Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines

Item: Blue Christmas Bones
Rating: 5
Author: BaronessMom

Posted September 9, 2024 by BaronessMom in Mystery, Paranormal, Review, Series / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Blue Christmas Bones

by Carolyn Haines

Series: Sarah Booth Delaney #28
Series Rating:

Published by Minotaur Books on October 15, 2024
Setting: Tubelo, Mississippi
Genres: Private Investigator Paranormal Southern Holiday Mystery
Pages: 352
Format: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Kindle
Source: the Publisher
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Sticks and Bones, Charmed Bones, Clacking Bones, A Gift of Bones , Game of Bones, The Devil's Bones, Enchanted Bones, A Garland of Bones, Independent Bones, Lady of Bones, Bones of Holly, Tell-Tale Bones, Lights, Camera, Bones

Blue Christmas Bones is the next Christmas mystery in the series that Kirkus Reviews characterizes as “Stephanie Plum meets the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” featuring sassy Southern private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney.

Sarah Booth Delaney and her friends can’t help falling in love with Christmas this year, which they plan to spend celebrating the King of Rock n’ Roll at the annual Elvis Festival in Tupelo. The main attraction is an Elvis impersonator competition, drawing impersonators from all over the world to honor the king.

But before the revelry can get underway, a priceless jewel-encrusted replica of a belt once worn by Elvis is stolen from its display case, and Sarah Booth and Tinkie are roped into one of the biggest heists in the history of Mississippi. Soon suspicious minds are lurking around every corner, with one eyewitness even claiming to have seen Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s long deceased and highly questionable manager, prowling around the festivities. Sarah Booth will have to find the devil in disguise or she might just end up singing Jailhouse Rock herself.

Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines is amazing! I love the whole Elvis Christmas Festival.

Will Sarah Booth and Tinkie find the missing Elvis belt before Christmas?

Sarah Booth, Tinkie, and the gang head to Tupelo, Mississippi, for an Elvis Christmas Festival. They have been planning this vacation for months. Cece and Millie are with them, and they plan to enjoy the festivities and compete in some of the many contests. Yet, someone stole a one-of-a-kind belt made with real jewels and lots of gold, worth around three million dollars. Once the owner, reality star Grace Land (yep, you read that correctly), finds Sarah Booth and Tinkie in town, she hires them on the spot.

The Mystery

Everyone has an Elvis thing going. Since this is the birthplace of Elvis, they are capitalizing on that fame. So, we have multiple impersonators running around, and Colonel Parker and Priscilla look alike, too. There is also another reality star who lives in town. But the funny thing is none of them can tell the truth. Oh, and don’t get me started on the lazy Police Chief. Our private eyes constantly get different stories from everyone, sometimes two or more times. However, there is no sign of the Elvis belt.

It is entertaining to watch them trying to find leads in a town where no one wants to truly help them. Sarah Booth and Tinkie must rely on each other and the gang to help follow the clues. I enjoyed catching up with the gang, seeing Sarah Booth and Coleman, Cece and Jaytee, Tinkie and Oscar, and Harold with Janet (who even made an appearance). I wish that Millie would find someone she could love. Maylin and nanny Pauline are also in Tupelo.

In the end, our investigators found the culprit. Enjoyed the festivities and won some Elvis trophies for their hard work.

Elvis Festival in Tupelo, Mississippi

Tupelo, Mississippi, really has an Elvis festival each year. The 27th Annual Tupelo Elvis Festival will be held on June 4-8, 2025!

Although our story is set at Christmastime, Ms. Haines sets up a festive time from drinks, a Fat Elvis, to doughnuts, supposedly using Elvis’ mom’s recipe. Then, the contests from trivia, amateur impersonators, singing on the street corners, dance contests, and so much more. I wouldn’t mind attending the festival. My mom was a huge Elvis fan. Thank you, Ms. Haines, for introducing us to the world of Elvis again.

Jitty’s Visits

Just because Sarah Booth is out of town doesn’t mean Jitty isn’t there for her. These are Jitty’s incarnations for this installment.

Five Stars

My rating for Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines is five stars. I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series. I love the way Ms. Haines incorporates real life events into her mysteries. When one of her mysteries comes out, it is always the highlight of my week.

Other Books in the Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines.

Until the next time,

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About Carolyn Haines

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. She was the recipient of the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing and the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the “Best Amateur Sleuth” award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.

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