This holiday season, teddy bear shop manager Sasha Silverman must solve the slaying of Santa Bear . . . Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting … annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.
After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?
Praise for BEARLY DEPARTED
“You’ll fall in love with this delightful debut mystery.”
—Victoria Thompson, bestselling author of Murder in Morningside Heights
“The first in a new series features a complex plot awash in red herrings, a perky heroine . . . and everything you ever wanted to know about teddy bears.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The appealing, impulsive amateur sleuth, dedicated to the family business, will appeal to fans of character-driven cozies.”
—Library Journal
“Entertaining . . . inhabited by quirky, fully developed characters and good dogs and cats.”
—Publishers Weekly
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This December is proving to be especially busy for Sasha Silverman. Not only are there the usual activities in town, but the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won a prize with their design for a Beary Potter bear, and they are rushing to meet demand in time for Christmas. So, the last thing that Sasha needs is to get involved in a murder, but that’s just what happens. The highlight of the annual Christmas parade is Santa Bear, and once again this year, the town’s mayor, Cal Bloom, is playing the part. However, with the parade start time drawing near, no one can find him. Sasha and her mother start searching only to find him dead on a bench in his costume. It appears his death wasn’t natural, so what happened to him? How did he get to the park bench?
The book wastes little time in killing off Mayor Bloom, and we get some good clues and suspects along the way to the logical climax. Sasha and her immediate family are strong characters, and it was great to spend time with them again. The suspects are also good characters. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters are hard to keep straight, but that doesn’t impact following the plot, so it didn’t bother me too much. Despite the cute and cuddly nature of Teddy Bears, this series has always had a bit more bite to it for a cozy, and this book is no exception. However, the Christmas setting adds a festival feel to the book, and I really enjoyed that addition. Heck, I wanted to join the company employee Christmas party – it sounded delightful. And I was drooling over some of the goodies they were eating. If you are ready to get in the Christmas spirit a little early, this is the book for you.
I merrily read this Christmastime cozy set in beautiful Silver Hollow, Michigan. Author Meg Macy pens another original story and fills it with sparkling visions of holiday cheer! The new bears and the bear-related events are really fun and show the great imagination of Author Macy.
There’s something ‘beary’ suspicious going on in the town where Sasha Silverman’s family’s Silver Bear Shop & Factory is located. The murder mystery was a stunner for me! I loved the sweet ending. Have yourself a merry little Christmas and add this book to your wish list.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
The merriest time of the year is also extremely hectic if you manufacture and retail holiday themed toys.
The Silverman family is central to lots of holiday happenings including a parade, a bake-off, and a BEAR-zarre craft show. They also seem to be on the scene when dead bodies are found around town.
On the surface, the Mayor seems well enough liked, with minor irritations from political rivals and people who haven’t gotten everything they want. So when he ends up dead, throwing a monkey wrench into the holiday scheduling, along with other ill residents, which will happen anytime there is cold weather, this holiday is more stressful for the Silverman family.
Some of the townsfolk love this family, others resent their success and closeness.
People love to gossip with them and as much as she tries to resist, Sasha finds herself involved in another investigation. On the positive side, her romance seems to be doing well, despite distance issues.
If you have ever been involved in a marching band or building a float, you’ll find yourself reminiscing as the holiday parade gets organized and lined up.
All the wonder of the holiday is present in this book as we gather in the Silvermans’s world.
I don’t know how they will get their new bears produced in time to make all their customers happy on Christmas.
Lots of tension building and the mystery isn’t an easy solve.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We arrive in Silver Hollow just in time for the holiday tree-lighting and parade. The folks at the Silver Bear Shop and Factory have been feeling very “beary” because they won a huge contest which means they are producing a special holiday bear that is being sent everywhere. The wizard bear named “Beary Potter” is also popular in Silver Hollow with tons of orders. It’s all hands on deck to be sure every order is fulfilled before Christmas.
Judith Silverman has been roped into organizing this year’s parade. She is a very organized woman but her Santa Bear, aka Mayor Cal Bloom, left to get into his costume but hasn’t returned. Sasha and her mom start a search for the man and find him nearby but he won’t be participating in this year’s parade. It appears he was electrocuted but is found nowhere close to the source. Sasha bearly had time to turn around and now she is right in the middle of another murder investigation. With a little help from her friends/Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club, they may be able to wrap up the case in time for a Beary Merry Christmas.
