Slay Bells (A Christmas Village Mystery)
by T.C. Wescott
About the Book
Slay Bells (A Christmas Village Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
Brand New Series
Better Mousetrap Books (November 23, 2018)
Print Length: 273 pages
Digital ASIN: B07HGG7ZFR
Slay Bells by T.C. Wescott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
First of all, this is a cozy mystery. No profanity, sex, or graphic violence. Additionally, this is also the first in a series of books, and I was pleased to see a good foundation established with the characters.
I adore Christmas and mysteries, and there could be nothing better than the combination of these. I was thoroughly enchanted with the characters in the book, and the mystery was one that continued to keep me guessing. About the time I thought I had it figured out, I discovered my faux pas. In a place where murder never happens, this certainly sets the people of Christmas into a tizzy. What was an idyllic village on the surface seems to hold a plethora of secrets. All is not what it appears to be. There is no doubt that the author has a delightful formula for her mystery novels, and this only sought to whet my appetite for more books in this series. I am intrigued to know more about the characters, but this was quite a fun introduction.
‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the village, the night settled in over swirling-smoke chimneys; the air was alive with pine and holly, with sugar and cinnamon and cider, by golly!
Along snowy lanes and through shadows it crept, past windows behind which each villager slept, where sleeping dogs lie and cats rest a’purring—
Tonight, in Christmas Village, a killer is stirring.
Welcome to Christmas Village, a magical hamlet where even in December the roses hold their luster and bees buzz among the bluebells. You’re just in time for the week-long Christmas Festival, and nowhere is Christmas celebrated with such unrestrained merriment as the village which bears its name. Mayor Cobblestone and Sheriff Fell will be somewhere nearby, doing all they can to make sure you’re safe during your stay.
Provided you haven’t booked a room at Plum Cottage.
Nestled betwixt an opulent garden with meandering footpaths and an ancient grove of plum trees, Rose Willoughby’s boarding house is plum-full with lodgers. There are no vacancies, but just wait. Soon there will be one…and another…and another.
Presently lodging at the cottage are: the juggler, the acrobat, the magician, the psychic, the strongman, the manager, and the pretty assistant. In town as festival entertainment they’ve each brought their own bag of tricks. And a closetful of skeletons.
When the entertainers begin dying in inexplicable ways, some villagers believe a beast from old village lore is the culprit. The sheriff knows better, but he’s just as helpless to catch the invisible killer as are the town folk with their eyes to the sky in search of a flying creature. But our mysterious murderer hasn’t counted on yet another lodger coming to the cottage: Maribel Claus.
Short as a stump, round as a wheel, sweet as a candy cane, and a sharp as a whip, Maribel loves a good puzzle. But has she finally met her match at Plum Cottage?
Can you figure out whodunit before Maribel does? If you’re up to the challenge, here’s your first clue—the key to unlocking the secret of the murderer’s identity lies in figuring out how the murders were committed. Good luck!
Author Interview:
Q: If you had to describe Christmas Village to someone who had never been there, how would you describe it?
A: I would ask them to think about the wonderful displays they’ve seen in windows and department stores with the quaint little cottages and shops and the children walking dogs and ice skating, then imagine if that place were real. That’s Christmas Village. Where the Christmas Spirit lives year round. And where, on occasion, a dastardly deed is committed. But fear not for Mrs. Claus and her Historical Society friends will be there to right all wrongs! In Slay Bells we visit the village during the annual Christmas Festival and spend a lot of time at the quaint and cozy Plum Cottage Inn. In future stories, we’ll visit other places in the village.
Q: What qualities does an amateur crime sleuth need, in your opinion?
A: Keen puzzle-solving skills, a better-than-average ability to read people, and an innocuous appearance so that people will let their guard down around you.
Q: What do you love most about the Christmas holidays?
A: There’s an overwhelming sense of oneness in December that isn’t so pronounced during the rest of the year. The cheer of the music and decorations certainly has a positive impact on everyone. All things seem possible at Christmas and that’s a great feeling to have and to share with others.
q: Why do you think all these horrific crimes seem to happen at Christmastime?
A: Ha! Only in fiction, and that’s because we love reading Christmas mysteries. In the real world, crime drops dramatically around Christmas time, except for porch piracy. Even suicides, contrary to popular myth, decrease at Christmas. It’s a rather magical thing, really, and the great part about it is that it’s real and recurring. It comes once a year.
Q: Please describe the perfect Christmas morning holiday.
A: The perfect Christmas morning can only happen when you’re a child. They can be great after that, but only a handful of Christmases can be truly perfect, and those come and go when we’re very young. It’s all about anticipation and belief in things like Santa Claus, or that a snowman might actually be able to come to life, or that your toys have a nightlife while you’re sleeping. To me, a perfect Christmas morning is when you wake up believing in magic or at least in the possibility of it.
About the Author
T.C. Wescott was born in Missouri but has lived in Oklahoma most of his life. Like pretty much every author who has ever breathed, he is an avid reader. His favorites are classic mysteries from the Golden Age, as well as just before or just after that period (which is widely considered the period between the two World Wars). His first mystery novel, Running from Scissors
The Christmas Village Mystery series will launch in November of the same year with the debut title Slay Bells. The formula for his books is simple – mixing the classic, traditional detective fiction standards with all the trappings of the modern cozy mystery.
Wescott is also (under another name) the author of two award-winning non-fiction books as well as a slew of essays and articles.
Follow on GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18176277.T_C_Wescott
Purchase Link – Amazon
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