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CHRSTMAS SCARF MURDER is the novella trilogy by Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart. With holiday cheer galore and a knotty mystery to solve in each story, this book is the perfect accompaniment to a glass of eggnog and a plateful of cookies in front of a roaring fire. Although each story is based on each author’s beloved series characters, you can easily read the book as a standalone. It’s a terrific way to catch up on the characters you love while waiting for the release of the next full-length book, or be introduced to new characters. While I’m quite familiar with, and fond of, Carlene O’Connor’s and Maddie Day’s series, I’ve not read anything by Peggy Ehrhart. I found it easy to jump into the story and follow the protagonist as she and her best friend solve the mystery. It also made me want to add her books to my TBR pile and catch up.
Each novella contains a mystery revolving around a Christmas scarf. The mysteries are well-plotted, despite the short length, and I have to give kudos to Maddie Day for the most creative use of the scarf as the murder weapon… no spoilers here! There are clues for the eggnog-sipping armchair detective to follow and several twists that kept me on my toes. Each mystery had a highly satisfactory conclusion, and despite the murder and mayhem involved, the stories exude the delight of the Christmas season.
I greatly enjoyed that there are recipes for the reader to make at home, and Peggy Ehrhart even included a cozy teddy bear knitting pattern! I’m not a knitter, so instead I headed to the kitchen and made up a batch (or three) of Maddie Day’s Turtle Cookies to share. In the story, Maddie’s protagonist, chef and owner of the Pans ‘N Pancakes, creates a holiday menu based on the Twelve Days of Christmas… thus Two Turtle Doves turns into Turtle Cookies. A rich chocolate cookie base, rolled in chopped pecans, and filled with creamy caramel is decadent enough to make Santa linger hearthside. My taste testers swooned over these yummy cookies and I have a feeling they’ll call me a grinch (behind my back) if I don’t make more to include with my holiday cookie gift platters.
Amazon Synopsis
CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
When grinchy thefts steal the good cheer at a local nursing home, Siobhan O’Sullivan manages to identify one missing item before Kilbane, Ireland’s Christmas tractor parade—a hideous shamrock scarf wrapped around a very dead body. Now, with her holiday farmhouse bash approaching, Siobhan must dash to stop a deadly Secret Santa from gifting another unwanted surprise.
SCARFED DOWN by MADDIE DAY
It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas at Pans ‘N Pancakes, as twelve days of menu specials dazzle hungry locals. But the festivities go cold the instant a diner dies while knitting a brilliant green scarf. With Aunt Adele tied into a murder investigation, it’s all on Robbie Jordan to find out who’s really been naughty or nice in South Lick, Indiana.
DEATH BY CHRISTMAS SCARF by PEGGY EHRHART
Suspects pile up faster than New Jersey snow when frosty-tempered Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at Arborville’s tree-lighting ceremony. Between a winning bidder hiding behind the alias “S. Claws” and a victim who deserved coal in her stocking, can Pamela Paterson and the crafty Knit and Nibble ladies freeze a killer’s merry murder plot?
A special thanks to Maddie Day for providing a print copy of CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER! Contest ends November 20, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Phil makes these, mimicking turtle candies, for dessert on the Two Turtle Doves day.
Makes about thirty.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped
- 2/3 cup caramel chips or regular caramels, about 15
- 1/2 teaspoon water
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
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Combine flour, cocoa and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
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Chill dough in the refrigerator for one hour.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Whisk egg white in a shallow bowl until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another shallow bowl.
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Remove dough from fridge. For each cookie, scoop out less than a tablespoon and roll into a small ball.
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Roll each ball in the frothy egg whites, and then roll and press in the chopped pecans.
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Place on a greased baking sheet (or a parchment-lined baking sheet).
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Use the back of a small round measuring or soup spoon to make an indentation in the center of each dough ball or use your thumb.
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Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or just until set. Don't over bake, as cookies will harden as they cool.
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As the cookies come out of the oven, gently re-press the indentations with a small round spoon. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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In a microwavable bowl mix the caramel bits and water. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until caramel is melted (1-2 minutes).
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Pour small spoonfuls of caramel into the indented cookies. Let cool.
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Melt chocolate and drizzle lines over cookies.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have never knitted anything before.
I have never Knitted but my mom tried to teach me to crochet. Thanks for the chance.
This Christmas I’m knitting socks, hand mitts, and a pillow.
I have knitted a scarf but it was many years ago
I wish I knew how to knit. So many pretty things to make! I love books by multiple authors, esp. holiday themed ones. The recipe looks delicious!
I don’t knit. I’m making embroidered/quilted
mug rugs to give to my friends and family
this Christmas. thanks for the recipe.
I am not very adept at knitting but do enjoy crocheting. Knitting is too easy to me to drop stitches and even harder to pick them up unless you rip out your work. Thanks for sharing Edith Maxwell’s book and recipe.
I want that cookie!
