Cozy Mystery Book Review: Holly Homicide

Holly Homicide

Holly Homicide is a fun and festive cozy mystery that will fill even the Grinchiest reader with the holiday spirit.

• Series: A Holiday Cozy Mystery (Book 11)

• Written by: Tonya Kappes

• Publication date: November 24, 2024

• Mystery type: Cozy mystery

In Holly Homicide, local journalist and amateur sleuth Violet Rhinehammer is preparing to celebrate Christmas in Holiday Junction. When she stumbles across a body at the newly re-opened Christmas Lodge, she ends up investigating a twisty holiday mystery involving a stolen ornament design.

Holly Homicide is the eleventh book in the Holiday Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. This series, which was spun off from the wildly popular Camper and Criminals Mystery series, features Violet Rhinehammer as the main character.

Violet is an intrepid reporter with a nose for news and mysteries. She frequently stumbles over bodies and crimes during the course of her reporting and solves the ensuing mysteries.

In Holly Homicide, Violet is preparing to report on and participate in a month-long Christmas celebration in her small town (Holiday Junction). The celebration includes every type of festive activity imaginable. There is a parade, a gingerbread house competition, a tree ornament crafting booth, a Christmas carol sing-along, a snowman sculpting contest, a tree-lighting ceremony, an ice skating rink, a glamorous Mistletoe Masquerade Ball, and more than a dozen other activities.

But the highlight of the Christmas season is the re-opening of the Christmas Lodge, a gorgeous and historic building that is steeped in history but has been closed for many years. Violet is enchanted with the place and super excited to visit. Her excitement quickly turns to horror and then curiosity when a death occurs, and a mystery ensues. As Violet investigates, she uncovers a lot of secrets and a plot involving a stolen ornament design.

I really enjoyed reading Holly Homicide. Author Tonya Kappes does an amazing job of setting the stage and making you feel like you’ve been dropped into a Hallmark Christmas movie. She meticulously describes the beautiful decorations, cozy Christmas moments (like a horse-drawn sleigh pulling up to Violet’s house!), crisp winter air, swirling snow, and the many fun activities taking place in Holiday Junction. As soon as I finished reading, I wanted to drink some cocoa and set up my Christmas tree.

The mystery aspect of this story is also very well-done. Just when you think you know who the culprit is, the ground shifts under your feet, and you find yourself picking up another thread and a new suspect.

If you like holiday reads, Tonya Kappes books, Hallmark Christmas movie vibes, and cozy mysteries mixed with a touch of sweet, closed-door romance, you’ll probably like Holly Homicide as much as I did.

The book can be read as part of the series, but I also think this works well as a stand-alone book since the mystery gets solved, and the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Read an excerpt of Holly Homicide.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reading copy of Holly Homicide to review but purchased my own copy on release day because I liked it so much.