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Jayne Frost #1
Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.
Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost’s daughter, Santa Claus’s niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now…private investigator. Sort of.
Needing someone he can trust, her father sends her undercover to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees at the Santa’s Workshop toy store are going missing.
Doing that requires getting to know the town, which leads to interesting encounters with a sexy vampire, an old flame, and an elevator that’s strictly off-limits. The more Jayne finds out, the more questions she has, but the answers lead her deeper into danger.
Will her magic save her? Or will she come up cold?
Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost’s daughter, Santa Claus’s niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now…private investigator. Sort of.
Needing someone he can trust, her father sends her undercover to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees at the Santa’s Workshop toy store are going missing.
Doing that requires getting to know the town, which leads to interesting encounters with a sexy vampire, an old flame, and an elevator that’s strictly off-limits. The more Jayne finds out, the more questions she has, but the answers lead her deeper into danger.
Will her magic save her? Or will she come up cold?
326 pages, iBook
First published March 4, 2016
1579 people are currently reading
3423 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Painter
195 books3,381 followersKristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance, paranormal women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter @Kristen_Painter, Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor where she loves to interact with readers and her blog: http://kristenpainter.com/blog/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 728 reviews
February 20, 2023
Super-cute. Jayne Frost, winter elf and niece of Santa Claus, is sent from the North Pole to Nocturne Falls, where supernaturals can live as they are because Halloween is celebrated every day of the year, to investigate a series of disappearances in one of the present factories—or rather employees who keep leaving without a trace. Once there, she discovers a cat (adorable) and more questions than answers, runs into an ex-boyfriend, Cooper, who doesn’t recognize her because of her spiffy elf-glamour, and also meets Grayson, a hot vampire at a local club.
Jayne has to investigate the local disappearances, and needs the help of both Cooper and Grayson to do it… but also has some simmering feelings for both… which leads to an interesting love triangle I suspect may stretch into future books. I love Kristen Painter’s cute writing style, and the sweet, upbeat voice of this. I’ll definitely be checking out more books in this cozy-mystery series.
Jayne has to investigate the local disappearances, and needs the help of both Cooper and Grayson to do it… but also has some simmering feelings for both… which leads to an interesting love triangle I suspect may stretch into future books. I love Kristen Painter’s cute writing style, and the sweet, upbeat voice of this. I’ll definitely be checking out more books in this cozy-mystery series.
July 4, 2017
So I have been reading this for 2 and a half months, and it has been really fun and soothing. I like that it is so stress-free but also intriguing enough for me to keep on reading. I certainly took my time reading it, and I don’t regret that choice because it let me enjoy the simplicity of the book.
I still prefer Nocturne Falls because that one is more romance-based, cute, and has a wider variety of characters. Jayne Frost, on the other hand, is a cozy mystery that centers on only one protagonist. There is some romance in this, but it is currently at the beginning stages. I know who I want her to be with, and I THINK she is leaning towards him, but there is no definite endgame (yet).
In addition, I like the focus on friendship. Jayne, while trying to solve her mystery, is really just experiencing a regular life at Nocturne Falls (yes, the same town as the other series). She gets foods, feeds her cat, goes on dates, hangs out with her friends, takes naps, etc. It is soothing for me to read about such normal stuff – balanced with the paranormal-mystery aspect of this book.
Furthermore, Jayne is pretty all right. I don’t think I love her (at least not yet), but I am interested to see how she will develop in the later books. She is not perfect and she acts a bit more on the “childish” side, but she’s cool, she’s learning.
Overall, I’m going to give this 3.5 stars. I solidly enjoyed it, and I am definitely invested in this series. It is such a light-hearted, fun read and I wonder what will happen next.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
What age level would be appropriate?
------------
Tbh I love spinoffs. *happy sigh*
I still prefer Nocturne Falls because that one is more romance-based, cute, and has a wider variety of characters. Jayne Frost, on the other hand, is a cozy mystery that centers on only one protagonist. There is some romance in this, but it is currently at the beginning stages. I know who I want her to be with, and I THINK she is leaning towards him, but there is no definite endgame (yet).
In addition, I like the focus on friendship. Jayne, while trying to solve her mystery, is really just experiencing a regular life at Nocturne Falls (yes, the same town as the other series). She gets foods, feeds her cat, goes on dates, hangs out with her friends, takes naps, etc. It is soothing for me to read about such normal stuff – balanced with the paranormal-mystery aspect of this book.
Furthermore, Jayne is pretty all right. I don’t think I love her (at least not yet), but I am interested to see how she will develop in the later books. She is not perfect and she acts a bit more on the “childish” side, but she’s cool, she’s learning.
Overall, I’m going to give this 3.5 stars. I solidly enjoyed it, and I am definitely invested in this series. It is such a light-hearted, fun read and I wonder what will happen next.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
What age level would be appropriate?
------------
Tbh I love spinoffs. *happy sigh*
April 12, 2022
This is first in a series, but it seems like it's intertwined with the author's Nocturne Falls Romances. I started the first of that one and can tell that this one is after that in chronology because I recognize things that haven't happened yet. Feel free to read this first because the spoilers are mostly that Delaney has a store in town so you know things work out and that's not a surprise.
This definitely isn't a romance. It's mostly a cozy mystery, though there's a bit of jeopardy near the end. There are two guys vying for Jayne's attention so it looks like a standard love-triangle situation. I kind of like both and that's pretty rare for me so I'm happy with that. For now.
As for the story, the plot is really light, as is the worldbuilding. It's a minor miracle that it isn't all a jumbled muddle, but Painter at least keeps her lore consistent. And the town is charming, combining small town atmosphere with a heaping helping of supernatural folks works better than it has any right to.
As for Jayne, herself, she's a bit on the immature side, which worried me at first. Only, it turns out this is a lot about her finding confidence and a place for herself and growing into it. And I found that engaging.
