The Christmas Fair Killer

Tish Tarragon #3

by Amy Patricia Meade

Christmas, cookies and a Tish Tarragon is drawn into a deadly puzzle when a young actress is murdered at the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair.

Literary caterer Letitia ‘Tish’ Tarragon has pulled out all the stops for her booth at the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair, theming her appetising offerings around the festive performances by the Williamsburg Theatre Group. But when Tish meets the cast, she is surprised by the hostility between members of the allegedly close-knit troupe, centred around their star actress, the beautiful, talented yet mysterious ingénue, Jenny Inkpen.

Determined to spread some Christmas cheer, Tish volunteers to deliver breakfast to the eight actors, but is horrified to discover Jenny dead in her trailer the next morning. As Tish attempts to find out more about the group’s leading lady, she soon uncovers lies, jealousy and a series of shocking secrets. Can Tish expose a cold-blooded killer before the fair is over?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Christmas

336 pages, Hardcover

Published April 27, 2021

About the author

Author of the critically acclaimed Marjorie McClelland Mysteries, the Rosie the Riveter historical mysteries, and the recent Vermont series, Amy Patricia Meade is a native of Long Island, NY, where she cut her teeth on classic films and books featuring Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

Later in her youth, she’d come to admire the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, leading her to pursue a degree in English as well as business.

Amy currently resides in Bristol, England where she's busy adding to her Tish Tarragon and Vermont Country Living Mysteries.
When not writing, Amy enjoys travel, testing out new recipes, classic films, and, of course, reading mysteries.

Reviews

[K.A. Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a difficult time rating this book. Ms. Meade earns 4 stars for capturing the setting of Christmastime, having well-developed characters, and a well-paced plot. However, the publisher earns 0 stars for marketing this as a cozy mystery when the subject matter clearly belongs in a disturbing suspense. Cozy mysteries are known for lack of on page violence, lack of vulgarity and sex. Children and animals are ALWAYS sacrosanct. As a result, cozy mystery readers have great expectations about what they will read (or won’t read) when they pick up a book.

In this newest release, Ms. Meade includes some VERY dark subject matter that some readers (myself included) may be sensitive to. This is the first time I’ve ever felt it appropriate to include a **** SPOILER ALERT **** below.


While there are no graphic scenes, the inclusion of the sexual abuse of three underage girls (and one, oh dear God, was only 9 years old!) by a family member, is extremely disturbing. I realize it is a heartbreaking reality for so many innocents but this belongs in a suspense, not a cozy. I went back to the Amazon description for the book thinking I had misinterpreted the genre and the publisher states: “A Christmas culinary cozy full of twists and turns and deliciously dark surprises.” Given the subject matter, I found this at best, highly tasteless. If a publisher wants to stretch the envelope of what to include in a cozy mystery, I believe it’s their obligation to at least warn readers ahead of time when such distressing material is included.

I was provided with an advance copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the third book in the Tish Tarragon Mystery series, and instead of taking place in and around Tish’s cafe and catering company, Cookin’ the Books, most of this one takes place at a winter festival and it focuses on the Williamsburg Theatre Group. I love when cozies branch out from their usual location since it’s always interesting to read about new places within the cozy’s community.

The Christmas atmosphere adds a wonderful layer to the story between Jules and his recently adopted Bichon Frise wearing matching clothes, to the descriptions of the literary named dishes, and even the weather conditions, where Jules, the local weatherman, swears the festival will not have any snow. Meade also does a wonderful job with making the theater costumes and sets come to life and having the reader feel as if they are actually at the festival.

And Meade shines when it comes to the characters. Tish, Mary Jo, and Jules really do feel like best friends. Their banter and how they support each other is perfect. And for being introduced in The Christmas Fair Killer, the theater troupe characters are really well developed. This sense of community makes a reader want to come back to read more books in the series to find out what is happening in the character’s lives.

As for the mystery it was a bit darker than other cozies I’ve read, but I think the subject matter was handled very well, and sexual assault of children by relatives is something that needs to be discussed and not hidden. I was surprised by the killer and I really loved how Meade used all the duplicity with the plot and characters.

I highly recommend The Christmas Fair Killer, as well as the other books in the Tish Tarragon Mystery series, and I’m looking forward to coming back for future books to see how Tish’s love life with Attorney Schuyler and Sheriff Reade ends up, as well as to enjoy the friendship between Tish and the gang.

[LittleRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tish Tarragon and her crew have a booth at the annual Christmas fair and is catering breakfast for the theater group performing there as well. When Tish finds the star of the show dead in here trailer, Tish is on the case to help the local sheriff. As the young woman’s character comes to life as Tish talks to the theater troupe, she finds the young woman wasn’t quite who everyone thought she was. But who would hold enough of a grudge to kill the young woman, and will they strike out at Tish as she investigates?

While I wasn’t as fond if this entry as the first two, it’s still a decent installment in the series...and who doesn’t love a little Christmas cheer throughout the year? As a graduate of William & Mary, this entry made me long for First Night celebrations and snow!

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the 3rd A Tish Tarragon Mystery. It can be read on its own if you have not read Cookin’ the Book or The Garden Club Murder. Tish Tarragon owns Cookin’ the Books Café and Catering where she serves up culinary themed food. I had to laugh at the creative names for her dishes. It is time for the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair with food vendors, craftspeople, and entertainers. A Christmas Carol and Twelfth Night are being performed each day by the Williamsburg Theater Group. Tish has agreed to deliver breakfast to theirs trailers each day of the fair. The first day begins with a bang when Tish finds Jenny Inkpen dead in her trailer. Tish helps Sheriff Clemson Reade by asking questions. People have a way of sharing information with Tish which provides Sheriff Reade with helpful intel. The mystery had multiple suspects in the death of the ingenue. There are red herrings and good clues. I am amazed at the secrets that come to light. I thought the murder weapon was unique as well as a couple other aspects of the crime. I found Identifying the killer, though, to be a snap while others have found it challenging. I believe it depends on the number of mysteries you have read. The whodunit does involve a sensitive subject that is normally not broached in cozy mysteries. Each food dish is described in detail along with the outfits people wore. I did feel it was a little too much detail especially in the first chapter (where each dish Tish created for the Christmas Fair was described) which slowed down the beginning of the story. I was surprised and disappointed by what happened at the end. I hope this development is not permanent. The author captured the Christmas feeling with the cold weather, the fair, decorations, and the food. Christmas Fair Killer has developed characters who are good friends and have become a family. I like that they support each other and are there in times of need. The Christmas Fair Killer is an entertaining cozy mystery with fair fun, anxious actors, earsplitting explosives, captivating cuisine, cozy cocoa, and Christmas cheer.

[Wendy H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to start by saying thank you to the publisher Severn House of rather ARC of this book. This is a new author to me but I like cozy mysteries and as this had a literary and culinary theme, I was sold. I am so glad I found both the book and the author. The premise of the book is that the body of a young actress is found in a trailer for visiting Thespians at a Christmas Fair. The main character, Tish Tarragon has been hired to cater for the cast and crew of the production and, on finding the body, is catapulted into solving a murder. There is intrigue and red herrings aplenty and of course all those involved have a backs Tory and secrets to hide. All this, taken together, leads to a well written story which made me want to keep reading. There were laugh out loud moments. So, why four stars instead of five. For me, it was a little slow to get going and I felt much of the first chapter was taken up with describing the literary name for various sandwiches and melas. I would have liked the storyline to start a little quicker. However, that may just be me and it soon picked up and the book rattled along. A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Tasha Newhouse · Rating 1 out of 5]

As someone who lives in Williamsburg, this is disappointing. Too many references to Richmond, central Virginia, and Piggly wiggly (which we don't have). I was excited to read a Christmas murder mystery but this was not what I was looking for.

[Patricia Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A TISH TARRAGON MYSTERY 

It's almost Christmas and the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair is upon us. Tish and crew are serving up delicious food and selling it like crazy. They are also catering the Williamsburg Theatre Group which is performing several shows a day.

Tish is at her finest creating memorable themed dishes. Very clever. To save time, Tish delivers the meals to the actors and ends up meeting a tight crew who have known and worked with each other forever. Well, not all of them have. And of course, that's the one that Tish finds dead in her trailer. 

Jenny Inkpen is not what she seems. Even her name is fake. But the look of fear and horror on her dead face is not fake. Someone hated her and wanted her dead. As Tish digs, politely, of course, she and her motley crew of friends find that everything isn't as chummy as they claim to be. Secrets are behind every door and now they are seeing a ghost?

Severn House is one of my favorite publishers and their authors are some of my favorite authors. Ms. Meade is one of those and I absolutely love her characters! And this one has an ending that left me in tears and wanting to email her and ask what is up with that?

I'll have to wait to find out. 

NetGalley/ August 4th, 2020 by Severn House Publishers

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding, delightful entertainment, complex mystery! That is what a cozy mystery should be.
I am pretty new to the Tish Tarragon mystery series but I fell in love with it immediately. The books in the series are the epitome of cozy mysteries, but Amy Patricia Meade always addresses serious issues as she entertains us with an outstanding mystery with some great twists. The Christmas Fair Killer continues the calm-in-disaster feel of the earlier books but that feeling that things are under control adds rather than detracts from the drama as events unfold. Tish sends out a vibe that draws people to talk to her which makes her the perfect support for Sheriff Reade. I have known people like that so it isn't hard for me to accept that people reveal secrets to her that they might not reveal to anyone else. I am fascinated by the interaction among Tish's friends. That is one of the elements that hooked me; characters have to be the central factor in any book for me to love it as I do the books in this series. The only negative is that I might gain weight just drooling over the food served throughout the stories. I guess we all have to live a little dangerously.
I requested and was thrilled to receive and ARC via NetGalley and offer my appreciation to them and to Servern House Publishing for allowing me to read and share my delight in The Christmas Fair Killer.

#NetGalley #TheChristmasFairKiller

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is full of Christmas cheer, being at a fair, and of course, a bit of a mystery.
Can Tish find out what happened to Jenny Inkgrave before the fair is gone?
Tish Tarragon
Tish Tarragon is our sleuth and the character that we kind of followed throughout the book. She is a delightful sleuth. I love her approach to get Sheriff Clemson Reade to let her help in the investigation. Granted, that wasn't hard since she did help solve the other two murder cases. Tish is a smart woman and knows that some people will talk to her more freely than they would with him around. What I like about Tish is that she loves her job and has finally started something that she has always wanted to do. Along with doing that job with people that she loves being around. 
Schuyler Thompson
Schuyler is Tish's landlord for both her little apartment above her restaurant/catering business. He also just happens to be her recent boyfriend, and just so happens to be a lawyer. Schuyler isn't really in the book that much, and he just didn't sit well with me. I liked the little romantic bits, but they just never really had the spark. What I like about him is that he seems to care for Tish. The one thing that I don't like about him is that he might be just using her to boost himself up in some world.
Clemson Reade
Clemson Reade is our local sheriff and an all-around good guy. He seems to be all about his job of protecting the people. And especially by giving his deputies the night off during the Christmas holiday. Clemson is a better guy in my mind than Schuyler is, and I hope that this isn't the last we will see of him either. What I like about him is that he seems to be dedicated to his job but is making sure the wellbeing of his friends is good as well. I also like how he harbors a crush on Tish, and Tish doesn't realize it, but I think that she does as well.
The Mystery
The mystery is an actress being shot dead in her trailer on the fairgrounds. Jenny Inkpen didn't have a great time making friends within the group of performers she was with, and that led to unraveling a lot about her past. Well, once they could figure out her identity. It was an exceptional case and mystery as I never figured out who could have done it. Well, that is until they were wrapping it up with the reveal, of course. 
Five Stars
The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is a great one to put anyone in the mood for the holidays even while solving a mystery. I am in love with the way that Ms. Meade wrote this book. I am still shocked by who did it, and I am giving this book five stars while recommending it to anyone that wants to read it now for Christmas in July or just to get away from the heat where you live.


Other Books in the Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade. 

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin with The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade. The Christmas Fair Killer is the third book in her Tish Tarragon Mystery series and it will blow your mind !! The way Meade writes this series will have your brain going in circles and you will love it !!

In The Christmas Fair Killer main character Tish Tarragon has a food booth at the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair. During the festival the Williamsburg Theatre Group will be there performing a few shows daily, and Tish has made entrees and named them to coordinate with the performances....and people are eating them up !! Tish is also providing the members of the theatre group with breakfast and offers to deliver them to their campers in the campgroup area at the festival. Unfortunately the first morning of delivering breakfast she finds one of the actors dead in her trailer.....

Tish convinces Sheriff Reade to let her talk to the members of the theatre group as she has already gotten to know them a little. Plus it would be easier for her to obtain information from them as they would feel more comfortable talking with her rather than be interrogated by the police. As Tish talks to the members she learns a lot of "secrets" and doesn't really know what to make of them. It turns out that the list of suspects continues to grow the more she learns......

I would love to tell readers more about Jenny Inkpen, the actress that was murdered, but I feel that if I say much more, it's going to give too much away and I really feel that readers need the "wow" factor like I experienced. Not only does the storyline surrounding the victim have a lot of twists and turns but Meade leaves the readers with a personal storyline with a HUGE surprise.....and I, for one, didn't see it coming and not sure I like it ......but we will see what happens with the next book in the series......

[Ess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This came as a complete shock to me, but In my haste to secure what looked like an amazing book due to a faultless cover— seriously, that color scheme of navy, red and ochre with scattered holiday cookies everywhere— this book came as a complete shock to me. I whole-heartedly thought I signed up to read an emotionally dark, heaving with sarcasm and irony, COOK BOOK, more accurately, I thought I was signed up to read a Holiday Cookie Cookbook. To my wool-covered eyes, through no fault but my own, the shock I incurred as I flipped through the pages was laughingly real and it actually tickled my funny bone as in these serious and weird months, I needed to laugh at myself for making an honest mistake.
I’m not one for murder mystery novels, especially ones that can provoke nightmares, but because of my judging-a-book-by-its-cover error, I took the dive into reading Amy Patricia Meade’s The Christmas Fair Killer. I did not know this was the third installment to the Tish Tarragon mystery series, though you don’t need to know that coming into this book. The mystery starts straightaway with a murder during the Christmas season, something that excites the holiday-minded inner child in me during a season that isn’t winter. The Christmas Fair Killer was amusing enough as a beach read, nothing in it was excessively thought provoking as whodunit’s typically are not. To be honest, I’m kind of still wishing this book was a holiday cookie recipe cook book: wink wink nudge nudge.

So far no nightmares after reading, so that’s a positive in the book’s favor— unless you like being haunted by your mystery novels, then it’s a negative.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Grace Koshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hobson Glen Holiday Fair is underway and the travelling Williamsburg Theater Group is busy performing several shows each day. Cookin The Books cafe owner Tish Tarragon is busy providing themed dishes to the actors and fair attendees. When Tish goes to the trailers to deliver breakfast to the actors the next day, she is shocked to find newcomer actress Jenny Inkpen shot dead.

Sheriff Clemson Reade soon learns that Jenny's identity is a fake. Tish provides a sensitive and caring ear and convinces Reade that she can help him get the actors to open up about their feelings for Jenny as she delivers meals to them each day. It soon becomes clear the tight-knit troupe had mixed feelings about Jenny but who wanted her dead?

Tish's friends Jules, Mary Jo and Clementine, help out at the vendor booth and also provide some comic relief. Meanwhile, Tish's lawyer boyfriend and landlord Schuyler stays mostly in the background but indicates that he wants to take their relationship to the next level.

The motive behind Jenny's murder is a sensitive one that is normally not depicted in cozy mysteries. The confrontation between Tish and the accused leads to a violent ending that almost proves fatal for Tish.

A gathering of all of Tish's friends at her cafe on Christmas Eve brings a festive conclusion to the story. The sudden departure of one character at the end of the book is a bit disappointing.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Severn House with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cafe owner and caterer Tish Tarragon is pleased with how her booth at the Hobson Glen Holiday Fair. She is enjoying the performances of Twelfth Night and A Christmas Carol which are the highlight of the fair. However, when a young woman who was one of the acting troupe’s stars is found dead in her trailer, Tish puts baking aside to catch a killer.

I am unfamiliar with this author and thought it sounded like a nice light read. I didn’t realize it was the third book in a series. That could be why I could never fully engage with the characters. For one thing, there are a lot of different people introduced in the first two characters. Even though it was a fun idea for Tish to have such a close friend group that she hung out with, I didn’t really connect with any of them.

I liked the setting at the fair and the inside look at the all too real emotions between the people playing the parts in the plays. However, there was more violence and serious subject matters, such as child abuse, for this to be the cozy holiday book I was expecting. I don’t know if this is typical for this series or just a one off for this specific book. If I had known what to expect,
I may have felt differently about the book. Fans of the series will be intrigued by developments in Tish’s personal life at the end of the book. “The Christmas Fair Killer” is well-written, but wasn’t for me.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really waffled between two and three stars for this one. I have enjoyed the Tish Tarragon series, particularly the first two books, with caveats. The frivolous one is that Ms Meade has some writing tics that I find distracting; the much more serious one is that they, especially this one, have dealt with some dark content that doesn't make them bad books, but definitely makes me very much question their marketing as "cozy mysteries."

***Spoilers below, and CW for sexual assault***

The plot of this book hinges on the serial sexual abuse of minors. One of the victims tells a trusted adult family member about the abuse, and isn't believed. Meade has had plot elements in the previous books in this series that felt a little dark for a cozy mystery audience, including another sexual assault. I am fairly new to this genre, but in the same way that romance readers can expect a happy ending as a consistent and defining characteristic of the genre, it was my understanding that cozy mysteries steered well clear of sexual violence, among other things. The abuse is a central element to the mystery, and it gets discussed in some detail. I have read plenty of much darker books dealing with these issues, and it's not that I don't believe they should be examined in fiction, but I was not expecting them to turn up in a light cozy mystery, and I felt blindsided.

There's a lot to like about this series, but the plot elements in this one have me questioning whether I'll continue with future books.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christmas Fair Killer by Amy Patricia Meade is the 3rd A Tish Tarragon Mystery. It can be read on its own. I have not read the others yet in the series. Alert-This is advertised as a cozy but it is not a cozy mystery. It does have descriptions and language that is very dark and will be impossible to read. I had to skip over quite a bit of this book and was upset at the crimes against children that left me disturbed. .So if your a cozy reader as I am to avoid gratuitous violence, sex and crimes against children this is not for you. No victim of crimes should read this. I was willing to try to finish it for review but it was hard to read and very dark. The inclusion of the sexual abuse of three underage girls , is more then extremely disturbing. and not what cozy readers read. We hold ourselves to a standard of no violence, no graphic scenes, no sex scenes and no crimes against women and children. Marketing this as a cozy is disturbing in itself as it will attract readers that are sensitive to such dark content. I was very upset by this book.

Tish is cooking for a Christmas Fair when a murder occurs. She is not one to stand by and starts by investigating the victim and who may have wanted her dead. The mystery is well woven even with the book taking a darker turn. I would recommend this for those that read darker more violent mysteries not cozy readers.

The advance copy was provided by the publisher. My review opinion is my own .

[D.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an engaging mystery with a holiday twist. Tish Tarragon emerges as a charming and determined protagonist, and her culinary expertise adds a unique flavour to the mystery. The integration of themed entrees with the theatre performances adds a creative touch to the storytelling.

The tension among the members of the theatre group serves as a captivating backdrop, and the reader is led on a suspenseful journey as Tish navigates through a list of suspects. The decision to let Tish play detective alongside Sheriff Reade adds a layer of intrigue, allowing for individual and nuanced exploration of the suspects.

However, the revelation of the killer might be considered slightly anticlimactic by some readers, as indicated by one reviewer. The twist, instead of eliciting a shocked response, instead gave me a moment of confusion. Despite this the bittersweet ending leaves room for further exploration in future instalments of the series.

The intricate plot, well-developed characters, and unexpected revelations make this a worthwhile read if you are a fan of mysteries with a festive flair.

[Jordan Stivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful addition to the Cookin' the Books cozy mystery series. Each character continues to shine in their own way as they ready for the holiday season (Jules is such a delight!) and I love running into each of them as a reader. The pacing makes it impossible to put down as each new conversation between Tish and those eating her food brings our favorite cafe owner closer to the killer. Too close in fact!

I won't put any spoilers in here but all that to say that I really enjoyed Book 3 and can't wait for #4 because the ending here has me VERY concerned about a certain character. Yes, this is a very vague review because I so don't want to give anything way but you should read it to find out what I mean. I'm looking forward to reading what everyone in Hobson Glen gets into next!

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming into a mystery series midway isn't always a good idea. This is a case in point. The opening of this book assumes you know too much about the characters. I didn't, so I initially felt lost. Once I got over that, the book picked up a bit. The gist of the book is that a troop of actors are performing at a Christmas fair in Williamsburg. It's a well established troop, with the exception of it's young leading lady, who the other women resent and the men are all somewhat in love with. When she is found murdered the morning after the first night, all the members of the troop are suspect. Tish Tarragon, caterer and star of the mystery series, helps the sheriff interview the members of the cast, discovering truths about the dead woman's past. There are just too many coincidences here for my liking.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Know in advance that this is a little darker than the usual cozy. Tish, a caterer, is working hard at the Christmas fair and she's committed to bring breakfast to member of the Williamsburg Theater Group. Unfortunately, that means she's the one who discovers Jenny Inkpen dead in her trailer- murdered! Cozy readers know that there will be more to Jenny than meets the eye and that's the case here. For one thing, that's not her real name. For another, it's not clear how this troupe can work together given the high level of hostility among them. Geez. Trust, though, that Tish will help Sheriff Reade solve the case. I'd not read the earlier books in the series and this was fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a quick read- well done and entertaining.

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of those books I wanted to love, but the characters just didn't draw me in. While the author had a range of interesting characters and a plot that should have kept you turning the page, it just didn't. I think the reason for this was the dialogue and how everyone responded to Tish, it was all a little too perfectly contrived.

As an idea, the story is a good one, and if you're not as fussy about your characters as me, you'll probably love it. If you're already a fan, the last chapter is the winner for character development, and could change the direction of what you'd expect for the next book.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent cozy mystery and a great addition to this series.
The characters are well thought and likeable as usual, the setting is interesting and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
The plot is a bit darker than usual as there are references to child abuse but I appreciated how well the author dealt with this issues and her empathy toward the victims.
There's a lot of humour and character development. A sort of cliffhanger at the end of the story make me wish to read the next instalment soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read.....I love it when the characters are written so well I can picture them in my head. When I read books like this It's like watching a movie in my head and I just love that. These characters jumped off the pages and into my heart. I am completely invested in them.

