Sugar, Spice, and Murder

Pumpkin Hollow Mystery #20

by Kathleen Suzette

It’s summer in Pumpkin Hollow, and I can hardly wait for Pumpkin Hollow Days to begin. My new husband and I will be enjoying the warm weather, seeing the tourists return, and a hayride or two. It’s that dead body that’s spoiling the mood around here.

Pumpkin Hollow Days means a parade, a craft fair, costumes, and moonlit hayrides. Unfortunately, it also means murder. Mia and her sister Christy are on another case in Pumpkin Hollow. Can they catch the killer and unravel a mystery without getting themselves into too much trouble?

Halloween is celebrated all year long in Pumpkin Hollow. There are no paranormal elements, just good clean fun! And a murder, of course.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2021

Reviews

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was cute, seasonal, cozy, being from a police family, having worked in law enforcement myself and having watched eleventy billion tru-crime shows and channels (hello, Annie Elise), we know that the husband isn't going to share his research with his wife to compromise the case. I mean, the fact that she was conducting interviews like SHE was the law -- maybe it's because I got in late and her curiousity had already been established in the series? I don't know. It's that and there were several times when it felt so absolutely repetitive. Entire phrases were restated... that gives me pause -- is it lazy writing or bad editing? I don't know. It pulls me out of the flow of things, regardless. And it happened -- A LOT.

All that to say, it was still a short little cozy that wrapped up nicely, albeit a little too neatly for me though there is the use of the Oxford comma in the title and for that I'll add in my half star that I'd removed so... solid 3. I'll soon find a cozy writer I can't get enough of... until then, I'm still on the prowl.

[Shiane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another day, another murder in Pumpkin Hollow! 😂🎃

Seriously, at this point, I'm starting to wonder how this town has any residents left. Someone is ALWAYS getting murdered, and somehow Mia is ALWAYS involved in solving the case!

This time, Pumpkin Hollow Days is underway, complete with parades, craft fairs, and hayrides. Of course, it wouldn't be Pumpkin Hollow without someone turning up dead and ruining everyone's fun. And naturally, Mia and Christy are right back in the middle of another investigation.

Unfortunately, this was another two-star read for me. The stories are becoming so repetitive that I feel like I'm reading the same mystery over and over again with a different victim. There's a murder, Mia starts asking questions, everyone becomes a suspect, and eventually the killer is revealed. Nothing really surprises me anymore.

I still enjoy the cozy Halloween atmosphere, the candy shop, and the small-town setting. Those are probably the biggest reasons I keep returning to this series. However, I really wish the mysteries had more depth, suspense, and unexpected twists.

At this point, I'm mostly reading these because they're short, easy books that help me reach my reading goals. 😂

Overall: ⭐⭐ — 2 Stars

Another quick read, another predictable murder, and another two-star rating. Pumpkin Hollow really needs to invest in some better security because these people are dropping like flies! 💀🎃

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Killed Eddie ? . . .

Pumpkin Hollow Days, celebrated for two weeks in the summer, starts off with a parade, the candy store staff throwing candy to all the children, followed by a craft fair, costumes, and moonlit hayrides. Halloween itself is celebrated all year long in Pumpkin Hollow.

When the hayride hadn’t started, Mia, Christy and Ethan saw the horses were still in their stalls, a bit restless. Kurt Miller, the manager of the haunted farmhouse, stepped out of the office built into the corner of the barn on the other side of where the wagon was sitting. He looked around for Eddie Berger who was supposed to be taking people out on hayrides over an hour ago. Suddenly Kurt called Ethan over and in the wagon was Eddie’s dead body with his throat slashed! Buried in the straw, Ethan saw the bloody knife.

While Ethan continues investigating, Mia and her sister Christy are also asking questions. Will they be able to identify the killer and help Ethan solve the case? And if they confront the killer directly, will he make a move on them before Ethan and a police back-up can get there?

This is a cute cozy mystery with likable characters and a story line that flows well to keep the reader entertained while trying to figure out the mystery. Why would someone kill Eddie? Grab your copy and find the answer!

(I absolutely love that cover on the book! Perfect!)

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pumpkin Hollow is a small town in Northern California, and they lare a live Halloween themed town - celebrating Halloween all year round with all kinds of events. The main characters are two sisters and their husbands, one of whom is the local sheriff.
When they want to go on a hay ride, they discover that the driver has been murdered. Trying to solve the murder quickly to not disturb their family friendly image, they follow every possible thread to solve the mystery.
A typical cozy mystery, a murder set in a small town, a few quirky characters and lots of twists and turns in the quest to find the murder.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a joy to read. It had a little bit of everything you would want in a cozy mystery. It revolved around a murder at the haunted farmhouse during the Pumpkin Hollow Days celebration. Join the gang as they try to solve the murder. There were twists and lies to go around. Who is telling the truth and what is the truth? The author kept my attention and interest throughout the entire book so much I had a hard time putting the book down. Nice plot with great lively, vibrant characters that add a depth to the read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was another "Pumpkin Hollow Days" mystery. (I refer to these by the season.)

I am ready for some fall themed mysteries, but the Pumpkin Hollow Days works well with the fact that it's still technically hot outside, even while I'm ready for the fall!

I loved this one, as I do most of the books by this author. This was one of the rare occasions, though, where I was actually fairly confident about the killer before all was revealed.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and witty whodunit story with interesting and entertaining characters. Grabs you from the start and keeps you guessing until the end. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

highly recommend

Who wouldn’t love a town that’s all about Halloween? The setting is awesome, a town I would love to visit. The story is great and the characters are fun. Look forward to the next one.

[Sarah Suhr]

What a fun, quick, interesting book to listen to. I love the theme with all the fall things going on. I sure do want some fudge after listening about it so much. Also, I enjoyed the references to the horses. While I'm still not sure who killed Eddie, I might just need to listen to it again.

[Shareen Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy murder mystery that was enjoyable and entertaining. I loved trying to “solve” the mystery. A bit slow at times but overall a quick and enjoyable read.

[Em V Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I love these books murder mystery and town with Halloween