This book wasn’t what I thought it would be. For one thing, it portrays Santaland in a way that I never thought of it. I always believe Santaland would be a happy place. I get that as the last Santa had recently passed away in an accident, (or was it?), some sadness would be there but this was beyond sadness. I would have never guessed so many in Santaland, including Santa’s own mother, were mean. Not even in Rudolph or with the misfit toys, the dentist elf or even little Fenwick was their so much negativity. I am not trying to sway you from reading this book. If you are looking for something that is not the usual happy Santaland story, this is your book! The mystery was a good one. Certainly a lot of characters could have been the culprit so you will have a lot to choose from. I might have given this a higher rating if it hadn’t been such a shock to my inner child and if I hadn’t been left with so many questions. For instance April, our sleuth and the current Mrs Claus, met her husband, dated a week, I think, agreed to marry him and after hearing he was Santa went off with him to Santaland. I would have enjoyed a lot more detail on that. I mean you know a guy a week who tells you he is Santa and you go off with him? Were you not sitting next to him with a voice in your head screaming at you, “Ted Bundy alert! You are going off with a lunatic to die in the woods. Maybe no one will find you. Get out! Get out!” Then she finds out there was a murder and her husband Ted, oops, I mean Nick, is the suspected killer. There were a few other things I was left with a need for more information on. Still,I was able to enjoy the mystery. I will probably read the next book because it is set at Halloween, I am hoping it was December stress and death for the negativity and we have a lighter mood in Santaland and I am looking forward to maybe some answers. The next book will be the deciding factor on whether or not I continue the series. I have started out books not enamored but by the second to third book the series totally picked up. My advice would be to try it if you are interested. We all bring our own feelings and expectations into our reading enjoyment. My three star could be your five star. Read it and find out. ( )

The cover is cute.

I liked some of the author's ideas: creating a way for Santa's perpetuation--having the current reindeer be descendants of the ones named in the poem--having snowmen be mobile but slow, etc.

However, overall, I was a bit bored by the plot.

If murder is rare in Santaland, then how will the author keep the series going? Will the books alternate between Santaland and Oregon, where Nick and April will spend summers running her inn? Will April end up investigating mysteries other than murder?

I did not guess who the perpetrator was before it was revealed. That's pretty much a norm for me, so you may have a different experience. ( )

I enjoyed this just not as much as I thought I would. I'd hope for a more whimsical story line and wound up with a pretty typical cozy heroine in a somewhat bizarre setting. The elves, reindeer, and living snowmen all make an appearance but they could all easily have been replaced by quirky characters in a more traditional cozy setting like a small English village. However I liked it enough to want to get the next book in the series due out next week. The Halloween themed book upcoming release is what prompted me to start this series. ( )

This imaginative novel is a real Christmas treat. April, an inn owner, meets Nick Claus, one of the Clauses. Soon, they are married, living in Christmastown, and April is experiencing her first December there. A shadow, though, hangs over the merry village. Nick’s older brother had died in an accident during the past year. Then, an elf is murdered, and a snowman is melted, and it looks like Nick is guilty of both deaths. April is going to prove that he is innocent, or else. This delightful tale is filled to the brim with fascinating people and unusual animals, including talking reindeer. The mystery is an exciting one, the writing is excellent, and the whole package will keep you flipping pages. This book is like an unexpected gift - you can’t wait to open it, and when you do, you realize it’s just what you wanted. Highly recommended. ( )

Newlywed April is trying to adjust to life in the North Pole while her new husband, Nick, is doing his best to become the best Santa Claus he can be. Things are going, if not swimmingly, at least manageable when a very crabby elf is murdered. It seems like everyone in Santaland has a reason to kill him but no one more than Nick. Now, April feels it’s up to her to find the real killer.

Mrs Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland is a fun cozy Christmas mystery. The murderer was fairly easy to guess but that didn’t stop my enjoyment. I did find some of the characters were unnecessary to the story but it may be that this is the first in a series and they will be more central to other books. Overall, though, I feel this is a nice story to add to the season.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review ( )