A Nutcracker Nightmare

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs, when twin sisters Hanna and Alex help out at the local high school reunion, volunteering takes a turn when they find a former classmate's dead body.

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.

Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him.

But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.
Praise for A Nutcracker Nightmare:
WONDER WOMEN SIXTY’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY MYSTERIES

“Romantic woes and plenty of guilty-looking characters . . . [A] cheery Christmas tale.”
Kirkus Reviews

“A fun and deftly crafted read for delighted cozy mystery fans.”
Midwest Book Review

“A murder mystery skillfully blended with romance and plenty of chocolate.”
Wonder Women Sixty

“Readers are in for some more murder and mayhem, as twin sisters Alex and Hannah have a new case to crack right before Christmas. Preparing for a candy competition and negotiating their love lives—despite the town gossip throwing up roadblocks—while investigating the murder of a former classmate, puts a lot more on the sisters’ plate than just chocolates. A Nutcracker Nightmare is a cracking good time and a delectable addition to the series.” 
—Korina Moss, Agatha Award-winning author of the Cheese Shop mysteries

Praise for A Christmas Candy Killing:

“Set in a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, A Christmas Candy Killing, is a sweet treat of a mystery. The murder mystery bookshop offers specialty chocolates named after famous poisons, a sweet pup named Watson, and the twin proprietors all make for a fun read and an intriguing who-dun-it.”
—Nancy J. Parra, USA Today bestselling author of the Wine Country Mysteries

“A scrumptious mystery with likeable characters that will leave you drooling for more." 
—Catherine Bruns, USA Today bestselling author, and Daphne du Maurier Award Winner

“Clever characters, mouth-watering chocolates, and an amateur sleuth who won’t take no for an answer. This delightful cozy has it all, but watch out before you reach for that tempting piece of candy. It may be the last thing that lingers on your tongue.”  
—J.C. Eaton, award-winning author of The Sophie Kimball Mysteries

A Christmas Candy Killing draws you in from the first page with its murderous chocolate delights and keeps you guessing until the very end. Twin sisters Alex and Hanna are sleuths you’ll be rooting for in this festive debut set in a charming Montana bookshop where veronal vanilla creams and murder are on the menu!”
—Ellie Alexander, author of the Bakeshop Mystery series

“In this delightful cozy debut set in a small Montana town, Alex Wright, co-owner of Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop, investigates the murder of a Sleuth Book Club member who was poisoned by her very own chocolates.”
—Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook, author of the Haunted Library series.

“[An] exceptional debut . . . With its inventive premise, this cozy stands out from the pack.”
Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Perfect for those who love mysteries centered around sweets and set in small towns.”
Portland Book Review

“A fun and deftly crafted read from cover to cover.”
Midwest Book Review

“Romeril knows how to put the words on the page to keep readers going.”
 —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“The perfect Christmas Cozy.”
 —Wonder Women Sixty
Christina Romeril is a cozy-mystery writer. She grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked her love of the genre. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a member of the Canadian military and later as a military spouse. When she’s not enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections.

About

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs, when twin sisters Hanna and Alex help out at the local high school reunion, volunteering takes a turn when they find a former classmate's dead body.

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.

Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him.

But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.

Reviews

Praise for A Nutcracker Nightmare:
WONDER WOMEN SIXTY’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY MYSTERIES

“Romantic woes and plenty of guilty-looking characters . . . [A] cheery Christmas tale.”
Kirkus Reviews

“A fun and deftly crafted read for delighted cozy mystery fans.”
Midwest Book Review

“A murder mystery skillfully blended with romance and plenty of chocolate.”
Wonder Women Sixty

“Readers are in for some more murder and mayhem, as twin sisters Alex and Hannah have a new case to crack right before Christmas. Preparing for a candy competition and negotiating their love lives—despite the town gossip throwing up roadblocks—while investigating the murder of a former classmate, puts a lot more on the sisters’ plate than just chocolates. A Nutcracker Nightmare is a cracking good time and a delectable addition to the series.” 
—Korina Moss, Agatha Award-winning author of the Cheese Shop mysteries

Praise for A Christmas Candy Killing:

“Set in a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, A Christmas Candy Killing, is a sweet treat of a mystery. The murder mystery bookshop offers specialty chocolates named after famous poisons, a sweet pup named Watson, and the twin proprietors all make for a fun read and an intriguing who-dun-it.”
—Nancy J. Parra, USA Today bestselling author of the Wine Country Mysteries

“A scrumptious mystery with likeable characters that will leave you drooling for more." 
—Catherine Bruns, USA Today bestselling author, and Daphne du Maurier Award Winner

“Clever characters, mouth-watering chocolates, and an amateur sleuth who won’t take no for an answer. This delightful cozy has it all, but watch out before you reach for that tempting piece of candy. It may be the last thing that lingers on your tongue.”  
—J.C. Eaton, award-winning author of The Sophie Kimball Mysteries

A Christmas Candy Killing draws you in from the first page with its murderous chocolate delights and keeps you guessing until the very end. Twin sisters Alex and Hanna are sleuths you’ll be rooting for in this festive debut set in a charming Montana bookshop where veronal vanilla creams and murder are on the menu!”
—Ellie Alexander, author of the Bakeshop Mystery series

“In this delightful cozy debut set in a small Montana town, Alex Wright, co-owner of Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop, investigates the murder of a Sleuth Book Club member who was poisoned by her very own chocolates.”
—Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook, author of the Haunted Library series.

“[An] exceptional debut . . . With its inventive premise, this cozy stands out from the pack.”
Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Perfect for those who love mysteries centered around sweets and set in small towns.”
Portland Book Review

“A fun and deftly crafted read from cover to cover.”
Midwest Book Review

“Romeril knows how to put the words on the page to keep readers going.”
 —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“The perfect Christmas Cozy.”
 —Wonder Women Sixty

Author

Christina Romeril is a cozy-mystery writer. She grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked her love of the genre. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a member of the Canadian military and later as a military spouse. When she’s not enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections.