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Presley Thurman #3.5
Mistletoe & Murder
Can Presley catch a murderer and save Christmas?
Secrets don’t stay secrets in small towns.
Presley can’t wait to celebrate her Christmas with Cooper and her family, but things don’t go as planned.
On Christmas Eve, an old friend comes knocking and he’s not there to drop off gifts. It seems someone’s been stealing from his business, and he needs Presley’s help to find the culprit.
When his employee winds up dead the next day, her friend is concerned he might be next.
Now, instead of sipping eggnog and eating cookies, Presley’s trying to catch a killer – before that killer claims his next victim.
Presley, and her loyal canine sidekick Bella, are on the case!
Previously published by Laina Turner. This new edition is reworked with new characters and even more cozy fun.
Secrets don’t stay secrets in small towns.
Presley can’t wait to celebrate her Christmas with Cooper and her family, but things don’t go as planned.
On Christmas Eve, an old friend comes knocking and he’s not there to drop off gifts. It seems someone’s been stealing from his business, and he needs Presley’s help to find the culprit.
When his employee winds up dead the next day, her friend is concerned he might be next.
Now, instead of sipping eggnog and eating cookies, Presley’s trying to catch a killer – before that killer claims his next victim.
Presley, and her loyal canine sidekick Bella, are on the case!
Previously published by Laina Turner. This new edition is reworked with new characters and even more cozy fun.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2011
114 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Laina Turner
125 books332 followersAs a child, Laina thought she would either be a truck driver (thanks to Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit) or work at Taco Bell (her favorite restaurant as a child). As she grew older, she realized her talents lay in other areas, and for the last several years has been a college professor teaching business and English.
Through all her career choices, she has continued to have a passion for writing stemming from childhood, where, as an only child, she developed a vivid imagination.
She is proud of her vast experiences in life from barrel racing, to being on the dance team for a semi-pro basketball team, to being a mom of 2 amazing kids.
She decided to follow her dream as an author in 2009 and has worked her way up to having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). She often tells her family and friends that no one is safe from his or her ventures slipping into her books. Her blog, In Pursuit of Fabulous, was launched to share the daily fun in her life as a Real Midlife Housewife of the Midwest.
To find out more information about Laina and her books, check out her website at http://www.lainaturner.com/
Through all her career choices, she has continued to have a passion for writing stemming from childhood, where, as an only child, she developed a vivid imagination.
She is proud of her vast experiences in life from barrel racing, to being on the dance team for a semi-pro basketball team, to being a mom of 2 amazing kids.
She decided to follow her dream as an author in 2009 and has worked her way up to having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). She often tells her family and friends that no one is safe from his or her ventures slipping into her books. Her blog, In Pursuit of Fabulous, was launched to share the daily fun in her life as a Real Midlife Housewife of the Midwest.
To find out more information about Laina and her books, check out her website at http://www.lainaturner.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 27, 2025
Fun Christmas novella
Another fun adventure with Presley and the gang. I do enjoy the stories when she goes home. The mystery was good and I enjoyed it.
Another fun adventure with Presley and the gang. I do enjoy the stories when she goes home. The mystery was good and I enjoyed it.
January 20, 2022
An enjoyable novella! Pres is back in Hunter’s Hollow to celebrate Christmas, and of course there’s a case! Well written and suspenseful! And very Christmassy.
July 7, 2016
Just in time for that Mid-winter reading lists comes Laina Turner's novella and in-betweener Mistletoe and Murder. For those who aren't familar with Presley Thurman - she is a mix between Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and Darynda Jones's Charley Davidson. She is your usual suspect , the type that is amazing at solving crimes and mysteries but always seems to get herself into a lot of trouble and mischief . Trouble should be her middle name as though she doesn't mean to cause any , all her cases end up being more trouble than they are worth. In Mistletoe and Murder, Christmas is coming and Presley has decided it's about high time that she heads home for the holiday season. Hoping for a nice relaxing break away from crimes and solving mysteries , Presley's break is short-lived as her ex-boyfriend Brian has been arrested for stealing and murder. Though he proclaims that he is innocent . Now Presley must find out during the christmas break who is setting up Brian and more importantly who would want Tommy dead ? As the famous verse and quote goes "There is never any rest for the wicked" or in Presley's case for the mischieveous.
Mistletoe and Murder is the perfect read if you love cosy mysteries and wanting something quick to read.
Mistletoe and Murder is the perfect read if you love cosy mysteries and wanting something quick to read.
January 15, 2025
Home for the Holidays!
Both Kids and their significant others come home for thr holidays. Thinking they will visit their sleepy little home town and get some well needed rest. Little do they know foul play awaits them their is mystery, mayhem and murder on tap during this holiday season even in a small town. Burglary... theft... and death! Look out, this book brings it all. Lol Could one of our 2 siblings be speaking about settling down more soon? Find out which one is having thoughts and discussions of taking on a more sedentary lifestyle? Will it be Presley or Jessie?
