The Killer Christmas Sweater Club

A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery #3

by Terry Ambrose

All ten-year-old Alexandra Atwood wants for Christmas is to get her dad and the B&B’s cook Marquetta under the mistletoe. After all, how can they get married if they don’t kiss first?
When murder strikes in Seaside Cove, bed-and-breakfast owner Rick Atwood is asked to help find the killer. But this will not be an easy case to crack. Not only did the killer contaminate the crime scene, but there are suspects all over town. And they all received the same Christmas sweater from the victim.
Alex hears rumors about the murder and decides that since she’s on Christmas break, she has time for a little multitasking. She launches her own investigation even as she continues her efforts to get her dad and Marquetta together.
Just when Rick thinks he’s identified all the suspects, he discovers a new one—his estranged wife. With the days until Christmas ticking down, Rick feels pressured from all sides. He needs to solve the case. He needs to send his wife back to New York. But the one thing he doesn’t need is for his daughter to be one step ahead of him and the cops.

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Cozy Mystery, Holiday

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2018

About the author

Terry Ambrose started out skip tracing and collecting money from deadbeats and quickly learned that liars come from all walks of life. He never actually stole a car, but sometimes hired big guys with tow trucks and a penchant for working in the dark when “negotiations” failed.
A resident of Southern California, he loves spending time in Hawaii, especially on the Garden Island of Kauai, where he invents lies for others to read. His years of chasing deadbeats taught him many valuable life lessons including—always keep your car in the garage.

Reviews

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery was a freebie I downloaded to my Kindle App and I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the book. I put off reading it a couple of years but decided this would be the year that I read it. I was pleasantly surprised and actually liked it. It was like finding a diamond in the rough. The only thing I found that I didn’t like was that the book seemed to drag in places. Readers were kept to the very end to find out whodunnit. The characters were realistic and most were likable. This book was different in that there was a ten year old girl who was the sleuth. This wasn’t a children’s book and the girl always had adult supervision and wasn’t put in any dangerous situations. The book was unpredictable and perplexing. I’m glad that I decided to make it a part of my Christmas read this year.

I recommend this book to readers of cozy mystery .

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

First I must say, that cover is gorgeous!! Every cover in this series has been beautiful and inviting.

We arrive back at the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast right before Christmas. Rick and Marquetta discover boxes of decorations in the attic including a Christmas train, Captain Jack and her father had a lot of fun with. Ten-year-old Alex is focused on moving her dad’s relationship along. She enlists a little help to hang some mistletoe, now she just needs to get them under it at the same time.

Rick’s focus is on the latest murder. While at The Crooked Mast for an Ugly Sweater Contest, Deputy Cunningham arrives sans ugly sweater to ask for Rick’s help. Local lawyer, Thorne Waldorf has been murdered. He just happened to send out a bunch of ugly sweaters to certain people he has wronged. The sweaters included an apology of sorts but Rick thinks the killer is among those who received Thorne’s gifts. Word around the party shows people were not happy with the man for several reasons. Even Alex hears some interesting stories. The one thing Rick never expected was for Alex’s mother to be in town, involved with Thorne Waldorf, and on the suspect list.

Christmas is right around the corner so this case needs to be wrapped up as fast as possible. He knows Alex wants to help and maybe with guidance from Marquetta that is possible. He just hopes he figures out whodunit before she does.

These characters quickly found their way into my heart right away in book 1, A Treasure To Die For. It is a joy to visit them for the holidays. I am almost as invested in Rick and Marquetta’s relationship as Alex. Alex is a phenomenal character, she is smart and thinks well are her feet for someone so young. Rick struggles to be sure he is giving her the best life he can and with Marquetta’s help, he truly is. Having her mother arrive back on the scene in this story could have gone many ways but the way it plays out shows just how good of job he is doing.

If you haven’t read previous books in this series, Marguetta gave Alex a journal as soon as she arrived at the B&B. The story goes back and forth between Rick’s point of view and Alex’s along with her journal. Seeing a 10-year-olds perspective to the crime and her theories is so much fun. Her efforts to bring the two most important people in her life together had me smiling ear to ear.

Mr. Ambrose delivers another extraordinary mystery. Multifaceted with plenty of suspects made this a hard one to solve. It was all twisted up until a key clue was solved and all the pieces fell into place. I was totally surprised when all was revealed.

