Book Review: Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis

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Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis is the first installment in the Maya and Sandra Mystery series, a cozy mystery series centered on private investigators. The story follows Sandra Wallage , the wife of a U.S. senator and the newly elected president of Portland High School’s PTA, who becomes the latest target of a vicious gossip website called Dirty Laundry . After a heated PTA meeting, Sandra crosses paths with Maya Kendrick , a private investigator who has uncovered the identity of the person behind the gossip site. When the two women attempt to confront the culprit, they instead discover a dead body. Was it really a suicide, or did someone have a motive for murder? I’m a longtime fan of books by Lee Hollis , which is actually the pen name for sibling writing duo Rick Copp and Holly Simason . They’ve written several cozy mystery series, and what I appreciate most about their books is that they aren’t overly kitschy, unlike some other cozy mysteries I’ve ...
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Book Review: The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

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Book Review The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict opens with Lily returning to her aunt's manor house and discovers that if she wants to inherit the house, she must play the traditional Christmas game with her cousins over a period of twelve days. When one of them is murdered and a snowstorm cuts them off from the rest of the village, Lily realizes she must fight for her life. Over the twelve days, twelve clues, and twelve keys, how many will perish?

First and foremost, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital copy of The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict. I was thrilled to receive a copy prior to it coming out in paperback on October 4, 2022 because it sounded intriguing.

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (a.k.a. Ten Little Indians) and the movie Clue, I found myself comparing The Christmas Murder Game to both. There were even parts that reminded me a bit of The Shining by Stephen King. However, this didn't detract from the storyline in my humble opinion.

All through the book I thought the killer was one person and potentially another, but then, I started second guessing myself. I began thinking it one of two other characters for no real logical reason other than I thought it was too predictable to have one or both of my original suspects be the murderer. With that being said, there were enough twists and turns to keep my interest. It was well thought out and well written.

I enjoyed reading The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict and like how the author tied up all the loose ends. I'd love for the author to write a sequel. Four out of five stars.

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