So I'm going to go with a solid four stars, but with the caveat that this is very much a taste thing. If you are willing to go with the premise and a fairly light story you might enjoy it, too. Fortunately, the tone is set really early so a sample should tell you if you're going find it interesting or not.
A note about Chaste: Jayne is explicitly someone who doesn't do casual sex. And there are two guys vying for her favors and it ends without her making any kind of choice. Except to keep dating both. So there's no sex at all and only a couple of very nice kisses. So I consider it very chaste.
This definitely isn't a romance. It's mostly a cozy mystery, though there's a bit of jeopardy near the end. There are two guys vying for Jayne's attention so it looks like a standard love-triangle situation. I kind of like both and that's pretty rare for me so I'm happy with that. For now.
As for the story, the plot is really light, as is the worldbuilding. It's a minor miracle that it isn't all a jumbled muddle, but Painter at least keeps her lore consistent. And the town is charming, combining small town atmosphere with a heaping helping of supernatural folks works better than it has any right to.
As for Jayne, herself, she's a bit on the immature side, which worried me at first. Only, it turns out this is a lot about her finding confidence and a place for herself and growing into it. And I found that engaging.
So I'm going to go with a solid four stars, but with the caveat that this is very much a taste thing. If you are willing to go with the premise and a fairly light story you might enjoy it, too. Fortunately, the tone is set really early so a sample should tell you if you're going find it interesting or not.
A note about Chaste: Jayne is explicitly someone who doesn't do casual sex. And there are two guys vying for her favors and it ends without her making any kind of choice. Except to keep dating both. So there's no sex at all and only a couple of very nice kisses. So I consider it very chaste.
November 6, 2019
It’s silly how many works I’ve given 5 stars so far in 2018. I mean, it’s true that I had my first DNF last night, and probably won’t continue the other book that was on my currently reading list, and I’ve been better at just skipping books that were annoying me without DNF’ing them or finishing them but . . . still, my overall rating for this year is something probably close to 4.9 or something weird like that. 99.9% of this has little to do with this here book so let’s get to that.
See, I had thought out what I was going to write, and then I wrote the above first. Right, so. I’m a random reader. Occasionally I ‘know’ what I’ll read five books out, but most of the time I don’t know what I’m reading next. Also there’s random, and then there’s random. As in, there are books I figure I’d probably read very shortly (I’m including in here books I don’t even know exist, but are by authors I read everything they publish), then there are books I had no idea they existed before I just start reading. That’s where this book here falls. I just started to read. I was just going to sample the beginning to see how serious I should take this book. I mean, I’ve picked up a ton of free books lately that I’ve not even put on my list of books owned, and this was one of them. It was offered for free, it looked vaguely interesting – at least enough so to pass the low test for books I get free that I don’t acknowledge getting (in case I later want to read the book and now it’s something like 10 dollars, I’d rather get it for free if I can). So I was just doing a glimpse inside to see if I would even add the book to my owned pile and . . here we are, with the book all read and stuff.
Wow I ramble. You know, if I saw my own review written by a person I didn’t know on a random book I was looking at, there’s probably 99% chance I’d not read it. The review. Heh
So - story - This is a fantasy book and a fantasy world. Well, it’s set on earth, but by ‘fantasy world’, I mean, there’s no hiding who people are. It’s less ‘demons and stuff have come out of the closet’, and more ‘supernatural creatures are both the main point of view and main people inhabiting this book, and the humans don’t even know that the vampire they are taking a picture with is a real vampire’ type of ‘not hiding’.
The main character is Jayne Frost, and her father is Jack Frost who is otherwise known as the Winter King (and yes, Jayne is the Winter Princess). Jack Frost, even though he’s a king and stuff, works for someone else, mostly because he married a particular woman who just so happens to be the sister of Kris Kringle. So Jack is like Kris’s powerful right hand man, or something like that. Kris, of course, being Santa if that Kris Kringle thing isn’t widely known. Which means that Jayne herself is half . . . oops.
Jack Frost is an elf, a winter elf to be exact. It wasn’t exactly noted what the Kringle’s are, but whatever they are, Jayne Frost has both elf magic and Claus magic. She’s half-elf and half-….
Jayne has been floating around the company Santa and Jack run, she’s heir to the Winter Throne, but she hasn’t really found her place yet. She’s currently working on the Naughty/Nice list, but none of that is seen in the book, for the book opens with Jayne being called in to see her dad. He has a new assignment for her involving a specific special town in Georgia (USA, as opposed to the country known as Georgia).
Six employees have, over a two year period of time, just up and quit with just a note. And none of them have returned to the North Pole, and none of their whereabouts are known. So Jack’s sending in his daughter to investigate – undercover as the newest employee at the Santa’s Workshop (there’s a bunch of toy store’s all over the world that they run to test toys and stuff) in Nocturne Falls Georgia. And by undercover, I mean both an assumed name and a special magical bracelet that changes Jayne’s appearance (Jayne’s basically known to every Winter Elf, at least those who have spent any time in the North Pole).
Nocturne Falls itself is special, for, you see, while Santa’s Workshop celebrates Christmas 24/7 365 days a year, Nocturne Falls celebrates Halloween 24/7 365. Which is where the ‘hiding in plain sight’ comes in. As elves, vampires, various kinds of shifters can openly wander in this town, and people will just assume that the person with the pointy ears (elf or fae), or the fangs (vampire or shifter), or extra hairy, is just someone working for the town, not an actual elf, faerie, werewolf, or vampire.
So – that’s the situation. Jayne, under the cover name of ‘Lilibeth Holiday’ (Lilibeth is Jayne Frost’s actual middle name, and Holiday is one of the most common Winter Elf last names) is the newest employee of the Santa’s Workshop toy store in Nocturne Falls investigating the disappearance of six employees.
The book is much more of a mystery than a romance, though something of a modified love triangle does pop up. It’s not a real love triangle, for reasons, but I’m not sure if everyone in the story knows that. Jayne, as Lilibeth, ends up going on ‘just friends’ dates with a guy named Cooper, who is a Summer Elf (and Jayne’s actual long lost ex-boyfriend from college who broke her heart and stuff of that nature), while Lilibeth (Jayne) is also real dating a guy named Greyson (a vampire).