The author sets a wonderful scene too. I can imagine the B&B in all its finery right down to the train village, the lights on the stairway, the wreath, the mistletoe, and all of the ugly sweaters too. A real treasure of a story to get you into the Christmas spirit.

I loved this story and I just can’t get enough of these characters. I can’t wait for my next visit!

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club by Terry Ambrose is the third book in A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery. Alex Atwood is looking forward to Christmas. She has plans to get her dad and Marquetta Weiss, their cook, to finally kiss with the aid of some strategically placed mistletoe. Marquetta is like a mother to Alex and she would like the two important people in her life to marry. Of course, Rick Atwood needs to her divorce her mother first (a pesky little problem). The Crooked Mast is holding an ugly sweater contest that evening and Alex has an electrifying entry. Several people end up wearing the same sweater which they received from local attorney, Thorne Waldorf with promises of an apology for his recent behavior. Unfortunately, it looks like Thorne will not be making the party. He was found in dead in his home office which has been ransacked. Deputy Cunningham needs assistance in solving the crime and Rick must honor the promise he made to mayor to act as a police consultant. Rick has a contaminated crime scene plus a handful of suspects to consider when another person of interest with a personal connection pops up. Alex feels since she was helpful on the last investigation, she should assist with this one. But Rick does not want to put his daughter in harms way. The days before Christmas are swiftly passing by and the mayor wants the case solved right away. Can Rick bag the killer before his party on Christmas Eve?

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club is a charming story. There are engaging characters, a quaint setting and Christmas merriment. Alex is my favorite character in this series. She is an intelligent and inquisitive child. It is cute how she wants to provide an opportunity to Rick and Marquetta to kiss, and she enlists some help to pull off her plan. Alex’s diary entries are entertaining. I thought The Killer Christmas Sweater Club was well-written with steady pacing. I do recommend reading A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast series in order. Each book builds upon the previous one. The mystery is multi-faceted with several suspects and misdirection. There are good clues to aid readers in solving the whodunit. The mystery becomes personal when Rick’s estranged wife arrives in town and she is a suspect in Thorne’s death. Of course, it is also the perfect time to get her to sign the divorce papers. The romance between Rick and Marquetta has been playing out at slow pace which I appreciate. They are a cute couple and Marquetta is good with Alex. The Killer Christmas Sweater Club can easily be read by a younger audience. The Killer Christmas Sweater Club has a heartwarming ending that will have you smiling.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The quaint California coastal town of Seaside
Cove is in the process of getting ready for
Christmas. This includes Rick Atwood, owner
of the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast plus his
ten year old daughter, Alexa. She is a very
imaginative, inquisitive, enterprising and bold
girl who has very well tuned instincts that
always lead her to nose into adult situations.
Right now she is plotting to arrange for the
hanging of mistletoe in a secret place to catch
her father and their cook, Marquetta under it.
Marquetta has been a substitute mother for
Alexa.
Alexa is also looking forward to the Annual
Seaside Cove Ugly Sweater Contest that the
town holds at The Crooked Mast each year.
She has worked hard to create her sweater to
win her division of the contest.
Strange thing occurs at the contest!!!
Several town members appear in the same sweater.
They all received their sweaters from the town
conniver, Thorne Waldorf, a mean disliked man.
But why did he send the sweaters? What is his
angle?
Before that question could be answered....Thorne
is found dead in his home.
Rick is asked to help Acting Chief, Deputy Adam
Cunningham with the murder investigation.
Image Rick’s surprise when he discovers his
estranged wife is in town and a possible suspect.
The characters are all three dimensional, in-depth,
quirky and well defined with various secrets and
family issues.
The plot is complex with many twists and turns.
The description is so well defined that the reader
will feel as if they are experiencing Christmas time
in Seaside Cove.
This in book # 3 in the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast
Cozy Mystery series. It can be read as a stand as the
author presents the past and present effortlessly.
Come join Rick, Alexa & the town celebrate the
magic and spirit of Christmas.
A Highly Recommended Road!!!

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seaside Cove is a small town. People there like it just the way it is. But there is someone who wants to change it, and as far as the residents are concerned, not for the better. Thorne Waldorf is a person that no one really likes, he is mean and rude. He also has some secrets on some of the residents in town and is trying to blackmail them into getting what he wants from them....their businesses so he can sell them. On a Christmas party some of the people attending all have the same ugly sweater on. How strange. Waldorf sent them to these people. Why? What could he gain by doing so? Then he is murdered. Now, the secrets are important to solving the murder. But who will do it first? Deputy Adam and Rick Atwood or Rick's daughter Alex, who is really good at thinking outside the box and finding things out? You will have to read the book to find out who does solve it and why. Oh, Alex is trying to get her dad and Marquetta together.....as in married. Problem is Rick is still married to his estranged wife. Wonder how that will play out? I voluntarily reviewed a free ARC of this book.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex is not your typical preteen, and sometimes she's too smart for her own good. She is a very likeable character, knows what she wants, and tries her hardest to get things to go her way. She loves her dad wholeheartedly, and wants the best for him. I love how she gets her friends involved in her schemes. This is a great story with mystery, intrigue, and murder. The plot twists and the fast pace kept me glued to this book from beginning to end. Terry Ambrose is a fantastic author, and I highly recommend The Killer Christmas Sweater Club!

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

First of all, I have never read any books in this series, and I honestly had no trouble jumping right in. The author was a master at making sure the reader understood the situations and the characters perfectly. Furthermore, this series is totally family-friendly and is the ideal representation of what a cozy mystery should be. And with the Christmas holidays tied in, I couldn't be happier!

This mystery was absolutely brilliant! I adored the fact that the points of view kept switching back and forth between the two characters, Rick and Alex. Having a junior sleuth on the case who was also playing her hand at matchmaker was simply a stroke of genius! And there was no way I would have ever figured out "who done it," and those are the best kinds of mysteries. I am completely smitten with everything about this mystery book, and if Hallmark is looking for a cozy mystery to turn into their next best-selling series of films, look no further! I felt there were elements of all the great, including one of the ending tactics that reminded me of "The Thin Man" movies in the way the mystery was ultimately solved. Bravo to this author!

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There ain’t never a good time for some things.”

Rick Atwood and his daughter Alex, and his chef Marquetta Weiss continue to run the Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast in this, the third book in the series. Precocious 10 year old Alex wants her father and Marquette to be more than friends. They may have other things on their mind as Christmas is coming to Seaside Cove.

When three people show up to a holiday party in the same “ugly Christmas Sweater” gifted by Thorne Waldorf, one of the two lawyers in town, gossip abounds as to why these people were “chosen”. Rick’s helping out the local police chief to try to piece together this puzzle and that of Thorne’s unexpected death.

Add an unexpected visitor that could change Rick and Alex’s lives forever, and this leaves us with an enjoyable visit to my favorite literary B+B. Terry Ambrose has done it again! Highly recommended 5/5

[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]

[Yifat Cestare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex is a sweet young lady gets involved trying to solve the mystery at hand. I always enjoy the intrigue involved with reading a Terry Ambrose book. They always keep me glued to the book. I highly recommend this book, as well as all the others written by this author. FYI: I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 3rd installment in the delightful Seaside Cove series. This is a cozy murder mystery series, with few twists and turns that will keep you guessing. They can be read alone, but more fun to read in order.
Rick tries to protect Alex, his daughter, by blocking her efforts to investigate and she finds 'loopholes' to getting involved. She's quite bright and brings a unique insight to his cases. Alex is loveable and really does want to help. The growing relationship between Rick and Marquetta is sweet, gentle, and filled with respect. The relationship between Alex and Rick is loving and genuine. I've just finished this book and am eagerly awaiting the next installment of this family friendly mystery series. Two thumbs up!

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of THE KILLER CHRISTMAS SWEATER CLUB

by Terry Ambrose
(A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery #3)

Christmastide can be a real killer; and not always because of family get-togethers, overeating, and last-minute purchasing stress. Sometimes a grinch is murdered, just because the time is right. But often, suspicion falls on the innocent, and somebody's got to investigate.

Alex (Alexandra), a smart and clever ten-year-old, loves life in Seaside Cove at the Bed-and-Breakfast her dad now owns. She can't imagine anything better except for Dad Rick marrying Marquetta, the wonderful lady who is the B&B's cook and Alex's good friend. Alex is not going to let a murder intervene between Rick and Marquetta if she has to investigate herself.

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read this on the first page I knew this was just the book I was looking for:
Guess what? We haven’t had a murder in awhile now, so things have been kinda boring - but at least Christmas is coming!

Was pleasantly surprised by this one since I got it as a freebie. A very solid cozy mystery that avoided some of the pitfalls of the genre. (The protagonists had legit reasons for investing and didn’t go off and interview the suspect by themselves or imperil themselves for no reason. The child who is a budding detective was not annoying and was given some of the best parenting I have ever seen in any book). Mystery was decent. Despite being a cozy Christmas themed book I didn’t find it saccharine at all. Definitely would check out others in this series.

