Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Murder at the Christmas Emporium, by Andreina Cordani {ends 2/2}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Every time Merry thinks she knows all about human nature, something comes up to surprise her. The change in Dean is astonishing. The confident, charismatic Business Fixer is gone—he’s a mass of insecurities now—his breath is ragged, his face shining with sweat in the candlelight.

‘Windows, one, Dean, nil,’ Josie deadpans and the businessman practically snarls at her.

Evangeline steps forward and peers closely at him, as if unable to believe she had ever been attracted to him. Merry feels the same. Not that she’d actually been attracted to him, of course. Nope. He’s not her type.

Merry moves away from them, grateful to be swallowed up by darkness, and perches on a countertop next to the old-fashioned-looking till, kicking her legs against the panelled wood, letting her anger come out. They had ignored her in Santa’s grotto, laughed off her suspicions about Monty and now she was furious – but at herself rather than at them. She should have known better than to speak out. Nobody ever listens to her, nobody believes her. Nothing she says ever counts. It’s no wonder she has to be sneaky to get what she wants.

Oh, Merry. The one not on this lethal guest list…or was she?

Official Synopsis:

It's Christmas Eve at the Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London's winding streets, where a select few shoppers are browsing its handcrafted delights.

But when they go to leave, they find the doors are locked and it isn't long before they realize this is no innocent mix-up. The shoppers have been trapped here by someone who knows their darkest secrets, someone will stop at nothing until they have all been unwrapped—and there is a gruesome gift waiting in Santa's grotto . . .

For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.

Who shows up to an "exclusive shopping night" on Christmas Eve? Each of the participant’s motivations are different, but the real planner behind the event has anticipated and picked the people from their past who would behave—mostly—as they expected. They have made it their project to ensure the people they wanted showed up and were goaded into responding to the others.

The characters were intriguing and willing to go to great lengths to continue hiding their deep, dark secrets. It was why they had been selected, after all. Their sometimes unknown connections to the planner went back, in some cases, to childhood.

Overall, the intricate plot and memorable characters and backstories earned 4 out of 5 stars. It would be readily recommended to those who like thrillers and mysteries, especially with some extra holiday flair. While the plot doesn’t center very much on Christmas, the Emporium is a beautiful setting of holiday wonders where the mystery untangles.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliates link}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who enjoys finding the magic in the holidays, no matter how old her kids get. Check out what they’re up to on Instagram where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Murder at the Christmas Emporium!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Monday, February 2nd, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Murder at the Christmas Emporium, by Andreina Cordani

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: One Killer Night, by Trilina Pucci {ends 2/1}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

“Hello!” Evie bellows next to me pulling me out of my foxy coma.

“What?” I shrug innocently.

“Good grief, Charlie McHobag. You literally just shivered while staring off into the cosmos.” She holds up her hand. “Don’t share. If I had to guess from all that blushing, it’s something I never want to know about. Spare me the trauma.”

I laugh, feeling my cheeks burn as popcorn falls between my sister’s fingers before she shovels more of it into her mouth, then points to the glowing television screen. A scream erupts. 

“I said that you were missing the best part.” I look back to the TV as she gets excited. “Oh, look, we have a runner… Why do they always run? The minute they run, everyone watching knows death is imminent.” Evie rolls her eyes. “See? She’s fallen, and she’s never getting up. Tragic. Bye-bye, busty camp counselor number two.”

When Goldie and Noah meet through total chance at a drugstore on Halloween night, it’s the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

Official synopsis:

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

Love will stab you from behind.

It’s Halloween night, and out-of-work writer Goldie Monroe’s trip to the drugstore scares up more than the fake blood she’s looking for. It leads to the man of her naughtiest dreams. And in spite of her costume, sparks fly from the moment they meet.

Noah Adler, aspiring sneaker designer, is impossibly gorgeous—like a tatted-up version of Goldie’s favorite blue-eyed vampire. He’s there for candy, but it’s Goldie he can’t resist. When she invites him to her sister’s F/X company bash, he’s all in without a second thought.

