Merry Scary Victorian Christmas: A Victoria Town Mystery Novella

Victoria Town Mysteries #3

by Mollie Cox Bryan

The Sweet Victoria B & B’s Christmas Tea in Victoria Town, Va. takes a disastrous turn when one of the attendees collapses and dies. When the police investigate, they find the supposed poison that killed her in the basement of the B & B, pointing to Aunt Libby as a suspect. And the clues keep piling up. Even though Viv and everyone in town doesn’t believe Libby guilty of murder, the police continue to suspect her. Viv and Libby must tread carefully as they work to solve this case—one misstep could land Libby in jail. And leave the real killer on the streets of the ever-so quaint Victoria Town.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2020

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this cozy mystery novella series by author Mollie Cox Bryan. This third installment takes place at Christmas and is a quick fun read. The characters are really developing nicely and I like where I think the author is taking the main character Viv Barton. It is a natural progression and will hopefully allow Viv to channel her inner sleuth in a productive way. She does have good intuition which helps her solve crimes. Plus, she does seem to trip over dead bodies wherever she goes in this town. The mystery was solid. I think I followed some clues that the author threw in to misdirect the reader and was so far off on who I suspected as the killer that it's a good thing I don't solve crimes for a living. I'm looking forward to future installments in this novella series.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy that was provided to me by the author. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merry Scary Victorian Christmas by Mollie Cox Bryan is the 3rd A Victoria Town Mystery Novella. This short cozy mystery can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series or have missed a tale. Merry Scary Victorian Christmas is well-written, and it moves along at a quick pace. Viv Barton is settling into Victoria Town, Virginia where she works and lives with her Aunt Libby at Sweet Victoria Bed and Breakfast. Viv also works part-time at Mourning Arts for Irene. The characters are developing suitably. I like the direction that the author is taking with Viv. It suits her natural curiosity, and it utilizes her mad computer skills. Aunt Libby is such a sweet woman. She is a great character with a fabulous bed and breakfast. I enjoy the descriptions of Victoria Town. It reminds me of German Village where I grew up as well as the Victorian town that is nearby. There is also wonderful word imagery of Victorian items such as fans, jewelry, clothing, and furniture. The village is especially magical at Christmas time with carolers singing Christmas songs and the lovely decorations. The mystery suited the story and its length. There are a couple of suspects along with good clues to help readers solve it before the reveal scene. The reveal or capture was a hoot that had me laughing. We are introduced to a private investigator that has Viv (and others) drooling. It will be interesting to see what happens with the handsome PI in the future. The ending was heartwarming and jolly. Merry Scary Victorian Christmas is a delightful Christmas cozy mystery with seasonal salutation strain, a poisoned person, a striking sleuth, a tragic tea, copious quantities of cookies, and cheering Christmas carols.

[Judy Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an enjoyable cozy read set in a victorian town with of course a murder to be solved. The characters with captivate you.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read that begins with Viv and Aunt Libby getting ready for the B & B's famous Christmas Tea. This is the first book that I have read in this series and I liked the characters and the descriptions of the inn and the town. The mystery in this book was realistic and I liked the way the characters worked to solve it.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series. The stories are a quick read but there’s enough to the mystery to make it interesting.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great cozy

I can't wait to see where things go with Viv and Stone . I love this series by Mollie Cox Bryan and if you love a great cozy with characters you will love then this on is a must read

[David Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review. Viv goes against Aunt Libby's wishes and trys hacking to find Aunt Libby's attacker. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

