The Nutcracker Nightmare: A Small Town Christmas in July Cozy Mystery Series (Christmas in July Cozy Mystery Series (Volume 2))
By Maisy Marple
When Christmas in July Turns Deadly
In the charming town of Sugarplum Hollow, the annual Christmas in July festival should be all sugarplums and fairy lights. But when prima ballerina Viviana Frost collapses during rehearsal of The Nutcracker, her costume sash pulled fatally tight, the festive celebration transforms into a nightmare. Former professional dancer Liddy March finds herself thrust into the role of reluctant detective, navigating a stage set for murder.
As evidence mounts against temperamental choreographer Bran Petty, Liddy discovers a web of blackmail, jealousy, and long-buried secrets connecting the victim to multiple suspects. With her young protégée Mira now cast as the replacement Sugar Plum Fairy, Liddy races to uncover the truth before another dancer falls victim to the killer’s deadly choreography. Each revelation brings new dangers as the line between performance and reality blurs in dangerous ways.
When a sabotaged catwalk and mysterious text messages point to a deeper conspiracy, Liddy must draw on her knowledge of ballet and theatrical production to decode the killer’s twisted performance. Detective Nora Pine’s investigation reveals that someone is manipulating events from behind the scenes, using the Christmas in July celebration as the perfect backdrop for revenge. In Sugarplum Hollow, the most dangerous dance is the one between truth and deception, where missing a step could prove fatal.
When Christmas in July Turns Deadly
In the charming town of Sugarplum Hollow, the annual Christmas in July festival should be all sugarplums and fairy lights. But when prima ballerina Viviana Frost collapses during rehearsal of The Nutcracker, her costume sash pulled fatally tight, the festive celebration transforms into a nightmare. Former professional dancer Liddy March finds herself thrust into the role of reluctant detective, navigating a stage set for murder.
As evidence mounts against temperamental choreographer Bran Petty, Liddy discovers a web of blackmail, jealousy, and long-buried secrets connecting the victim to multiple suspects. With her young protégée Mira now cast as the replacement Sugar Plum Fairy, Liddy races to uncover the truth before another dancer falls victim to the killer’s deadly choreography. Each revelation brings new dangers as the line between performance and reality blurs in dangerous ways.
When a sabotaged catwalk and mysterious text messages point to a deeper conspiracy, Liddy must draw on her knowledge of ballet and theatrical production to decode the killer’s twisted performance. Detective Nora Pine’s investigation reveals that someone is manipulating events from behind the scenes, using the Christmas in July celebration as the perfect backdrop for revenge. In Sugarplum Hollow, the most dangerous dance is the one between truth and deception, where missing a step could prove fatal.