A Hallmark Movie with a Body Count
WARNING: This book will ruin regular Hallmark holiday movies for you in the absolute best way possible!
I’m usually pretty hesitant about co-authored books, but this was an absolute blast. Knowing Elle Cosimano from the Finlay Donovan series, I figured this would be right up my alley—and it delivered! (Though now I definitely need to pick up a standalone Hannah Morrissey book just to experience her solo style.)
Imagine a living Hallmark movie town where cursing is taboo, saying the word “m-m-murder” makes everyone stutter, and the local economy depends entirely on festive vibes and romantic tourist energy. Enter Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd: rival agents with past closet-hookup history, forced to team up in this hyper-festive paradise to solve a killer problem.
The mystery definitely takes a back seat to the over-the-top comedy, enemies-to-lovers spark, and relentless satire. The authors go to town roasting everything—holiday clichés, police procedurals, old movies, pastries, you name it. It’s spicy, chaotic, fast-paced, and wildly self-aware, complete with an intrusive narrator who pops in to comment on the madness.
I had the best time toggling between this hilarity and a historical fiction read. I actually want to try this on audio next time, just to get that full cinematic “movie in my ears” feeling!
Honestly, my only regret is that my mom doesn’t read in English—as a Hallmark holiday movie fan, she would have adored this side-splitting twist on the genre. I’m totally sold on this series and can’t wait to bring it up with my book club crew at the end of October!
