Not A Creature Was Stirring

A Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery #1

by Christina Freeburn

Empty nester Merry Winters loves three things: Christmas, crafting and her family. To regain purpose and joy, Merry hits the road to a Christmas vendor event with her furry sidekick Ebenezer in her new mobile crafting sleigh, aka an RV.

But it soon turns into the nightmare before Christmas when Merry unwraps her Scrooge of an ex-husband’s body in one of the RV’s compartments. Add to that his missing winning lottery ticket believed to be stashed somewhere in the RV, leading the homicide detective and Merry’s stepdaughter to believe Merry is the one whodunit.

With visions of prison dancing in her head, will Merry be able to solve this Christmas calamity before she’s locked away?

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NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING by Christina Freeburn | A Henery Press Mystery. If you love one, you’ll probably love them all.

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

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 22, 2019

About the author

Christina Freeburn started jotting down stories on her thirty-minute bus commute to middle school and still hasn't stopped (though the bus commuting has).

The Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery series is a mix of crafty and crime, bringing together Christina's love of mysteries, scrapbooking, and West Virginia.

The New Beginnings series is an inspirational romantic suspense featuring heroines and heroes willing to risk their lives in order to find hope, promise and a future for those struggling in a world that seems set against them.

Christina served in the JAG Corps of the US Army and also worked as a paralegal, librarian, and church secretary. She lives in West Virginia with her husband, children, a dog, and a rarely seen cat except by those who are afraid or allergic to felines.

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

With a name like Merry Winters, you just know she is going to love Christmas. She also loves crafting and her family. Merry is going through a rough time adjusting to her kids moving out on their own and a recent divorce, so she decides to throw herself into her crafts. When she gets the opportunity to purchase on RV she jumps at it because she believes it is the perfect way to take her crafts on the road, traveling to craft shows far and wide. She even buys a pet to take with her, Ebenezer, a guinea pig.

Her first trip in her new RV is to the Christmas Holiday Bazaar in Morgantown, not too far from her home in Season’s Greetings, West Virginia. When she arrives she notices an odd smell. Thinking the former owner, her ex-stepdaughter left something in one of the compartments that had now spoiled she starts to look around. But it isn’t rotting food she finds, it’s her ex-husband, very dead and stinking to high heaven. When the police arrive Merry becomes their #1 suspect. She can’t believe they actually think she killed him and hid him in the RV she is driving around. She knows she has to find the real killer or Santa will be delivering her presents to her in jail. Behind bars is not how she imagined celebrating her favorite time of year.

I loved this story. Merry Winters has had a wonderful life after a precarious start. She has a huge heart and believes the best in everyone which at times can be her downfall. We do share a love of crafting and I miss doing the crafts I love. That is why I enjoy cozy mysteries like this one. I can live vicariously through the characters.

I don’t share her love of guinea pigs though. Ebenezer runs free through her house and does add some humorous moments. My guinea pig experience was not good. Our older children each had one and soon their care fell to me and cleaning their cages daily is an experience I would love to forget. They did enjoy their playtime, inside and out, but that was limited. I was glad their time with us was short.

Fittingly set in the holiday season, complete with a blizzard was great. Made me feel right at home as similar weather was happening here in Wisconsin as I was reading. I could relate to Merry’s worries about driving the RV on snowy slippery roads and her concern that the RV may not be the best choice for cold weather without some major renovations.

The mystery was fast paced with several surprising twists including unexpected suspects. The author has crafted a unique mystery and I really enjoyed the way she told this story. I was engaged the entire way and captivated by the way everything came together in the end.

Great characters, (I loved their names), an excellent plot, and a fun setting gave me everything I look for in a quality cozy mystery. I am excited to see where Ms. Freeburn takes us in book two.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merry is hoping to turn her Christmas crafting business into a full-time job, and as part of that plan, she's purchased a motorhome from her ex-step-daughter. The hope is she can use it as a mobile crafting studio and a place to show her stuff at some of the more popular craft shows. She's trying it out at the Christmas Holiday Bazaar, one of her favorite events of the year. However, when she's unloading her products, she finds the dead body of her ex-husband in one of the storage compartments. How did his dead body get into the RV?

With as much as I love Christmas, this book was a lot of fun. We got lots of talk about everything Christmas, even comparing characters to famous fictional Christmas characters. I did feel the book needed another polish to flesh a few things out, and I found Merry's concern for her ex-husband's family a little hard to believe considering how short her marriage had been. On the other hand, I loved the majority of the characters, and Merry's relationships with her own kids was fabulous. The plot was good with many twists and turns. I figured out a couple of things early, but I was left guessing about the rest of it until the end.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in a new series. The protagonist is named Merry Winters. She was left on the doorsteps of the church shortly after her birth. Her adopted parents named her Merry. She recently divorces after a costly one. Her ex-has remarried. This book takes place during the Christmas season. Her stepdaughter sells her an RV and Merry heads to a craft fair with her sidekick Ebenezer. Arriving at the location she finds her ex-husband stuff in a storage bin. The homicide detective decided she was the killer and arrested her. There are many twists as Merry begin to explore what happened as she must find answers before end up like her ex. I highly recommend this book.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Edelweiss and Henery Press for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series starring protagonist, Merry Winters.Merry was adopted as a baby after being found on the steps of a church on Christmas Eve. She has recently divorced her two-timing husband Samuel. She wants to be a full-time crafter, so when her step-daughter offers to sell her an RV she jumps at the offer, using most of her savings. It is not until she arrives at a craft show and tries to find out what the terrible smell in the RV is, that she finds Samuel, dead in the bench seat. Of course, she is the main suspect. What follows is a wonderful introduction to the important people in Merry's life, the ones she is not so happy with and her nosy, annoying neighbour.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. Merry is a great character that is quite upbeat most of the time. She is caring, loves her family and wants to protect those close to her. The town is quaint, but we need to see more of its citizens to really get a feel of the place. There are a couple of possible romantic interests for Merry, but she does not seem interested. I really enjoyed the characters of Grace and Abraham. It is nice to see a character with autism, who is able to lead a relatively good life, but the worries of his mom are real. Ebenezer, the guinea pig is a delight. He has free run of the house and seems more like a cat or dog. I love how his noises and antics are described. Overall, this was a solid introduction to this series. The mystery was quite interesting as it turns out, there were many people that might have wanted Samuel dead. Throw in a missing "ticket", a lottery where the winner has not come forward, and a totally destroyed RV and there are a lot of clues and red herrings. There are many twists as Merry begins to explore what happened, The police seem to think they know who the murderer is, so if she wants to stay out of jail, she better find out who really killed Samuel. I did figure out who the murderer was earlier than the reveal, but it was still an exciting time to see what was going to happen next. This book was the right mix of Christmas cheer, family relationships, mystery and community. I am looking forward to seeing where Christina Freeburn takes us in the next outing with Merry Winters.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not A Creature Was Stirring
A Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery, Book #1
Christina Freeburn
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Empty nester Merry Winters loves three things: Christmas, crafting and her family. To regain purpose and joy, Merry hits the road to a Christmas vendor event with her furry sidekick Ebenezer in her new mobile crafting sleigh, aka an RV.

But it soon turns into the nightmare before Christmas when Merry unwraps her Scrooge of an ex-husband’s body in one of the RV’s compartments. Add to that his missing winning lottery ticket believed to be stashed somewhere in the RV, leading the homicide detective and Merry’s stepdaughter to believe Merry is the one whodunit.

With visions of prison dancing in her head, will Merry be able to solve this Christmas calamity before she’s locked away?

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NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING by Christina Freeburn | A Henery Press Mystery. If you love one, you’ll probably love them all. (Goodreads)

Review:

I thought the characters were well developed and well rounded. Merry is a very positive person, even though her life started out with her being left on the steps of a church. Her adoptive parents were wonderful and she had a very happy childhood. She loves all things Christmas and all things crafting and she has combined those loves into a business plan. I was happy to meet Merry and get to spend some time with her and her friends. I I really loved Ebenezer, her pet guinea pig.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and creating suspense with the written word. I thought the plot was well thought out and moved at a nice pace. There were enough clues to sort through and suspects to consider and it held my interest until the very end. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Henery Press, and Edelweiss, which I greatly appreciate.

