Mistletoe, Murder & Mayhem

Melting Pot Cafe #4

by Polly Holmes

Christmas is Saltwater Cove's favourite holiday of the year, but that didn't stop murder and mayhem from making an unscheduled visit.
The festive spirit is out and about, the eggnog is flowing, mistletoe is hung, and the town is pumped for the most exciting event on the Christmas calendar, the Annual Concert. This year aunt Edie decided it would be a brilliant idea to volunteer me and my best friend, Harriet, to run both Santa's photo booth and the refreshment stall.
As the celebrations kick-off, things turn complicated fast when my childhood friend, Trixie Snowball, winner of the Elf of the Year contest, reveals she's lost Santa's list and is desperate to find it. I agreed to use my magic to help, but things take a turn for the worse when the runner-up of the contest turns up dead behind the refreshment stall, and Trixie is the number one suspect.
Christmas day is fast approaching, and now I'm in a race against time to find a murderer, clear Trixie's name, bring the real killer to justice and find the list before disappointment rains down on children all over the world. How, oh, how did I get myself into such a predicament?
If you like witty witches, talking cats, and magical murder mysteries, then step into the fun and flirty romantic paranormal cozy mystery world of the Melting Pot Café series where the spells are flowing, and the adventure is sure to leave you craving more.


Genres: Christmas, Witches, Cozy Mystery, Mystery

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2021

About the author

Author also writes under P.L. Harris

Polly Holmes is the cheeky alter ego of Amazon best-selling author, P.L. Harris. When she's not writing her next romantic suspense novel as P.L. Harris, she’s planning the next murder in one of Polly's mysteries.

Polly’s award-winning Cupcake Capers Series is rich in storyline and location with characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. She publishes her cozy mystery books with Gumnut Press. Pumpkin Pies and Potions is the first in her new paranormal cozy series.

Cupcakes and Corpses was a finalist in the Oklahoma RWA’s 2019 IDA International Digital Awards, short suspense category. Cupcakes and Curses claimed second place and Cupcakes and Cyanide gained third place making it a clean sweep in the category.

Reviews

[Tina Castaneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute cozy mystery…I can’t wait to read more of this author’s books
Decided to read this one for my bookish Christmas in July and so glad I picked it because it was my first cozy mystery and definitely not my last.
The characters were sweet…I especially loved all of the elves names. For a cozy cute mystery there was a plot twist that was not expected and an ending that makes you wanting more.📚🎄☀️
Will definitely recommend

[Monica Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars- I did not read any of the other books in this series and I think that would have helped if I had. This was an ok mystery with a holiday spin. I wanted to like it more but it was only ok for me.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Christmas time in Saltwater Cove! Everyone is working hard to make the town celebration wonderful for everyone. Evelyn's Aunt Edie has enlisted Evelyn and her friend Harriet to help with the refreshments after the Christmas concert. Too bad that also included finding a body by the refreshment table! Of course they have to get involved with finding the killer especially when a figure from the past, Trixie, delivers the news of the dire consequences of not finding the killer before Christmas Eve! You need to grab this delightful book for some much deserved R & R this holiday season, but be prepared for plenty of laughs while you're hunting for a killer!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming and beautifully written Christmas cozey mystery with a twist of murder on the side .Two days away from Christmas and a lot of volunteer work to do the town of Saltwater Cove has an unexpected death and Evelyn an unexpected visitor with a plea for help. Evelyn and Harriet are on their way to the North Pole to help an old friend. This cozey mystery has a delightful array of characters some new and some of the same old gag. Acquire " Mistletoe, Murder & Mayhem " find out what happens while sitting back enjoying a treat or two and be entertained. 😀😮🤔😏😉😀 Kat

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully charming and magical Christmas cozy mystery! Think of Santa, elves, and an Elf of the Year Contest gone a little crazy! Trixie (an elf from Evelyn’s childhood)) pleads with Evelyn to help her find out who murdered the runner-up and stole Santa’s Nice or Naughty list. So, off to the North Pole they go, with Harriet tagging along to help. It’s a fanciful and fun read, just in time for Christmas! I received an advance copy of this book from the author and BookFunnel and write this review voluntarily.

