A Killer for Christmas: A Novel by Kim Harrington #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @kimharringtonauthor @crookedlanebooks

A Killer for Christmas: A Novel
by Kim Harrington

About A Killer for Christmas

A Killer for Christmas: A Novel
Cozy Mystery
Stand-Alone Novel
Setting – Maine
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 22, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425025
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GC485289
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425032
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GC47JK57
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425049
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GBZN538M

Wrapped in red has a bloody new meaning in this contemporary holiday romance with a murderous twist, perfect for readers who enjoyed The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

Christmasville, Maine, is the only place where Kelsey Hendricks has ever felt happy. When she loses both her job and her boyfriend, the move is a no-brainer, especially when she sees a listing for a position as Christmasville’s social media manager. Surrounded by twinkling lights and candy canes and with the perfect job, this tinsel town is working its magic on Kelsey. With two heartthrobs vying for her attention, her life is now just like a Christmas movie.

Except for the murders.

The first one is dismissed as an accident. But after the second, and definitely the third, it becomes abundantly clear that Santa is leaving coal in someone’s stocking this year.

Determined to bring back the holly jolly spirit to the town before tourists begin canceling their reservations, Kelsey must sleuth her way out of a chilling murder mystery and back to a holiday rom-com.

This charming and clever mystery-romance where a cozy winter wonderland warms the heart while suspense chills the bones is the perfect read for the holiday season.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Kelsey Hendricks has so many wonderful memories of spending time with her family in Christmasville, Maine. When she sees an ad for a social media manager in the happy little town right after losing her job and her boyfriend, it feels like kismet. She is soon checked in at the Christmas Creek Inn in a town where every day feels like Christmas, ready to start her perfect job. The people are friendly, the town is all decked out for Christmas, and there are not one but two men who give her those tingly feelings.

Then a man in her hotel is found dead. Accident? Then a woman is found dead on a walking path along the water. Another accident? When another body is discovered at the holiday tree lighting, Kelsey has to tell the mayor she can only spin the news so far. This death was definitely murder, and Kelsey believes the others were too. And then another body literally dropped.

The mayor has tasked Kelsey with saving the holiday season for the town. Hype the upcoming events, show everyone having fun, and keep the tourists from cancelling their reservations.  Maybe while she is at it, she can catch the culprit wreaking havoc on the merry spirit of Christmasville.

Christmasville, Maine celebrates Christmas year-round, but November and December are extra special. The mayor decided they needed a professional to handle their social media accounts. Enter Kelsey Hendricks, ready to restart her life in her happy place in a job she was probably overqualified for but that would bring her so much joy. Two swoon-worthy men were interested in her too. It has all the makings of a Hallmark romantic comedy. Kelsey was a wonderful protagonist. Genuine, caring, outgoing, and relatable. It was so easy to get invested in her life. Ms. Harrington surrounded her with the same type of people, each with their own challenges and triumphs. They had depth and interesting backstories. She also included a creepy landlord, a curmudgeon, and an ex not ready to let go. Many of the residents had Christmasy names too: Mary, Carol, Jack, Kris, Nick, and Rudy.

The mystery entangled in this rom-com was compelling.  The body count continued to rise, and each death was different. Someone was making strange comments on the town’s social media posts. Different warnings were found around town. There was a killer among them. Who gained from these people being murdered? Kelsey juggled everything thrown at her. She had great ideas for the town and theories about the killer, while having romantic feelings she wasn’t sure she was ready for. She was also not ready for the killer to come after her as the clues started to fall into place. Survival was now Kelsey’s focus. I was gobsmacked when the killer was revealed.

The juxtaposition of the jolly Christmas town, complete with the decorated shops, the snow-covered streets, and all the festivities, with the serial murderer on the loose really works. A Killer for Christmas was so well plotted and written. Ms. Harrington had the idea for a story that could combine “a Christmas romance” in a “cozy small town that had a serial killer problem”. Well, she succeeded in spades. She has penned A Perfect Holiday Escape. I can’t believe this is her debut adult mystery. She is an author to watch.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About Kim Harrington

Kim Harrington is the author of A Killer for Christmas, her debut adult mystery, as well as Clarity, Perception, The Dead and Buried, and Forget Me for teens and Revenge of the Red Club, the Sleuth or Dare series, and Gamer Squad series for younger readers. Her books have been sold to ten countries and optioned for television. She lives in Massachusetts with her family, where she’s hard at work on her next mystery novel.

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