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

Merry Winters is a Feckless Heroine indeed. A woman who sees the best in everybody, believes everybody should follow their dreams, and thinks Truth wins over all, Merry is an admirable character but unfortunately an individual whom some predators and manipulators will delight to target. At home in Seasons Greetings, West Virginia, a quiet community to which Merry moved after her folks retired there, Merry has recently divorced for the second time from an abbreviated marriage to a master manipulator. Endeavouring to make her co-owned crafts business a thriving concern, Merry drives her newly purchased RV to Morgantown for a big Crafts venue. Unfortunately, "newly purchased" means the day before, from her 18-year-old former stepdaughter. Really unfortunately means the RV is emitting a terrible stench, and it's not caused by Ebenezer the pet hamster. When the source is uncovered, Merry soon finds herself under suspicion of murder by a Morgantown police detective[ and her first ex-husband, a high-powered attorney in DC, rides to the rescue to take the case and clear her name.

What made this cozy mystery delightful for me was the settings, of course (all that snow!) but mainly the character of Merry Winters. Here is an individual we ought to all admire: a genuinely GOOD person, ready to think the best of everybody and to exert the effort to help and comfort anyone in need. Yet it is that very integrity she possesses that makes her a target. She is slow to recognize emotional and financial predators; she didn't recognize the truth about her second husband until his money-grubbing grasp threatened to affect her Alzheimer's suffering mother. She sees good in everyone and overlooks the negative, sometimes till it's too late. Yet I still cheered her on; because really, our world needs many more like Merry.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas is the best time of year for Merry Winters. She loves everything about it. Along with her best friend, they start a Christmas crafting business. She’s quite excited to attend a Christmas vendor event and even buys an RV to transport her crafting materials. Things are looking good for Merry.

Then, it takes a horrible turn when she discovers her ex-husband’s dead body hidden in the RV. The prime suspect is Merry herself. Even her stepdaughter believes she killed her father. Then, to complicate matters even more, it is believed a winning lottery ticket was hidden somewhere in the RV as well. Merry knows nothing about any of these things. She just wants to be in the Christmas atmosphere, but instead she might find herself spending the holidays in jail.

This is the first in a fun new series. Merry Winters is a wonderful, strong character with a deep love for her family and, of course, Christmas. She has two adult children and is very close to them and their father. She even adopts a pet guinea pig she names Ebenezer.

Not A Creature Was Stirring is fast-paced, funny, and filled with a quirky cast of characters. I devoured this book in a couple of days. It’s wonderfully written and I found myself engrossed until the last page. The author did a great job of transporting me to West Virginia. There were so many different possibilities of whodunit. I love a mystery that keeps the reader on their toes. Just when you think the case is solved, it’s not.

I never read anything by this author before, but I'll definitely be looking for more of her work. She has another cozy mystery series that I intend to add to my TBR. I always enjoy “discovering” new-to-me authors. This was definitely a hit for me. Although the release date is January, it’s never too late for a Christmas mystery.




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

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Christina Freeburn's scrapbook mystery series for a few years now, I was eagerly anticipating diving into her new Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery series--and I wasn't disappointed!

Crafter Merry Winters is eagerly anticipating one of the largest craft sales events in her area of West Virginia. She has loaded a new-to-her RV with her wares and supplies, excited about the opportunities having a mobile work studio and home on the road will offer her and her business with her friend, Brighton (aka Bright). So Merry certainly isn't going to let a suspicious stink rain on her parade . . . or is she? While investigating the source of a foul odor in the RV, Merry finds the body of her ex-husband stuffed into the banquet storage seat. Sure, their relationship was acrimonious at the end, but Merry certainly would never kill the man! Trouble is, the police seem to think she did. With a murder investigation putting a serious damper on Merry's generally cherry holiday spirit, she sees little choice but to track down to really killed her ex. Unless, of course, the killer finds her first.

Not a Creature Was Stirring is cute, clever, and features a crafty heroine, making this book a great holiday read. The plot moves along at a great pace and kept me engaged and thinking about who the killer could possibly be even after setting the story aside when I needed to. I really enjoy Merry and her furry friend, Ebeneezer, and look forward to getting to know both of them in future mysteries.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good good good good good Christmassy cozy

I love Christmas and I love crafting. So this started out really well for me. And: I loved this book from start to finish!!! The pages turned themselves.

Marrying Samuel was not one of Merry’s best decisions. Divorcing him was. Now there’s a fantastic weekend at the Christmas craft fair ahead of her. When she smells something stinky in her new-to-her RV, she just blames it on her guinea pig. But things spin out of control faster than she can cut decals. And she’s the number one suspect…

I loved the cozy part of the book: a likeable-but-stubborn-and-independent main character, nice setting with the Christmas theme and the crafting, cute guinea pig. I loved the mystery part of the book: suspenseful, clever, suspenseful, scary at times, suspenseful ;) A book full of cheerfulness and love and … murder. It was very well written! This is what a cozy should be like!

