by the Ghost of Christmas Past who gives a terrifying performance...even more so when the man playing the ghost approaches them to say he missed his cue, and Allan is not moving. Who was the ghost on stage? Between cooking up and serving great meals at the Cackleberry Cafe with Toni and Petra, Suzanne will delve into the murder investigation despite her fiance's request to stay out of it for once. But will looking into another murder result in her own goose getting cooked?

Fans of the Cackleberry Club will be delighted with this newest mystery. While I found the story entertaining, it did emphasize some issues I've had with this series. Toni acts more like a twelve year old than a woman in her forties and Petra's religiosity can be a little off-putting. While Suzanne is the reliable person in the group, even her behavior was irksome at times, fretting about her relationship with Sam yet doing what she knows will upset him. Still, Toni's antics can be entertaining and no one can doubt the good nature of the trio.

The methods of the murders was ingenious. I particularly liked the first one committed on stage. Laura Childs deftly draws readers to two suspects in particular and engineers some fantastic ambushes of both characters and readers who weren't paying close enough attention. Known for her chase scenes, Childs does not disappoint in this latest mystery.

EGGS ON ICE is a fast paced winter themed mystery. The delectable recipes included make me want to visit the Cackleberry Club despite my issues with it.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eggs On Ice is the eighth book in the Cackleberry Club Mysteries and it's the first book I've read in this series.
I loved the quirky characters in this mystery. I thought the characters made the story. What a hoot! I think I'll start with Toni. Toni believes in ghosts. Who knew??? I mean seriously, Toni, did the temperature really drop and did you really smell brimstone??? Do you even know what brimstone smells like??? And Toni, ghosts don't run, they dematerialize!!! There isn't a ghost in the story at all. Toni's just a little peculiar. Toni has an "almost ex-husband." Junior is the almost ex. He's a piece of work. I think he might be a couple of French fries short of a happy meal, but he's so lovable and I liked him. He has an innocent quality, but at the same time . . . his thought processes . . . ??? Mmm.
Suzanne seems to be the leader of the sleuthing friends. She's engaged to a doctor and the doc seems to be the only non-quirky character in the story.
Suzanne and Toni have the adventures together.
Sheriff Doogie has his hands full investigating a town with lovable crazies! Of yes! There are a few more fun characters in the story and oh my word! I thought of another non-quirky character -- Reverend Jakes! He grew on me.
The mystery, lovable, fun characters, it all worked in an off-the-wall sort of way!
A BIG thank-you to Berkley Prime Crime for mailing this book to me!

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading Laura Childs since I started reading cozy mysteries, which has been quite awhile. The Cackleberry Club is my favorite of her three series, and I think its the youngest. This is the 8th book in the series. It is also a holiday cozy so that makes me happy in so many ways. Oh and recipes! I have to admit I went straight for the back of the book to check those out. I'm all about making the jalapeno chicken sandwich Yum.



Toni and Suzanne witness the murder of attorney and cast member of the Kindred Players holiday play, and that starts Suzanne sleuthing, especially as the killer had a knife to her after she chased after him.



Allen Sharpe is the kind of guy that everyone wants to kill, so there are a lot of suspects, and Suzanne is getting herself into trouble trying to figure out whodunit. I really found it hard to figure out the killer in this one. There were too many suspects for me, and the one that I really thought did it, wasn't the one in the end. In fact, the outcome just really blew my mind, because I wasn't at the top of my list.



I love the friendships between the ladies of the Cackleberry Club. Toni and Suzanne are great bffs and Petra is wonderful as well. You don't have to read all the books to easily feel at home with these characters. Its hard to believe some of the things that Suzanne gets Toni into, and Toni is just crazy enough to go along with her.



I really enjoyed this one!

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of EGGS ON ICE by Laura Childs
(Cackleberry Club #8)

A really compelling cozy mystery laden with intrigue, this is Book 8 in the Cackleberry Club series, about three wonderful individuals who run the Cackleberry Club Cafe, Book Nook, and Knitting Nest (all-in-one-combination in a former service station). Currently their small-but-growing Midwestern town, Kindred, is nearly snowbound; the amateur play production is not going well once the Scrooge is murdered; and Suzanne is nearly killed herself in a rushed attempt to apprehend the "ghost" killer. Her fiance, Dr. Sam, wants her to stay safe; Sheriff Doogie wants her to buzz out; and the whole of Kindred is ready to panic in case it's a serial killer.

For the reader, it's all great and good fun in the sense that an Agatha Christie is gorgeously enjoyable. Too many suspects, too little evidence---who, who, who is the culprit? And why?