It’s funny, it’s family, it’s a Zak and Zoe Christmas Mystery.A reindeer invasion, baby on the way, small town decked out for the holidays, and killer on the loose, all come together in this fun and heartwarming Christmas Cozy Mystery.
Reindeer Roundup (A Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery Book 27)
By kathidaley
In this next book of the series Zac is off to Paris to see about his mother who was in a hit and run accident, leaving Zoe in her last month of pregnancy trying to get things ready for the up coming holiday and assuage her guilt. During a shopping outing with Ellie, Zoe has a fall and realizes she needs to slow down and prioritize. She ends up spending the night in the hospital, while there an old friend tries to get a hold of her but she blows it off doubting the importance of the calls but later finds out said friend was murdered. Zoe’s guilt factor rises because she feels she should have helped her friend and she is determined now to find out who the killer is. When the reindeer they are keeping for an event escape it’s just one more thing that Zoe has to deal with along with the smattering of contractions that she has been having for several days. Follow along as Zoe plays sidekick to Salinger while hunting down a murderer. Will they be able to roundup all the reindeer before Zac gets home, are Zoe’s contractions the real deal, and is Zoe safe just investigating from the sidelines? Dive in and find out, it was a truly great read.
A very enjoyable fun read.
I loved this book as I do the whole series. Zoe feels bad when she doesn’t return a phone call and the person ends up dead. Zoe trying not to get involved too much since she is 9 months pregnant and she wants to protect her baby, but knowing Zoe she has to try and help in some small way, so Sheriff Salinger keeps close to make sure she keeps her promise.
It was fun to see her and Salinger working so close, and I did love the fact that she did not put herself in dangerous situations. I love the characters in this series, people that I would hang around with. I love Zak and Zoe’s relationship, he totally accepts her the way she is and wouldn’t change her, so refreshing from some books where the sleuth is constantly told to stay out of it. The mystery was excellent, I went in a total different direction and figured it wrong. I will continue on with this series, somehow Ms. Daley always keeps it fresh.
There’s nothing better than a Christmas cozy mystery by this author! Zak is off to Paris to help his mother, and Zoe is in the midst of an investigation again. Throw in the reindeer and a baby, Christmas cheer all over, and you have one great book to get lost in. I really enjoyed this story, and I highly recommend it.
It’s a few weeks before Christmas and Zoe is dealing with her final month of pregnancy, while Zak is away in Paris tending to his mother after a recent car accident. Zoe had her own issues, including some missing reindeer that had been brought in by Zak for the town’s holiday festivities and were mysteriously released from their pen. And then there was the message from an old school friend, asking Zoe to help with some strange emails. But with one thing and another, Zoe never got to call her back, and therefore is guilt ridden when she learns the girl was found dead. Zoe knows she shouldn’t get involved but she can’t help herself…with the whole town trying to keep her safe, can she help the sheriff solve this case without getting into trouble again. This is a enjoyable series, better read from the beginning to appreciate the growth of the characters, as well as the relationships between the friends, family and foster children. It will fun seeing where Zoe’s adventures take her as she continues to develop a new role within her growing family. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book.
Kathi Daley wrote yet another fabulous episode in the Zoe Donovan cozy mystery series, filled with elements of a cozy mystery including suspense, romance, humor, love, friends and family, and a sense of community. The setting is perfect for a Christmas mystery: it is snowing outside, there are festive lights and decorations around town, Christmas music is often playing, carolers dressed in Victorian costumes, a Christmas parade, and real reindeer.
In this story, Zoe, the owner and operator of a wild and domestic animal control and rehabilitation shelter, receives urgent text messages and voice messages from a former friend from high school, Stella Green. Meanwhile, Zoe is preparing for Christmas, to have baby Catherine, and for this year’s Ashton Falls Hometown Christmas festivities, so she forgets to contact Stella. Then she hears that Stella was found dead in her apartment from blunt force trauma to her head. Zoe then works with the local sheriff, Sheriff Salinger, to uncover the murderer.
This book is filled with sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas, combined with heart-warming side stories within the mystery. Along with the suspense, there were moments that made me laugh, and moments that made me teary-eyed. As always, Ms. Daley’s writing flows smoothly, and her setting and relatable characters make for an extremely enjoyable read.