The only tiny minor little thing: I don’t like it when too many names in one book are … well … frankly, just a bit weird. Merry, Bright, Grace, Holly… Individually, they are fine names, not unlikely, but paired together: that just doesn’t happen IRL. And her son who’s a police officer, named Scotland?! Luckily his last name isn’t Yard…

But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book immensely. Because it was a good good good mystery. The kind you just don’t want to put down. The kind that leaves you in a daze after finishing. The kind that makes you want to buy all the other available books by this author, now, pronto, stat.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself struggling to like the character until I finally read how old she was - or wasn't, as the case may be. Overall this was a charming cozy, whodunit.

Merry Winters, 45, plans to turn her love of Christmas Crafting into a full-time job with the acquisition of a used RV. On her first craft show, her ex-husband appears in the storage bench - quite dead! Her crafter friend Grace's disabled son, Abraham, needs Merry to be his sleepover provider and Merry finds herself having mixed feelings.
There are a lot of people in Merry's life including her first ex-husband & lawyer, her two adult children, neighbors in Season's Greetings West Virginia.

I volunteered to read an ARC of this from Henery Press through Edelweiss.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes, this was a good cozy!! Don’t let the cutesy cover deceive you. It had meat to it. Made me gasp with the twisty ending and then I cried:) so good!

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Wishes Can and Do Come True.

Not 5 but 100 gold stars for this series. Christina Freeburn did it again with this mystery. What I liked about this book is Merry still carried Christmas Spirit and Hope inside her through the really ruff parts of her life and the really good parts as well. I found nothing wrong in the plot no strong language no sex scenes just good old fashion Christmas Joy and finding that with hope will come happiness with to Merry Christmas Winters. I would and will recommend this series to any who love Christmas all Year Around.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s a good start for a new series: interesting, entertaining and engaging.
This book is fresh and original because, even if the plot contains elements of a standard new cozy series, it is also darker and more realistic than usual.
The guinea pig is adorable and the heroine is likable and relatable.
The rest of the cast is realistic: with light and dark as human beings are.
The plot is engaging and entertaining, a bit slow at times.
Even if it’s a cozy mystery I found it quite melancholic at times but I do not thing this is something negative.
I liked the style of writing.
I look forward to reading other installment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Henery Press and Edelweiss for this ARC

[Ruth Moorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It Kept Me Reading

I enjoyed this book and I was a little sorry to see if end. You were never sure where it was going or "Who Done It". I love the ending.

[Lghiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy mysteries are often thematic, and Not a Creature Was Stirring by Christina Freeburn is no exception. Freeburn’s first series was centered around scrapbooking, but her new series focuses on crafting in general. Look for an emphasis on Christmas in this book and possibly in other books in the series since the main character, Merry, is captivated by all things Christmas.

There are many complications, but the basic plot is that Merry Winters discovers her ex-husband dead in the RV she purchased from her stepdaughter. This RV was supposed to be a wonderful bonus to her life to help her with her new handcrafting business as she travels to various craft fairs.

Merry is under suspicion for the murder, but she, in turn, wonders who would have killed her ex-husband and why. Her maiden voyage in the RV, when the discovery of the body is made, is of course, a disaster. It does draw in a host of characters who try to help Merry or are in pursuit for something they think Merry has.

My favorite characters are Ebenezer, a squeaky guinea pig, and Abraham, the young adult son of another crafter. Abraham will always mentally be a child and is easily frustrated by changes in his routines. He is a gentle giant who will always need help in life. Watching him interact with others is touching.

Bright is the other half of Merry’s crafting business, but we only meet her through texts. Perhaps her supportive role to Merry is the only one she will have in this series. She could also be cast as the main character in a future book in the series.

Not a Creature Was Stirring is a fast-paced mystery. There is a lot of action as well as investigative work. Numerous suspects come to light, and there are lots of family relationships that play an important role. When the going gets tough, who will save the day—Merry’s Grinchy neighbor, the curmudgeon Cornelius, or her adorable Ebenezer?

