Ebook334 pages6 hours
How the Finch Stole Christmas
By J.R. Ripley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this ebook
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the only things on Birds & Bees owner Amy Simms’s wish list are peace, quiet, and birding beside her beau. But in small town Ruby Lake, ‘tis the season to solve murders . . .
Before Amy can get into the holiday spirit, she meets Franklin Finch—the cocky new owner of Christmas House Village, one of the most beloved attractions in town. Locals have been squawking over his decision to sack veteran staff members for cheaper help. And when Finch blows off a business deal with Amy, it confirms that he’s the biggest scrooge around. Still, she’s stunned the night his dead body is found swinging in the attic of a festive Victorian . . .
Clashing against Chief Kennedy once again, Amy sets off to prove that Finch was murdered. But while her investigation quickly reveals a gaggle of disgruntled ex-Christmas House Village employees and unusual clues, Amy must move with caution as she focuses in on the seedy killer . . .
Praise for J.R. Ripley’s Beignets, Brides and Bodies
“Appealing . . . A clever, amusing cozy.” —Publishers Weekly
“Ripley’s entertaining second series outing is a tasty option for foodie mystery fans.” —Library Journal
Before Amy can get into the holiday spirit, she meets Franklin Finch—the cocky new owner of Christmas House Village, one of the most beloved attractions in town. Locals have been squawking over his decision to sack veteran staff members for cheaper help. And when Finch blows off a business deal with Amy, it confirms that he’s the biggest scrooge around. Still, she’s stunned the night his dead body is found swinging in the attic of a festive Victorian . . .
Clashing against Chief Kennedy once again, Amy sets off to prove that Finch was murdered. But while her investigation quickly reveals a gaggle of disgruntled ex-Christmas House Village employees and unusual clues, Amy must move with caution as she focuses in on the seedy killer . . .
Praise for J.R. Ripley’s Beignets, Brides and Bodies
“Appealing . . . A clever, amusing cozy.” —Publishers Weekly
“Ripley’s entertaining second series outing is a tasty option for foodie mystery fans.” —Library Journal
Author
J.R. Ripley
J.R. Ripley is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of the Todd Jones comic thrillers, the Tony Kozol mystery series, the Gendarme Trenet series set in St. Barts, and multiple other novels written under other names. He is known for his quirky characters and humor, in addition to being a successful singer-songwriter. For more about the author, please check out social media and visit GlennEric.com.
Read more from J.R. Ripley
A Bird Lover's Mystery Death Gets Cozy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to How the Finch Stole Christmas
Titles in the series (9)
Die, Die Birdie Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Woodpecker Always Pecks Twice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Kill a Hummingbird Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTowhee Get Your Gun Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How the Finch Stole Christmas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chickadee Chickadee Bang Bang Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fowl of the House of Usher Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Birder's Guide to Murder Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCardinal Sin Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
Cardinal Sin Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Woodpecker Always Pecks Twice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBuried in Beignets Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Trouble with Truth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confession Is Murder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Fatal Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wedded to Trouble Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMurder in the Secret Maze Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Murder in Her Stocking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Swatch of Murder Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBooked Up: A Village Library Mystery, #10 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMurder on the Beach: Destination Murders, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnd Death Goes To . . . Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fowl of the House of Usher Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Murder of a Queen Bee Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder Makes Scents Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Purring around the Christmas Tree Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prawn Identity: Australian Amateur Sleuth, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFlo and Maude Save a Santa Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeath By Donut Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrankly My Dear, I'm Dead Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Santa Murders: Jim Richards Murder Novels, #31 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing Time Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTowhee Get Your Gun Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Green Living Can Be Deadly Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Nailed: Resort to Murder Mystery II: Resort to Murder Mystery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Angela Crawford Series Books 1-3: Angela Crawford Cozy Mystery Series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKiller Campaign: Lisa Chance Cozy Mysteries, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMasquerade Party Murder: Juniper Holiday, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsResort to Murder Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Cozy Mysteries For You