What a special Christmas for Zoe and family and friends! I can not believe this is book number 27 in this series – Reindeer Roundup (a Zoe Donovan Mystery). One of the things I love the most about Kathi Daleys books is how she gets everything rolling in the first few pages. We are reminded Zoe is almost ready to deliver her daughter, she is rushed off to the hospital because of an injury, the reindeer get loose, Zak is out of town helping his mother and of there is a murder. A girl Zoe went to high school sends her text messages that she hasn’t had time to answer. When the girl is murdered, Zoe is insists to find the murderer, even as busy and pregnant as she is. And is there a baby yet? Read to know!
“Reindeer Round-up” earns 5+/5 Reindeer Rescues and Christmas Cheer!
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a delightful cozy mystery from Kathi Daley! And Reindeer Roundup, the fifth book in her Zoe Donovan series set at Christmas, gives us a clever mystery to challenge our minds and a delightful family to capture our hearts. Opening up…I knew shopping could be dangerous, but Santa and his elves? Zoe has so much on her mind from her soon-to-arrrive little girl to her mother-in-law injured in Paris to Zak out of the country helping said mother-in-law, and preparing for the Christmas holidays that she doesn’t see the elf…crash, boom, and bang on the head. Everything is all right, baby and all, but she was very curious to find several messages left on her phone by a former high school classmate wanting her to call immediately. Something about strange emails, and the voice messages seemed very ominous. Ominous is right…deadly right! If only Zoe had been able to reach out sooner, she might still be alive. Now it’s personal.
Fans, like me, greatly enjoy the realistic, yet very entertaining, style of Kathi Daley’s stories set up with marvelous ‘Oh, my’ beginnings, “I didn’t see that coming!” endings, and in between, a reasonable and methodical investigation with the clues slowly revealing connections, various motives and opportunities, and along the way we readers have fun trying to figure it out. Dating sites? Alarming emails? Curious behaviors? Murder! All excellent and intriguing subjects. However, Kathi’s well-written stories are more character driven than action-packed, although someone always winds up in peril. Zoe is defined by her family, and the connections are key to her existence. We are allowed into her family as she raises teenagers and opens her heart to friends and family. Although she may not be the law, she knows its importance and works alongside, not circumvent, the sheriff to uncover the truth. There’s always a little danger involved, but it’s the people who make this series popular. Whether there is snow falling, tree trimming, gift wrapping, or baking the family favorite desserts, Kathi Daley’s Reindeer Round-Up is just what the holidays needed!
Kathi Daley likes to provide an all-around experience for her fans, and therefore, you’re not finished when the story ends. She has included several recipes submitted by her loyal fans. Do you have your own ‘cookie exchange’ party to attend like Zoe and Ellie? Try these easy-to-follow delicious treats, but make sure to bake extra for family and the friends that will undoubtedly make their holiday appearance: Candied Cherry Slices, Cherry Coffee Cake, Marie’s Minty Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Magic Cookie Bars.
Zak’s in Paris, the reindeer escape, a murder occurs, and Zoe’s having contractions.
Reindeer Roundup is the 27th installment in Kathi Daley’s awesome Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery series. I was so engrossed in the story that I found it difficult to put the book down. The story is well plotted, the characters well developed and affable, and the story flows at a steady pace. Once again, Ms. Daley has provided readers with an intriguing murder mystery, with twists and turns and enough potential suspects to keep the reader engages. Ms. Daley perfectly blends the mystery with just the right touch of romance, family, friends, and community. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading a well-crafted cozy mystery.
With Christmas just around the corner, Zak rushes to Paris to be with his mother who was hit by a car and has serious injuries. Before he leaves, he makes sure everything will be taken care of in his absence and that everyone will be keeping their eyes on Zoe to make sure she stays out of trouble and gets all the rest she and their unborn child, Catherine, need. While Zoe is shopping with Ellie and Eli, she has an accident and ends up spending the night at the hospital and the eight reindeer Zak rented for the Hometown Christmas event escape. Zoe learns that Stella Green, who she had gone to high school with, was found dead in her apartment and feels guilty because Stella had tried to contact her, but she hadn’t had a chance to respond to her texts or voice messages. Sheriff Salinger knows Zoe won’t be able to resist the urge to investigate and in an effort to fulfill his promise to Zak to keep her safe, he agrees to let Alex try to trace threatening emails Stella had received and to take Zoe along with him while he conducts interviews.