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Tiger's Eye Mystery #9

A Dead End Christmas

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It’s Christmas time in Dead End.

And this year Santa’s bringing … murder!

Join Tess, Jack, and the gang for the craziest Christmas since Fluffy the taxidermied alligator was still alive and got into Otis’s moonshine.

Because in Dead End, that reindeer you thought you saw might have been Bigfoot in disguise … and you never, ever want to see elves. Christmas might be merry after all, if Tess can investigate Santa and Jack can use his tiger’s eye to see the truth.

Because nobody wants to miss Christmas in Dead End!!

Warning: This book contains a taxidermied alligator, shapeshifters, Santa, elves, a dead body, magic, hideously bad singing, horrible puns, a slow-burning romance, mystery, mayhem, and “I laughed so hard I almost peed myself”* humor.

Read at your own risk.

Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2023

111 people are currently reading
299 people want to read

About the author

Alyssa Day

87 books1,596 followers
ALYSSA DAY is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romantasy, paranormal romance, and mystery novels whose books have sold more than a million copies and been translated into many languages, although she’s holding out for Klingon. She has lived with and battled chronic depression for her entire life and finally admitted it to her family—and the world—in 2014. Life is better now, because depression lies and tells us we’re alone.

We’re not.

Alyssa (as Alesia Holliday) is a diehard Buckeye from The Ohio State University who graduated summa cum laude from Capital University Law School in Ohio and practiced as a trial lawyer for several years before coming to her senses and letting the voices in her head loose on paper. She has lived all over the country and all over the world, including the Philippines, Turkey, and Japan.

When she’s not traveling to new adventures, she lives in Florida with her Navy Guy husband, spends time with her two amazing kids, and rescues dogs.

Especially pugs.

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5 stars
314 (64%)
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130 (26%)
3 stars
38 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
1,144 reviews18 followers
March 16, 2023
I love Tess and Jack, for any who are familiar with Ms Days Warriors of Atlantis series Jack Shepard will be a familiar figure. He is a tiger shifter and was a leader of the resistance fighting against the evil, corrupt supernaturals. Now that the supernaturals are exposed to the world the war is over and Jack is free to go find himself a life that doesn't involve.fighting. He's not.very successful at this and when a few years later his uncle (who.raised him) dies as his only living relative Jack returns to Dead End, Texas to take care of his affairs. Turns out his uncle owned a pawn shop which he ran with the help of Tess Callahan. Now it turns out Dead End is a very special place, it's somewhere humans and supernaturals (of all types ) have always co.existed, they even have their own town charter. Now,Tess is special.too, she's not a shifter like Jack but she is a special rare talent that has made her life very difficult. If Tess touches another person she gets vision of how the person is.going.to.die............all well and good if it's surrounded by loved ones after a long life well lived, not so good if it's violent and tragic............everyone.in town is aware of Tess's affliction so people to go great lengths to.ensure they don't touch her. Luckily it only the first time she touches a person she gets a vision so she's able to interact with her loved ones. Despite the limitations of Tess's daily life she's a cheerful upbeat person. On arriving in town Jack finds out he now co owns the Dead End Pawn shop with Tess and he is intrigued enough by her to stick around. In each book the relationship.deepens and grows between the two as they constantly find themselves joining forces to.solve mysteries and crimes occuring around town........... These books are full of gentle moments and filled with sweet humour. Watching Tess and Jack's relationship evolve is beautiful..........Jack fully deserves his H.E.A. And Tess is perfect for him
Profile Image for Jen (That's What I'm Talking About).
1,743 reviews313 followers
December 20, 2023
A Dead End Christmas is the ninth title is Day’s humorous paranormal mystery series set in Dead End, Florida. The series follows pawn shop owner, Tess, and her tiger-shifter boyfriend, ex-rebellion commander Jack. The titles are always a bit chaotic and zany, and this book is no exception.

Jack and Tess are now “facebook official,” spending nights together and talking about their mutual future. I like how kind to and loving of one another they are. They are happy and work well as a team - always having each other’s back and listening to any and all wild theories. And while Jack is a protective tiger, he knows he can’t reign in Tess’s joie de vivre or her desire to help her friends, family, and town. A Dead End Christmas is really the first title where they are fully a couple, and I love skipping the awkward “will they/won’t they” scenes.