So, great story, good mystery, some romancing, lots of fantasy fun. Oh, and lots of humor sprinkled here and there. Oh! And a very cute cat named Spider. Spider is my favorite character in the book.
Rating: 4.70
January 30 2018
See, I had thought out what I was going to write, and then I wrote the above first. Right, so. I’m a random reader. Occasionally I ‘know’ what I’ll read five books out, but most of the time I don’t know what I’m reading next. Also there’s random, and then there’s random. As in, there are books I figure I’d probably read very shortly (I’m including in here books I don’t even know exist, but are by authors I read everything they publish), then there are books I had no idea they existed before I just start reading. That’s where this book here falls. I just started to read. I was just going to sample the beginning to see how serious I should take this book. I mean, I’ve picked up a ton of free books lately that I’ve not even put on my list of books owned, and this was one of them. It was offered for free, it looked vaguely interesting – at least enough so to pass the low test for books I get free that I don’t acknowledge getting (in case I later want to read the book and now it’s something like 10 dollars, I’d rather get it for free if I can). So I was just doing a glimpse inside to see if I would even add the book to my owned pile and . . here we are, with the book all read and stuff.
Wow I ramble. You know, if I saw my own review written by a person I didn’t know on a random book I was looking at, there’s probably 99% chance I’d not read it. The review. Heh
So - story - This is a fantasy book and a fantasy world. Well, it’s set on earth, but by ‘fantasy world’, I mean, there’s no hiding who people are. It’s less ‘demons and stuff have come out of the closet’, and more ‘supernatural creatures are both the main point of view and main people inhabiting this book, and the humans don’t even know that the vampire they are taking a picture with is a real vampire’ type of ‘not hiding’.
The main character is Jayne Frost, and her father is Jack Frost who is otherwise known as the Winter King (and yes, Jayne is the Winter Princess). Jack Frost, even though he’s a king and stuff, works for someone else, mostly because he married a particular woman who just so happens to be the sister of Kris Kringle. So Jack is like Kris’s powerful right hand man, or something like that. Kris, of course, being Santa if that Kris Kringle thing isn’t widely known. Which means that Jayne herself is half . . . oops.
Jack Frost is an elf, a winter elf to be exact. It wasn’t exactly noted what the Kringle’s are, but whatever they are, Jayne Frost has both elf magic and Claus magic. She’s half-elf and half-….
Jayne has been floating around the company Santa and Jack run, she’s heir to the Winter Throne, but she hasn’t really found her place yet. She’s currently working on the Naughty/Nice list, but none of that is seen in the book, for the book opens with Jayne being called in to see her dad. He has a new assignment for her involving a specific special town in Georgia (USA, as opposed to the country known as Georgia).
Six employees have, over a two year period of time, just up and quit with just a note. And none of them have returned to the North Pole, and none of their whereabouts are known. So Jack’s sending in his daughter to investigate – undercover as the newest employee at the Santa’s Workshop (there’s a bunch of toy store’s all over the world that they run to test toys and stuff) in Nocturne Falls Georgia. And by undercover, I mean both an assumed name and a special magical bracelet that changes Jayne’s appearance (Jayne’s basically known to every Winter Elf, at least those who have spent any time in the North Pole).
Nocturne Falls itself is special, for, you see, while Santa’s Workshop celebrates Christmas 24/7 365 days a year, Nocturne Falls celebrates Halloween 24/7 365. Which is where the ‘hiding in plain sight’ comes in. As elves, vampires, various kinds of shifters can openly wander in this town, and people will just assume that the person with the pointy ears (elf or fae), or the fangs (vampire or shifter), or extra hairy, is just someone working for the town, not an actual elf, faerie, werewolf, or vampire.
So – that’s the situation. Jayne, under the cover name of ‘Lilibeth Holiday’ (Lilibeth is Jayne Frost’s actual middle name, and Holiday is one of the most common Winter Elf last names) is the newest employee of the Santa’s Workshop toy store in Nocturne Falls investigating the disappearance of six employees.
The book is much more of a mystery than a romance, though something of a modified love triangle does pop up. It’s not a real love triangle, for reasons, but I’m not sure if everyone in the story knows that. Jayne, as Lilibeth, ends up going on ‘just friends’ dates with a guy named Cooper, who is a Summer Elf (and Jayne’s actual long lost ex-boyfriend from college who broke her heart and stuff of that nature), while Lilibeth (Jayne) is also real dating a guy named Greyson (a vampire).
So, great story, good mystery, some romancing, lots of fantasy fun. Oh, and lots of humor sprinkled here and there. Oh! And a very cute cat named Spider. Spider is my favorite character in the book.
Rating: 4.70
January 30 2018
March 7, 2016
I love this new series! I am not sure if I would describe it as a spin off - more like an adjacent series to the regular Nocturne Falls books.
New readers will easily be able to jump right in without having to have read the regular Nocturn Falls series (although fair warning - be prepared to want to go and grab them lol) and current followers of the series (like me) will get to see things from new perspective.
As with the regular Nocturne Fall books the story is complete in its own right but this time it is a mystery that is getting solved rather than a romantic HEA. Not that there isn't romance in the air because there certainly is as are AMAZING secondary characters and familiar favorites popping through. I seriously feel that if I could visit at this point I probably wouldn't even need a map!
I can't wait to see what adventures Jayne gets up to next but now my problem is which book do I want next ... another Nocturne Falls Mystery ... or another one in the regular series. Luckily for me I don't have to choose and will just pick up whatever is the next written!
An easy 5 stars from me!
V""V
New readers will easily be able to jump right in without having to have read the regular Nocturn Falls series (although fair warning - be prepared to want to go and grab them lol) and current followers of the series (like me) will get to see things from new perspective.