This book I thought was going on one track but when I read the last 10 pages I stopped and thought well this isn't what I thought at all.

Now I can't wait to start the next book tonight and see where things are going.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Tish Tarragon Series. Tish has a booth at the Holiday Christmas Fair and delivers food to the cast members of a theater group who are putting on plays at the Fairgrounds. When one of the members of the theater group is murdered, Tish tries to find the killer. What happens during the hunt for the killer and how things turn out make a Great read. Really enjoyed this one in the series and looking forward to reading the next one to see what happens with Tish.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and so was looking forward to catching up with Tish, Jules, Mary Jo and the rest of the gang.

This book ads a whole new cast of characters with the Williamsburg Theatre Group – a group of actors who put on a wide range of plays. They seem to be close-knit, but there are cracks in the group, which only get worse when one of their own is murdered. It was interesting to see Tish and her friends interacting with this new group. It made for a lot of characters to keep track of but their personalities are so distinct and the author does a wonderful job of writing them so that I was never confused about the characters nor did I ever really lose track of what was happening.

Because of the large number of new faces, Tish’s friends are mostly relegated to the background in this book in order to make room for the acting troupe. Jules still manages to squeeze his way into the investigation, but Mary Jo (who continues to go through major personal changes in her personal life) doesn’t factor into the sleuthing at all. I miss this trio – one of the things I absolutely loved about the first book was Jules and Mary Jo doing their own investigating. Tish’s boyfriend Schuyler is also mostly in the background for this book, but does make a few big gestures as he tries to move his romance with Tish to the next level.

I did like the fact that Tish worked a lot more closely with Sheriff Clemson Reade in this story and enjoyed Tish and Clemson’s interactions with each other.

For those that are used to light, humourous cozy mysteries, keep in mind that this series has a bit of an edge to it. Some of the topics that come up may be considered a bit harsh, although it is handled very sensitively and there is still enough humour and lightness in the story to keep it firmly in the cozy mystery camp.

*Trigger warning and a small spoiler* This book deals with sexual abuse of underage girls. There is nothing graphic included, but it is part of a character’s backstory and does come up during the investigation. I only mention this in case that is a trigger for anyone.

One of the things I do look most forward to whenever Amy Patricia Meade releases a new book is the dishes that Tish creates. Her literary catering company comes up with the most delicious creations and they always have the most creative names. For example, some of the on-the-go meals that Tish delivers to the actors include: ‘The Ham-elet’ (a basic cheese omelet with ham), ‘The Belinda (the “Good ‘wich)’ (an egg-white omelet with avocado, kale, and sautéed shitake mushrooms on spelt bread) and ‘The Bun Also Rises’ (a large cinnamon bun). I love the names and always get so hungry reading the descriptions.

While my favourite of the series is still the first book, Cookin’ the Books, this latest instalment is still a great read. It develops some of the characters more and moves some storylines along, especially those involving Tish, Mary Jo and Clemson Reade. Their stories change quite a bit during this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next with them.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Severn House Publishers, for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Kyle Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be a 3.5. The plot was good, darker than the previous books. The actors being so willing to tell a stranger about personal details was a stretch. Also, the sheriff being in love with Trish wasn’t necessary.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that this, book #3, is the first in this series that I'm glad I read. I really liked the ending - not your typical cozy. Meade really broke the mold on this one! Here's hoping that #4 is equally good!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

I loved the writing , the characters and all the twists and turns of the plot. I will now have to go back and read the first two books in the series.

[Maddielucy(Patti) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, but given the title I was expecting more Christmas….

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really hoping that Tish and Sheriff Reade will get together!

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

**SPOILER**


Clemson....DON'T GO!!!!!!!! Knock Mr. Perfect off his socks and swoop in!!!