Hollyberry Homicide is the 5th A Berry Basket Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. The author provides the relevant background information on Marlee Jacob. I thought Hollyberry Homicide was well-written with steady pacing. There is plenty going on in this book. Marlee is enjoying decorating for Christmas, The Berry Basket is doing a brisk business, she gets roped into playing Jacob Marley, and she has a variety of houseguests. Natasha is staying with Marlee while she waits for her new place to be finished. It sounds like it will be a long visit. Natasha is a show stealer with her over-the-top personality. The mystery was interesting. It becomes more of the focus in the second half of the book as the clues begin to mount along with the action and suspense. You begin to wonder if Everett's death was suspicious (or did a ninety-five year old man just pass away on a bench). It all begins to come together and there is a great reveal scene. I enjoyed solving this whodunit. The ending will leave you smiling. Hollyberry Homicide is a jolly cozy mystery with holiday hot chocolate, learning lines, overload of ornamentation, a swaying spruce, and an amateur sleuth bent on sniffing out the suspects.

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