I love a good short story. When done well, they can be amazing. I enjoyed reading this story! This is the first I’ve read by this author, and I will definitely be reading more.

ARC Review/11/26/24 pub date

This is a fast paced novella with a LOT packed in. KC is a detective who finds herself investigating corruption within the city and needs to figure out who's behind it and who she can trust. This was a great storyline and I enjoyed it, but for me, this should have been a full length book. It felt rushed and there was just too much going on in a short amount of time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for my advanced copy!

Detective Kylie "KC" Cassidy's career wilts like a thirsty poinsettia in the Florida heat in Christmas Murders: A Mystery by S.F. Baumgartner.

When a councilman is found dead during Christmas week, KC must solve this high-profile case before the New Year's Eve fireworks or face unemployment.
As she delves deeper, more bodies surface like unwanted gifts. KC is running out of time, and the clock is ticking down like a twisted Advent calendar.

The book is a novella and a quick read. I liked the plot, and the story was fairly fast-paced. Christmas Murders is a good psychological thriller.

#ChristmasMurdersAMystery #NetGalley

A Christmas conspiracy. Multiple Murders. A dogged detective who won’t quit! Great read! Definitely a short story, which I normally don’t enjoy but this book had just enough to keep me going! It had great suspense, intriguing, action, murder, mystery, fantastic characters, and some crazy moments! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

★★★★★

A short crime novella that dives straight into the action, KC’s latest case—the mysterious death of a local councilman—sets off a chilling series of murders. Baumgartner nails character development within just a few chapters, keeping the suspense high and the pace relentless. A fun and thoroughly enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and S.F. Baumgartner for the early copy of this holiday treat!

I’m generally not a huge fan of short stories/novellas, but I really did enjoy this one. It was fast paced and easy to follow and the action started from the beginning and continued throughout, so it never felt flat or boring. I enjoyed the plot and wouldn’t mind reading some full length books about the characters from this story. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, and that’s what kept me reading. I look forward to more books from this author!

I did not like this book for many reasons. Mainly I did not care for the lead. The story line was boring and moved slowly. I have never read anything by this author before and probably will not again.

A novella about murders in Florida during the Christmas season.
Detective Kc Cassidy is charged with finding the killer of a local councilman - and her job is on the line. Then more bodies stack up. She has quite a bit of work before her.
Then a twist puts her in the cross hairs and this becomes very personal.
There isn't a lot about the Christmas season in the book but the setting in Florida isn't the most traditional setting. It is a nice story if you need a little bit of mystery to get you through the holidays

S. F. Baumgartner does not disappoint in the nouvella "Christmas Murders: A Mystery". Fast-paced, action-packed, engaging characters. Just wish it had been a full-length novel. Maybe this is the beginning of a new series????

Releases Nov. 26th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.