As with the regular Nocturne Fall books the story is complete in its own right but this time it is a mystery that is getting solved rather than a romantic HEA. Not that there isn't romance in the air because there certainly is as are AMAZING secondary characters and familiar favorites popping through. I seriously feel that if I could visit at this point I probably wouldn't even need a map!
I can't wait to see what adventures Jayne gets up to next but now my problem is which book do I want next ... another Nocturne Falls Mystery ... or another one in the regular series. Luckily for me I don't have to choose and will just pick up whatever is the next written!
An easy 5 stars from me!
V""V
May 7, 2019
I feel like the author really wanted to appeal to lovers of the movie 'Elf.' But she also wanted to grab edgy adult readers who think innuendos about vampires and biting make for a good story. So she combined the two.
And son of a nutcracker, it does not work.
Despite all the horrendous ice puns and fairly shallow heroine (she is a princess and people treat her different life is sooooo unfair) I generally enjoyed the mystery and the idea of Jack Frost sending his daughter undercover to solve a mystery in Santa's workshop. It was clever, the mystery engaging (albeit predictable/unlikely), and the potential certainly there for a good series.
But I really did not dig the love triangle. It was far too adult and edgy for this otherwise goofy story. The heroine frequently contemplates sleeping with her two boy toys to get the information she wants out of them. She strings both guys along and in general behaves like the bratty princess everyone accuses her of being.
There is some intriguing world building but it still feels pretty surface level. Werewolves and vampires are sexy and dangerous. Elves are gorgeous. Santa carries a magic bag. There is nothing more.
But why is there this random town in Georgia that celebrates Halloween all year round? What is up with the mysterious family that runs the place? If winter elves live at the North Pole, where do the other supernatural beings come from and where do they normally live? These are the things I wanted answers to. Not, 'omg, why does the building have an elevator people cannot enter' and 'What does Jack Frost's wife make for dinner?'
And son of a nutcracker, it does not work.
Despite all the horrendous ice puns and fairly shallow heroine (she is a princess and people treat her different life is sooooo unfair) I generally enjoyed the mystery and the idea of Jack Frost sending his daughter undercover to solve a mystery in Santa's workshop. It was clever, the mystery engaging (albeit predictable/unlikely), and the potential certainly there for a good series.
But I really did not dig the love triangle. It was far too adult and edgy for this otherwise goofy story. The heroine frequently contemplates sleeping with her two boy toys to get the information she wants out of them. She strings both guys along and in general behaves like the bratty princess everyone accuses her of being.
There is some intriguing world building but it still feels pretty surface level. Werewolves and vampires are sexy and dangerous. Elves are gorgeous. Santa carries a magic bag. There is nothing more.
But why is there this random town in Georgia that celebrates Halloween all year round? What is up with the mysterious family that runs the place? If winter elves live at the North Pole, where do the other supernatural beings come from and where do they normally live? These are the things I wanted answers to. Not, 'omg, why does the building have an elevator people cannot enter' and 'What does Jack Frost's wife make for dinner?'
February 3, 2017
The first in a new paranormal series set in the fictional Nocturne Falls, this is a cosy mystery with a touch of romance - all I can say is when is the second book coming out?
LOVED IT!!!
Light, fluffy, good mystery plot and a very suitable ending that didn't come out of left field.
LOVED IT!!!
Light, fluffy, good mystery plot and a very suitable ending that didn't come out of left field.
November 7, 2017
Audible Audiobook Review
Jayne Frost goes undercover as "Lillibeth Holiday" to investigate why employees at Santa's Workshop toy store in Nocturne Falls keep disappearing.
A cute story. Entertaining and well-written. I only have one gripe: The audiobook narration was distracting. Narrated by Hollis McCarthy - who has a very pleasant voice - the story suffered because of her distracting.... lengthy pauses... in nearly every... sentence.
I'm not kidding. In almost every sentence there was a pause that most narrators use occasionally to indicate that the character is thinking out loud or trying to puzzle something out that someone else has said. You know that pause, like, "Do you... really believe you got abducted by aliens?" That kind of pause. Used well, it definitely has its place, but once it's heard over and over and over and over again, it becomes distracting and annoying.
I tried to not make the story suffer for it though. I enjoyed the originality of the plot and introduction of Jayne Frost as a new character in the Nocturne Falls universe. However, seeing as how her series is narrated by Ms. McCarthy, I'm not sure how eager I will be to return to it - at least in audiobook form anyway.
Jayne Frost goes undercover as "Lillibeth Holiday" to investigate why employees at Santa's Workshop toy store in Nocturne Falls keep disappearing.
A cute story. Entertaining and well-written. I only have one gripe: The audiobook narration was distracting. Narrated by Hollis McCarthy - who has a very pleasant voice - the story suffered because of her distracting.... lengthy pauses... in nearly every... sentence.
I'm not kidding. In almost every sentence there was a pause that most narrators use occasionally to indicate that the character is thinking out loud or trying to puzzle something out that someone else has said. You know that pause, like, "Do you... really believe you got abducted by aliens?" That kind of pause. Used well, it definitely has its place, but once it's heard over and over and over and over again, it becomes distracting and annoying.
I tried to not make the story suffer for it though. I enjoyed the originality of the plot and introduction of Jayne Frost as a new character in the Nocturne Falls universe. However, seeing as how her series is narrated by Ms. McCarthy, I'm not sure how eager I will be to return to it - at least in audiobook form anyway.
November 21, 2020
The premise sounded great - a Christmas / Halloween cozy mystery mashup of a winter elf investigating a mystery in a Halloween themed town. Unfortunately, it read more like the very worst of lazy YA paranormal romances, obsessing over character appearances and clothes and vehicles, with the actual mystery as a thin excuse for a setting. Even the "magic" was lazy convenience. Really disappointing as it looks like the whole series is available on Audible Plus.
Audiobook, via Audible Plus. Hollis McCarthy does a fine job with the narration, but this is 100% not a book for me. DNF after about an hour of audio.