I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the beginning of a new series that has so much potential!
All Merry wants is to create decorations to brighten the lives of others, spread some holiday cheer, and take care of her children. Family is precious to her.
From an across the street neighbor who hates everything and keeps his eye on all, to a young man with some differently enabled emotions and processes who only wants to see the good in people and situations, to men who marry for all the wrong reasons and the women who love them, plus an RV that offers so many possibilities but ends up being the gift from Hades at the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...well, maybe not so wonderful for some people.
The story frays at a few points only to be woven back into something more complicated and satisfying.
There are a lot of parallels in this story and much back and forth. Was the man who died really evil or did he just make the worst choices? Even if people want the best for us, can they ever be depended on one hundred per cent?
EVERYONE has secrets and impulses they can not resist.
This is a story about new possibilities and old insecurities, some relationships and choices revisited, some regret.
Who killed Samuel and left him in an RV that his daughter sold to her stepmother?
What else may be tucked away in the RV of doom? Who is determined to find it and why?
There is more going on here than can be seen at first look.

The characters are complicated and have ``interesting`` relationships. I look forward to seeing where this adventure takes us.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a Creature Was Stirring by Christina Freeburn is a fun ditty about a crafter who primarily earns her living by traveling to craft shows. She has just purchased a motor home for just this pursuit and plans to remodel it to accommodate her crafting. Sadly, before that can happen she returns to the trailer to discover a body-dead; well actually it takes some looking before she finds it. She can't let that alone, for many reasons, and so has to investigate.

Merry is an entertaining character and the mystery was a good one. She is not a young woman, nor is she an old one. She has good friends and partners in her work of long-standing. She has a newly acquired pet, a guinea pig named Ebenezer. Merry loves Christmas and everything about it, especially the crafts. She does not hesitate to investigate when things are not going as they should. She is a thoroughly likeable character. There are many special people in the story, not the least of which is Merry's young friend, Abraham who is not stupid but does best when he knows what is going to happen. Merry's family makes appearances and of course, so do the local police. It is all a big mess until suddenly isn't. Not a Creature was stirring is an engaging read: one not to be missed. I highly recommend it.

I received a free ARC of Not Creature Was Stirring in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read other books by this author, so I thought I would take a chance on reading this new series. I love Christmas and Christmas-themed books, so a book about a Christmas crafter seemed like a natural fit for me. In many ways it was but, on the whole, I would rate it as a 3.5.

The plot and the dialog of the story are very appealing. What is a little less appealing is the main character, Merry Winters. While I like facets of her quite well, she seems to be out of control emotionally (lots of tears.)

Another less appealing aspect of Merry is her inability to stop herself from doing things that put her at risk. When she is told not to do something, you can bet your bottom dollar, she’ll be doing it shortly.

Putting all of that aside, the plot of the story is well done. The parts that talk about her crafting and her experience at the show are really interesting. There are relationships developing that seem quite different from the norm.

The device of being in business with another individual and texting can become old quickly. In a day when you can call, text, or use a visual interface, to always text and leave a trail of your discussion seems out of date.

I am hoping that Merry learns a little more self-control and dries up her tears a bit as the series progresses.

[Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henery Press continues to produce some of the best cozy mysteries on the market - Christina Freeburn’s newest book, the first in a new series, is no exception.

Merry Winters arrives at the first of the season’s craft sales in Morgantown, West Virginia, with an awful smell in her new (though used) RV. And she is the first, and most likely suspect, in the murder of her ex-husband who is the source of the rancid smell.

With the help of Ebenezer, Merry’s pet guinea pig, she will have to survive the obnoxious detective and the various attempts to sabotage her work as a Etsy dealer, in order to discover the actual culprit.

The book kept moving forward at a satisfying pace, held this reader’s attention and kept him returning for more. The possible suspects grows and keeps the reader guessing and gathering clues as the story progresses. The book should remain satisfying to most cozy mystery readers. The book will make a great Christmas read - except its publication is not expected till after the new year (January 2019). Perhaps a January purchase in preparation for a Christmas 2019 gift.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Chaitra · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded up because of Abraham and Ebenezer. I didn't get Merry. She's impulsive - why she had to go buy a used RV from her brand new divorced husband's teenage daughter, who has serious bones to pick with her because of said divorce, I still can't wrap my head around. I loathe her priorities - she's supposed to go to a lackluster crafting event so she doesn't even bother making sure proof of her divorce is in her hand, the thing that she supposedly so desperately wants.

