A Killer Carol

GIVEAWAY

BRADFORD, LAURA
A KILLER CAROL

Heavenly, Pennsylvania has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland, and Claire is delighted to celebrate the season -- but a fiendish killer has other plans in this all new installment in the national bestselling series...

As the owner of Heavenly treasures, Claire is busier than ever helping her customers and friends find the perfect gifts for the special people on their lists. She is also organizing One Heavenly Night, a holiday celebration for the entire community that will feature all the shops on Lighted Way. Claire finds herself up to her ears in holiday cheer until a double murder threatens to derail everything even her relationship with Jakob Fisher, a former Amish man turned police detective.

Two of Claire's closest Amish friends were the last to see the victims alive and are now Jackob's prime suspects. Claire is certain they are innocent, but Jakob has come upon evidence that says otherwise. He's also been acting strangely distant lately. She knows there's something wrong, but she's too busy trying to find the real killer to gie in to her fears about their relationship. Claire just might need a Christmas miracle to save the season for herself and everyone she holds dear.

My Review:

First things first -- isn't that an eye-catching cover?! Made me all the more eager to read the story inside. Especially since I'm a fan of Laura Bradford's Amish Mysteries series plus, well, nothing says Christmas quite like a cozy! And this one fairly sparkles with festivities. In fact, Claire might have gone a tad overboard. Especially when it comes to getting everything just right. Honestly, I wanted to clock her with a candy cane a time or two, but, since her heart is always in the right place, I allowed the warmth of the season to soothe my peppermint thrashing tendencies. :-)

As the seventh book in the series, A Killer Carol comes complete with a town full of established characters. The first few chapters might seem a tad overwhelming if you haven't met the key players in previous books -- especially the Amish contingency. But go with the flow and I'm sure you'll figure out who is related to who and why that matters in no time at all. And if you are familiar with Claire and her Amish cohorts you'll be tickled to see how everyone is faring...and who's involved in a murder this time.

Bradford really captures the holiday atmosphere well -- and I appreciated the gentle contrasts between Claire's over-the-top-get-everything-right approach with the simpler Amish traditions. This author always does a great job of meshing the two worlds, respecting both as she points out differences.

This time round, the investigation places more of a strain on Claire and Jakob's romance as details unfold that drive Claire to stick her nose into police business...again! This character-driven mystery relies on relationships as the impetus that drives the plot forward. Not the usual shoulder-checking nail-biter -- more of a steady build full of puzzling elements and intriguing potential suspects. That doesn't mean it's not a riveting read -- because it is. Complete with twists and turns and a perplexing whodunnit. Bradford really challenged my armchair sleuthing skills. This gentler approach to mystery solving really fit the cozy ambiance of this Amish centered story. And definitely kept me engrossed until the sublimely satisfying conclusion. (Still have a big grin on my face.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Killer Carol, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 2 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!