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It's Christmas time in Lickin Creek, Pennsylvania. Everyone is getting ready for the holiday. The city is deciding what color lights to hang (a yearly debate). The community theater is rehearsing the annual holiday pageant. Tori Miracle, acting editor of the local newspaper, is attending the rehearsal to take pictures for the paper. Lucious Miller, acting police chief, interrupts the rehearsal to announce that a five-year-old boy is missing in the mountains. Everyone pitches in to look for the child including well-known psychic Praxythea Evangelista. Praxythea leads Lucious to a quarry where the bones of a young boy are found -- except this youngster disappeared 35 years ago. Since moving to Lickin Creek from New York City, Tori always seems to find herself in the middle of a mess. This time is no different. In addition to the missing child, two women in the Christmas pageant are murdered and Tori discovers an active witches' coven in Lickin Creek. DEATH, SNOW AND MISTLETOE is the fourth novel in this cozy mystery series. It's been a delight to watch Malmont grow in her abilities as an author. One of the reasons this series appeals to me is Malmont's ability to breathe life into Lickin Creek by telling us more with each book about Tori and the colorful, secondary cast of characters, the citizens of Lickin Creek who have become regulars. Malmont catches with humor the dynamics of a small town and the difficulties Tori has moving into and being accepted as a member of the community. Like many of us, Tori has had tragedy in her life and she is able to handle it and move on while others in Lickin Creek aren't as lucky. As nutty as the characters can be, they all seem quite real and human. This is a briskly-paced, well-crafted mystery. Multiple plot lines dance along with warmth, sensitivity and narrative energy. DEATH, SNOW AND MISTLETOE is a keeper and will make a great holiday gift for the cozy lover. I can't forget to mention the two recipes from Praxythea Evangelista that are included at the end . . . Crescent Cookies and Fruitcake.
Reviewed by Lane Wright, December 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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