She's quick to take offense at any offered help and it's always rude so it's actually a miracle she says she has friends. There's a whole scene where she and her ex-husband argue for about twenty minutes about his decision to stay with her because she's in danger and even before they've stopped it's abundantly clear that she needs help - but not a word of acknowledgment from her about his having her back despite her howling about it. Let's not even bring up that she should be dead about twelve times over because she's never thinking anything through.

She's one of the more badly written characters I've come across in cozies and I've read quite a few of them.

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

What a fantastic start to a new series! Death, disaster, pain and joy (hmm sounds like a typical Christmas so far), this is a well crafted crafting story and I love the characters.

Merry and an on-line friend have set up the Merry and Bright Christmas Etsy shop (also selling through various craft shows), Merry has an RV which used to belong to her ex-stepdaughter and she plans on using this to go to the various craft fairs, but also to hopefully use it as a mobile craft room (maybe even do some teaching), when she arrives at the first Craft Fair things go wrong, very wrong, starting with finding her ex-husband dead in the RV, then getting attacked and finally being accused of murder! Now she needs to use all of her crafting skills to find out the truth, and not just about her dead ex! There are various story lines intertwined and it is great to see them being unraveled for our reading pleasure!

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the moment she was found on the church steps on Christmas Eve and named Merry by her adoptive parents, she has kept Christmas in her heart . Merry loves to craft and her main joy is Christmas items. She meets and teams up online with a woman named Bright and together they open an Etsy store called Merry and Bright. When her ex’s daughter approaches her to sell an RV Merry jumps at the chance to buy it for her travels to craft shows. On her first trip she keeps smelling something like rotten food and when she gets to the craft grounds is shocked to find the body of her ex stuffed in the kitchenette seat. So starts the bumpy road of trying to prove she did not bump off her ex for what turns out to be a winning lottery ticket! This was my first book by this author and I loved it. Looking forward to more.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a name like Merry Winters, you've gotta love Christmas. And love it, she does. Merry's trying to make her Christmas crafting a full time business and move on with her life after her super short marriage to her second husband. But when he's found stuffed in a banquette seat in the RV Merry just bought, guess who the number one suspect is?

I got this ARC from Edelweiss ages ago. I meant to save it and read it last Christmas, but I completely forgot. Well, I've been trying to clear out my "ARCs to Read" folder on my Kindle, so I gave this one a go. I ended up enjoying it. It would be best read around Christmas, but I really liked the story. I'll definitely read more.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a Creature Was Stirring is a great start to a new series from Christina Freeburn. I enjoyed everything about this book. The characters were all quite interesting and well written. This book introduces lots of characters I expect we will see in the subsequent books in the series. Ebenezer, Merry's guinea pig and travel companion almost steals the show! The interesting plot has many twists. I did not guess who the murderer was which is wonderful. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the next ones in the series.

[Bonnie Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a read that will put you in the mood for Christmas any time of the year. Mary Christmas Winters is a woman that has get strength in having Christmas in her heart, mind, and soul because that is who she is. But when that joyful spirit is dosed with murder it will take a VERY BIG CHRISTMAS MIRACLE to bring it back. And what better way to do that then help solve the murder before Merry has a orange jumpsuit instead of cheerful Christmas T- Shirts and Christmas Sweeters.

[Barbara Tobey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I am not a Christmas person I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. A clever murder mystery. Friends, family, a guinea pig, and a neighbor all create laughs or tears. While I assume this series will continue to focus on all things Christmas, I still look forward to reading the next one. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via Edelweiss.

[Melissa Castor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun first book in a series. Merry is a Christmas lover and crafter. When she buys an RV from her former step-daughter and takes it to a craft show, the last thing she expects is to find the dead body of her ex-husband. Now she's on the hunt for the real killer to clear her name. I look forward to reading more of this series!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it a three but didn’t finish it. Desperate for a book I thought this one might have promise. Really cute premise, simple storyline; a really easy somewhat mindless read. Abraham, the young muscular, good looking guy from next door comes over. She described him as an OPPOSING figure. That was it, I could go no further. Who proof reads these things anyway?

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what happens to people when there's a winning $12 million lottery ticket up for grabs. Good characterization and tight plotting. I wish there had been more appearances of Ebenezer the guinea pig.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good first book in a series. I wanted something Christmas themed, and this certainly is because Merry is a Christmas crafter. I did not guess the murderer because it wasn't obvious. The characters are multi faceted, so that's a plus. I plan to read the next book in the series.