It’s the time of the year to start thinking about the upcoming holidays. Living in San Antonio where snow is only a distant memory, I find it hard sometimes to get in the mood without a proper boost from a Christmas Cozy. So, this month I read the first in a very new series by Jacqueline Frost, The Twelve Slays of Christmas, part of her new Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. This post is part of my series where I am writing about the most popular and recommended Cozy Mystery series.
The Twelve Slays of Christmas has just about the coziest setting possible — a family-owned Christmas tree farm that is part of a historic small town, Mistletoe, Maine. On the farm, which also has a cafe, “The Hearth” and other shops open during the holiday season, games are played for the twelve days of Christmas — the “Reindeer Games”. Each day a different holiday-related game is played. Tourists flock by the busload to the town to play these games and to bask in the holiday atmosphere that this quaint farm and historic town provide.
The story begins with Holly White, the 24-year-old daughter of the owners of the farm just having returned from Portland Maine. She had just been jilted by her fiance just days before her scheduled wedding. So, she returns home with her cat, “Cindy Lou Who”, and falls back into her old routine of helping with the games and the farm. Of course, a murder occurs which causes all who work at the farm to fall under suspicion. And, the farm has to be closed which places Holly’s parents’ livelihood in jeopardy since over half of their income is associated with the holiday season.
Holly begins her investigation in parallel with the new sheriff in town, Sheriff Evan Gray. Sheriff Gray just happens to be young, single and very good looking. Holly also soon meets a local newspaper reporter who also is young, good looking and available. Readers of modern Cozies will probably see where this is going pretty early in the book.
If the elements of The Twelve Slays of Christmas seem pretty familiar to seasoned Cozy readers, the way the book is put together with such lively charm and with so many holiday-related elements, made this book pretty irresistible to me, especially since I was looking for a way to help me get into the holiday mood. And, Holly is such an attractive heroine — her plucky character somehow reminds me of (an older) Nancy Drew. The way she picks herself up from personal adversity and gets back into the routine at her parents’ farm while simultaneously investigating the murder that threatens to ruin her parents’ farm’s income and reputation, is portrayed in such a lively way that I just kept turning the pages. What higher praise can I give a book!
If you want to read some of the other entries about highly recommended Cozy Mystery series, you can see them on the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page.
P.S. By the way, this Christmas Cozy got me in such a winter-ized mood that I had my two tech-guys (my husband and son) bring in the Christmas bins from our garage over the weekend. I know it’s a little early for decorating – with Thanksgiving still down the calendar road, but I needed this winter Cozy! I walked Cocoa (our three year-old Yorkie “puppy”) two hours before writing this entry in 73* weather!
Jennifer Flores says
I love this book. And I adore your blog. Thank you for all the hard work you do keeping it up. As a fellow Texan, I share your woes about no snow. I swear I spend all winter praying for snow and keeping my fingers and toes crossed. A white Christmas would be a dream come true! We reached 80 degrees yesterday here in Ft. Worth. UGH! So I share your pain :). And I, too, got out my Christmas decorations and put them up this weekend. Glad to know I’m not the only one. Please keep up the good work. Your blog is awesome!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, I’m always glad to commiserate with a fellow Texan over the weather! And thank you for your kind words about the blog.
Kathy says
I love this cozy! BTW if you are looking for snow come on up to Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts. We have 5 to 10 inches on the way!
Shari says
I have fallen in love with this series of books. I love everything about The Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries. Waiting for the 3rd book.
Hoping to read a new one soon.
Tari says
Oh this series is awesome! I’m sure you know that the author is actually Julie Anne Lindsey aka Julie Chase aka Bree Baker. In a book discussion on her Apple Cider Slaying book, she’s recently told us on Facebook that she’s doing a third Christmas Tree farm book in 2020, yay! You’ll love the second book too! Then you’ll be all caught up when the new one comes out. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tari, yes, I’m well aware of her number of aliases! It can be so hard to keep track of authors nowadays.
Leah says
Hi! I’m new to the genre of cozy mysteries, but I was wondering who that alias was! Thanks for that!
