Reviews

Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves by Liz Ireland

kimdavishb's review

5.0

MRS. CLAUS AND THE EVIL ELVES, the third book in the Mrs. Claus mystery series by Liz Ireland, is a magical cozy mystery that’s a treat for the senses! The author’s attention to world-building details brings Santaland to life and I couldn’t help but be filled with a magical sense of wonder at all it has to offer, including the marvelous characters. Protagonist April Claus and her husband, Santa, are beyond busy with all the festivities and preparations during the last week before Christmas. On top of that, April’s best human friend is visiting from Oregon, and the reindeer have gone on strike. Written with plenty of humor and zany antics thrown in, the reader, at first, almost forgets that this is a murder mystery. But as the plot thickens, first with a missing inventor elf and then a murder, Ms. Ireland writes a well-paced mystery that held my attention throughout the entire book. She’s proven, once again, why this has become one of my favorite series!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

positivewoman2013's review

4.0

A lot of moving parts in this story.

rebeccaelizabeth94's review

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I absolutely loved this installment in the Mrs. Claus Mystery series. April is really growing on my as a protagonist. She’s getting smarter as the books go. She’s really settling into her role as Mrs. Claus. Jingle is my absolute favorite character in the whole series. I was sad we didn’t get more of him this book. Jake Frost and Claire are a great couple. I would love a novella about their romance. Lucia and her reindeer are stinky yet reliable. Overall the best book in this series. 🎅🏻 

katreader's review

5.0

MRS. CLAUS AND THE EVIL ELVES by Liz Ireland
The Third Mrs. Claus Mystery

It's crunch time in Santaland. It's Christmas week and festivities abound in preparation for the big night. April Claus is thrilled that Claire, her best friend from Oregon, has come for a visit, even though Claire still doesn't really believe April is married to the real Santa Claus, despite seeing elves and talking reindeer. Though this should be a jolly time, it's not. A drone just took out the best ice sculpture in the town's annual contest, that of Blitzen. Was it an accident or a message? With the reindeer on strike, a missing elf, and tea cozies to make, Mrs. Claus has her work cut out for her in order for Christmas to be merry.

Charming, funny, and totally unique, the Mrs. Claus Mystery series is an utter delight and easily one of my favorite mystery series of all time. You can't help but like April Claus as she tries to fit into Santaland, but bungles many of the tasks a Mrs. Claus should easily handle. What she doesn't bungle, however, is solving mysteries-although she gets herself in a pickle this go around!

The mystery is multilayered with a missing person, er, elf, vandalism, and eventually murder. It's uncertain what is actually behind the crimes making it a captivating puzzler. One of my favorite aspects of this series is the humor. I am still laughing at what happened at the tea party. I also love the relationship between April and Nick and the new romance that develops later in the book. I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Jake Frost hot.

While the third Mrs. Claus Mystery is great fun, there are also some serious themes at work, primarily love, friendship, and dedication. When push comes to shove everyone rallies together for the common good. The heart found within the story makes it more than just humorous fantasy. There are serious themes here as well as the honest good will found amongst its characters.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE EVIL ELVES is a holiday mystery jam packed with action and fun. So grab your cocoa and get ready for a rip roaring sing a long as the joy of Christmas surrounds you.

jenniferbbookdragon's review

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

A cozy Christmas mystery that hits all the right notes. April Claus isn't a traditional Mrs. Claus,  but when mayhem and murder strike Santaland shortly before Christmas she is determined to figure out who did it and clear her friend's name. Featuring a reindeer strike,  robot elves, and epic amounts of baked goods,  I laughed out loud several times. 

kloughlin's review

funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Death of parent

agatharaisin19's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

3.0

readthisandsteep's review

5.0

Is this over the top? Yes. Am I here for it? Also yes! So fun, this is the third book in the highly imaginative Mrs. Claus mystery series. A well-written mash-up of genres that includes cozy mystery, fantasy, and holiday reads. The series has been described as Jessica Fletcher meets Tim Burton, but I also pick up The Santa Claus movie vibes a bit. The world-building is fantastic and full of clever details, big and small. I read this series as much to enjoy this creative Santaland world the author has built as I do for the mystery. The characters are quirky, and there's a witty sense of humor across dialogue and scenes. I get so caught up in the fun of Santaland and the entertaining characters that I forget to pay attention to clues! But the mystery is well-plotted and paced, and this one has quite a few threads to be unraveled.

April Claus is a bit of a fish out of water at the North Pole, as she's somewhat newly married to Santa (who is a hunk) so her BFF coming for a visit is an exciting proposition for her. But unfortunately, her friend is about to see a dark side to Santaland, including scheming and murderous elves, issues with the reindeer, and her friend April taking on the dangerous role of investigator to get to the truth.

If you're looking for a bit of escapism around the holidays and enjoy a good mystery, give this book a try! While this works just fine as a stand-alone, I have thoroughly enjoyed this entire series and look forward to book four!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to review this ARC. I really enjoyed it!

annarella's review

5.0

I'm always fascinated by the complex world building of this series, a great reimagining of Christmas land.
An entertaining and well plotted addition to this series, I had fun and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Glad to catch up with the fleshed out characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

tamsterdam_reads's review

5.0

I just love this Mrs. Claus series! The third novel in the series, Mrs. Clause and the Evil Elves finds April (Claus) joined by her best friend from Oregon, Claire who is visiting for the holidays. This was a nice added touch because you get to know more about April’s life outside of Santaland. I actually wished there were a bit more character driven parts but I have to say this is one of those rare series where I enjoy the predominantly plot-driven storyline.

This whimsical world was once again greatly described and I just love love love all the Elf names. I thought the pun names on some of the new inventions that were some of causes surrounding the mystery of the murder were so fun, such as “drone-deer” and the story had me cracking up.

Overall, this was such an adorable cozy mystery that is comfy, whimsical and funny.

Thank you Kensington for the arc. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.