Both Kids and their significant others come home for thr holidays. Thinking they will visit their sleepy little home town and get some well needed rest. Little do they know foul play awaits them their is mystery, mayhem and murder on tap during this holiday season even in a small town. Burglary... theft... and death! Look out, this book brings it all. Lol Could one of our 2 siblings be speaking about settling down more soon? Find out which one is having thoughts and discussions of taking on a more sedentary lifestyle? Will it be Presley or Jessie?
April 10, 2019
exciting holiday and family themed misadventure and mystery for fans of the Presley Thurman series.
And baby brother Jesse finding a way for a happier next chapter - if he doesn't screw it up - hilarious.
'Tis the season for a Laina Turner mystery adventure read that's funny, while still exploring the dark sides of people and the relationships.
I loved finding this tucked into the first box set of Presley mis-adventures - a happy and unexpected treat!
And baby brother Jesse finding a way for a happier next chapter - if he doesn't screw it up - hilarious.
'Tis the season for a Laina Turner mystery adventure read that's funny, while still exploring the dark sides of people and the relationships.
I loved finding this tucked into the first box set of Presley mis-adventures - a happy and unexpected treat!
December 7, 2020
This was an enjoyable cozy, with a festive theme.
Presley goes home for the holidays and is hoping to spend a quiet Christmas with her family but things don't always go as planned.
Her old friend Brian is having problems with an employee Tommy who he thinks might be stealing tools from his workshop but then Tommy is killed.
What was he really hiding?
What was he mixed up in that caused his death?
Presley is determined to find out...
Presley goes home for the holidays and is hoping to spend a quiet Christmas with her family but things don't always go as planned.
Her old friend Brian is having problems with an employee Tommy who he thinks might be stealing tools from his workshop but then Tommy is killed.
What was he really hiding?
What was he mixed up in that caused his death?
Presley is determined to find out...
April 6, 2024
This is the 3.5 in the series. The main character is Presley. Presley and boyfriend Cooper are going home for Christmas. They are both from the same home town and they are staying with Presley's folks. An old friend asks for their help, his only employee is murdered. While Presley and Cooper are investigating they find out about a credit card scam and a few other things. They can't believe who is behind it all. Will they get out of this one alive?
January 3, 2020
Everyone's heading to Alkon to celebrate Christmas with Presley and Jesse's parents. They're also bringing their partners along.
Presley gets a call from a long time friend, to ask her to come to his auto repair shop. His only employee has been murdered.
Another fun story with a few surprises involved in the families dynamics.
Presley gets a call from a long time friend, to ask her to come to his auto repair shop. His only employee has been murdered.
Another fun story with a few surprises involved in the families dynamics.
March 31, 2023
Interesting
Never get tired of reading L.C. Turners books! They have mysteries that keep you guessing till the very end. Everything you enjoy in other mysteries, romance and light hearted. But there's no profanity, clean mysteries without prescriptive sex scenes. By the time I skim through those pages, I have few pages left. Read and enjoy!
Never get tired of reading L.C. Turners books! They have mysteries that keep you guessing till the very end. Everything you enjoy in other mysteries, romance and light hearted. But there's no profanity, clean mysteries without prescriptive sex scenes. By the time I skim through those pages, I have few pages left. Read and enjoy!
November 8, 2023
This was a cute, fast read. I enjoy reading Christmas themed stories this time of year, and this is a very cozy little mystery, set during the most wonderful time of the year. First I’ve read of this series (this was #4), but it worked well as a standalone. It was cute enough I’d be tempted to go back and read through them all. Fluffy, but fun. :)
September 25, 2024
This is a story that was fun to read despite the murder that started it. The characters are interesting, the plot is straightforward, and the premise is not only finding out who killed the auto shop employee and why, but also what happened to all the expensive tools that kept disappearing. I definitely recommend this book.
May 5, 2019
This was a quick holiday themed read. Presley and Cooper had stepped in to help a friend solve a mystery. That mystery evolved into others. This book held onto the same adventure and suspense of all the Presley Thurman books.
January 27, 2020
Cute short read
Presley and Cooper go home for the holidays but trouble is never far away. The couple help their friend Brian when he finds his employee murdered in his shop. A quick read but as always Presley gets her man.
Presley and Cooper go home for the holidays but trouble is never far away. The couple help their friend Brian when he finds his employee murdered in his shop. A quick read but as always Presley gets her man.
March 22, 2020
Glad to see Jesse finally getting the girl of his dreams and Presley and Cooper seem to be getting along. Still, Christmas wouldn't be exciting unless Presley was involved in another murder mystery. Another enjoyable story in the series. On to the next book ........ it's compulsory reading :)
September 1, 2023
Mistletoe & Murder (4)
It's Christmas time in this story! Our heroine goes home for a family Christmas gathering! Lo and behold a friend needs help. Pres jumps right in the middle of the problem! Even though it's Christmas, it does deter her helping her friends!
It's Christmas time in this story! Our heroine goes home for a family Christmas gathering! Lo and behold a friend needs help. Pres jumps right in the middle of the problem! Even though it's Christmas, it does deter her helping her friends!
December 15, 2023
Good storyline, filled with action and adventure, the characters are well written and entertaining. I can't wait to read more from this author. I received this book as a Free ARC copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.
November 23, 2019
Nice little Christmas mystery
November 24, 2019
A short but entertaining story with a little Holiday theme thrown in there. I’m really starting to enjoy Presley and Cooper. Onto the next one, Gems and Gunshots!
November 30, 2019
Love this series of books.
January 6, 2020
This is more of a novella. It's fast and easy to read except for a few places where one of the characters was mentioned with another's name.
Another round of proofreading, maybe?
Another round of proofreading, maybe?
March 13, 2020
Mistletoe & Murder
June 11, 2023
Love this series!
December 1, 2023
Who killed Tommy and why??? Credit card scam??? i enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
December 3, 2023
A typical Presley book - very enjoyable .
December 2, 2024
A short holiday murder book. So easy to read and definitely kept you interested the whole way through!
January 11, 2026
I loved this book. It was filled with holiday cheer and a side of murder. It was a quick read.
January 5, 2020
This was ok to spend a short time reading, but it appears the series isn't really my cup of tea. I can't remember the setting, and since another reviewer referred to the protagonist as similar to Stephanie Plum, it doesn't surprise me that I wasn't a big fan of the series sleuth, as I'm not fond of incompetent detectives. Your results may differ.
December 20, 2020
really enjoyed the story, looking forward to reading the next in the series...
July 20, 2016
Cooper and I walked up to where Brian was standing outside his shop. I gave him a hug. He looked awful, but finding a dead body would do that to you.
Murder and Christmas?! So…not expected, except—when there is a book title like Mistletoe & Murder. Turner’s fifth installment is captivating and a wonderful continuance in The Presley Thurman Mysteries. Plot twists are always something that this author enjoys throwing into the mix; however, this book was fairly predictable. That isn’t necessarily a terrible thing—the book still holds interest and mysteries are always intriguing as far as the “hows” and “whys” in regards to the method of which the investigators come to their conclusions with the clues that are presented. It is fairly evident that readers will still be hooked to this series after reading this book, but what does the next installment hold for Presley?
Everyone is coming together back to Alkon for Christmas…Jesse and Ashley, Cooper and Presley—and another murder. That’s right! The small town of Alkon is experiencing a tragic, yet unexpected news break again. Upon everyone’s arrival at their parents’ house, a friend of Presley’s calls soon enough to ask for their help with some missing tools. Why? Because, Presley is now a seasoned pro at finding culprits…if only she would think about going into the law enforcement field—but alas, that does not interest her in the least bit. As a friend, Presley agrees to help Brian with finding the missing tools, but then the person that they suspect of theft winds up dead and now…Presley is definitely on the case. With Cooper’s help, they are not only looking for the thief, but now a cold blooded killer too!
Turner does a superb job with character development. All of her characters are continuously portrayed with accurate precision from the previous novels within this series. The writing isn’t as clean as the second or third installment, but not terribly exhausting either. The grammatical and spelling errors in this book are consistent with the first book in the series and will need a little work. This story is a fast-paced novel like the others, which makes it very easy to read. If you are a reader of mysteries within a series, you will enjoy reading this book. It is highly recommended that readers begin with the first book called Stilettos & Scoundrels because there are many events that revert back to previous book scenes and situations.
A free copy was exchanged for an honest review of this fictional piece.
Murder and Christmas?! So…not expected, except—when there is a book title like Mistletoe & Murder. Turner’s fifth installment is captivating and a wonderful continuance in The Presley Thurman Mysteries. Plot twists are always something that this author enjoys throwing into the mix; however, this book was fairly predictable. That isn’t necessarily a terrible thing—the book still holds interest and mysteries are always intriguing as far as the “hows” and “whys” in regards to the method of which the investigators come to their conclusions with the clues that are presented. It is fairly evident that readers will still be hooked to this series after reading this book, but what does the next installment hold for Presley?
Everyone is coming together back to Alkon for Christmas…Jesse and Ashley, Cooper and Presley—and another murder. That’s right! The small town of Alkon is experiencing a tragic, yet unexpected news break again. Upon everyone’s arrival at their parents’ house, a friend of Presley’s calls soon enough to ask for their help with some missing tools. Why? Because, Presley is now a seasoned pro at finding culprits…if only she would think about going into the law enforcement field—but alas, that does not interest her in the least bit. As a friend, Presley agrees to help Brian with finding the missing tools, but then the person that they suspect of theft winds up dead and now…Presley is definitely on the case. With Cooper’s help, they are not only looking for the thief, but now a cold blooded killer too!
Turner does a superb job with character development. All of her characters are continuously portrayed with accurate precision from the previous novels within this series. The writing isn’t as clean as the second or third installment, but not terribly exhausting either. The grammatical and spelling errors in this book are consistent with the first book in the series and will need a little work. This story is a fast-paced novel like the others, which makes it very easy to read. If you are a reader of mysteries within a series, you will enjoy reading this book. It is highly recommended that readers begin with the first book called Stilettos & Scoundrels because there are many events that revert back to previous book scenes and situations.
A free copy was exchanged for an honest review of this fictional piece.
June 20, 2016
Cooper and I walked up to where Brian was standing outside his shop. I gave him a hug. He looked awful, but finding a dead body would do that to you.
Murder and Christmas?! So…not expected, except—when there is a book title like Mistletoe & Murder. Turner’s fifth installment is captivating and a wonderful continuance in The Presley Thurman Mysteries. Plot twists are always something that this author enjoys throwing into the mix; however, this book was fairly predictable. That isn’t necessarily a terrible thing—the book still holds interest and mysteries are always intriguing as far as the “hows” and “whys” in regards to the method of which the investigators come to their conclusions with the clues that are presented. It is fairly evident that readers will still be hooked to this series after reading this book, but what does the next installment hold for Presley?
Everyone is coming together back to Alkon for Christmas…Jesse and Ashley, Cooper and Presley—and another murder. That’s right! The small town of Alkon is experiencing a tragic, yet unexpected news break again. Upon everyone’s arrival at their parents’ house, a friend of Presley’s calls soon enough to ask for their help with some missing tools. Why? Because, Presley is now a seasoned pro at finding culprits…if only she would think about going into the law enforcement field—but alas, that does not interest her in the least bit. As a friend, Presley agrees to help Brian with finding the missing tools, but then the person that they suspect of theft winds up dead and now…Presley is definitely on the case. With Cooper’s help, they are not only looking for the thief, but now a cold blooded killer too!
Turner does a superb job with character development. All of her characters are continuously portrayed with accurate precision from the previous novels within this series. The writing isn’t as clean as the second or third installment, but not terribly exhausting either. The grammatical and spelling errors in this book are consistent with the first book in the series and will need a little work. This story is a faced-paced novel like the others, which makes it very easy to read. If you are a reader of mysteries within a series, you will enjoy reading this book. It is highly recommended that readers begin with the first book called Stilettos & Scoundrels because there are many events that revert back to previous book scenes and situations.
A free copy was exchanged for an honest review of this fictional piece.
Murder and Christmas?! So…not expected, except—when there is a book title like Mistletoe & Murder. Turner’s fifth installment is captivating and a wonderful continuance in The Presley Thurman Mysteries. Plot twists are always something that this author enjoys throwing into the mix; however, this book was fairly predictable. That isn’t necessarily a terrible thing—the book still holds interest and mysteries are always intriguing as far as the “hows” and “whys” in regards to the method of which the investigators come to their conclusions with the clues that are presented. It is fairly evident that readers will still be hooked to this series after reading this book, but what does the next installment hold for Presley?
Everyone is coming together back to Alkon for Christmas…Jesse and Ashley, Cooper and Presley—and another murder. That’s right! The small town of Alkon is experiencing a tragic, yet unexpected news break again. Upon everyone’s arrival at their parents’ house, a friend of Presley’s calls soon enough to ask for their help with some missing tools. Why? Because, Presley is now a seasoned pro at finding culprits…if only she would think about going into the law enforcement field—but alas, that does not interest her in the least bit. As a friend, Presley agrees to help Brian with finding the missing tools, but then the person that they suspect of theft winds up dead and now…Presley is definitely on the case. With Cooper’s help, they are not only looking for the thief, but now a cold blooded killer too!
Turner does a superb job with character development. All of her characters are continuously portrayed with accurate precision from the previous novels within this series. The writing isn’t as clean as the second or third installment, but not terribly exhausting either. The grammatical and spelling errors in this book are consistent with the first book in the series and will need a little work. This story is a faced-paced novel like the others, which makes it very easy to read. If you are a reader of mysteries within a series, you will enjoy reading this book. It is highly recommended that readers begin with the first book called Stilettos & Scoundrels because there are many events that revert back to previous book scenes and situations.
A free copy was exchanged for an honest review of this fictional piece.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews