Monday, November 14, 2011

Slay Bells


Slay Bells by Kate Kingsbury
Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
ISBN 9780425218402


There are so many good Christmas books I could not pick just one. I was going to talk about one of my favorite holiday movies, LOVE ACTUALLY but Kris Tualla beat me to it. :) Then I discovered a new mystery series. I'm in the process of creating two series that are cozy mysteries so I am reading those more than romances at the moment. I had heard someone mention Kate Kingsbury and the next time I was in the library I found SLAY BELLS. Here is the back cover blurb.

To ring in the holiday season, Cecily Sinclair Baxter is hosting a party at the Pennyfoot Hotel for the children of Badgers End to meet Father Christmas. Unfortunately, the jolly old man fails to appear. Instead, his body is discovered - clearly a victim of foul play - and his helper has had a fatal fall.

The police believe the two men had a tragic rooftop tangle, but Cecily has her doubts. The murder weapon is still missing, and since no one has left the hotel since the crime, she's making a list of suspects - and checking it twice.

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays; I love the traditions, the carols, and the spirit. Ms. Kingsbury manages to convey the true spirit of the season all the while solving a mystery. I especially like the way the victim is discovered. However, I do not want to spoil it for those who haven't read it. So, if you want to know more, grab a copy of SLAY BELLS. Published in 2006 SLAY BELLS is a good addition to your holiday reading.

4 comments:

Sarah Raplee said...

Elaine,

Slay Bells sounds like a fun mystery. I'm curious to find out how Ms. Kingsbury handled things to keep the spirit of the season intact. Guess I better add this book to my To Be Read pile!

Sarah

Diana McCollum said...

I'd like to know how she kept the Christmas spirit joyful while solving a murder. Interesting!

Judith Ashley said...

I'll make it three in a row that are curious as to how Ms. Kingsbury kept the true spirit of Christmas while solving a mystery. Thanks for letting me know about this one.

ElaineCharton said...

You're welcome ladies I hope you enjoy it,