Crafts and Life

In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, AKA the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink, and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily’s turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.

When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily—until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer—and keep herself in one piece—in time for a special Christmas Eve?

Erin is trying to get the Merc ready for Christmas on Decorating Day (the day when ALL the businesses try and get gussied up for Christmas), she realises though that two boxes have got mixed up and so she (and her mother Fresca) head off to the other shop to swap them over.  When they get there however they end up witnessing an altercation between Tara and her daughter Merrily, Tara has never forgiven Merrily for stealing and being sent to prison … even though she is well and truly on the straight and narrow and obviously wishes to make amends. Erin invites Merrily back to the Merc for a warm drink and to help her relax after the upset.  The two of them get on well and so Erin also invites her to take part in the cookie swap she is running and Merrily happily agrees to be part of it.  The problem is on the day she doesn't turn up, and on the Monday Merrily doesn't arrive for work at the Building Supplies Store … and then the store discovers money missing and the finger points firmly at Merrily, the problem is she can't defend herself as she is dead!

Erin takes on the task of proving that her instincts are right and that Merrily didn't steal, oh and to find out who killed her, and just in case that isn't enough she and Adam are getting married on Christmas Eve … no pressure then!

NB – I was lucky enough to get a preview copy through NetGalley!