Wrapped up in blankets and flannel and a cup of your choice hot beverage? All you are missing is that perfect feel good cozy mystery, but fear not I have just finished the perfect finish for your cozy season!
TW: child neglect, car accidents, cocaine abuse, alcoholism, murder, domestic abuse
Murder In Her Stocking is apparently a spin-off of a popular mystery series the Savannah Reid mysteries but since I’m new to this genre I’d never heard of them. Stella Reid is a fierce grandma of 7 children. Her son isn’t super involved and her daughter in law is abusive. Stella takes care of the children behind her daughter in laws back and gives them every penny she has, which isn’t much. But her dedication and love for them is all she needs this holiday season! While helping her grandson right some of his wrongs, she accidentally becomes the first witness on the scene of a murder!! This small southern town doesn’t know quite what happened to the murdered woman, but it only can take up part of Stella’s attention after her granddaughter saw her mom buying cocaine and brings it to Stella’s attention.
This murder mystery/family drama puts the murder on the backseat. It was wonderful though! The family dynamic is so heartbreaking and the kids are so freaking cute and you feeling so bad for their situation. You just want to give them big hugs and start writing checks to give them everything they could ever want after what they’ve gone through. The whole town the Reid’s live in is just going through some things, but it’s not so sad that you finish the book depressed AF. There are some pretty funny scenes (the funeral of the murdered woman.. sad I know but her profession makes this kinda funny) and the kids have some hilarious comments and scenes. It’s just so joyful this book, despite all the darkness!
As Albus Dumbledore said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” That’s what this book is!
My six word review:
The most precious gift is eachother.