Audiobook, via Audible Plus. Hollis McCarthy does a fine job with the narration, but this is 100% not a book for me. DNF after about an hour of audio.
May 19, 2017
This book was just fun!
Jane the daughter of Jack Frost is sent to Noctern Falls, Disguised as a regular elf, trying to figure out why the workers at that toy store keep disappearing... of course Jane runs into her ex-boyfriend Cooper in this town along with a fabulously handsome vampire Grayson, it looks like there is going to be an elf vampire love triangle, this is new... along with meeting these men she has also met some fabulous friends, loved the characters in this book, and the town itself is a character.... The mystery was good and kept you turn in those pages, can't wait to get to the next book in the series, and I'm also going to pick up the original Noctern Falls series....
Jane the daughter of Jack Frost is sent to Noctern Falls, Disguised as a regular elf, trying to figure out why the workers at that toy store keep disappearing... of course Jane runs into her ex-boyfriend Cooper in this town along with a fabulously handsome vampire Grayson, it looks like there is going to be an elf vampire love triangle, this is new... along with meeting these men she has also met some fabulous friends, loved the characters in this book, and the town itself is a character.... The mystery was good and kept you turn in those pages, can't wait to get to the next book in the series, and I'm also going to pick up the original Noctern Falls series....
November 27, 2018
Another book where my first impulse was to rush out and buy book 2. I am up to book 5 of the main Nocturne Falls series so thought i would start this companion series and when i first started it, I wasn't sure i was going to enjoy it as much as I am enjoying the other series. However Jane, and the rest of the characters and the story grew on me. I felt like the mystery was a tiny bit easy to pick and that there weren't too many twists and turns. Maybe its because of the other books i have been reading lately, but i kept waiting for the one big twist, that never really came.
However i still enjoyed the mystery and the characters and liked the way this book set up the series without being forced or obvious. The main focus was the mystery and the series just happened to get set up in the process. There was still a couple of niggles that i don't think were completely explained in the story but other than that it was an extremely enjoyable read.
However i still enjoyed the mystery and the characters and liked the way this book set up the series without being forced or obvious. The main focus was the mystery and the series just happened to get set up in the process. There was still a couple of niggles that i don't think were completely explained in the story but other than that it was an extremely enjoyable read.
March 11, 2016
3.5Stars
Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case is a spin-off from the cute Nocturne Falls Series. It totally works on it's own, so it's a fun book to read even if you haven't read that series.
While it is set in Nocturne Falls, the world building being the same, this novel has a quite different feel. It has more a Agatha Christie does Urban Fantasy vibe than the PNR cuteness of Nocturne Falls.
I love the mystery part of this novel. I love Jayne's POV. The entire book is told from her POV. Jayne, though sent on a mission by the Winter King, her antics reminded me of a young Miss Marple at times. The story line was extremely fun, the mystery was good- made me, think hard and yet solvable if you pay good attention...Just like I said, a good the butler did it anyway kinda mystery a la Christie. Right down my alley.
This is like the Nocturne Fall series light on world building. Vampires are vampires ( they don't sparkle in the sun *snickers*), elfs, were-animal, gargoyles, witches and fae- all present and while Painter doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to the paranormal beings, she very cleverly makes this her own with amazing and imaginative details. I love the snowglobe for example, and the snowy cussing... But then if you have read Painter, you would come to expect that, just like I have. Still, it's an absolute pleasure to read.
Since I basically been reading nearly everything Painter publishes, I think it's safe to say I love her writing style. Jayne Frost #1 just cements why I love her writing. There are some really brilliant moments, amazing descriptions and a well paced story line
I like Jayne -mostly. And I love her relationship with Jack Frost, Buttercup and Juniper.
Painter did a stellar job at the world building when it comes to most of the support cast. We even get to see some of our beloved Nocturne Falls characters again...
Cooper is the all around golden boy and I really liked him. I like the big resolve when it comes to him, btw. I kinda suspected something like that, but it was interesting how Painter did it, though I do hope that Jayne will take it up, I am not sure I like how it was left.
Greyson for some reason reminded me of Jonny Depp, and even when Painter kept saying his style didn't look gordy but sexy- I kinda thought it did. LOL
Honestly I liked Greyson, would like to know more about him and think he is an interesting love interest.
BUT and there lies probably the biggest issue I had with this. I didn't see the chemistry between Jayne and her love interest. I mean she seemed too calculated. Too, I dunno... I just didn't see it.
While I loved the mystery and thankfully this is more a mystery than a romance, it had too much romance in it for me. Maybe because I personally didn't much enjoy the romance bits
This is mainly due to Jayne's behaviour. And while this doesn't have a love triangle per se. Jayne's dating life and at her at times calculation behaviour didn't lie well with me. Juts my personal preferences.
Don't misunderstand me.. I so wanna know how things are going to go for Jayne romantically. LOL
I am not so sure I was satisfied with the villains in this one. Well I was to a degree. I got some of the motives, but I didn't with others.
Jayne is an interesting character, and I enjoyed taking this journey with her, it was interesting to see the changes in her and how she made friends - how much her life changes because of it all. Best part how she dealt with everything, embraced the changes and made it her own.
So I am looking forward to the next installment- I am wondering where Painter will be taking it, hope there will be more intriguing mysteries and some of my answers and the romance will be solved.
Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case is a spin-off from the cute Nocturne Falls Series. It totally works on it's own, so it's a fun book to read even if you haven't read that series.
While it is set in Nocturne Falls, the world building being the same, this novel has a quite different feel. It has more a Agatha Christie does Urban Fantasy vibe than the PNR cuteness of Nocturne Falls.
I love the mystery part of this novel. I love Jayne's POV. The entire book is told from her POV. Jayne, though sent on a mission by the Winter King, her antics reminded me of a young Miss Marple at times. The story line was extremely fun, the mystery was good- made me, think hard and yet solvable if you pay good attention...Just like I said, a good the butler did it anyway kinda mystery a la Christie. Right down my alley.