It’s nearly Christmas, and the denizens of Dead Eye are even more odd than usual. Santas are fighting for territory and townsfolk are debating the merits of a proposed UltraShopMart. Additionally, there is a crime spree, with vandalism, break-ins, abandoned puppies, and a murder. The story is all over the place, jumping from thought to thought like a squirrel with ADHD. Unfortunately, sometimes things are brought up (like Shelley’s magic) only to fade into the background without a strong intention.

The mystery behind the vandalism isn’t all that difficult to figure out, but it took Tess and Jack on a few twists and turns (which frustrated me because it seemed pretty obvious). The murder whodunit has a few red herrings, but nothing serious or really believable. There is also never a clear reason why the UltraShopMart folks want to take Tess and Jack’s place, which is (apparently) no where close to the proposed shopping center site. Although the UltraShopMart team is portrayed as mighty shady, I like that town folks debate both the merits and pitfalls of a super shop in town.

Is A Dead End Christmas top-notch literature? No. But I don’t read the books for the complexity the mystery. I read them for the characters and silliness of Dead End. Overall, I enjoyed the entertaining story, especially seeing how far Tess and Jack have come.

My Rating: B
Profile Image for Laura.
Author 15 books613 followers
March 17, 2023
Read this review on Got Fiction? Book Blog

In Dead End, Florida Tess and Jack have a lot on their plates. With their budding relationship progressing, and ghosts, fairies, shifters, vampires, Atlanteans, and so many other paranormals popping up left and right, a couple of fighting Santas don’t really register as all that important. Until one of them ends up murdered.

The small, tight-knit town of Dead End is also dealing with a large mega superstore wanting to swoop in and build in their area. The promises of jobs and money isn’t enough until a petty crime spree around town gets bigger. The super shop company has sent out a team to convince the Dead Enders that they do want the new store built in there town, and one of the things they can do with the money is to hire more police for their podunk town. This actually resonates with many of the townspeople, especially since their sheriff is out of town, so they don't have a police force to speak of.

Tess is a pawnshop owner who can see how someone died by touching them, Jack is a rebel leader tiger shifter turned P.I. who has left his fighting days behind him. Yet they keep getting dragged into the investigation.

The petty crime like stealing tools, or spray painting “Cats Rule, Dogs Drool” on the new veterinarian’s office doesn’t seem super important when a Santa has just been murdered, but somehow Tess and Jack keep getting drawn in to all of the weird crimes. But when one of their own is framed for the Santa murder, well, what can they do but help investigate?

This book, this whole series, in fact, is just plain fun. lt’s a light and fluffy mystery, if you can have a light and fluffy murder that is. I always like to think of this series as a more fun and funny Sookie Stackhouse series. But better. I love that it’s funny and zany. I’ve been reading Alyssa Day for a long time, so I know she can write dark, and heavy. But I really am enjoying this lighter and fluffier series. If you want a good cozy mystery where the heroine stress bakes, and the hero eats more food than even my teenage son, because tiger shifter metabolism, then you definitely need this series. If you just want an enjoyable and light cozy mystery, this series has your name on it! Enjoy, dear readers, this book is for you!
Profile Image for Amanda Bhear.
666 reviews4 followers
November 6, 2025
I love it! Jack's first Christmas back home. I couldn't put it down. Dead End is turned around because a super mart that has everything wants to build right outside of town. It will put so many little shops out of business, a lot of people don't want them there. The super mark's manager wants to buy Tess & Jack's shops to turn them into gardens. They won't sell. A lot of small problems have been going on for a while. After Rooster & Daryl, the Santas in town get into some fistfights a couple of times, Daryl turns up dead. The evidence is all in Rooster's truck making him the suspect. Everybody knows he wouldn't do it but unless anything can be put out to help him, the deputy has no choice. Jack & Tess finally get him an alibi. During this time more crimes are happening. Tess & Jack don't like coincidences. Things seem to have started when the super mart started in, so things are checked out from other places. Similar plots seem to have played out several times. It appears that the super mart has been trying to scare people into selling & Daryl was a bungled job. It is shut down & they are in jail. I just love it!
4 reviews
April 26, 2023
A Dead End Christmas, part of the Tiger's Eye Mysteries series, is a cozy mystery that features a cast of lovable characters. From the witty and sassy private investigator Tess and her shape-shifting partner, Jack, to the quirky residents of Dead End, this novel is full of charm and personality.

However, the plot of A Dead End Christmas falls a bit thin. While there are some intriguing elements, such as the mystery surrounding a stolen Christmas tree and a murder, the overall story lacks depth and complexity. The resolution of the mystery is also somewhat predictable, which may disappoint readers looking for a more challenging puzzle to solve.

Despite its flaws, I'm glad that A Dead End Christmas made its way to publication. The character-driven nature of the novel and the festive setting make it a pleasant read for fans of the genre, and the series as a whole has a dedicated following. Overall, while it may not be the most compelling mystery out there, A Dead End Christmas is a fun and lighthearted addition to the Tiger's Eye Mysteries series.
13 reviews
March 14, 2023
Does not disappoint.

I re-re-reread the whole series in preparation for this book. They NEVER disappoint. Tess is spunky, smart, beautiful, loyal with a huge heart.
Jack is everything you would want in a hero. Valiant, protective, loyal, handsome with a wicked, snarky sense of humor.
I'm so glad they're together together now.
This series is amazing. Clever. Fast paced. Totally stoked for the next one. I pre-ordered all of these as soon as I get the notice.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES.
Profile Image for Patty .
1,356 reviews7 followers
May 2, 2023
love this series

I love this series and all it’s unusual and unique characters. This book didn’t have as much danger and action as it’s predecessors, but it was still an amazing story.

Jack and Tess are the cutest couple and I have enjoyed their adventures together and their journey to falling in love. They are fun, caring and super supportive.

In this installment they are on the hunt to find out who killed Santa. The suspect list is long and the town is in a state of unrest. Can they find the murderer I time or will someone else be doo ed to death?
Profile Image for Nathalie.
171 reviews
February 1, 2023
I have no Clue how Alyssa Day does it - but every single Tiger's Eye Book is better than the one prior!

This one starts with a Fist-Fight between two Santas, has more Chaos than any Town but Dead End could manage - und ends with a Boom!

and then there are Tess's Musings: „I was counting on my assumption that nobody in the history of Christmas had ever asked Santa to tell them how they were going to die.“

if i could give you a hundred Stars i absolutely would! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Kris.
83 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2023
Great book!!!

Absolutely loved this book. It was well worth the wait. Tess and Jack find more trouble in Dead End (but what's new about that). Fighting Santas, a strange crime wave and a Christmas tree that steals presents, just another Christmas in Dead End. If you want to find out more, you will have to read the book yourself.
85 reviews
February 21, 2023
Love this series

I have enjoyed reading all the books in this series so far. The characters are great. Their adventures are very funny and entertaining. Each story can be read as a stand alone but should be read in order. Because each story builds from the others. So the back story is needed to fully enjoy the next story. Highly recommended this series.
Profile Image for Merry Chapman.
2,580 reviews23 followers
February 6, 2023
Dead End is a wonderful town full of paranormal characters who live together fine with non-magical beings. I loved seeing the continued development in Tess and Jack's relationship. But in this book, things were not so great. We begin with two Santas fighting over who is the best and "only" Santa. That is until one of the Santas is found dead and the other is a major suspect. Then we have lots of vandalism, break-ins, stealing and random dogs and cats being dropped off in town. Add to that an obnoxious promoter for a giant Ultrashopmart that wants to move into their town and the town is split in half about the benefits and pitfalls especially since he also wants to buy out some of the small businesses in town and kept pushing. So much happened just before Christmas can Jack and Tess help detective Adam to find all the answers? Is it all connected? Who killed Santa? Who keeps dropping cats and dogs into the street opposite Tess's pawn shop? What is it about this mega store and why the guards and henchmen? Is this all connected? But How? Why? With some humor along the way, you just can't put this book down until the end! The characters that support Tess and Jack are wonderful too like Grandpa Jed, Aunt Rose and Uncle Mike and young Shelley! I loved this book and can't wait to read more about the town of Dead End and all its characters! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Profile Image for Karyn.
210 reviews
October 28, 2024

If you haven't read this series yet, start now! How can you not love a series that starts off with "A tiger, an alligator, and a redneck walked into my pawnshop." What an opening line!


This series is the story of Jack (the tiger) and Tess (the pawnshop owner). Oh, and Tess sees how you die if you touch her. They live in Dead End, Florida, a quaint (read "weird") little town on the edge of the swamp. Hilarious hijinks ensue in every story in the series. Santa's fighting. Crime up all over town. Residents at odds over a new store in town. What do they have in common? And the sheriff is out of town.


If you read her Poseidon's Warriors series, these are nothing like then, despite being a sort of spin off. These are hilarious, paranormal cozy mysteries.


While theoretically you could read the books as standalones, don't. They are so much better in proper order, as they do build on each other.

Profile Image for Jen.
408 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2023
Magic

This book and series are so cute. It's so easy to fall into the characters and in the town they live in. Within the cuteness, there is mystery, chaos, laughter, and love. There is always a happy ever after. But enough of the story left to entrigue you to anticipate the next book.
2,226 reviews4 followers
March 24, 2023
Hidden in plain site

Definitely not your typical Christmas that's for sure. Small town holiday's are usually about all the good things shared freely with neighbors. This one has lots of mysterious crimes, an overbearing corporation trying to build and that causes division or does it? The antics will have you chuckling right to the end.
1,530 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2023
A Dead End Christmas

This was so good! There were all kinds of hijinks and magical artifacts, and good friends, and family, and mysteries. And of course the town sticks together and everything ends well! This whole series is fabulous, and this story was a perfect addition to it!
Profile Image for Gail Daley.
Author 43 books20 followers
April 1, 2023
Never Disappoints

This is a great series. Day manages to combine an interesting mystery and make it hilarious at the same time. She has yet to run out of dangerous but at the same time silly magical objects for the pawn shop. Part of this is simply a great imagination, but it’s also managing to see the ridiculous in the chaos they would cause.
Profile Image for JoAn.
2,462 reviews1 follower
April 2, 2023
A mystery in Dead End, Florida is always a welcome respite for me from "real life". Ms. Day's writing is clever and the conversations with Tess, Jack and other residents is filled with a little snark and a lot of love and respect. A few twists, and several red herrings kept me glued to the pages. I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series.
Profile Image for Marty Tool.
617 reviews7 followers
May 27, 2023
Fun, fast read. Great characters, lots of craziness from the wacky personalities and a good mystery for Tess and Jack to solve. Really enjoy the relationship of Tess and Jack, it's taken a few books to get there and no silliness with misunderstandings to break them up. Great secondary characters, and the town is a character too, all make an entertaining light read.
97 reviews
June 20, 2023
Loved it!!!

I've been binge reading these books. I've read 9 in six days and worked two 12 hour shifts. Quirky characters. Check! Laugh out loud moments. Check! Small town in the South. Check! I want to know what happened at Thanksgiving. I'm only sad about 2 things- 1 I'm running out of books and 2 my dinner won't cook itself.
Profile Image for Willi.
416 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2024
Christmas chaos...

What a crazy Christmas they had in Dead End. It was a fun mystery and I enjoyed all the holiday happenings - like the Christmas tree! And they got everything sorted out and solved by Christmas Eve. Things are never dull when Jack and Tess are around, thsts for sure.
Profile Image for Marilyn.
168 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2023
the best

I adore this series. Such a wonderful cast of quirky characters. Mysteries, magic and adventures. I have now caught up and will be waiting impatiently for the next installment.
875 reviews
April 7, 2023
A Dead End Christmas

Good funny book. Jack, Read and all the other characters were together for Christmas and all the adventures. The best part was everyone was okay. Loved the book.
153 reviews
May 8, 2023
brilliant

Another great book in this fantastic series.brilliant characters, wonderful story with many twists and turn and plenty of laughs. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the dead Enders.
1,055 reviews1 follower
Read
May 19, 2024
The Superstore can't beat the people from Dead End

In order to convince the people of Dead End that they needed a Super store, the store hired thugs to disrupt the town, but the town fights back.
26 reviews
Want to read
January 3, 2023
I cannot purchase this book! I have tried and even pre paid for it but NO BOOK.
Does it come in paper back?
Why can't I get this book?
Profile Image for Rhonda Jones.
2,794 reviews17 followers
February 16, 2023
Good Mystery and Good Series

I enjoyed the book. The pace was a little slow for me in the beginning. But once the murder happened about 30% into the book, the pace picked up. The ending was no surprise, but how Tess and Jack got there was the fun in the story.
899 reviews
March 17, 2023
I really enjoyed this latest instalment in this series. It’s funny and has some serious issues to deal with. It kept my interest right from the beginning. Highly recommend this whole series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews

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