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Zusatztext Praise for the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries “ Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen is a delightful story set in Rudolph! NY a festive Christmas town that really knows how to make the season sparkle for its visitors. Delaney pens a humorous tinsel covered tale that made me laugh out loud even while keeping me guessing. Merry Wilkinson is feisty and fun and I can not wait to join her on her next case.”— New York Times Bestselling Author Jenn McKinlay “Witty writing! an unexpected solution! and truly likable characters ensure that the appeal of this holiday-themed series will last long past the Yule season.”—Kings River Life Magazine “Delightful...Full of holiday glitter and charm right out of a Currier and Ives painting. I enjoyed every word of it.”—Open Book Society “[A] promising new series.”—Fresh Fiction “This is a great holiday-themed cozy that is much needed and enjoyed.”—A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Informationen zum Autor Vicki Delany Klappentext In Rudolph, New York, it's Christmastime all year long. But this December, while the snow-lined streets seem merry and bright, a murder is about to ruin everyone's holiday cheer in the first Year-Round Christmas mystery. As the owner of Mrs. Claus's Treasures, Merry Wilkinson knows how to decorate homes for the holidays. That's why she thinks her float in the semi-annual Santa Claus parade is a shoe-in for best in show. But when the tractor pulling Merry's float is sabotaged, she has to face facts: there's a Scrooge in Christmas Town. Merry isn't ready to point fingers, especially with a journalist in town writing a puff piece about Rudolph's Christmas spirit. But when she stumbles upon the reporter's body on a late night dog walk-and police suspect he was poisoned by a gingerbread cookie crafted by her best friend, Vicky-Merry will have to put down the jingle bells and figure out who's really been grinching about town, before Vicky ends up on Santa's naughty list… Leseprobe Chapter 1 The tips of the tall turquoise and green hats bobbed in the lightly falling snow as the elves weaved through crowds of painted dolls, toy soldiers, shepherds with their sheep, reindeer, poultry, clowns, sugarplums, gingerbread people, and candy canes. “I feel like an idiot,” Jackie grumbled. “If Kyle dumps me because he sees me in this ridiculous getup, it’ll be on your head, Merry Wilkinson.” I paid her no attention. Jackie always grumbled; it was her natural state. I could only imagine the level of grumbling if she’d been left out of our group. She wore a knee-length tunic of gold, turquoise, and forest green over black leggings. Her hat was a foot-high turquoise triangle with a green pom-pom bouncing on the end. Papier–mâché formed into hornlike appendages and then covered with green felt had been attached to the front of her high-heeled, calf-high boots. Turquoise triangles, outlined in gold glitter, were painted on her cheeks, and her eye shadow was a matching shade of turquoise. I thought the playful makeup brought out my shop assistant’s natural beauty much better than the overly applied stuff she normally wore. I kept that opinion to myself. “Shouldn’t you . . . ah . . . be helping?” I nodded to the line disappearing into the crowd. One of the littlest of the elves was in great danger of wandering off, so enchanted was he by everything going on around him. “If I must.” She sighed heavily, but hurried to take the boy’s hand and, with a soft word, guide him back into the line. My mother marched at the front, leading the group toward our float. She was singing scales, and even if the children couldn’t see over the crowd they should have been able to follow the sound of her voice. My mother had been a diva at the Metropolitan Opera. She knew how to make herself heard. I adjusted my mobcap and retied the strings of my apron. It was...