Kathleen Kendler says
I really enjoyed this book when I read it. She is on my must read list. I believe she is also Julie Chase.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathleen, yes, she is… among others!
Susy S says
Danna, I too have started setting up Christmas at my house. I have a significant ornament collection, so it can take some time, and I like to have it set up by Thanksgiving.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susy, I used to wait a bit longer, but these days sometimes it feels better to get started quickly so I can take my time… if that makes any sense.
Susy S says
It makes a lot of sense.
I find as I get older, the up and down the ladder part, and the stretching to reach higher areas, cause plenty of aches and pains the next day, even though I exercise regularly. Seems decorating uses a different set of muscles.
I also got a new ladder that has a handle on top so that I have fewer concerns about balance.
KG says
I like this series very much and am looking forward to reading the Apple Cider Slaying (which I think is a Christmas mystery too). I have taken down some of my fall decorations to clean and plan on putting out Christmas decor this weekend. The tree and outside decorations will go up the weekend after Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, I am working a Christmas jigsaw puzzle. After all, it is only 35 days until Christmas!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
KG, I believe you’re right about Apple Cider Slaying being another Christmas novel. I hope it’s as good as this one!
KBrigan says
Are the Games on the REAL 12 days, i.e. from Christmas to Epiphany?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
KBrigan, they are on the days leading up to Christmas.
MVS says
Thanks for the review–I am really going to try and get my hands on this book! It does sound pretty formulaic, but it also sounds like the absolute perfect Christmastime read! Also, surely you noticed the author’s very Christmasy choice in taking on a nom de plume? I love the idea of a series taking place on a Christmas tree farm!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MVS, sometimes it’s good to stick to a tried-and-true formula! And yes, Jacqueline Frost certainly is an appropriately Winter-y themed name!
Kimberley says
I love this series! Such a fun read with engaging characters. I especially appreciate that Frost didn’t drag out the romance element between Holly and Evan!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kimberley, it can certainly be nice when certain elements just get to the point instead of dragging on forever!
VIRGINIA JONES says
Love this series. Next one is due out in 2021.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Virginia, I’m glad to hear that there are more in the works.
Lizzie says
Love this blog! I create my book list from the articles I read. Unfortunately too many books are newly published, would love more older books please as I have to rely on the library to read. Thanks.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lizzie, I’m glad that the blog has been helpful!
Laura O. says
I read this last year and really enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to another one!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Laura, it certainly would be nice for more entries to come out in a series like this.
Peter Shelly says
Do we know if she is going to write more ? I have read the two and love them!!! I need more 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Peter, I haven’t heard anything official, though at least one site visitor indicated they thought there might be more in a few years. Still, that’s a long way off to be sure.
Jackie Callanan says
So glad you found this. I’ve read both #1 and #2 in series noted above. Now you’ve gotten me interested to see if she has written more!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jackie, there are still just the two books from this series, though she has written under several other names.
Snoopymom73 says
I just read this last week and loved it! How could this Christmas fanatic not?
She also writes as Julie Chase and I adore her kitty couture series (Cat got your Diamonds is the first of 4 so far) set in New Orleans.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Snoopymom, it’s certainly a great series for Christmas lovers!
Susy S says
Her cat series is what got me started on her books. Now I have to find books from the multiple series under her several names. Good thing I have several used bookstores near me, and of course, the internet.
Derek S says
I like all her series. But the aliases are so confusing sometimes. It makes it hard to keep track of “new” authors as opposed to just “new” series.
I was really hoping that she would put one out this Christmas in the tree farm series because she put the other two books out the previous two years in the fall/wintertime. Looks like I will have to wait a while which will be okay because I have so many cozies to read.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Derek, I can certainly say, from the perspective of someone running a site about organizing books by author, the pseudonyms can be a bit confusing for me as well! Inconvenient, too.
Lissa Adams says
Love these books really hope there’s a third coming soon.
Megan says
Any idea if there will be a third book? Its been two years since the second one.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Megan, I haven’t heard of a third being announced.
Chhaya Joshi says
I am so happy to hear there is another book in the series . I’m attached to all the characters. Your writing is so smooth and fun to read ! Hope you keep writing more books for us to enjoy !