This is like the Nocturne Fall series light on world building. Vampires are vampires ( they don't sparkle in the sun *snickers*), elfs, were-animal, gargoyles, witches and fae- all present and while Painter doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to the paranormal beings, she very cleverly makes this her own with amazing and imaginative details. I love the snowglobe for example, and the snowy cussing... But then if you have read Painter, you would come to expect that, just like I have. Still, it's an absolute pleasure to read.
Since I basically been reading nearly everything Painter publishes, I think it's safe to say I love her writing style. Jayne Frost #1 just cements why I love her writing. There are some really brilliant moments, amazing descriptions and a well paced story line
I like Jayne -mostly. And I love her relationship with Jack Frost, Buttercup and Juniper.
Painter did a stellar job at the world building when it comes to most of the support cast. We even get to see some of our beloved Nocturne Falls characters again...
Cooper is the all around golden boy and I really liked him. I like the big resolve when it comes to him, btw. I kinda suspected something like that, but it was interesting how Painter did it, though I do hope that Jayne will take it up, I am not sure I like how it was left.
Greyson for some reason reminded me of Jonny Depp, and even when Painter kept saying his style didn't look gordy but sexy- I kinda thought it did. LOL
Honestly I liked Greyson, would like to know more about him and think he is an interesting love interest.
BUT and there lies probably the biggest issue I had with this. I didn't see the chemistry between Jayne and her love interest. I mean she seemed too calculated. Too, I dunno... I just didn't see it.
While I loved the mystery and thankfully this is more a mystery than a romance, it had too much romance in it for me. Maybe because I personally didn't much enjoy the romance bits
This is mainly due to Jayne's behaviour. And while this doesn't have a love triangle per se. Jayne's dating life and at her at times calculation behaviour didn't lie well with me. Juts my personal preferences.
Don't misunderstand me.. I so wanna know how things are going to go for Jayne romantically. LOL
I am not so sure I was satisfied with the villains in this one. Well I was to a degree. I got some of the motives, but I didn't with others.
Jayne is an interesting character, and I enjoyed taking this journey with her, it was interesting to see the changes in her and how she made friends - how much her life changes because of it all. Best part how she dealt with everything, embraced the changes and made it her own.
So I am looking forward to the next installment- I am wondering where Painter will be taking it, hope there will be more intriguing mysteries and some of my answers and the romance will be solved.
June 7, 2017
This was a good little book. The story had a quick pace and was over before I knew it and not in a bad way. I didn’t feel like it the author was dragging the story out like some of my more recent listens have. Once Jayne started to put the pieces together the mystery picked up the pace and was a nice satisfying end. The events after the solution of the mystery was revealed did a respectable job of setting up the next book in the series and most things had a decent conclusion.
The author did a really good job of keeping the feel of Nocturne Falls that was developed in her other book series. The premise of Jack Frost’s daughter and how elves fit into the supernatural world Ms. Painter established in her other books was seamless and completely realistic for the world she created. Her characters are extremely likable and unique. I loved Juniper and Garret as they were great counters to Jayne’s constant level of energy.
As I stated earlier in the review the book had great characters but as seems to be my normal way with books the main character did start to annoy me a little and I hope this annoyance doesn’t get more pronounced in the latter books. I have quit several other book series due to my level of annoyance or dislike for the main heroine.
My other concern is the stupid romantic subplot that appears to be developing into a love triangle which in my opinion is the most overused trope in the storytelling business. The only thing I have to say on the triangle is I felt Jayne had way more chemistry with Garret than with Cooper.
As a narrator, Hollis McCarthy was just okay for me. The narration was good for Jayne, Garret and Cooper but when all the elves were talking in a conversation they all sounded the same to me and I wasn’t always sure who was talking.
The author did a really good job of keeping the feel of Nocturne Falls that was developed in her other book series. The premise of Jack Frost’s daughter and how elves fit into the supernatural world Ms. Painter established in her other books was seamless and completely realistic for the world she created. Her characters are extremely likable and unique. I loved Juniper and Garret as they were great counters to Jayne’s constant level of energy.
As I stated earlier in the review the book had great characters but as seems to be my normal way with books the main character did start to annoy me a little and I hope this annoyance doesn’t get more pronounced in the latter books. I have quit several other book series due to my level of annoyance or dislike for the main heroine.
My other concern is the stupid romantic subplot that appears to be developing into a love triangle which in my opinion is the most overused trope in the storytelling business. The only thing I have to say on the triangle is I felt Jayne had way more chemistry with Garret than with Cooper.
As a narrator, Hollis McCarthy was just okay for me. The narration was good for Jayne, Garret and Cooper but when all the elves were talking in a conversation they all sounded the same to me and I wasn’t always sure who was talking.
December 11, 2022
I love the amount of humor in here! I also love Jayne's character! She is very human and real. I also love the addition of spider though it made me sad how she came to find him.
I was getting worried this was a murder mystery without telling you it's a murder mystery (I've had that happen before and I wasn't happy about it.) but it seems like a lot of the reviews say "It's nice to read a cozy mystery that ISN'T a murder mystery." So YAY! It definitely isn't a murder mystery.
Warning: This is based on another series (Nocturne Falls) so it does tell you what happens in some of the books specifically The Gargoyle and Gets His Girl which I was bummed about because I haven't read it yet and it was on my to read. Someone said that it also told you what happened in The Vampire's Mail Order Bride.
Content: sexual references (PG-13) but the romance is clean, mild language (when she curses she generally uses words like frost, or snowballs)
I was getting worried this was a murder mystery without telling you it's a murder mystery (I've had that happen before and I wasn't happy about it.) but it seems like a lot of the reviews say "It's nice to read a cozy mystery that ISN'T a murder mystery." So YAY! It definitely isn't a murder mystery.
