Purring around the Christmas Tree — Liz Mugavero

In the New England town of Frog's Ledge, the Holiday Light Festival is a Christmas tradition. But things are about to go dark for one local resident at the organic pet patisserie owned by Kristan “Stan” Connor . . .

Santa has been found face-down in the hot apple cider brewing in Stan's crockpot -- and at first Stan is sure it's Seamus, her boyfriend's uncle, inside the red suit. But the victim turns out to be an employee from the town's Christmas tree farm. Rumor has it the deceased was a mean drunk with a soft spot for feral cats. Stan has no idea why he was dressed as St. Nick -- or why he's dead.

Meanwhile, Seamus, a jolly Irishman who comes to America every December to visit his pub-owner nephew, is nowhere to be found. Could he just be off on a Boston bar crawl? Or is something more sinister under the tree? Seamus was supposed to be dressing up and posing for pet pictures with Santa at the shop, but the dogs and cats might have to find another lap to curl up in if Stan doesn't solve two mysteries soon. Or murder might be the only thing under the mistletoe this holiday . . .