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Finally, in book three, Judith has won me over a little bit. She is still a meddling mom but she had plenty of other things going on that she wasn’t quite so overbearing. Then again Sasha’s romance was cooler this time because Jay was out of town for most of the book and Flynn appears to have moved on. Who knows what the future stories will bring? I do love the rest of the family. They continue to evolve, have great senses of humor and their dialogues are so realistic. I really enjoy the way they all work together to create bears that brings joy to so many people.
The mystery this time was unique in that Sasha’s mom actually wanted Sasha to investigate the murder, in fact, she demands it. The evidence is clearly pointing in one direction but Sasha’s digging presents more suspects. Not everyone loved the good mayor. Twists on top of twists, I was totally up in the air until the earth-shattering reveal.
Ms. Macy’s storytelling skills are top-notch. She does introduce several new characters this time and at times it was a little confusing but not so much that it took away from the mystery. The author details the scenes with her words and makes them easy to envision. I was delighted by the story from the first page to the last. All the events sounded like so much fun, sans the killer running around town, of course.
This is a series that I do recommend be read in order. Getting to know the Silverman family, their friends, and the residents of Silver Hollow from the start will ensure maximum bear-filled entertainment.
Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder is a perfect read for mystery lovers this holiday season!
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
As a huge bear loved this series has been perfect for me from book one but each new one still manages to top the last. This was is just fantastic! Gearing up for Christmas the annual tree lighting and parade are here making things chaotic yet fun. Especially Santa Bear a huge town favorite. The mayor plans to be in the suit but when he is running late they go searching only to find him dead under some weird circumstances. Sasha just wants to stay out of it but her mother has other plans. Holiday events make for a perfect way to talk to people which makes for a fun yet still mysterious investigation. Macy definitely knows how to write a truly fabulous cozy with the bear bits making it even better. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Synopsis:
This holiday season, teddy bear shop manager Sasha Silverman must solve the slaying of Santa Bear . . .
Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear–played by Mayor Cal Bloom–is missing.
After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas–or will Sasha meet her own shocking end? (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I really like Sasha, she is a hard working, tough and caring person. I like the relationship she has with her family, you can tell how much they love each other and will do anything for each other. I felt there were a lot of characters introduced and I had a hard time keeping them straight in my mind. That is only my opinion and others might not agree with me.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The author has created a setting that sounds magical and I would love to visit. Being there with all of the bear themed activities at Christmas would be great.
The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the book. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider, it seems that Mayor was not as well liked as he wanted everyone to think he was. I was not completely convinced who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end, which is great.
I would recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. And if you love teddy bears, then you have to grab all three books.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
This book is part of the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery Series. Meg Macy writes another enjoyable cozy mystery for the holiday season. Sasha runs the Silver Bear Shop with her family in Silver Hollow. Sasha is ready for a busy holiday season and then the mayor is found dead right before the annual tree lighting and parade. There are no shortage os suspects and Sasha finds herself once again unofficially investigating the crime as she juggles the holiday rush. Fans of cozy mysteries will love this “beary” good holiday mystery!
The Silver Hollow Annual Tree Lighting and Festival of Lights Parade is coming up soon in the small Michigan town. Residents of Silver Hollow are rushing to make sure all of the events, floats, and people are in place. As the rush for the annual holiday festivities comes calling, the Silver Bear Shop and Factory is even busier this year. As the winners of the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, Sasha, Maggie and the entire group of family and employees is in a rush to complete the orders for their winning “Beary Potter” bear. Plus, they have to plan the annual holiday party and their Uncle and Aunt are also getting remarried the same day as the party. On top of all of the festivities, as the town is preparing for the tree lighting and parade, Sasha’s mom along with Sasha’s ex-husband and his girlfriend, find Cal Bloom in his parade mascot costume dead right before the parade is due to begin.
Cal looks like he’s been electrocuted and if he was, why didn’t anyone see him get hurt? Plus, he’s found on a bench a distance away from the activity. How did he stumble all the way to the bench in a town full of activity and no one see him? Sasha knows there’s more to the story about the death of Cal, this year’s parade Santa Bear. Sasha had no plans to “investigate” until her mother, good friends with Cal’s wife, asks Sasha to help. It seems Cal’s wife is a suspect and her mother doesn’t believe it’s possible for Cal’s wife to commit such a heinous act.
