Murder in Her Stocking (A Granny Reid Mystery #1) by G.A. McKevett #bookreview #mystery

Title: Murder in Her Stocking

Author: G.A. McKevett

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: October 30, 2018

Page Count: 304

My rating: 3 stars

About the book:

As the Moonlight Magnolia Agency revisits old memories on Christmas Eve, Granny Reid takes the reins back thirty years to the 1980s—back when she went by Stella, everyone’s hair was bigger, and sweaters were colorful disasters. But murder never went out of style . . .

Christmas has arrived in sleepy McGill, Georgia, but holiday cheer can’t keep temperamental Stella Reid from swinging a rolling pin at anyone who crosses her bad side—and this season, there are plenty. First an anonymous grinch vandalizes a celebrated nativity display. Far worse, the scandalous Prissy Carr is found dead in an alley behind a tavern. With police puzzled over the murder, Stella decides to stir the local gossip pot for clues on the culprit’s identity . . .

Turns out Prissy held a prominent spot on the naughty list, and suspects pile up like presents on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, the more progress Stella makes, the more fears she must confront. With a neighbor in peril and the futures of her beloved grandchildren at risk, Stella must somehow set everything straight and bring a cunning criminal to justice before December 25th . . .

Murder in Her Stocking  by G.A. McKevett is the first book in the new A Granny Reid Mystery series. This series however seems to be a prequel spin off series to the author’s long running Savannah Reid series featuring Savannah’s grandmother Stella Reid.

Stella Reid is a grandmother to seven young children who’s mother isn’t the best role model ever often choosing to go out and drink than watch her kids leaving Stella to pick up the slack. Stella is not one to back down to anyone or any challenge though and those kids mean the world to her.

When Stella is out one night though she hears a scream and when going to investigate she finds Prissy Carr in the alley behind the tavern. With the help of her grandkids Stella knows a murderer is on the loose and she’ll do whatever it takes to find them before Christmas.

Again I have accidentally stumbled into a series that while this is the beginning it’s also a spin off leaving me the feeling that I was missing something or other when I started reading. For me that feeling that things weren’t introduced as new to readers leaves me a bit disconnected to a story.

Stella “Granny” Reid also seemed to be doing a lot more interacting with the kids than solving a murder, which makes sense when her granddaughter will become a sleuth herself one day, but that also seemed to slow this down a bit. I think fans of the original series will probably love this one but not being familiar with it myself it was just an OK read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online: 

Goodreads  /   Amazon

About the author:

G.A. McKevett is the author of the acclaimed Savannah Reid mystery series. Also writing under the name Sonja Massie, she has authored over sixty books ranging from cozy mysteries to historical romances and nonfiction about the history of Ireland. Her earthy humor and fast-paced plots delight her fans, and critics applaud her offbeat characterizations and incisive observations about human nature. For more information, visit http://www.SonjaMassie.com.