Jingle Buried Cookies — Lyndsey Cole

Leona's Christmas cookies are leaving a trail of cookie crumbs that lead anywhere but to a happy holiday. As soon as Annie and Jason return from a romantic getaway, a Santa-sized sack of problems lands on their doorstep. Jason might be able to pretend it doesn't exist and just enjoy the upcoming holiday parties, but Annie has to help keep Aunt Leona out of trouble. Again. Running only on caffeine, the women get ready for the Black Cat Café's Christmas extravaganza. A last minute change to who will come as Santa Claus threatens to bring the whole event down. But quick thinking and a willing volunteer save the day. Until that willing volunteer imbibes one drink too many. But that's the least of the problems that keep piling up faster than the snowflakes of a Nor'easter. A body, poisonous berries, and competition from a cutthroat competitor threaten to end the Black Cat Café once and for all. Annie tries to sift through the half-baked information to uncover the real motive -- and killer -- before it's too late. ***Jingle Buried Cookes is volume 9 in the Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery Series. Lyndsey's books can be read and enjoyed in any order.