As Sasha puts her sleuthing cap on and begins her search, it appears that more than just his wife has means, motive and opportunity. Family secrets are divulged that no one, including Sasha’s mom, were aware of, making Cal’s wife and his daughter numbers 1 and 2 on her list. However, family members aren’t the only ones moving up the list as Sasha beings digging deeper into Cal’s life.
A clever who-done-it, Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder kept me entertained and engaged in the story. Meg Macy delivered a well-written story with a unique setting in a fictional small town in southeast Michigan. As a lifelong Michigander I enjoy a good story, in any genre, that is based in my state. The author mentions Starbucks in Mount Pleasant and I might just happen to be very familiar with that particular city in Michigan. I always love it when I recognize locations in a book because I’ve been there, lived there, or worked in the town/city.
I enjoyed the personalities of each character introduced to us in the book. The book was descriptive well developed, allowing me to visualize the elements of the story, characters, and locations. The characters and situations were believable and the pacing of the story was steady. I enjoyed Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder, found the mystery interesting, the characters likable, and the story’s pacing to be on target. I love the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series by Meg Macy and I look forward to book 4 in the Teddy Bear Mystery series.
I won this book in a contest, and I’m so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much I plan to read the two previous books in the series. I liked the fact that the main characters were set as a family, but each with their own interests. The small town setting gives the story a cozy feeling. As with most of the plots I enjoy reading, this one has a twist at the end.
Christmas and teddy bears-what more could you ask for? A fantastic book!! Sasha’s mom finds the mayor dead in his Santa Bear costume right before the holiday parade. It seems to most that it was murder. Sasha’s mom asks for her help in proving the mayor’s wife’s innocence. Sasha investigates all while trying to juggle the many holiday events for the teddy bear shop and getting their Beary Potter keepsake contest bear manufactured. Truly great series with wonderful characters. Wish I could visit the teddy bear shop! Looking forward to the next book and seeing what happens with Sasha and Jay’s relationship!!
It’s the holiday season and the Silver Bear Factory and Shop is extra busy producing a specialty bear called Beary Potter which is for a teddy bear keepsake contest they won. When Mayor Cal Bloom goes missing right before the parade in which he was going to be Santa Bear, Sasha and her mom go looking for him only to find him dead seemingly from a heart attack suffered while being electrocuted. Sasha is once again drawn into the investigation and she discovers that the mayor was not the friendly person he portrayed himself to be. In addition, Maddie has finally opened her own graphic art shop and Sasha is trying to keep her relationship with Jay Kirby going as they’re separated while he’s teaching in another town.
I won this book in a contest on Facebook and really loved it. I have enjoyed the series and getting to know the characters, some you like and others you really don’t. It perfectly captures small town life with all the personality quirks you expect to find. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
Have Yourself a Berry Little Murder was a delight to read! Sasha, who runs the Silver Bear Shop, is thrilled when the shop wins the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest. While the shop is busy making the holiday special bear, Sasha is helping with the town’s tree lighting ceremony and parade. Everything is going well until the mayor, who is playing Santa, can’t be found. When he is found slumped on a bench dead everyone wonders was it a heart attack or something more sinister like murder. Who would want him dead and why? As the suspect list grows Sasha does some investigating on her own. The book is well written and I definitely enjoyed it! Highly recommend!
What a great place to be during the Christmas season! Silver Hollow with snow and events that are oriented towards children of all ages sounds picture-postcard perfect. The Silver Bear Shop and Factory would be fun to visit any time of year, but especially now with their contest-winning Beary Potter Keepsake Wizard Bear and usual Christmas offerings it is super special. The characters are demonstrated beautifully through actions and conversations, and the plot is finely planned and executed.
We open to the evening of the tree lighting and Festival of Lights Parade, where Sasha, who manages the Silver Bear Shop, and her family are checking on all the last-minute details, including assuring all are lined up to begin the parade. There is only one thing missing, though. Mayor Cal Bloom is not where he should be. Sasha and her mother, Judith, saw him just before he went to dress up as Santa Bear, who children look forward to seeing every year. He won’t be leading the parade this year, though. They find Santa bear with only one eye, soggy paws, and lifeless.