[M - Hemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I haven't read the first three books in the series, but I absolutely plan to go read them because this book was so wonderful! A great Christmas story that keeps you guessing until the end! This is a quick read that was hard to put down! I received an advance copy of the book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant cosiest of cozy mysteries. Witchy fun and intrigue , and madness ensues when magic is used to try and discover Santa’s missing list. Things hike up a notch of trouble for trixie when a body is found amongst the refreshments . Great humour , perfect holiday or anytime read. The fourth book in series but stands alone

[Kenia Mercado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and magical whodunit and with a Christmas theme it gets you in the mood for the holidays!! My first time reading Polly Holmes and I'm hooked. I loved the characters and their special magic. I can't wait for her next book. I need to know how they will help their friend!!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saltwater Cove might love Christmas but murder and Mayhem wasn’t part of the plan. How will they solve this problem. Amazing characters that draw you in forever. Don’t miss out on this delightful book.

[Katrina]

Dnf 6%

I lined this book up thinking it was a stand-alone but it’s actually book 4 in the series. It was trying to bring the reader up to speed on what had happened in the past 3 books which I appreciate but i still felt a little like I was missing something. I might try book 1

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mistletoe, Murder and Mayhem is a well written, magical, Christmas themed, cozy mystery with fun characters, talking cats, a town concert, a murdered elf, a childhood friend who needs help, a missing Christmas list, a trip to the North Pole and more! Come along as Evelyn and Harriet try to solve the murder and find the list in time for Christmas. I could not put this wonderful book down.

[Tam Sesto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read. It will leave you longing for Christmas and all your childhood beliefs. Clever writing and convincing scenes makes me a believer. The best in the series.

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming seasonal cosy mystery, featuring a murdered elf, a missing list, a trip to the North Pole and an imaginary friend who is very real and in need of a helping hand. Great fun story well written with lovely characters. I really like this series and this is a fun addition. I received a complimentary copy from the Author and am leaving a honest voluntary review

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this Christmas cozey mystery book . The characters are great and the storyline is wonderful .

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not one of my preferred genres. Nevertheless, a good murder mystery

[Anne Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mayhem certainly! Harriet & Hannah come across a dead body, if an elf! Harriet & Hannah are witches & Harriet notices her childhood “imaginary” friend in the distance. Harriet gets woken up in the early morning by her friend, who is real, an elf in great distress because she’s lost the list of Christmas presents that Santa needs! She’s the top elf! So Harriet smuggles Trixie into the police station to see if the dead elf has the list, no! So off to the North Pole they go & Hannah follows them. They interview the other elves who may have the list & be a murderer. Fun and games galore.

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hadn’t read any of the other books in this series before I read this one, so that was definitely my bad. That being said the writing in the book was awful. There were so many spelling and grammatical errors it made my head hurt. The timeline was very short (only 2 days) and seemed really rushed. I really like the concept and the characters, it just could have been executed much better.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 actually
I received this book as an ARC and I am most appreciative of the author for giving me the opportunity to read her latest book.
I believe this book is part of a series, with continuing characters.
I had not read any of the previous books, making it a bit tricky for me to get involved early on. I had difficulty sorting out the characters and had to concentrate on conversations to pick up past happenings.
One of the reasons for a low rating, is that this is really not my genre. I do like mysteries, but am not a reader of witches, etc. I am also a senior and had trouble identifying with the characters.
I do think this would be a fun read for teens and up (but not as far up as I am). Anyone who loves Christmas, witches, and is starting their love-life would certainly like this book.
There is a good little mystery in it, which adds to the flavour of the book.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another really good read

I just love this series! It’s entertaining and not filled with too many tropes. In Saltwater Cove, paranormal and normals live harmoniously,
which gives me a good feeling…perhaps our world could learn from this, that different doesn’t mean war.
Evie and her bestie, Harriet, travel to the North Pole, to Santa’s home to help elf, Trixie, who is being framed for murder and has lost Santa’s list! And it isly a day until Christmas Eve!
The characters are fun and uninteresting, and eating. Mrs. Claus is cool! Evie and her friends Susa out the clues and the killer is caught.
The book has all the right ingredients, family love, budding romanticism, rekindled love and more. Well worth the read.