Warning: This is based on another series (Nocturne Falls) so it does tell you what happens in some of the books specifically The Gargoyle and Gets His Girl which I was bummed about because I haven't read it yet and it was on my to read. Someone said that it also told you what happened in The Vampire's Mail Order Bride.
Content: sexual references (PG-13) but the romance is clean, mild language (when she curses she generally uses words like frost, or snowballs)
July 13, 2018
Jayne is the daughter of Jack Frost, she is still trying to find her place in the family business but it seems like she will never quite fit in. When she is assigned to investigate elf's disappearing in Nocturne Falls. Under a charm she changes her appearance and who she is to get to the bottom of this. She doesn't expect to meet Greyson, a handsome vampire and she never expects to reunite with ex boyfriend Cooper. Can she find who is taking the elves while fighting off her attraction to two men?
Charming. I thought this was a very fun series that was festive and full of spirit. Not sure who Jayne would be best with but did like them both. Great series, looking forward to more.
Charming. I thought this was a very fun series that was festive and full of spirit. Not sure who Jayne would be best with but did like them both. Great series, looking forward to more.
February 19, 2018
I knew the moment I walked into my father's office, this wasn't going to be one of those friendly father-daughter, how's-life-treating-you conversations.
Jayne is the daughter of Jack Frost, The Winter King and the niece of Santa. Santa has stores all over the world that he can pull toys from during his Christmas Eve ride. The store in Nocturne Falls is having a problem with employees going missing. Jayne is sent in undercover to discover what is going on. Nocturne Falls is filled with supernatural creatures that are able to live publicly because the town celebrates Halloween every day.
Jayne is able to use magic to mask her true self which comes in handy when she runs into a former boyfriend that works as a firefighter in town. A debonair vampire is also vying for Jayne's attention.
The toy store has a mysterious elevator that employees are not allowed to use. Of course this makes Jayne more determined to discover what the big secret is.
This was a cute fun book that kept my attention. I enjoyed the characters and the idea of a Halloween town. The romantic triangle was not as bothersome as I usually find them.
I didn't pick up on what was going on until Jayne did. I did suspect who was causing the problem but not why. I will look for the next book in the series.
Jayne is the daughter of Jack Frost, The Winter King and the niece of Santa. Santa has stores all over the world that he can pull toys from during his Christmas Eve ride. The store in Nocturne Falls is having a problem with employees going missing. Jayne is sent in undercover to discover what is going on. Nocturne Falls is filled with supernatural creatures that are able to live publicly because the town celebrates Halloween every day.
Jayne is able to use magic to mask her true self which comes in handy when she runs into a former boyfriend that works as a firefighter in town. A debonair vampire is also vying for Jayne's attention.
The toy store has a mysterious elevator that employees are not allowed to use. Of course this makes Jayne more determined to discover what the big secret is.
This was a cute fun book that kept my attention. I enjoyed the characters and the idea of a Halloween town. The romantic triangle was not as bothersome as I usually find them.
I didn't pick up on what was going on until Jayne did. I did suspect who was causing the problem but not why. I will look for the next book in the series.
December 10, 2020
4 solid stars
I haven't read a cozy mystery in some time and the last one I read was probably a Hannah Swenson book, but when I don't have a lot of brainpower or I have a really busy day, it's a really fun listen. For a lighthearted mystery, I thought the mystery part of it was interested and well crafted, and if you paid attention, you could probably figure it out. I also loved her friendship with Juniper and Buttercup and assume that they will continue to play a part in the series, especially because they play a major part in her decision at the end. And I'm thrilled that she has a cat named Spider who is totally awesome. The love triangle I could live without, but just like Hannah Swenson, I think it's going to have to work its way out. I know who I preferred for Hannah and I know who I prefer for Jayne, but eh, whatever--I just like that she has two real girlfriends and a cat. I also really like her relationship with Jack Frost and his willingness to let her live her own life even though she is a princess. As for the narrator, she's no Lorelei King, but her voice seems to really fit Nocturne Falls. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
I haven't read a cozy mystery in some time and the last one I read was probably a Hannah Swenson book, but when I don't have a lot of brainpower or I have a really busy day, it's a really fun listen. For a lighthearted mystery, I thought the mystery part of it was interested and well crafted, and if you paid attention, you could probably figure it out. I also loved her friendship with Juniper and Buttercup and assume that they will continue to play a part in the series, especially because they play a major part in her decision at the end. And I'm thrilled that she has a cat named Spider who is totally awesome. The love triangle I could live without, but just like Hannah Swenson, I think it's going to have to work its way out. I know who I preferred for Hannah and I know who I prefer for Jayne, but eh, whatever--I just like that she has two real girlfriends and a cat. I also really like her relationship with Jack Frost and his willingness to let her live her own life even though she is a princess. As for the narrator, she's no Lorelei King, but her voice seems to really fit Nocturne Falls. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
February 1, 2018
This is the start of a cute light cozy about Jack Fosts’ daughter working undercover. Good story with fun characters.
December 30, 2017
This was a fun listen. Something easy and light to just lay back and enjoy. But all the talk about food and sweets and supernatural metabolism was just cruel. And the French accent was terrible (this seems to be universal in English audio books and always throws me right out of the story). The mystery was interesting enough, but rather safe and low on the angst. I liked hanging out with Jayne and her new friends and am not averse to return someday to Nocturne Falls and it's lively supernatural population.
November 6, 2019
Surprisingly enjoyable. I’m not sure how many of the series I’ll enjoy before I get tired of it or the writing, but it’s pretty cute so far. I like the idea of Nocturne Falls. It sounds like a fun town.
Jayne shows up to solve the problem of Winter Elves disappearing from their jobs with only a note left behind. Something was wrong and Jayne shows up in disguise as a regular employee to see if there is something nefarious afoot!
Spider is one of my favorite characters and he’s a cat.
Jayne shows up to solve the problem of Winter Elves disappearing from their jobs with only a note left behind. Something was wrong and Jayne shows up in disguise as a regular employee to see if there is something nefarious afoot!
Spider is one of my favorite characters and he’s a cat.
