The Happy Holidays Crime Collection

Take a break from the holiday stress with these six short mysteries. Trouble with Turkeys Bowers and Frankie are finally dating, but they are about to hit their first real obstacle - Thanksgiving dinner. Can their new relationship stand up against a handsome farmer, a turkey infatuated with ducks, and the horror of candied yams? Not to mention a toy store riot and the mysterious happenings at the Good Morning Bakery. Only time will tell. Death of a Christmas Tradition One of the few things that brothers Edward and Nicholas Harlow agree on is a traditional Christmas celebration. When Edward decides to scrap conventions in favor of current fashions including a pre-decorated spruce, his decision sets off a series of mishaps that begin with the theft of his tree. As Nicholas and Edward attempt to track down the thief, they maneuver obstacles including naughty elves, angry toddlers, and flying bullets. Is the tree worth it? The person they're after considers murder a small price to pay. Kitty Christmas Caper It's Frankie Chandler's first Christmas away from family, and she may not survive the season. Her normally perky best friend, Penny, is suffering from a case of Scrooge, her low finances have her considering IOUs as gifts, and now she's stuck with an abandoned kitten that's creating havoc in her home. When she resorts to reading the kitty's mind to locate its family, she overhears what may be a clue to a horrible crime. The answer lies in the abandoned tunnels under the community theater where her biggest obstacle may be the Ghost of Christmas Present. Rubies for Christmas When Roxanne Wilder is snowed in at the parish hall with the holiday decorating committee, she knows it's going to be a long night waiting for help to arrive. That's because the committee includes her mother, her aunts, and their arch enemy, Annie Rumbottom. All the ladies feign politeness until Annie's expensive ruby ring goes missing. The gloves come off and suggestions range from the third degree to body cavity searches. Who would steal the precious jewel? The dedicated volunteer who's short on cash? The young woman who wishes she'd never heard of the decorating committee? Or could Roxanne's crazy Aunt Mabel have tucked the gem into her cleavage along with her tissues and cough drops? Murder at Friendly Farm When reclusive crime reporter Evan Miller is coerced into purchasing a live tree for Christmas, he doesn't expect to enjoy the experience. How right he is. The quaint Friendly Farm of his childhood has become a marketing extravaganza, his current crush is romancing a studly farmhand, and he inadvertently catches the attention of the local mafioso. Then Evan discovers the body of Santa Claus hidden in the corn maze. The only way to bring this night to a close is to find out who killed the jolly fat man without becoming the next victim. Collared When Bowers takes Frankie to the La Hacienda Chop House for the steak of her dreams, they both look forward to a romantic dinner at the exclusive restaurant. Before the plates hit the table, a man with a guide dog holds up the restaurant patrons, and when she tunes in to the German Shepherd, the canine is sending dangerous signals. Will the couple's first Valentine's dinner together be their last?