Publication Date: 10/1/19 Paperback
ISBN: 9781629726014
Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Culinary Book Design: © Shadow Mountain
Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Kimberly Kay

Synopsis

This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and
Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud.

She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn’t derail everyone’s travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day.

At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie’s friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary’s tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than
$40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift.

With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it’s up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year.

When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she’s creating a “naughty” list that could rival Santa’s. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary’s tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.

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Praise

“A warmhearted mystery.” -Kirkus

“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy’s and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie’s family recipes, sprinkled throughout the book.” -Booklist

“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous “Culinary Mystery” titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal

Review

Sadie is back!  I thought this series was over a few years ago but was thrilled to see at least one more book in this series to give us a peek into what Sadie has been up to since she married Pete.  They are enjoying life and she has hung up her investigating shoes until someone steals some of Mary’s priceless ornaments from the tree in her room at the local nursing home.  With Pete out of town for work, she pulls out her sleuthing skills to determine who might have stolen the ornaments and why.

I have to say I did not expect the thief to be this character.  I truly had my eyes peeled another way or two and never suspected this person.  But beyond the mystery, this book was also about forgiveness and not letting those that you love stray too far from your life before it is too late.

There are many recipes in the book that made my mouth water and I’m going to have to try some of them out very soon.

We give this book 5 paws up.  If you have never read of the books in this series, you might want to start at the beginning or at least part of the way through the series to learn about the characters.

About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Mystery/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.

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