Deadly Patterns

Bliss, Texas, is gearing up for its annual Winter Wonderland festival, but when a mysterious Scrooge ends the merriment with murder,it'll take more than a ghost from Christmas past to set things right.
Designing a holiday fashion show set in the town's most prominent historic mansion seems like a job tailor-made for dress-maker Harlow Jane Cassidy.  But with the mansion's restoration still in progress and threatening weather on the horizon, she's feeling on pins and needles more than reveling in holiday cheer.
Having volunteered to play Santa in this year's festival, Dan Lee Chrisson is ready to move on after his divorce -- until Bliss becomes his final resting place.  Discovering his body puts Harlow at the scene of the crime.  She'll need plenty of help from friends and even her late great-grandmother's spirited sleuthing if she's to have a ghost of a chance of catching a killer who's just jumped to the top of the naughty list...

I've read my first Christmas themed book of the year.  When I got this book at the library, I didn't realize it was, Melissa Bourbon is just one of those authors I automatically pick up without glassing at the blurb.

Harlow has her plate full.  Not only is she helping organize Winter Wonderland fashion show, she also in charge of sewing the clothes, Christmas decorations class, making the new Santa outfit, a newsletter, and also figuring out who wanted Dan Lee Chrisson dead.

But she isn't alone, she has her usual friends and family about to help with her tasks. I loved that the author had Harlow tell Will about her gift and how all the branches of the Cassidy's have their own individual gifts.  And it was not surprising that he took it well, love Will, but there is always that doubt that he would not accept it and leave.  

The solving of Dan Lee's murder was interesting.  I loved that he was more complex than it was originally known.  I love how everything in that little town is interconnected.  I admit I couldn't figure out who killed him, but by the time the book was over it made sense.

The only problem I have now is that I have to wait until July for the next book of the series. Argh..

Deadly Patterns by Melissa Bourbon (4.5/5) Paranormal Mystery: Ghost; Published: Signet (10/2012); Series: # 3, Magical Dressmaking Mystery; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (50);