Epitaph: A Gripping Murder Mystery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Word Is Murder: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side: A Miss Marple Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret, Book & Scone Society Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Accidental Alchemist: An Accidental Alchemist Mystery, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murders at the Montgomery Hall Hotel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Color Me Murder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rivers of London: 10th Anniversary Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Eight Perfect Murders: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures: a joyful and heart-warming novel you won't want to miss Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder Under a Red Moon: A 1920s Bangalore Mystery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Moon Over Soho Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Whispers Underground Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret of Poppyridge Cove Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder in the Dark: A Gripping Crime Mystery Full of Twists Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mistletoe and Murder Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Last Seance: Tales of the Supernatural Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Murderous Affair at Stone Manor: A Completely Gripping Cozy Murder Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Golden Spoon: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Line to Kill: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gaudy Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5They Do It With Mirrors: A Miss Marple Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Quiche of Death: The First Agatha Raisin Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sleeping Murder: Miss Marple's Last Case Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Death by Dumpling: A Noodle Shop Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murphy's Law: A Molly Murphy Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Herb of Death: A Miss Marple Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for How the Finch Stole Christmas
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
5 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Christmas is coming to Ruby Lake, and the only things on Birds & Bees owner Amy Simms' wish list are peace, quiet, and her beau. What she gets is murder. Before Amy can get into the holiday spirit, she meets Franklin Finch, the arrogant new owner of Christmas House Village, one of the most beloved attractions in town. Locals are upset over his decision to sack staff members for younger, cheaper help and changing the name of the store.
Finch voids the contract with Amy to provide birdseed ornaments for the Village Store, and doesn’t care what happens to her or her business. It seems he is the biggest Scrooge around. That is until his dead body is found swinging in the attic of one of the festive Victorians that make up Christmas House Village.
Chief Kennedy isn’t happy when Amy is on site at another investigation scene and shouting murder. He doesn’t believe that Mr. Finch was murdered and would prefer her to drop the matter. Amy sets out to prove him wrong. But while her investigation quickly reveals a gaggle of disgruntled ex-Christmas House Village employees and unusual clues, Amy must move with caution as she focuses in on the killer.
--
Series: A Bird Lover’s Mystery - Book 6
Author: J.R. Ripley
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
There is much to enjoy in J.R. Ripley’s How the Finch Stole Christmas. The characters are warm, kind and compassionate, as well as stubborn and mischievous. The plot is original with enough Christmas cheer to make it believable without being laughable. There is no sexual content or bad language, and the writing is fluid with no awkward transitions.
Amy’s Christmas may not have a jolly ending if she isn’t careful. Someone doesn’t like her interfering with the investigation into Finch’s death, and they are showing their displeasure. Amy is a determined individual and will not stop until the truth is revealed. She is a very likable character with drive and personality.
The other characters are memorable and well rounded. Ester and Kim are very different people, but in many ways, they are also the same. They work with Amy; one considered her best friend, the other a pain in the behind. Yet they work well together, they care about Amy’s business and life.
The location of Ruby Lake is a wonderful setting for a Christmas story. The town is involved in every aspect of the story and is truly a place the reader would like to visit during the holidays. The descriptions of the other businesses, people, and surrounding scenery are detailed enough to be interesting without being overt.
There a few problem, the story ends too abruptly, and a situation does not get resolved, leaving the reader hanging. Unfortunately, this is unnecessary to the plot of the story or the next book in the series. It would have been better to end the book with all situations resolved. However, the book is still enjoyable.
How the Finch Stole Christmas is a fast-paced read filled with action, as well as great characters. It is recommended to those who enjoy writers such as Jacqueline Frost or Donna Andrews. Overall it is a good story that is well worth reading and will keep the reader guessing to the end. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is well written and humorous. It has a solid plot and a good cast of characters.
I was left guessing til the end about the identity of the culprit but, unfortunately it was the first one I read in this series and I think some nuances and some backgrounds went missing.
I will try to catch up reading some other books
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.
Book preview
How the Finch Stole Christmas - J.R. Ripley
%3^ book_preview_excerpt.html |[ǕTR_@ECj4> |1_4z(IODd&JjX