As Judith and family try to do damage control so the children don’t hear about the mayor’s demise, Santa Claus is the next best substitute. Sasha, who has helped the police and detectives find murderers in the past, is suspicious when marks lead them to think he might have been electrocuted and moved, as there is no sign of electricity nearby. She has too many things going on and is determined to not get caught up in crime-solving again.
Alison Bloom, the mayor’s widow, is the main suspect of the local police and the county detectives. There are a few clues that lead them in that direction, but Judith is convinced that Alison couldn’t kill anyone, much less Cal. Alison and Judith want Sasha to nose around, see what she can learn to get Alison off the hook. Sasha does her best to get the scoop on the Blooms so she can get a better feel for who might have cause to kill the man, and finds a few unsavory things about Cal she would rather not have known…and the widow almost regrets asking for help.
This is one whodunit that I couldn’t figure out. Plot twists and a lot of people the late mayor has given serious grief to show that he wasn’t as well-liked as Sasha thought. With all the orders for the keepsake bear and holiday events, there aren’t enough hours in the day. I was quite surprised at the end, and satisfied as the loose ends are all tied up. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy Christmas-themed cozy mysteries, bears, and hard-to-solve whodunits. This is sure to delight at any time of year!
The whole town of Silver Hollow is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Bear, aka Mayor Bloom, during the annual Christmas parade. When he’s doesn’t show up, Sasha and her mom go looking for him. Unfortunately when they find him, he is no longer alive. Was it natural causes? Of something far more sinister? Sasha is determined to find the truth.
I love Christmas cozies and thought this was fun and festive. I liked Sasha, her sister Maddie, Jay, and all the rest of the townsfolk. This was the 3rd book in the series but the first I’ve read. Immediately after finishing, I purchased the first two books. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias.
Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy is a marvelous mystery, with well-developed characters in this lovely small town.
Who killed the mayor? All we know is that is wasn’t a teddy bear.
Sasha Silverman
Sasha is our main character, and it’s her point of view that we follow. She is the manager of Silver Bear Shop and Factory. Sasha keeps things running with the assistance of her sister, Maddie and her family. This isn’t all that Sasha does, though. She also does some sleuthing and has helped solve a couple of murders in the past. Sasha has a boyfriend named Jay, he is away most of this book teaching up north, but it sounds like things are getting serious.
The Mystery
The mayor is found dead in the Santa Bear costume right before the big parade. The townspeople scrabble and get the parade covered, but what happened to the mayor. Sasha’s mom wants Sasha to prove that her friend, Allison, didn’t kill her husband, the mayor. Once they start digging into the mayor’s life, they find out that he isn’t the jolly, good-natured guy that they all thought that he was. There are lots of suspects, and so many things are happening due to the holidays in town. The clues are there. You just have to follow them as Sasha does.
4 Stars for Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy
I enjoyed the story with this sweet little town doing everything possible to celebrate the Christmas season and keep their businesses afloat. The mystery was superb; I didn’t figure it out until Sasha was in the middle of it. So, I am giving Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy four stars. I recommend this book to all cozy readers out there.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Series: A Teddy Bear Mystery – Book 3
Author: Meg Macy
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Holiday
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 304
The latest in the cozy series “ A Teddy Bear Mystery,” written by Meg Macy, published by Kensington Books, comes the fantastic holiday book, Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder.
Who doesn’t love teddy bears? Sasha grew up with teddy bears and runs her family’s manufacturing shop. But this isn’t the first time there has been a murder connected to the shop or her. This time, however, it could be a real issue when her mother finds the body of Santa bear, aka the mayor, sitting on a park bench. Sasha knows that unless she helps find the killer, Christmas could be ruined for not just her family, but the whole town.
This holiday book, much like the others in this series, is filled with remarkable characters, crazy motives, and suspects that well… wouldn’t typically be considered suspects by most people. Having the victim dressed up as a giant teddy bear gives the story a twist that feels sweet and yet disturbing at the same time. Finding out that the mayor wasn’t the nice guy everyone thought he was, makes the perfect victim. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who the killer is, but there are plenty of trails to follow that will keep readers second-guessing their conclusions.
Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder is a fast read, a fun holiday book that inspires readers to start looking forward to the holiday season to come and to look at teddy bears in a whole new way. The description of the Harry Potter-inspired wizard teddy bear will send fans scrambling to find a bear just like it for their own. I think readers will get a kick out of reading this cozy and am happy to add it to my holiday collection.
HAVE YOURSELF A BEARY LITTLE MURDER by Meg Macy
The Third Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery
It’s Christmas time in Silver Hollow and everyone is gearing up for the holidays. Sasha Silverman is working to keep the Silver Bear Shop and Factory running smoothly as they produce a multitude of Beary Potter Bears, get ready for their open house, as well as Aunt Eve’s wedding, and participate in the Festival of Lights Parade. Sasha’s mom has taken charge of that event and goes out searching for the mayor, who is late for his role as Santa Bear. She soon finds him…dead. Was it an accident or murder? Who’d want to kill Santa Bear?
A mayor who isn’t as nice as most people think is the victim in the third Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery. In fact, Sasha winds up finding not so pleasant details about several people her parents consider friends, along with lots of motives for murder. There’s also a new detective on the case, one who has a serious conflict of interest. While generally unlikable, I loved his interaction with Onyx. There were actually lots of unlikable characters here, including Maddie, who, though finally following her dream, is being a bit of a pill.
Despite these unpleasant characters plenty of holiday spirit was infused into this book and I loved the wonderful descriptions of the town and details of the Christmas events. I dare say even Scrooge would find it hard to not like teddy bears and cookies. What I didn’t care for was Sasha going on and on about children and how important they are and how she looks forward to having them, et cetera, et cetera. While other readers might find it fine, I found it to be tedious and certainly unnecessary to the plot. I also don’t like the fact that Sasha appears to be growing so dependent on Jay and his assumption that he would protect her from all harm if only he was there. Sasha has a good head on her shoulders and shouldn’t think she needs a man.
I did enjoy the mystery, which had me guessing who the killer really was. So many good motives. I was a little disappointed in how the killer was portrayed at the very end. With such good motives, there was no need to go the extra step for that easy way out. Still, it was a fun and enjoyable story that made me want to curl up in my fuzzy pjs and eat cookies. Lots and lots of cookies!
HAVE YOURSELF A BEARY LITTLE MURDER is a light-hearted read to get you into the holiday spirit.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy is book three in the Teddy Bear Mystery series.
I read the first book in the series but not the second but was able to get current quickly.
It’s Christmas in Silver Hollow and time for the Christmas parade. The mayor is to be Santa Bear but when he doesn’t show up on time, Sasha, her mother, and her ex go looking for him. They find him on a bench, dead from an apparent heart attack or was it….
This story has many suspects, maybe too many, and you are guessing until the end. You also have family, humor, romance, and loveable pets.
My favorite parts of the story took place during the Christmas cookie contests, the open house at the store, and the wedding.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
A well written, festive cozy mystery! The plot was well developed but the pacing was very slow. I became bored very easily and had a hard time trying to motivate myself to read it. I liked the main character, Sasha and her family. However, the secondary cast of characters was very large and I had a difficult time keeping track of everyone. I did really like the ending and the culprit was not completely obvious. Overall, this book was just not for me. It had a lot of potential, but the pacing was just too slow for my liking. Thank you to NetGalley and the Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Christmas is coming and Sasha Silverman has a busy schedule to deal with. The Silver Bear Shop and Factory that she runs with her family has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake contest and with that accolade comes another project. They are creating a Christmas bear named Beary Potter and it’s all hands on deck to get them made for the holiday. If that wasn’t enough, the village puts on a holiday parade and tree lighting party – complete with Santa Bear. The festivities begin but there is one big problem – Santa Bear has vanished and the Santa Bear suit is being worn by the mayor. Find the Santa Bear – find the mayor – and then they find his corpse. Somebody has turned killer for the holidays.
With the help of her family and friends Sasha sets out to find out who would want the mayor dead He obviously was not loved by everyone who knew him. There are a lot of people to keep straight but I didn’t find it off putting. I was happy to be spending time with the ‘family’ that makes up the Silver Bear Shop and Factory. Plus I have a weakness for teddy bears, all sizes and shapes. The mystery was well crafted with twists and turns and a few red herrings and I did guess wrong about the killer. After enjoying this entry I’m looking forward to book #4.