The pair’s flirty connection heats up fast, carrying them to electrifying new heights. But after Goldie discovers Noah is hiding a dark secret, it all starts to crumble. Looking for answers about her own past awakens new dangers, and when Goldie and Noah land at a slasher camp for adults, a deadly tragedy threatens to repeat itself. If they can survive this one killer night, they can definitely slay a happily ever after.

This is labeled as the first book in the To Die For duology, with the second book focusing on Goldie’s sister and Noah’s best friend, and releasing February 26, 2026. The first book most definitely did end with a cliffhanger.

In the first book, it is only fate that could bring Goldie and Noah together in such a unique meet-cute. When she throws out a casual invitation to where to find her later, he goes against every thread of his character to take her up on it - and they are inseparable from there on out. 

Unfortunately, finding out that he hasn’t been truthful about his past is enough to put Goldie off of Noah forever, regardless of how convincing their attraction had been for nearly a year. 

What started as a cozy read escalated in the turn of a page to an intricate plot with a hard-to-explain past. The book earned 3 out of 5 stars, and was great for a read right around Halloween. The relationship between Noah and his "killer," Goldie, was enviable. They brought the chemistry, romance, and smut to the table. When the complications came in, they were clearly spelled out, if somewhat annoying after all the perfection of the life Goldie and Noah were building. This was an intriguing read with unique elements that would appeal to those who enjoy quick thrillers along with a bit of steaminess and fun romance.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliates link - currently FREE for Kindle Unlimited members!}

Becki Bayley is a wife, mother, and office drudge. See more of what she’s  up to in her fun hours on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of One Killer Night!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, February 1st, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

One Killer Night, by Trilina Pucci

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Book Review: A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

By the time Tracy left Ed Witherspoon’s home, the sky had turned a dark gray, and a fresh two inches of snow blanketed the ground and the hood of her car. The snow had also muted Cedar Grove in a peaceful silence. Inside her Subaru, Tracy reconsidered their conversation, as she did after each interview. Her dad would have said Witherspoon had been, well, Witherspoon – the man who never gave a straight answer. More important than understanding Witherspoon’s careful avoidance of her questions, however, was figuring out why he had tried to do so. 

Tracy Crosswhite is staying in her hometown for a bit, and agrees to help her dad’s best friend - the interim chief of police - look into the untimely death of the actual police chief’s wife. But investigating that death soon leads to possible connections with two others.

Official synopsis:

The last time homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite was in Cedar Grove, it was to see her sister’s killer put behind bars. Now she’s returned for a respite and the chance to put her life back in order for herself, her attorney husband, Dan, and their new daughter. But tragic memories soon prove impossible to escape.

Dan is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. And Tracy is urged by the local PD to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of a police officer’s wife and local reporter who was investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy’s trail becomes dangerous. It’s stirring up her own haunted past and a decades-old conspiracy in Cedar Grove that has erupted in murder. Getting to the truth is all that matters. But what’s Tracy willing to risk as a killer gets closer to her and threatens everyone she loves?

This was well enough written that it was a great stand-alone, even as the 7th in the series! After reading other books by the same author, it is not a surprise. 

Tracy is a detective on maternity leave since having her first daughter a few months earlier. Her husband is an attorney with the flexibility to return to her parents’ home where she grew up, so they can remodel and potentially sell, or set it up as their own second property in their hometown.

The last time Tracy was in Cedar Grove was surrounding the legal trials of the man who was convicted of murdering her sister. Now, the murder of another girl around the same time is being looked at again, since two subsequent homicides may be related.

Small town stories are always fascinating, while the characters have known each other forever, and think it means they truly understand everyone and their motivations. Of course, this is never the whole story.

The untangling of the murders, and a legal trial involving property and the success and future of the small town, made for an intricate story with engaging characters. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars, and the others in the series could be expected to be equally entertaining. The strong female characters, small town setting as essentially its own character, and family drama will make it a good read for a wide audience.

{click here to purchase via my affiliate link - currently FREE for Kindle Unlimited members!}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who enjoys compelling stories, reading as an escape vehicle, and good snack foods to enjoy simultaneously. Check out some of her other reads and family activities on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

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