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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Yule Log Murder in Books

Nov 6, 2018  
Yule Log Murder
Yule Log Murder
Barbara Ross, Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis | 2018 | Mystery
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Put on a Yule Log and Curl Up with this Novella Collection
This book contains three Christmas mystery novellas by three different mystery authors featuring their main sleuths. Up first is the title story by Leslie Meier as Lucy Stone tries to figure out how a young woman died on the set of a movie being filmed in town. Next comes "Death by Yule Log" by Lee Hollis. In this story, Hayley Powell meets her daughter's new boyfriend. While she is less than impressed with him, she begins to poke around when he is accused of murder. Finally comes "Logged On" by Barbara Ross. Christmas is approaching, and Julia Snowden is determined to make a great yule log to impress her boyfriend's family. She's so desperate she gets help from Mrs. St. Onge, an unpleasant neighbor everyone agrees makes the best yule log cakes around. Only, something seems off. Can Julia figure out what is going on?

Fans of any of these authors will want to pick up this book. All three feature strong mysteries. Each story is around 100 pages, yet still feature some good twists and surprises that kept the pages flying. I did find the characters in the Lucy Stone story annoying, but that is my only complaint with the book. I don't read Lee Hollis, but I am tempted to with how much I enjoyed the story here. I love Barbara Ross's books, so it was fabulous to get another story with them. You'll get plenty of Christmas spirit while reading this book, and each author includes some recipes you can make after you've finished the book, including three different recipes for yule logs.
  
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Lee (2222 KP) created a post

Nov 20, 2019 (Updated Nov 20, 2019)  
There have been a few posts on here about favourite/greatest Christmas movies and it's one of those topics that is always hotly debated. So... I decided to create 'The Smashbomb Greatest Movie of 2019' competition! 50 movies (apologies if your favourite didn't make the cut), split into 2 groups. In the coming weeks leading up to Christmas I will run a poll for each block of 5 so that you can vote for your favourite, with the top 2 from each block moving onto the next round. At that point, each group will have 10 movies in the next round and there will then be a poll to cover each block of 5. The top 3 from each group will then move onto the final deciding poll! The attached image will (hopefully) explain the process a bit better and if this isn't easily readable then I will put a hi-res version online, updated regularly as the competition progresses. The first poll will be up on here shortly - I look forward to seeing what the definitive best Christmas movie is!
      
Show all 16 comments.
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) Nov 27, 2019

Hee @Lee i was going to send you a message about the horror bracket next year, but it wont let me click on your name.
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Lee (2222 KP) Nov 27, 2019

Hi, have just messaged you
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Dangers of Candy Canes in Books

Dec 9, 2023  
The Dangers of Candy Canes
The Dangers of Candy Canes
Laura Levine | 2007 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Deadly Slip While Decorating
When one of Jaine Austen's clients, Seymour Fiedler of Fiedler on the Roof Roofers, is sued for wrongful death, he hires Jaine to put down her pen and solve the crime. Seems that Garth Jankin fell off his recently reroofed house while decorating for his neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest. Since Garth had numerous enemies, Jaine quickly decides that the tiles must have been loosened. But who would do something like that?

As with the books, this story is very funny. Jaine can't resist temptation, and spends time talking about her need to lose weight while eating Christmas candy. A sub-plot about Jaine volunteering with a group that mentors underprivileged girls almost slows the story down at times. In fact, it makes the ultimate climax seem a little abrupt. But Jaine is a charming character and I love spending time with her. The other characters are interesting as well. And several red herrings keep this story interesting and fun until the end.

NOTE: This story was originally released as part of the anthology Candy Cane Murder. If you’ve already read that book, you don’t need to get this story a second time.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Yule Log Murder in Books

Dec 1, 2022  
Yule Log Murder
Yule Log Murder
Leslie Meier | 2022 | Mystery
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Christmas Murder on a Film Set
News has broken that a major Hollywood movie is going to be filmed just outside of town, and many of the townspeople are going to be used as extras. Lucy manages to snag one of those spots, but her joy turns to sorrow when a young woman dies on the set. The police seem quick to settle on a killer, but Lucy suspects that something else is going on. Can she figure things out?

I must admit that I haven't read many of Lucy's adventures, sticking mainly to the novellas featuring this character and her family. As a result, I don't have the history with Lucy's family that long time series readers do. That may be why I found them annoying. The mystery itself was very strong, however, with a solution I didn't see coming.

NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Yule Log Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time to sit back and enjoy this Christmas mystery.