WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES (November, Beyond the Page) by Daryl Wood Gerber is a cute, holiday-themed mystery which takes place in Crystal Cove, California. Jenna Hart is busy getting the Cookbook Nook ready for the festivities when her older sister and niece arrive. There's all kinds of family tension (sibling, parent-child, and marriage) in the background as Jenna seeks to investigate a bizarre death. Her friend, multi-millionaire Jake, finds his guest impaled on a star and wrapped in Christmas lights. Gerber is a prolific author and Agatha award winner; here, suspects in addition to Jake (or is he perhaps the intended victim?) include Jenna's brother-in law, a grumpy neighbor and an envious stamp collector. Light and diverting for the holidays.

Jenna Hart and company are back in the newest installment of the Cookbook Nook mysteries. When Jake Chapman's friend is killed, Jenna feels compelled to step in a help Cinnamon solve the case. Jenna's father is away on a trip and he asks her to help out in his stead.

I enjoyed this story very much and it was great to visit Crystal Cove to see old friends. Can't wait to see where this author takes us next.

I did not know when going into this book that it wasn't a first in the series, however after going into it, there were some references of things that have happened in past book, but it didn't make me feel as if I was missing something it felt more like the Author was giving back story then anything else, and because of this I felt as if it definitely could re read as a stand alone. I have never read this author before but I can now add then to my list of cozy Mystery authors that I will continue to read. the writing and the flow of the story was well paced and even thought I kind of figured out the who done it I was a little surprised as to the reason.

WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES by Daryl Wood Gerber
The Seventh Cookbook Nook Mystery

Jenna Hart is happily preparing for Christmas, decorating the Cookbook Nook and enjoying the festive air as all of Crystal Cove gets ready for the holiday season. Jenna's sister and family arrive unexpectedly for the local a cappella event. But all is not jolly as Whitney fears her husband is cheating on her, Spencer is acting suspicious, and Lacy is acting like a fairly typical teenager. The murder of the friend Jenna's neighbor stuns everyone. Did the killer get his intended victim, or was Jake the real target? It couldn't be because of Jake's elaborately decorated house, could it? Jenna will have to sort out her sister's marital woes, support her niece, and investigate the latest murder so that everyone can have a merry Christmas!

I love the festive holiday season and WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES is helping me get in the holiday spirit. The delightful Christmas decorations and all of the delectably described food make me want to start decorating and eating already...even though it's not quite Thanksgiving.

There's more to the book than holiday happenings, however. There's an intricately plotted murder mystery and a variety of familial relationships to sort out.

WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES is a wonderful mystery to read at any time of the year, but when read now gives a wonderful start to the holiday season.

Wreath Between the Lines: A Cookbook Nook Mystery
By Daryl Wood Gerber
Beyond the Page
November 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

As California’s Crystal Cove prepares for their annual Christmas Festival, not everyone is embracing the holiday spirit. Grinch Emmett Atwater refuses to decorate his home, filing numerous complaints again his neighbor Jake Chapman; who amps up his own decorative efforts in retaliation. Unfortunately, those decorations are put to nefarious use when Jake’s friend Geoffrey is found just outside of Jake’s house, stabbed by a tree topper and wrapped in Christmas lights. Even if Cookbook Nook culinary store owner wanted to stay uninvolved in the murder, that proves impossible when the last person to have been seen with Geoffrey was her brother-in-law Spencer Westerson.

Jenna’s sister and niece and come to town for a surprise visit so that teenager Lacy could compete in an a capella Christmas event, but Jenna soon learned that her sister also brought with her fears about her marriage. When this is added to her own experience with divorce, Jenna certainly isn’t growing any more confident in her future with her boyfriend Rhett. She’s about as much in denial as her coworker and best friend Bailey, who is adamant in declaring that she is definitely not pregnant. With a lot of encouragement from her niece Lacy to investigate - and as many warnings to not by Police Chief Cinnamon Pritchett – Jenna begins to look into the history of both Geoffrey and the man he resembled, Jake Chapman. Criminal pasts, lost loves, and a missing stamp all become intertwined as Jenna dodges dangerous cookie swaps and tracks down a deadly Santa.
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Although Jenna spends most of the time away from her culinary boutique, she makes up for it by preparing and enjoying a surplus of holiday treats (recipes included!). Jenna’s rock-music a capella singing niece proves to be a delight, and she demonstrates that Jenna may have unexpected maternal skills. Jenna is something of a relentless interrogator, forthright in her questions but not unsympathetic when receiving the answers. The close-knit town comes alive with vivid descriptions that make the characters familiar and warm, perfect for the end of the year holiday season. Grab some hot chocolate, sing a few Christmas carols, and celebrate with this thoroughly fun and sentimental mystery.

Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber takes us to Crystal Cove, California just two weeks before Christmas. Jenna Hart owns the Cookbook Nook, and her shop is filled with customers looking for gifts for the cook, baker, and reader in their life. The Crystal Cove Christmas Festival is taking place and since wreaths are the theme, every shop features a unique wreath. Jenna is surprised to see her sister, Whitney and her family. Jenna’s niece, Lacey and her group are participating in a cappella competition. In addition, Whitney is worried that her husband is cheating on her while Lacey wishes to avoid her critical mother. Late one evening, Jake Chapman knocks on the door needing assistance. Jake found his friend, Geoffrey strangled with Christmas lights and impaled with a tree topper. Jenna is worried it was a case of mistaken identity and the killer might try again. Jenna dons her sleuthing cap once again, makes a list of the suspects and sets out to wrap up the murder before Santa rides into town. Could it be the neighbor angry over Jake’s Christmas decorations or a philatelist after Jake’s rare and valuable Blue Mauritius? Someone has been naughty, and Jenna has no intention of letting them have a merry holiday.

Wreath Between the Lines is a joyful cozy mystery. I like the warm, friendly characters that have grown over the course of the series. Bailey, Katie, Rhett, Jake and Tigger return and are ready to celebrate Christmas. I am hoping that Whitney has seen the error of her ways and we see a change in her in future installments. Crystal Cove is a quaint town with lovely shops and activities year round. I like a cappella competition taking place in town with Lacey’s unusual group. The mystery was multi-faceted with multiple suspects, red herrings, and good clues. While pinpointing the grinch is a cinch, I wanted to keep reading Wreath Between the Lines to see how the various storylines would play out. While Wreath Between the Lines is the seventh book in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series, it can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know about Jenna is included for new readers. I could have done without the frequent references to Jenna’s former job working at Taylor & Squibb (you know I am not a fan of repetition). I truly loved the Christmas spirit woven throughout the story. There is a delightful description of the wreath on the front door of the Cookbook Nook along with the Dickensian carolers who are strolling around the village. The narratives of the delectable cuisine will have your mouth watering. Wreath Between the Lines has a heartwarming ending. Wreath Between the Lines combines charming characters, a cozy town, Christmas festivities, romance and murder into one jolly cozy mystery.

This is a fun Christmas themed cozy mystery with likable and quirky characters in the small coastal town of Crystal Cove, California. Jenna Hart, her aunt, Vera, and the crew of the Cookbook Nook are gearing up for Christmas with lots of fun activities and even a cookie exchange. Things turn bad when a friend of her neighbor, Jake, is found dead at Jake's home. His body is found wrapped in Christmas lights and stabbed in the back by a star used on a Christmas tree. The first person blamed is Jake but he was at the store and video backs him up. A grumpy neighbor reported hearing Jenna's brother in law arguing with the dead guy. But he also had an alibi. Jake and Jenna's dad are close friends but he is out of the country so Jenna decides she needs to do some investigating in her dad's place. Maybe the killer was really after Jake and not his friend. She finds that there are several people who might want to get to Jake. A local businesswoman wants a rare stamp Jake has that is worth tons of money. A businessman from San Francisco wants Jake's house but it is not for sale. Jake's estranged sister is in town. Maybe she wants his estate. Amid the investigation, Jenna has her sister and her family in town for a music competition, her boyfriend Rhett returns to town and news abound with Jenna and her good friend Bailey. But also, danger is there as someone tries to complete their task of getting to Jake. The shop and connected cafe have fun events with yummy sounding foods and the cafe serves great food. The book includes some recipes in the back that would be interesting to try. I found the ending not totally surprising but it does have a strange twist that I did not see at all.
I received a complimentary ARC from Beyond the Page Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts stated are mine only.

4.5 Stars - Top Pick

Christmas is two weeks away and everyone in Crystal Cove, California is looking forward to the upcoming Christmas festival. Jenna Hart is getting ready for the mass of shoppers who will be coming to the Cookbook Nook, the culinary bookstore she owns with her aunt. Jenna’s family has a long-time friendship with the elderly millionaire Jake Chapman. When someone close to Jake is murdered, Jenna launches her own investigation to make sure Jake isn’t accused of the crime and more importantly to keep him from becoming the next victim!

This is the seventh book in this series, but it has enough background information for new readers to enjoy it and enough fresh developments to keep it interesting for longtime fans. I always enjoy the references to a variety of cookbooks and as expected, this book includes plenty of shout-outs to actual cookbooks and holiday-themed mysteries as Jenna sets up displays and assists customers in the Cookbook Nook. Jenna is a charming heroine whose business sense and loyalty to her friends and family is admirable. She is cautious in her love life, but I like the way her relationship with her boyfriend Rhett has slowly developed. I also really enjoyed getting to know Jenna’s niece, Lacy. Lacy is smart and independent. She seems flippant at first, but is genuinely sympathetic to others and is able to help with some parts of the investigation. I like seeing Lacy’s relationship with her aunt grow as she helps Jenna and Jenna helps her prepare for the teenager’s upcoming singing competition.

There are a lot of Christmas cozies out this time of year, but Wreath Between the Lines has the perfect mix of holiday festivities and sleuthing. The story gets the reader excited for the upcoming holidays without sacrificing the pacing of the main plot. There are many credible suspects for the murder, and Jenna doesn’t hesitate to question them all, even getting the grudging cooperation of the police chief Cinnamon Pritchett. Cinnamon has been hard to take in some of the earlier books, but she has mellowed over time which makes her easier to like. With the clues the author gives, readers may be able to guess the murderer, but will be surprised by the complex motive. The book has a sweet, uplifting ending, perfect for a Christmas-themed cozy mystery.