[Kristy Epperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series of novellas. My only issues are with the amount of grammar mistakes. Also, on the same page, a doctor went from a female to a male. Aunt Libby was called Aunt Viv as well. Seems like the series was written in a hurry to not catch the amount of mistakes I found. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Aunt Libby and Viv and hope there might be more books in the series, just with careful editing.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merry Scary Victorian Christmas by Mollie Cox is the third Novella in A Victoria Town Mystery. Christmas is approaching and Viv and Libby are getting the B & B ready for their Christmas tea.
A quick fun, well written story with a dead body.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m loving this series of cozy mystery novellas. Everything is perfection at Aunt Libby’s posh Victorian Christmas tea until one of the guests falls over dead. This well written book is fast paced and filled with like-able characters. It was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to future installments in this series. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Rosemary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria Town is a wonderful place to come and visit year round but it is especially festive during the holidays. Viv Barton has reached her fill of Victorian Christmas cheer. She wants to hide away but her Aunt Libby is hosting a holiday tea and she's there to help her make the event a success. Unfortunately they didn't expect one of the guests to be murdered. The police think Aunt Libby is the killer. Viv starts her own investigation. I like her sleuthing skills even though she's a reformed hacker. She works well with the PI that they hire. I liked the hint of romance. Merry Scary Victorian Christmas is a quick read. The characters are interesting and likable and the suspects are numerous. The setting is cozy and the plot moves swiftly. Mollie Cox Bryan kept me entertained. This book is a special holiday treat.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

[Victoria Hamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I know it is only the beginning of November, but this year more than ever I'm ready for holiday reading. Bring on the tales of Christmas trees, scenes about making cookies, and a murder or two. This third book in the Victoria Town Mystery series is a nice read to kick off your holiday season.

Viv has more bad luck when it comes to being on the scene when someone meets an untimely demise. Someone is framed for the murder, but Officer Willoughy, clearly isn't falling for the framing. Viv uses her skills as a hacker to narrow down the list of suspects and a new character is introduced who offers a clue for Viv.

I enjoyed the book and getting to know Viv better. If you love a good Christmas mystery, pick this one up!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viv has moved to Victoria Town to help her Aunt Libby with her B&B. They are getting ready to host the holiday event, a Victorian Christmas Tea. But when one of the guests is poisoned during the tea, Libby becomes the prime suspect. Can Viv prove her aunt’s innocence? This is the first book I have read in this series and while the story is stand alone, I feel I was missing some character build up by not reading the first two books. This is a novella, so the action is somewhat shortened, but I felt the ending was a little rushed. But overall, I enjoyed the mystery, and will try to read more in this series. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.

[Catherine Stratman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, quick read.

Aunt Libby and Viv are getting the B&B ready for Aunt Libby's fancy Christmas Tea. Before the tea is over there will be one less customer and Aunt Libby will be accused of the murder. The evidence keeps piling up against her. Will Viv break her promise to her aunt about hacking in order to save her? Can she figure out who the guilty party is? And what of the handsome PI her aunt's attorney hires? While it's a quick read, there is plenty going on to keep your interest and I just love the descriptions of everything.

I received an ARC. This is my honest review.

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this series of novellas a lot! Victoria Town seems like a cute place especially around Christmas. When Aunt Libby became the main suspect in a murder that took place at her tea, Viv had to decide whether to break her promise to her aunt about hacking. I always get a kick out of Libby's friend Sadie. She goes on and on a mile a minute and gets very squirreled away from the subject at hand. The showdown was really good, perp was caught, and Christmas was celebrated.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great novella in this series. More bodies are discovered in a Christmas setting, while Viv and Libby are getting ready for the Christmas tea! The mystery is well done and will have you guessing until the end. The characters are always wonderful! It's nice to break up a reading slump or have a quick read in between longer books, with these novellas in the series! Keep the stories coming!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A holiday cozey murder mystery that almost closes down the Victorian B& ,but Viv is on the case trying to get things straight. Mollie Cox Bryan brings the Victorian ways back to life in small resort town along with colorful, vibrant and some deadly characters. Acquire " Merry Scary Christmas " today so you yourself can enjoy it as much as I have. 🙂😮🤔😀 Kat

[dnsyl57 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun quick cozy mystery to read that I would have given 4 stars but there were at least 6 typos or errors in grammar that should easily have been caught by a decent proof reading.

[Kandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas in a Victorian town sounds delightful. This book was also delightful. Such great characters and a very interesting story line. I enjoy reading the books in this series.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little holiday mystery.