Mince Pies to Die For: A festive Christmas cozy mystery set in a winter wonderland (The Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery Series Book 9)
By Mona Marple
The Great Elvish Bake-Off Just Got Deadly
Today Candy Cane Hollow smells like butter and bravado. I’m helping at the Elvish Culinary Guild’s grand induction and tasting, and Gilbert, our house-elf at Claus Cottage, has made the finalists’ bench with his prized mince pie.
Then the celebrity headliner takes one bite of a showpiece pie and drops. Guild security locks the doors while city police sweep the kitchens. Whispers fly: a rival with a temper, an apprentice with something to prove, a sponsor with money on the line, a producer who prefers ratings to recipes.
It doesn’t matter what else I hear; the police decide the killer is Gilbert. They circle the pantry, question his spice tins, and treat every crumb like a confession. With Mrs. Claus calming frantic caterers and Nick keeping me in cocoa and courage, I start sifting clues—swapped tins, “secret” blends, alibis that crumble under heat. This isn’t bad pastry; it’s careful malice.
I’m not letting them pin a murder on my friend. I need answers before the Guild shutters the finals and Gilbert is led out in cuffs.
Mince Pies to Die For is the ninth book in the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery series. A warm, magical and clean holiday whodunit for fans of Hallmark-style cozies and anyone who wishes they could spend Christmas in Santa’s own hometown.
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Praise for the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery series:
★★★★★ “This Christmas cozy mystery series is by far the best I’ve ever read!”
★★★★★ “Great characters and story lines. A definite read for any fan of cozy mysteries.”
★★★★★ “It’s all things cozy, cute and Christmas perfection.”
★★★★★ “Simple and full of the type of Christmas magic that helps you escape your everyday problems.”
★★★★★ “A delight to read… built on all the wonderful coziness of Christmas Corpse.”
★★★★★ “Magical setting… the mystery was good and not easily solved.”
★★★★★ “So much fun, couldn’t put it down… keeps you guessing.”
★★★★★ “Another fun book in this delightful series… Couldn’t put it down.”
★★★★★ “What a delightful story… It is full of Christmas magic!”
★★★★★ “This was an easy-to-read Christmas murder mystery… a happy ending.”
★★★★★ “This was a great read… The small-town feeling sounded wonderful year-round.”
The Great Elvish Bake-Off Just Got Deadly
Today Candy Cane Hollow smells like butter and bravado. I’m helping at the Elvish Culinary Guild’s grand induction and tasting, and Gilbert, our house-elf at Claus Cottage, has made the finalists’ bench with his prized mince pie.
Then the celebrity headliner takes one bite of a showpiece pie and drops. Guild security locks the doors while city police sweep the kitchens. Whispers fly: a rival with a temper, an apprentice with something to prove, a sponsor with money on the line, a producer who prefers ratings to recipes.
It doesn’t matter what else I hear; the police decide the killer is Gilbert. They circle the pantry, question his spice tins, and treat every crumb like a confession. With Mrs. Claus calming frantic caterers and Nick keeping me in cocoa and courage, I start sifting clues—swapped tins, “secret” blends, alibis that crumble under heat. This isn’t bad pastry; it’s careful malice.
I’m not letting them pin a murder on my friend. I need answers before the Guild shutters the finals and Gilbert is led out in cuffs.
Mince Pies to Die For is the ninth book in the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery series. A warm, magical and clean holiday whodunit for fans of Hallmark-style cozies and anyone who wishes they could spend Christmas in Santa’s own hometown.
_________________________________________
Praise for the Candy Cane Hollow Christmas Cozy Mystery series:
★★★★★ “This Christmas cozy mystery series is by far the best I’ve ever read!”
★★★★★ “Great characters and story lines. A definite read for any fan of cozy mysteries.”
★★★★★ “It’s all things cozy, cute and Christmas perfection.”
★★★★★ “Simple and full of the type of Christmas magic that helps you escape your everyday problems.”
★★★★★ “A delight to read… built on all the wonderful coziness of Christmas Corpse.”
★★★★★ “Magical setting… the mystery was good and not easily solved.”
★★★★★ “So much fun, couldn’t put it down… keeps you guessing.”
★★★★★ “Another fun book in this delightful series… Couldn’t put it down.”
★★★★★ “What a delightful story… It is full of Christmas magic!”
★★★★★ “This was an easy-to-read Christmas murder mystery… a happy ending.”
★★★★★ “This was a great read… The small-town feeling sounded wonderful year-round.”