[Dana Busenbark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who is Hannah? Where does she work? What do we learn about her? Who is Harriet? How do Hannah and Harriet know Evelyn? Who are Mercer, Edie, and Slade? What has Hanna done that is out of the ordinary? Who is Tyler and what events have happened to Harriet and Evie? Oh, who is Jordi? Where has she gone? What flavor of being are each of these characters? Who and what is Eli? What happens when Evelyn, Harriet, and Vivienne take the pies to the town event? Who is Trixie and what is she? How does she know Evelyn? Where do Evelyn and Harriet end up because of Trixie? What does Evelyn say to Ginger that upsets her? Oh, goodness, I did not expect that story! Such a fun read!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Paranormal
As the celebrations kick-off, things turn complicated fast when my childhood friend, Trixie Snowball, winner of the Elf of the Year contest, reveals she's lost Santa's list and is desperate to find it. I agreed to use my magic to help, but things take a turn for the worse when the runner-up of the contest turns up dead behind the refreshment stall, and Trixie is the number one suspect.
This is a good paranormal mystery. With elves and Mrs. Claus and the riddle solvers.
I borrowed this book from KindleyUnlimted. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

[Sheila Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun story even if I didn't read it over Christmas.
I have read a number of the stories in this series and liked each one. However, I realized that not reading them in order and with time lapsing between reads I feel like I often get some of the supporting characters and what they mean to the story line confused. That's bad on me since my TBR pile is so large.
This is a standalone story with wonderful characters. The story flows nicely and more answers to some of the overarching story lines are provided. I do plan to finish the complete series, but I'll work harder to read them in order and with less time lapsing between them. Enjoy the read!

[Jan Tomalis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, magical Christmas cozy! I loved being able to travel to the North Pole, meet Mrs. Claus, visit Santa’s workshop and meet the elves that make Christmas happen. Well, we still need to find the naughty and nice list and who is the elf killer. Come along and help solve the mystery! Fantastic story!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witches, elves, and a missing Christmas list take over Santa’s village at the North Pole. A murder of an elf, the missing list, an imaginary friend turned elf. Lots of adventures for the group. Can they catch the thief before time runs out? Who killed the elf in Saltwater Cove? Spells, cooking, and A touch of romance. Part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone. Although I think it would help to read in order for a better understanding of the characters and their relationships.

[SpadesQueenTLF · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little harder to get into than the others but still...

I had to do a bit of rereading on thos one. It didn't seems to flow along quite as easily for me as all the others. However that's okay. It turned out still to be a great addition to the series. Definitely helped to keep the series from going flat I would say! So kudos. Just be prepared readers this one is a jog to the side and that's okay! Enjoy!

[Danni Line · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful read from Ms. Holmes.

All the love and feel good moments you need from a Christmas story, mixed in with the mystery, intrigue, and hints of danger one expects from a fabulous cozy mystery.

For those following the series, we also learn more about Evelyn's past as she uncovers a family secret.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved every book in this series! This one takes us to the North Pole to help out Trixie. Tricia is the Elf of the Year up in Santa's village. Some things have gone awry a couple days before Christmas. The imagery in this book is phenomenal. I could picture Santa's village and the Toy Shop. This one kept me guessing throughout the whole book! Grab yourself a copy and see for yourself!

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a whimsical story with everything you need in a Christmas tale...except murder. One of Santa's real elf's is found dead, and Evelyn is visited by an 'old friend' that wasn't just her imagination gone wild. Evelyn and Harriet need to help this friend out before it is too late. I enjoyed this story very much. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy Christmas!

What a crazy Christmas! A dead elf, a visiting elf, a visit to Santa’s village, a search for a murderer…it’s a lot to happen in a day. Evelyn and Harriet even met Mrs. Claus! It was so magical, even though there was that pesky murder to solve. Oh, and the naughty and nice list mystery too. Such fun!

[Doreen Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas at the North Pole?

Evelyn and her friends need to solve a murder. Nothing new there, since this is a cozy mystery series, but the answer may be found at the North Pole. This very inventive story satisfied something for me that was left over from childhood, and it was a lot of fun to read. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.