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You’ve decked the halls. You’ve done your Christmas shopping (or at least you’ve started, right?). Now you deserve to curl up on the couch with a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a holiday-themed mystery—like author David Handler’s The Snow White Christmas Cookie.
Winter has not been easy on the people of Dorset, Connecticut. Not only has the small New England village been hit by a series of blizzards, but a grinch has been stealing mail—and the Christmas tips and goodies left behind for the mail carrier—from the mailboxes in the Historic District.
As Resident Trooper Des Mitry tries to track down the missing mail without getting the Postal Service involved in their small-town business, she suddenly finds herself facing a flurry of new cases—from shoplifting to suspicious suicides. And, to make matters even worse, her partner, New York film critic Mitch Berger, starts his own search for clues, only to end up caught in the middle of the murder and mail-stealing mayhem.
Set in a quaint little village that sometimes feels more like a big, dysfunctional family than a small community, The Snow White Christmas Cookie is filled with small-town New England charm. From their language to their attitude, the characters are New Englanders, through and through. They’re tough and resourceful—traits that come in handy when it comes to battling things like blizzards…and criminals.
And there’s definitely plenty of both in The Snow White Christmas Cookie. In some situations, a holiday blizzard might feel cozy, but Handler makes the constant snowfall in Dorset feel appropriately ominous—an obstacle that helps killers cover their tracks and makes car chases all the more dangerous.
Meanwhile, as is the case in many small towns, the people of Dorset seem to know everybody else’s business, which puts a police officer like Des Mitry in a precarious position. On one hand, she’s never at a loss for witnesses. On the other hand, it’s almost impossible to keep things quiet. Still, Des is a smart cop—and she’s figured out how to use the system to her advantage. It isn’t until Mitch’s safety comes into question that she begins to crumble under the pressure. And his disappearance gives the story even more drama and suspense.
The Snow White Christmas Cookie may not be an unforgettable thriller, but it is an enjoyable cozy mystery. Its strong characters and quaint setting will pull you in, and its mystery will keep you guessing. So if you’re searching for some easy-going holiday-themed reading to help you pass a blustery afternoon, Handler’s latest Berger and Mitry mystery is a good choice.
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