November 26, 2022
Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case is book one in the Jayne Frost series by Kristen Painter. This is a cute and fun cozy.
Jayne is a Winter Elf and Princess. Her father is, Jack Frost and her uncle is, Santa Claus. She doesn’t really fight in at the North Pole and people either dislike her on the spot or give her fake platitudes. She’s sent to the Santa’s Workshop in Nocturne Falls to investigate the disappearance of winter elf’s.
I really had a lot of fun with this cozy mystery. It’s set in Nocturne Falls a town that celebrates Halloween year round. I love that we get to return to this town. I enjoy Painter’s Nocturne Falls series which deals with different couples with each book, but here we get just Jayne in this series with all the feels the Holiday’s bring, but with a mystery to solve.
Jayne gets to see what normal life is like and the glamor she has hides her true face. In Nocturne Falls she is on the hunt for the missing employees and along the way she makes new friends, runs into her ex-boyfriend and goes on some dates with a hot vampire, Greyson.
I enjoyed Jayne and her light snooping. The romance is light, with either Greyson and Cooper, but the main focus is on the missing winter elf’s. I also liked that we focus on friendship which is new for Jayne and that she adopted a cat named Spider. Adorable!
Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case was a very nice start to the Jayne Frost series. I’m looking forward to reading on in the series.
Rates: 3.5 Stars
Jayne is a Winter Elf and Princess. Her father is, Jack Frost and her uncle is, Santa Claus. She doesn’t really fight in at the North Pole and people either dislike her on the spot or give her fake platitudes. She’s sent to the Santa’s Workshop in Nocturne Falls to investigate the disappearance of winter elf’s.
I really had a lot of fun with this cozy mystery. It’s set in Nocturne Falls a town that celebrates Halloween year round. I love that we get to return to this town. I enjoy Painter’s Nocturne Falls series which deals with different couples with each book, but here we get just Jayne in this series with all the feels the Holiday’s bring, but with a mystery to solve.
Jayne gets to see what normal life is like and the glamor she has hides her true face. In Nocturne Falls she is on the hunt for the missing employees and along the way she makes new friends, runs into her ex-boyfriend and goes on some dates with a hot vampire, Greyson.
I enjoyed Jayne and her light snooping. The romance is light, with either Greyson and Cooper, but the main focus is on the missing winter elf’s. I also liked that we focus on friendship which is new for Jayne and that she adopted a cat named Spider. Adorable!
Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case was a very nice start to the Jayne Frost series. I’m looking forward to reading on in the series.
Rates: 3.5 Stars
May 9, 2021
The premise-- Santa's niece, Jack Frost's daughter, going to a small town in Georgia undercover to solve a mystery- sounded really interesting.The world-building could have been great. It just didn't go far enough, and didn't answer my questions. Like, where does everyone else come from? I know winter elves come from the NP (North Pole) but what about everyone else? And what about these mysterious people that run this town that is safe for supernatural beings? Why do they do this? I don't know, maybe this is all answered in the regular Nocturne Falls series, but I don't think I am motivated to go find out.
Also, read this if you can instead of listening-- the narrator paused a lot, and spoke really slow, even with the book sped up. It was difficult for me to listen to.
Also, read this if you can instead of listening-- the narrator paused a lot, and spoke really slow, even with the book sped up. It was difficult for me to listen to.
August 27, 2022
Jayne Frost, who is a big deal, is sent undercover as a private investigator to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees are disappearing from Santa’s Workshop. She meets a hot vampire and runs into an ex boyfriend who is an elf.
This feels like it might turn into a love triangle, so I’m not sure I’m going to continue.
However, it was still a good read. The investigation and the magic pieces of the story were really good. It got to the point where I wanted to go down in the “off limits” elevator and see what was in the basement. I also want a magical snow globe. I liked the side characters and the introduction of that weird house.
Great story!
This feels like it might turn into a love triangle, so I’m not sure I’m going to continue.
However, it was still a good read. The investigation and the magic pieces of the story were really good. It got to the point where I wanted to go down in the “off limits” elevator and see what was in the basement. I also want a magical snow globe. I liked the side characters and the introduction of that weird house.
Great story!
March 29, 2020
Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case by Kristen Painter was a cute and entertaining paranormal cozy mystery. Ms. Painter introduces readers to Nocturne Falls where the community celebrates Halloween all year. It's definitely a tourist town with a twist because the residents are "real" paranormal individuals - weres, fae, elves, and vampires. I enjoyed my time with Jayne because she's smart and likable but also very human in that she finds friendship, romance and where she feels like she has found her place in the world.
February 10, 2021
This is a happy-go-lucky story where nothing is meant to be realistic or logical. It's what one might call a "feel good" story. The lead character is never really in any danger but works her way through a gummy bear mystery.
There is a bit of what's supposed to be romance and lots of references to candy and Dr. Peppers.
This isn't meant to promote deep internal thought about the meaning of life. But if you need something quick and silly to take your mind off of Covid-19 then you might have found what you're looking for with this.
Narration is pretty good.
There is a bit of what's supposed to be romance and lots of references to candy and Dr. Peppers.
This isn't meant to promote deep internal thought about the meaning of life. But if you need something quick and silly to take your mind off of Covid-19 then you might have found what you're looking for with this.
Narration is pretty good.
January 4, 2021
4.5 stars - cozy mystery with seasonal twist— though I do think it could be enjoyed any time of year (it takes place in the spring and is more Christmas-adjacent). I liked all the characters and am looking forward to Jayne’s next adventure.
Want to read
May 24, 2019Freebie!! The cat lover in me craves this.
May 6, 2024
★★★½
October 11, 2019
Well this book was a nice surprise. It blew me away and I couldn't read it fast enough. I loved the idea of a winter elf from the north pole and everything xmas goes to halloween town. It was fun and made me giggle in places. There was also a great mystery that kept you guessing. If anything I think the ending was a little rushed but a great read for paranormal or fantasy lovers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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