Cozy Christmas Shorts from Gemma Halliday Publishing

Cozy Christmas Shorts by Gemma Halliday, Leslie Langtry, Kelly Rey, Jennifer L. Hart, Gin Jones, T. Sue VerSteeg, Traci Andrighetti, Anna Snow, Jennifer Fischetto, Janel Gradowski
Series: Tahoe Tessie #1.5, Greatest Hits #8, Amelia Grace #2.5, , Franki Amato #2.5, Southern Pasta Shop #1.5, Working Stiff Mysteries #2.5, Culinary Competition #2.5, Helen Binney Mysteries #3.5, Jamie Winters #1.5, Gianna Mancini Mysteries #1.5
Published by Gemma Halliday Publishing on September 5, 2016
Genres: Anthology, Cozy Mystery, Christmas
Pages: 544
Format: eBook
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11 holiday themed cozy mystery short stories by New York Times, USA Today, and National Bestselling authors! Short holiday bites perfect for enjoying while waiting in holiday lines or binge-reading over a cup of hot cocoa.

This LIMITED TIME collection includes the holiday short stories from some of our most popular series:

Baby It's Cold Outside (Tahoe Tessie Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday & Sue VerSteeg

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (Greatest Hits Mysteries) by Leslie Langtry

Sleighed at Castle Rock (Amelia Grace Rock 'n' Roll Mysteries) by Anne Marie Stoddard

The Blonde Before Christmas (Barb Jackson Mysteries) by Anna Snow

Rosolio Red (Franki Amato Mysteries) by Traci Andrighetti

Christmas Al Dente (Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries) by Jennifer L. Hart

Ornamental Danger (Working Stiff Mysteries) by Kerri Nelson

Christmas Canapés & Sabotage (Culinary Competition Mysteries) by Janel Gradowski

A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death (Helen Binney Mysteries) by Gin Jones

Motion for Mistletoe (Jamie Winters Mysteries) by Kelly Rey

Christmas, Spies & Dead Guys (Gianna Mancini Mysteries) by Jennifer Fischetto

This was my last Christmas read for the season. Like most anthologies, it has its ups and downs. Each of these short stories fits into a series, but the only series I had read before is the Southern Pasta Shop mysteries. I will say that each story gave a good feeling for the main character and style of mystery and I’d like to read more of a few of them.

Most of the mysteries were cute and fun, but I did have a few favorites. I didn’t really hate any of them, but there were a couple that I wasn’t fond of.

Favorites:

“Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas” by Leslie Langtry – The Bombay family may be assassins, but they are funny, pragmatic, inventive and really care about each other. And I loved the spin they took with And Then There Were None.

“A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death” by Gin Jones – Helen, the main character, seems like an interesting lady, even though she’s one of the people who seem to attract murders. I loved some of the descriptions of the gingerbread houses and even though the mystery was wrapped quickly and maybe too easily, it was a short story so that’s forgivable.

“Motion for Mistletoe” by Kelly Rey – I just loved the characters in this one. And the bit of Christmas magic.

Least Favorites:

“Rosario Red” by Tracy Andrighetti – Grandma’s missing and of course her granddaughter the PI comes home to investigate. I just didn’t like where the plot went, it all seemed a bit silly.

“Sleighed at Castle Rock” by Anne Marie Stoddard – This one actually took place in the summer, with a “Christmas in July” theme. I didn’t care for the characters and the mystery was blah.

Overall, this collection was a good Christmas read. The mysteries are light and easy to read and I liked the little sparks of romance in several of them. They are short stories, so the plots are not overly involved and a couple are barely mysteries, but I enjoyed it.