by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of the post on how to enter to win a copy of Candy Slain Murder and a link to order it from Amazon and an indie bookstore.

It looks like it’s going to be a rocky Christmas for Pans ‘N Pancakes Country Store and Café owner Robbie Jordan. A fire at the home of Dr. William Geller has uncovered the remains of a body, and it doesn’t take long before they are discovered to be that of his missing wife Kristina. The abrasive anesthesiologist claimed that “Tina” ran out on him over a decade ago, although her twin sister Antonia had her doubts. “Toni” has her own muddled history with a past spouse, and her resentful stepson isn’t shy about making his own accusations about the death that cost him his inheritance.

The questionable family relationships among the twins and their spouses aren’t the only surprises popping up in South Lick, Indiana, as the Country Store’s assistant Danna Beedle has her own unexpected family discovery. The baby that Mayor Corrine Beedle gave up as an infant has returned to meet his birth family, and Marcus Vandemere is anxious to meet his half-sister. Less welcoming is the aforementioned Dr. Geller, whose white supremacist ties to the K.K.K. have him targeting the young man whose Quaker upbringing eventually led to becoming a Muslim. Since Pans ‘N Pancakes is the gathering place for sharing news and gossip, Robbie uses her time between slinging pancakes and serving her customers to make her own inquiries into the secrets of the twins and their families.

The Christmas setting serves as the perfect setting for this eighth in the series that delivers as many homespun meals as it does heart-warming moments of humor. While the murder mystery plays out in the background, the more compelling action occurs between Danna and her newfound brother. The holiday season that brings together loved ones also allows them to share different cultures and beliefs, making this a novel that brings together readers instead of pushing them apart. Robbie’s romantic life continues on the upswing as she gets to spend more time with Abe O’Neill and his son, and her Aunt Adele has her own sizzling senior relationship speeding merrily along. After the recent reunion with her father and meeting his family in Italy, Robbie is content to settle back in her new life full of comfort food, southern colloquialisms, and genially nosy neighbors. Recipes to warm the soul during the Christmas holiday ensure that this is a satisfying and rewarding read designed to cheer up any mystery-loving Scrooge needing an escape.

To enter to win a copy of Candy Slain Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “slain,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 5, 2020. U.S. residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. BE AWARE THAT IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN USUAL FOR WINNERS TO GET THEIR BOOKS DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS.

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You can use this link to purchase this book from indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy, and KRL gets a portion of the sale:

Candy Slain Murder: A Jolly & Delightful Cozy Mystery (A Country Store Mystery #8)

You can use this link to purchase the book on Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.