Yuletide Homicide
by Jennifer David Hesse
A Wiccan Wheel Mystery #3
It’s Christmas in Edindale, Illinois, and family law attorney Keli Milanni is preparing to celebrate the Wiccan holiday Yuletide, a celebration of rebirth. But this Yuletide someone else is focused on dying . . .
After years of practicing in secret, Keli has come out as a Wiccan to her boyfriend, and she feels like this Yuletide she’s the one who’s being reborn. But the Solstice is the longest night of the year, and Keli is about to stumble on a mystery so dangerous, she’ll be lucky to make it to morning.
Paired with her unbearably stuffy colleague Crenshaw Davenport III, Keli goes undercover at a real estate company owned by mayoral candidate Edgar Harrison. An old friend of Keli’s boss, Harrison, is being blackmailed, and it’s up to her to find the culprit. But the morning after the company holiday party, Harrison is found dead underneath the hotel Christmas tree. The police rule the death an accident, but Keli knows better—and she’ll risk her own rebirth to nab a missing killer.
Review
—by Julie S.
Yuletide Homicide has everything a mystery should have: blackmail, corporate investigations, political rivalry and murder. Keli Milanni takes us with her as she insinuates herself into a murder investigation of a client of her law firm. Along the way we are introduced to her beliefs and life in the Wiccan religion.
The mystery is well written and easy to read. I felt that the first few chapters at times dragged with details and I wanted the murder a little earlier. Having said that, the author took the time to introduce us to the characters and gave us details into their lives. Since this is the third book in the series, those first chapters helped to set the tone and the place of the friends and enemies in Keli’s life that we might not have understood had a reader not read the first books.
I liked the Wiccan details. Explaining the part her religion takes in the characters life was done unobtrusively, so if a reader wasn’t into Wiccan, they won’t be put off reading the mystery. Keli celebrates Winter Solstice in this mystery. The Yule Festival starts on the longest night of the year and continues for twelve days. The author uses these details in interesting ways to solve the mystery and educate us as well.
A solid mystery, strong characters and the beauty of the winter solstice details make this an interesting read.
For a fun visit with Jennifer, click here: https://theeditingpen.com/midsummer/
About the Author
Jennifer David Hesse is an environmental attorney by day and author by night. Midsummer Night’s Mischief is her debut book in the new Wiccan Wheel series. Born and raised in Central Illinois, Jennifer now makes her home in Chicago with her husband, guitarist Scott Hesse, and their daughter, Sage. When she’s not writing, Jennifer enjoys yoga, hiking, and movie night with her family. Please visit her at www.JenniferDavidHesse.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorJenniferDavidHesse.