Welcome to Marshmallow Hollow, Maine, a holiday mystery, where it's all Christmas all the time and murder is hung by the chimney with care...
For an adorable little Christmas town, Marshmallow Hollow sure sees a lot of action. Just days off the last murder—solved by moi, Halliday Valentine, and my gorgeous tenant, Hobbs—I’m eagerly awaiting a visit from my dear Uncle Darling and his husband, Monty, when my phone blows up.
Another murder, this time at the convenience store on the edge of town…and Uncle Monty was hurt in the process.
Without hesitation, Hobbs and I jump into action, seeking justice for the deceased and both of my uncles. Between ambulance-chasing lawyers, career-climbing journalists and chain-smoking ex-drug dealers, we have more than enough suspects to go around.
But how do any of them connect to three missing girls from neighboring towns…?
Will Monty, the only living witness, be safe while the killer’s at large …?
Will Atticus, my adorbs hummingbird familiar, magic me to Siberia when I use one too many spells for his liking…?
And most of all, how will Handsome Hobbs react when he learns my frequent “migraines” are a lot less neurological…and a whole lot more paranormal?
Dakota Cassidy is a national bestselling author with over thirty books. She writes laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, grab-some-ice erotic romance, hot and sexy alpha males, paranormal shifters, contemporary kick-ass women, and more.
Invited by Bravo TV, Dakota was the Bravoholic for a week, wherein she snarked the hell out of all the Bravo shows. She received a starred review from Publisher Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won an RT Reviewers Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.
Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!
This is the second book about a funny witch living in a small, Christmas-obsessed town in Maine.
It's been a week since the events of book 1 and Hal and Hobbs have halfway recovered from the excitement when Hal's uncles are due to visit. But before they can arrive, one of them becomes the witness in yet another murder, this time in a gas station. Moreover, this time, the murder is tied into a case of missing girls.
More Hal and her funny familiar, (sadly) less rescue cat AND less reindeer grandma, more (and new) family members, more dreamy Hobbs.
Another fast-paced installment taking place in what I can only describe as a dreamy small US town, full of Christmas cheer and winter weather. The characters were a little more "removed" (Hal didn't know too many here) but following the breadcrumbs was once again nice and that ambulance chaser certainly got me emotionally engaged (if negatively).
Perhaps these work so well because they are short and sweet. Dunno. It will definitely also have to do with the funny situations.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Narrated by Hollie Jackson, 🎧︎Have Yourself A Merry Little Witness is the 2nd book in the cozy paranormal mystery series, Marshmallow Hollow. It’s one week since Halliday and Hobbs solved the murder of a developer, in Jingle All the Slay, only to face another where Halliday’s uncle got hurt.
I had a blast revisiting the town of Marshmallow Hallow and getting reacquainted with the characters. It was also a pleasure meeting Halliday’s drag queen uncle (Uncle Darling). His overdramatic personality brought humour to the story. However, Atticus Halliday’s familiar retains his spot as my favourite character in the series.
I enjoyed the mystery. Not only do we have a murder, the story also gave us a missing persons case. As Halliday and Hobbs dug, they discovered a connection between the murder and the case of missing persons. The fact I could not guess the identity of the murderer and the motive for the murder showed that the mystery was well done. It stunned me and the motive doubly shocking and a tad heartbreaking.
Halliday has finally trusted Hobbs with her secret in relation to her psychic and witch abilities. It made me happy to see her trusting him, which helped in the development of their romance. Her fear of his not understanding and thinking her a freak was all for naught. Despite Halliday’s many attempts to hide from the truth, she could not deny the chemistry she shared with Hobbs.
Hollie Jackson did a wonderful job with the narration, which came as no surprise. She has become the voice of the characters. She did a great job of bringing out each of the character’s personality. However, I thought it weird that her tone for Halliday remained the same even when it was stated she was ill.
Overall, 🎧︎Have Yourself A Merry Little Witness proved to be a fun read featuring quirky characters. A great addition to the series. Looking forward to One Corpse Open Slay, which is the next book in the series.
5 Stars... Halliday's very eccentric but incredibly lovable uncles are coming for a visit, Christmas is in the air, and her relationship with Hobbs is heating up, what could possibly go wrong?? Murder, that's what! What do a convenience store clerk, a tube of pink lipstick, missing young women, and Uncle Monty all have in common? Well it is up to Hal and Hobbs along with their furry companions to find out! Time is running out and the clues just don't seem to fit, not to mention the constant "migraines" that keep plaguing Hal, and what does a typewriter have to do with anything?? So many questions so few answers... Joining these lovable characters in Marshmallow Hollow in their amateur sleuthing is a truly enjoyable experience... An intriguing mystery with a bit of a bite coupled with humor and a sense of family and friendship... All the ingredients needed for an entertaining cozy mystery read:)
Paranormal perfection! Quirky and zany and ridiculous at times which made it so much fun. Love the community and the secondary characters (including talking animals!) Snappy inner dialogue kept me grinning all the way through. And I think I enjoyed the story all the more because of Hollie Jackson's excellent narration. Off to start the the next book!
I can tell that this cozy mystery series is going to be one of those I really enjoy for a quick break. It makes me laugh and I'm already growing attached to the main characters.
And, as much as I do love the main characters, please oh please can we have more of Uncle Darling? Hal's cross-dressing uncle and his husband were probably what made this book just a bit better for me than the last one. Uncle Darling is what every guncle should be (fun, loving, and a bit on the dramatic side). I say that raising my son with two sets of guncles, so maybe that's where the affection comes from? ;)
The mystery in this one was equally good - it kept me guessing from beginning to end and I did not see the answer coming at all. This murder was much sadder than the one in the last book - with the recovering alcohol husband and father to a new baby dying at the very start. I guess that probably also hit my harder because I have a 16 month old and I don't even want to try and imagine that loss. So this book hit me in the feels unexpectedly.
I'm also enjoying the developing romance between Hobbs and Hal. I look forward to seeing where that's going. I feel like Hobbs has some secrets that need to be revealed though -- Texan boy moved to Marshmallow Hallow, Maine just because he visited once and loved it? And how does he afford his lifestyle? I want answers.
My only two negatives - 1 for the series overall and 1 for this book. For the series, each chapter begins with the title of a Christmas book or song and their year and author. This COULD be a neat way to start the chapters, if I saw any connection between them and the story. And maybe there is one, but it's going way over my head. The result is that at the start of every chapter I get slightly confused and pulled out of the story, until I remember it's just because I'm starting a new chapter. This probably wouldn't be as disruptive in the print as it is the audio.
My second negative is actually the narration, this time only. In general, I really enjoy Hollie Jackson's narration and she does a great job with the characters. I LOVED her voice for Uncle Darling, for example. BUT in Have Yourself a Merry Little Witness, Hal is sick. Comments keep getting made about how awful she SOUNDS. And yet, she sounded exactly the same as she always does in the narration. It had the effect of (1) puling me out of the story to think about the narration and (2) making me forget she was sick frequently. I think that, if I were reading it, I would be imagining her voice as ill. I hate to come down on a normally great narration, but for me, that was a disappointment. Won't stop me from reading future books in audio, by any means. But it did take away a bit of my joy in this one.
Expecting her Uncle Darling and his husband for a holiday visit Halliday isn’t expecting trouble but that’s exactly what she gets. Now she and Hobbs are on the case. This story is filled with all the zaniness you expect from Dakota Cassidy plus a heartwarming subplot that is sweet enough for a Hallmark Christmas movie.
One of my favorite cozy holiday mysteries this season. I love the sprinkle of magical realism with talking animal sidekicks and magic. The town of Marshmallow Hollow was full of delightful characters!
As always, narrator Holly Jackson does a great job brining the characters to life but I found myself drifting off way too often while listening to this story and had to keep rewinding because I was missing the crucial parts of the murder investigation.
Even though there are a lot of similarities between the Witchless in Seattle series and Marshmallow Hollow series, I find myself questioning why everyone keeps answering Hal's questions. Why I think a psychic medium has more right to be a sleuth than the owner of a christmas ornament factory, I don't know. Maybe it's the ex-spy thing.
In this story, Hal's mother's best friend is coming for a visit with his husband. Just before reaching her house, they stop at a convenient store as a murder takes place and the husband ends up in the hospital after being bashed in the head. While arriving to pick her up her Uncle from the scene Hal has a vision of the murder which links this murder to several abductions of young women. So Halladay Valentine and her friend Hobbs Digby begin their own digging into the murder investigation even though last time they ended up looking down the barrel of the murder's shotgun rather than solving the crime.
This should have been an interesting story but it just wasn't holding my attention and I kept wondering why everyone was spilling their secrets to her. I also wondered why the author gave her a cold at the end of the story since it had no real plot point, and why the heck haven't witches developed a spell or a brew to cure a cold. See, easily distracted from the story.
While Hal isn't ready to tell Hobbs that she is a witch, she did trust him with the fact that her migraines are actually visions. Hal's mother managed to convince the entire town that Hal's odd behavior was due to migraines, which they have all accepted as fact, and Hobbs takes the time to google migraines and figures out something doesn't add up. Hobbs fears that Hal has a brain tumor or some other series brain issue so she brings him into her confidence. There is still something off about Hobbs's backstory and whether we will ever learn more about him remains to be seen.
You know I love my Stevie, Win and Arkady so why are Hal and her friends not finding the same love? I don't know. I have a copy of Book 3. If that one doesn't draw me in, I am going to drop this series and stick with sister, Stevie.
I have a deep appreciation for a captivating mystery, and the treasures I find in Marshmallow Hollow rarely disappoint. The main characters—often unsuspecting—continuously become entangled in thrilling police investigations, yet they possess an uncanny talent for unraveling the most perplexing puzzles.
For a quaint and charming Christmas town, Marshmallow Hollow is surprisingly bustling with excitement. Just days after Halliday Valentine and her handsome tenant, Hobbs, solved a chilling murder, Halliday eagerly awaits the arrival of her Uncle Darling and his husband, Monty. However, her anticipation is abruptly shattered as her phone begins to buzz incessantly.
Tragedy strikes again: a murder has occurred at the local convenience store on the town's outskirts, and Uncle Monty has been injured during the harrowing incident.
Brimming with determination, Halliday and Hobbs leap into action, fueled by a desire to seek justice for the unfortunate victim and protect their beloved family members. With a colorful cast of characters—including ambitious lawyers chasing ambulance leads, reporters eager for a scoop, and chain-smoking ex-drug dealers lurking on the streets—they find themselves surrounded by a myriad of potential suspects.
Yet, the mystery deepens as they uncover a chilling connection between the murder and the three missing girls from neighboring towns. With Monty as the only living witness, Halliday can't shake the feeling of dread: how can they ensure his safety while the elusive killer remains at large?
But perhaps the most pressing question of all is how the irresistible Hobbs will react when he discovers that Halliday's frequent “migraines” are not just the result of stress, but something far more supernatural. The suspense is palpable as they race against time, delving deeper into a world where danger and the paranormal intertwine.
Halliday is enjoying her holiday season waiting for her Uncle Darling and his husband Uncle Monty to show up for their annual Christmas get together when she gets a frantic call from Uncle Darling about a shooting and she runs headfirst into trouble. Can Hal and Hobbs solve this crime before the person who shot Hal’s Uncle Monty come back to finish the job they started. Then they find out there are some missing girls. Could this be connected? Another incredible addition to this series. The mystery’s are great because they keep you guessing till the end.
Hal has relatives coming for a visit but they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time for them but good for others. The mystery begins and you will find that being in the wrong place has its benefits for three girls who are missing. Lots of action and Hal’s partner in solving mysteries will learn part of her secrets about headaches. Romance is blooming between Hal and Hobbs. I do like a good mystery with romance and plenty of action. Read this book as it is well written and excellent for you to sharpen your sleuth skills!
Hal is excited for a visit from her Uncle Darling and his husband, but when they stop for flowers, Monty is attacked and sent to the hospital under guard since he may have seen the murder of the station attendant.
