Business has been really slow in Moosetookalook, Main. It is three weeks before Christmas and there has been no snow. So, the snowmobilers, skiers and other winter revelers have not been coming around. When Liss hears that the cute little stuffed teddy bear dressed in cute little outfits like Chefs and Scottish people and learns that the rest of the country is out of them and that three stores (including her Scottish Emporium) have plenty of them she has an idea.
The Moosetookalook Small Business Association agrees and they plan a “12 Days of Christmas” festival. They will start with the “Partridge in a Pear Tree”, setting up a display in the town square of a stuffed partridge in the pear tree and then will progress through each item in the old song working up to Christmas Eve. Every evening they will have an entertainment program featuring that day’s song item. It will be festive and fun and it will bring people to town to help out the local businesses. The plan works pretty well for a while, until a couple of worrisome things happen.
First, the window is shot out of the local toy store destroying one of the cute little stuffed bears that was on display. Then the next night the owner of the toy store is found shot to death lying in a pool of his own blood in the middle of his store. Liss is sure that the murder has something to do with the cute little bears that everyone wants.
The Police Chief is sure that there is no connection and tells Liss in no uncertain terms to stay out of the police investigation. He reminds her that she was almost murdered herself the last time she insisted on investigating a crime in Moosetookalook. But Liss can’t stay away. She does manage to stay in the background and ask her questions. As she picks up the pieces and begins to put them together she is sure that someone in town is smuggling in the cute little stuffed toys from Canada.
Since she can’t deal with the police directly she tricks her boyfriend who is the State Homicide Investigator in charge of the case to go with her on a snowmobile ride just to test out one she is thinking of buying. They just happen to go out in the woods to the cabin Liss is sure is being used in the smuggling operation. When they arrive they confront the smugglers and are shot at. An exciting snowmobile chase ensues and the bad guys are caught.
“A Wee Christmas Homicide” is an exciting and fast paced tale that is sure to keep readers turning pages. I give it a 6 of 10 on the Weaver meter.
