Residents of Rudolph keep the spirit of Christmas alive year-round—but their joy is threatened when a group of grinches visits the town, in the charming fourth installment of the Year-Round Christmas series. It's the week before Thanksgiving, and Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus's Treasures, is preparing for a weekend reunion of her mother's college friends. But when the group of women comes into Merry's shop, Merry is met with frosty attitudes and cold hearts. The women argue amongst themselves constantly, and the bickering only intensifies after one of the friends is poisoned. With her father's role as Santa in danger due to his proximity to the crime, Merry will need to use all of her investigative gifts to wrap this mystery up and save Santa and her favorite holiday. Praise for Silent Night, Deadly Night “This is a cozy mystery filled with murder, mayhem, warmth, and Christmas cheer.  What more could you want?”—Carstairs Considers “ Silent Night, Deadly Night was a delightful treat to jumpstart my holiday reading."—The Genre Minx Praise for Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen   “Delightful…[A] humorous tinsel-covered tale that made me laugh out loud even while keeping me guessing.”—Jenn McKinlay,  New York Times  bestselling author   “Witty writing, an unexpected solution, and truly likable characters ensure that the appeal of this holiday-themed series will last long past the Yule season.”—Kings River Life Magazine   “Delany has given us a story full of holiday cheer, an exciting mystery, wondrous characters all in a place I would love to really visit. Its charm just lit up my day. This is one mystery you shouldn’t miss this holiday season.”—Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book   “I delved right into this story—it grabbed me in and wouldn’t let me go.”—Socrates’ Book Review   “Vicki Delany does a masterful job of creating an inviting fictional small town that is all about Christmas.”—Open Book Society   “Ms. Delany has started a promising new series with  Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen .”—Fresh Fiction   “A fun Yuletide-themed cozy with an appealing amateur sleuth.”— Library Journal Vicki Delany is the author of the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries, the Constable Molly Smith Mysteries, and, writing as Eva Gates, she is the author of the Lighthouse Library Mysteries. Chapter 1 My mother had been excited for weeks. Then again, sometimes it can be difficult to tell. Excited is my mother's normal state of mind. The first of the girls (as she called them) had started arriving yesterday. The rest were due this morning. After settling in, they planned to tour the sights of Rudolph, New York, beginning with my store, Mrs. Claus's Treasures. I checked my watch. Eleven thirty. "Now remember," I said to Jackie O'Reilly, my shop assistant, "these are longtime friends of my mother, but I've never met any of them before." "Doesn't sound like such good friends to me," she said. "My mom's childhood pals are more like aunts to me than my own aunts are." "College friends drift apart. In terms of location as well as moving on with their lives. They've kept in touch over the years with Christmas cards and the like, and some of them visited Mom in New York when she was singing. Mom and Dad stayed with one of the women when they were in California last year, but Mom says this is the first time since college that they'll all be together. Anyway, the point is, Jackie, treat them well. This weekend is really important to Mom." "Treat them well. I'll remember that. I assume you mean not like I treat our other customers, Merry." "That's not what I meant." "Whatever." Jackie tucked a piece of fresh holly around a giant glass bowl piled high with silver and pink balls. "How's that look?" I studied it. The display seemed sparse to me. "Fill the bowl up more. It should be on the verge of overflowing." "If it overflows any more, they'll fall out." "Another one or two will be okay." In my former life I'd been a style editor at one of the country's top lifestyle magazines. I had a good eye, and I was proud of it. I left Jackie to it, and went to give a small nudge to a customer who'd been spending a lot of time examining the earring tree. "Those are hand-made by a local jeweler," I told her. She picked up a pair of earrings. Delicate threads of silver had been twisted into the shape of a snowman, and a tiny red stone provided his nose. "I've been admiring the quality. They are pricey though." "The artist's name is Crystal Wong. She's from Rudolph and is in her first year at the School of Visual Arts in New York." "She works here part-time." Jackie placed a pink ball on top of the stack. It did look dangerously unstable. She picked up a silver orb and slowly settled it in place. The display wobbled, and she held her hands out as though to catch them if they fell. Trust Jackie to make her point, even if the entire display collapsed around us. "You're right, Jackie," I admitted as I remembered that at a magazine sh