[Beverly · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s hard to find a mystery that I don’t like, but this one was terrible. If I weren’t reading it for a book club, I would have put it down after 10 pages. It was poorly written, corny, trite. It lacked cohesion. The plot had little to do with the title and was neither logical nor realistic. Character descriptions were adolescent and redundant (“his face began to redden”, “she raised her eyebrows”, “a tear trickled down her cheek”).

My book club doesn’t often reach a unanimous consensus, but this time it was a firm ‘thumbs down’ all around the table.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas at Seaside Cove

This has been such a fun series! I loved Ambrose's McKenna series but put off reading this 'cozy' series. I immediately fell in love with Rick, his 10 YO daughter, Alex, and the whole cast of characters that make up Seaside Cove, not to mention the place itself! Not all la-tee-dah, there's a murder to solve! I'm hoping this isn't the last in the series. Hmmm... I wonder if it's too late to make a reservation for Christmas! More! More, Terry!

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read any of my reviews, you know that I am a retired educator. One of the different age groups I worked with was the same as Alex, Sasha, and Robbie. It was also my favorite because in those days they told it as they saw it. Keep you eyes on these three! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend the book.

[Peggy Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery and I liked it. I read it in one sitting and liked how Terry put this mystery together. Terry hit the ball out to the short outfield which resulted in a three base hit!

[Eirlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

This was an entertaining book, it had a complex murder with lots of suspects with motives. I liked the diary written by Alex because it gave an insight into her thoughts. I loved the ending.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing mystery! The suspense builds until the end, with so many nuances and turns. The author does an outstanding job with character development. I definitely look forward to seeing more from the Seaside Cove B&B Breakfast mysteries!

[paulette sarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute mystery

Loved the main character Alex. Although she was just a little girl she was so beyond her years. The mystery itself was engaging. Never would have guessed the killer. Good read!

[Jeannie Huie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of good fun and solving a murder! The characters are quite believable and interact realistically! This is a good series as we are getting to know more about small - town life! Great read!

[kc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent character development and emotions brought to life thru words made me fall into this book to visit Seaside Cove, solve a murder and deal with a visit from Alex’s estranged mother.

[Sonja Burk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit cheesy like a Hallmark movie but enough to get me in the Christmas spirit.

[Teresa OConnor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the title and really enjoy a story that's a little different than the average cozy. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

great mystery, loved the ending, looking forward to the next...

[NANCY WADE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killer mystery

Great cast of suspects and interesting characters in a rich setting. Complex mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.

[Margaret W. Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

Good mystery , interesting characters I loved Alex in the role she played. A light but delightful love story. Great New Years Eve read.

[cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read

Light hearted murder mystery, not a stressful read. Nice Cozy story . I couldn't guess who did it until the very end.

[Tiziana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike the previous 2 books, this one for the first half of the book was more engaging, unfortunately the second part was very boring.
The only thing I find pleasant in the books in this series are the characters and the environment they live in, but the author is unable to put together a real puzzle to solve.
I managed to read 3 books in this series, but I think I've done with it.
When reading mystery I need to have more suspense, more clues to reason with trying to find the culprit. These books describe the quiet life of a small town and people we can easily get attached to, but nothing more ... the suspense is missing, the twists are missing (here is one and I was thinking: finally the author livens up the story ... but then he didn't). I would say a boring reading.
Also I do not understand why the author insists so much on the description of each color of the buildings or houses ... ridiculous.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journal entries written by ten year old Alex Atwood, make the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast mystery series a lot of fun to read. In book 3, Rick Atwood once again serves as a consultant to overworked Deputy Adam Cunningham. Christmas is coming, but they have another murder to solve. This time Thorne Waldorf is the murder victim. Before his death, he was trying to get downtown business owners to sell. He was working with a company to put a museum in Seaside Cove. So there are several possible suspects. Meanwhile Alex is working on getting Marquetta Weiss and her dad under the mistletoe! I really like the three main characters in this series. I can't help but like Deputy Cunningham too! The writing is good and the stories have a good flow. Five stars!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugly Sweater Club

Very well written.
Great characters in a small seaside town where everyone knows your business.
The authors writing made you feel you were part of the book.
Up-to-date language/wording was current with the times.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.