A friend taught me to knit, and I knitted in high school classes . . . (my grades and quiet behavior won me lots of leeway).
I knitted in meeting throughout college, and was sometimes referred to as Madame Defarge (accepted as a badge of honor).
I taught a student to knit during lunch after she told me her grandma had died before she could teach her, “I’ll be your grandma.”
I’ve taught friends and strangers: at Panera when I saw them struggling with printed directions, on cruises, and a little girl whose mom brought her to me in the emergency row on the airplane (extra leg room put to good use) . . . my water bottle holder the clue that I’d have the knowledge the girl wanted.
I knitted a scarf many years ago. I prefer to crochet.
I knitted a scarf for my dad many years ago.
I am not a knitter.. My mother got yarn from Canada and made winter sweaters with it with marvelous patterns.
What would happen if you just put the caramel on the hot cookie and let it melt that way?
I wish I could say yes, that I have knitted before, but I can’t. My mom has tried to teach me but she’s left handed and I’m right handed so that never quite worked out. I also have no hand-eye coordination which adds to the difficulty. I am a sucker for hand knitted items, though, and I’m extremely envious of those who can knit. Thank you for the giveaway! Happy Thanksgiving!
I can’t knit worth a darn, but I definitely admire home made knitted crafts.
I do not knit–never learned how.
I love to knit (and crochet) and have knitted/crocheted many Christmas scarves, mitten and cap sets, shrugs, shawls, and Christmas ornaments and decorations.
I do not know how to knit. I am impressed by people who do!
I haven’t knitted a scarf but I did some slippers for Christmas gifts one year. I’m planning on starting a sweater now. I do more crocheting than knitting though. A scarf was my first crochet project as a kid.
I crocheted scarfs along time ago. Thanks for your great generosity.
I was taught to knit years ago when I was in 4-H. Competed in fairs during that time… and when I outaged 4-H in high school, I stopped knitting (even though for years I have kept knitting supplies in tubs) and focused more on food. Hmmm.. wonder if the Teddy Bear pattern would bring back enough memories to get me knitting again. Of course… that would be after trying all the recipes. For me, the best fun mysteries include a few recipes at the end of the book!
No, I do not knit or do any kind of craft stuff. I do like to decorate though. Thanks for the chance!
I have knitted scrafs before and started one already.
The book sounds very good and the recipe thank you
Penney
Just the book to read before Christmas, with a nice cup of tea and turtle cookies! I just printed this recipe, because I know the grandkids (and the grandpa) will love them… Thank you for sharing not only your writing talents, but also your culinary expertise, Maddie/Edith
I just love these cookies, and I know the grandkids will too. Just printed the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I will be reading this book with a nice cup of tea and turtle cookies. Yipee!
I have never knitted. But my aunt and grandmother do.
I’ve tried knitting. Didn’t do to good. I love knitted scarfs. There are some beautiful ones made.
I don’t know how to knit!
I do knit scarves. My Sister is a very fast and a better knitter than me makes them now. She also makes the best felted slippers.
Unfortunately knitting has never been a fun hobby for me. Every time I’ve tried, it turned disastrous. Making me envious of those that have the talent and skill.
I don’t knit al all.
No, I don’t knit. I tried it but I wasn’t good at it.
I don’t knit. Those cookies look so yummy and the book sounds really good.
No I do not knit. I am not a very crafty person.
i used to knit but don’t anymore.
I’ve never learned to knit, but I’d like to!
I don’t knit, but I Cross Stitch Christmas gifts every year (things like towels). I enjoy reading all three of these authors and I would love to read this book!
I tried to knit, but I was not good at it. I can crochet much better. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I don’t knit but I have in the past. I prefer doing counted cross stitch now. Merry Christmas.
I’ve made several frilly scarves when they were really popular but that’s about it.
I have crocheted a penguin. Thank you for a chance.
yes before I got RSD I would knit and knit i knitted scarfs hats blankets loved to knit now that my fingers are deformed and the right hand is really bad i crochet to keep them at least moving i make hot pads wash cloths and have even sold them!
I don’t know how to knit. I know a little crocheting.
I don’t do much baking anymore, but I love turtle candies and those cookies look delicious. I may have to try the recipe. Would love to read the book.
No! I admire people who do, but not one of my talents!
I used to knit baby blankets for all those new babies and scarves. But it has been a while now since I have done either
Haven’t knitted in years. My hands just can’t clutch the needles any longer.
Turtles are my favorite candy.
I don’t but I want to lean.
I don’t knit, my mom did a little when I was a kid, she knitted the warmest pair of mittens I ever had.
I never learned to knit or crochet, so all my scarves are from people who did or the store.
I do not knit at all. I have friends and family who do.
I’ve knitted and crocheted many gifts but only a couple of scarves.
I don’t know how to knit anything, but it’s something I’d be interested in trying in the future (our kitten would Not cooperate with that ! ) .
no