~ Christine

Wreath Between the Lines is a good cozy mystery. I loved the plot and all the quirky characters. I recommend to mystery fans. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Daryl Wood Gerber has produced another gem in the latest of her A Cookbook Nook Mystery series. "Wreath Between the Lines' has everything expected with a touch of the Christmas spirit. The mystery is engaging, the characters delightful, and always with a touch of humor and romance. I just love Crystal Cove and highly recommend the entire series to all!

WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES is the seventh book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber but can be read by itself and enjoyed.
Ah, the holidays, with all the activity and wondrous plans and family gatherings.
Will everything fall into place as you dream?
Besides the members of the Cookbook Nook , who are one sort of family, and changes happening in their lives, owner Jenna Hart’s biological family shows up to take part in the festivities. There are secrets creating tension below the happy surface which either have to be pushed down deeper or brought to light when there is a murder in town. Jenna and her niece set out to unravel clues.

Wonderful characters populate this charming town and the creative shops.
Romance still seems to be trying to a happily ever after for several couples.
Family plays a strong role in this holiday themed cozy.

Cookbook Nook owner Jenna Hart is preparing for the holidays, her favorite time of the year. She's decorating the shop and getting ready for the town's festivities. When her sister, Whitney, her niece, Lacy, and her brother-in-law, Spencer, show up to housesit for their father, things turn anxious. Whitney is worried that Spencer is fooling around. Then Jenna's friend Jake shows up on her doorstep to say he's found his friend, Geoffrey, bound in lights with a tree star stuck in his chest, dead in Jake's backyard.

Jenna is worried that Jake was the intended victim, so she decides, despite the disapproval of local law enforcement officer Cinnamon, to investigate. And when Jake himself is poisoned and nearly dies, Jenna knows she’ll have to do whatever it takes to corner the culprit before it's Jake's last Christmas.

This book is like opening a present. You unwrap the bow and inside you find something that is going to delight you. I've always liked Jenna. She is very relatable, and the addition of her family in this story adds to that normalcy. Lacy is a great character, and I loved getting to know her.

The mystery aspect of the story is tight, and I was rather surprised by the culprit. I had thought this person might be guilty, but had dismissed them early on. It's always fun when an author can outsmart me. Watching the tale unfold provided great hours of entertainment.

Wreath Between the Lines is another winner from Daryl Wood Gerber in the Cookbook Nook series. I look forward to seeing what happens next in Jenna's life.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

I was a little hesitant to read this since it's the 7th in a series even though it can be read as a standalone. But that cute cat in a Santa hat won me over! And I love the title of the book. Of course I would miss out on the depth of these character's stories and relationships but it didn't really bother me, it just made me want to pick up the others in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. The writing was good, easy to read, never a dull moment. I liked the characters. The mystery itself was great. Crystal Cove sounds cozy with its charming, quaint decorated shops with their clever names. I'm glad I stumbled across this one and will definitely check out the other six!

I was so excited to read this book, I love Crystal Cove and was excited to visit during the holidays, of course murder doesn't take a holiday and Jenna must discover who the murder before the holidays are ruined. The mystery was very intriguing and it took me awhile to figure out who the murderer was. I loved all the character storylines and it got me ready foe the holidays. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great book and wants a great holiday read

Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber is the 7th book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series, and it was great. It has so many twists and turns. The author did an excellent job, I was hooked from the start. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery to read this holiday season. It’s the 7th in the series but it’s the first book I have read and I didn’t have any trouble following along. It’s got mystery, romance, humor and enjoyable characters. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a story to put you in the holiday mood.

Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber is book 7 in the Cookbook Nook mystery series. Even though it is the 7th in the series, there is just enough back ground to get you up to date. I love this series.
Set in the Christmas season, the story has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. The characters are likeable and of course it has that one quirky relative. There is romance, mystery, a touch of humor and family drama. It is an easy read that you won't want to put down and keeps you guessing until the end. After reading it, you will be in the holiday spirit and ready to bake cookies. I want to visit Crystal Cove and check out the shops. There are also recipes to try.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an honest review.

What a wonderful cozy mystery! It was the first one I read in this series and I surely will read the others.
It can be read as a standalone as there are no problems in understanding the characters and their relationship.
The plot was both enjoyable and entertaining, the cast of characters is likeable and the setting is perfect.
I loved the Christmas atmosphere and everything in this book.
A great discovery, I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC

Another delightful visit to Crystal Cove. Many familiar characters along with some new ones. This certainly can be read as a stand alone, but if you start here you will be eager to read all the previous ones. Fun store names. Holiday activities. Murder with several suspects. Some surprises.

Delightful cozy mystery! This book is part of a series that revolves around a cookbook store owned by a feisty and intelligent young woman. Who just happens to get involved in murder every now and again. And manages to solve them before the police do. This story was a great mystery and actually kept me guessing but also left me wanting to read the rest in this series. And it made me wish there really was a Cookbook Nook nearby! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy for review.