Cooking the Books: Christmas Mittens Murder by Lee Hollis, Lynn Cahoon & Maddie Day

This trio of holiday-themed novellas feels nearly like three, full culinary cozy novels in a single quantity!

The primary of the three, Lee Hollis’s Demise of a Christmas Mitten Knitter, sees Christmas coming to Bar Harbor, Maine. Hayley Powell is already overworked together with her restaurant when Reverend Ted, pastor of the native Congregational church, involves guilt her into offering a luxe reward basket for the annual church bazaar raffle. She doesn’t need to flip him down, provided that the proceeds will all be going to assist the native poor. Plus, her aggressive streak is piqued when he lets slip that her closest household and buddies have put collectively their very own attractive baskets that he’s certain will probably be hotly bid on.

His predictions come true, a lot to the chagrin of a number of native yarn craft teams whose personal choices, whereas conventional, can’t compete with luxurious meals, alcohol, and self-care gadgets. However the very last thing anybody expects is to search out one of many knitters stabbed to loss of life proper outdoors the church in the course of the occasion. As if that weren’t dangerous sufficient, a rich-but-reputation-minded benefactor instantly withdraws his donation to the church, not eager to be related to the scandal of homicide. In desperation, Father Ted asks for Hayley’s assist in fixing the case in hopes of getting their one-time donor to vary his thoughts. Can Hayley and her investigative-reporter husband, Bruce, work out whodunnit and save Christmas for his or her congregation’s neediest?

The second novella, Lynn Cahoon’s Two Christmas Mittens, takes place within the (actually) magical city of Magic Springs, Idaho. Mia Malone is somewhat miffed that her employer on the Lodge declined to rent her to cater the employees vacation celebration. Frank Hines claimed that he didn’t need to present any favoritism, then went forward and employed his girlfriend’s not-great firm to offer the meals as a substitute. As if that weren’t dangerous sufficient, Mia is leaving the premises together with her finest good friend, Christina Adams, when the latter picks up a stray Christmas mitten–which seems to be cursed. With Christina falling unwell and one other partygoer straight up murdered, will Mia have the ability to discover the unfortunate mitten’s lacking mate as a way to break the curse and produce a mystical killer to justice?

The ultimate story on this assortment, Maddie Day’s Murderous Mittens, serves as an introduction to a brand new collection sleuth. Cece Barton is visiting her sister in Colinas, California, for the vacations when she finds herself caught up within the homicide of outstanding native determine Val Harper. As co-chairs of the Colinas Group Coalition, Val and Cece’s twin sister, Allie, had very publicly butted heads over the route during which they needed their small city to go. When Allie falls below suspicion of Val’s homicide, Cece is each shocked and decided to clear her sister’s title. With the assistance of one other visiting newbie sleuth, Cece will resolve the case and, maybe, set herself up for an enormous life change of her personal.

My favourite novella of the three was seemingly the primary, which completely captured the madcap hijinks of Hayley and her crew as they sleuth round their metropolis. I do love a great paranormal thriller, although, and proceed to take pleasure in Lynn Cahoon’s worldbuilding. Lastly, I like the multiculturalism on the coronary heart of all Maddie Day’s novels and am undoubtedly wanting ahead to seeing extra of her intriguing new sleuth. 

Lee Hollis supplied six delightfully festive foods and drinks recipes right here, and I made a decision to check out this one:

Substances

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

12 ounces white chocolate, chopped

1 sweet canes, crushed

Directions

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

Fill the underside of a giant pot with 3 to 4 inches of water.

Carry the water to a simmer. Place a big heatproof bowl over the pot. Add your semisweet chocolate, stirring sometimes till melted.

Stir within the extract. Pour into your ready baking sheet. Unfold out the chocolate into a fair layer. Refrigerate till set, about half-hour.

Over the identical pot, place one other bowl crammed with the white chocolate. Stir till melted. Pour over the set chocolate, spreading evenly.

Sprinkle your crushed sweet canes excessive. Place the sheet again into the fridge till totally set.

When set, take away the sheet and break aside the chocolate along with your arms or with a rolling pin, relying on bark thickness.

Retailer in an hermetic container at room temperature.

The whole lot was going rather well with this till my white chocolate seized whereas on the double boiler! Should you’re making an attempt this at house, I provide you with permission to simply soften the white chocolate in your microwave if the directions that include it say you possibly can. It’ll actually prevent the heartache of feverishly making an attempt to get the white chocolate to soften once more so you possibly can proceed making this recipe.

The tip result’s fairly tasty, particularly when you take pleasure in mint chocolate. My household can take it or depart it, however my buddies have very a lot loved scarfing down handfuls after I deliver this to vacation gatherings.

And that is our final column for the yr! Have a really merry vacation season, and we’ll see you within the New Yr with a tasty baked deal with whereas investigating a homicide and a haunting. Do be a part of me!

See additionally: Cooking the Books: Homicide at a Cape Bookstore by Maddie Day

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