Hal and her new beau Hobbs plan to let the cops, especially best friend Stiles, investigate, but that doesn't mean they won't help especially after a missing girl turns up.
This book has some more interesting twists than the 1st of the series and Hobbs is starting to question some things which means Hal may have to give up some of her secrets.
Cozy, magical murder mystery with that requisite xmas-y atmosphere.
I hits the spot--like a warm mulled wine around a fire, wearing an ugly sweater, and tittering about the hunks and sweeties about town. With murder. And UF magic.
It's fast food for the mind. I know, I know, I should cut back, but it's the HOLIDAYS.
Personal note: If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.
What a amazing Christmas series. Definitely get you into the Christmas spirit. I absolutely enjoyed everything about this book and it was a great addition to the series. So if you enjoy story filled with mystery and action I totally recommend that you one click this book. Also if you haven't checked out the first book in this series I recommend that book as well. As always my review are totally voluntarily and no monetary compensation was received and the opinion I have expressed are my own.
4.7 stars for Have Yourself A Merry Little Witness!
Another terrific episode of A Witchy Christmas Cozy Mystery. Unlike Hal, I don't like the cold with or without snow. By the time I finished this story I was cold and my nose was dripping: I am certain you can't catch a cold from a story! Hal and Hobbs and their critters solved another murder and lots of puzzles in time for Christmas!
Cosy crime with paranormal romance as witch Hal deals with killers, running her Christmas factory and crushing on her tenant Hobbs. Their relationship is starting to blossom. Her visions lead to clues and with her BFF Stiles, her Nana Karen reincarnated in a reindeer and her familiar Atticus Finch - a small bird, she sets the world to rights. And her uncle Darling and his husband Monty are involved in the action. It’s fun, with an intriguing crime and very Christmassy.
Three stars for the second mystery in this series.
I took awhile to read this one, but I liked it! I'm glad that Hal and Hobbs finally got together by the end - they're a great duo. Definitely guessed the wrong culprit, but the explanation made sense. I love the setting of Marshmallow Hollow...it sounds so cute! I will read the third mystery in this series for sure.
I very much enjoy paranormal books and really like these cozy mysteries. Hal and Hobbs are pulled into another murder mystery when her uncle accidentally walks into a killing. Mix a murder with a witch, a few talking animals, a cute tenant and some magic and you have a great murder mystery.
I love EVERYTHING Dakota has written ! Wow I really enjoyed the love story forming . Thanks for writing all your stories Dakota , I get a great laugh and mystery to get me through the day!
I enjoy her writing, this new series is light and entertaining. It’s a little mystery, mixed with some shenanigans. If you like this, check out her “Accidental” series.
Love, love, love Have Yourself a Merry Little Witness and the Marshmallow Hollow series. I managed to read the book out of order but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment. This is the kind of cozy mystery made for the holidays or any days.
This was a fun book to read. I would love to read more in this series. It had a good amount of intrigue and humor incorporated. I love how she incorporates the song title instead of cursing. Like Oh Holy Night. That made me giggle like a school girl.
So glad I got the second book in the series! Hal and company are getting better and better!!!!!!! I can’t wait for number 3! I have to find out what’s going on with the typewriter and Hobbs!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas and a little murder please!!!!!!
Have Yourself a Merry Little Witness was a bit of a two-for-one, with not only a murder case but a missing persons one, too. The whodunit in this one was very well done, the revealed identity of the bad guy a complete surprise. The twists and turns had me going in entirely different directions. And the motive shocked me even more!
I also loved the developing romance between Halliday and Hobbs, and his easy acceptance of her visions as real and worthy. That made me love him even more!
And Uncle Darling… her mother’s best friend and a retired drag queen. As overdramatic as he could be, he was also sweet, kind, loving, and utterly hilarious. I loved the interplay between Uncle Darling and Halliday, but I also loved it between Uncle Darling and Hobbs.
Enjoyable little story. In this age of the snarky, kick-ass heroine, it is nice to discover at least one author is writing series with heroines who are genuinely nice...not buried under attitude nice, but just, simply NICE. Refreshing.