The Snow Lies Deep - (A Mercy Carr Mystery) by Paula Munier (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The latest thrilling installment in the bestselling Mercy Carr mystery series Mercy and Troy are looking forward to baby Felicity's first holiday season, and they're determined to make it a Christmas to remember. At Northshire's annual Solstice Soirâee, hosted by Northshire's finest and funded by Mercy's billionaire pal Feinberg, Amy's little girl Helena is sitting on Santa Claus's lap. She's telling him she'd like a Bitty Baby doll just like little Felicity when the bearded man leaps up, thrusts the toddler at her mother Amy, and staggers away from the festivities. He disappears into the woods. By the time Elvis and Mercy find him, Santa Claus aka the town mayor, is lying on his back, dead. A yule log made of oak sits on his chest, burning bright, a beacon of light on the darkest day of the year. This strange murder is the first of a series of similar Solstice-themed killings targeting the town's most prominent citizens. Beloved family friend Lillian Jenkins, the grande dame of Northshire, could be next. Mercy and Troy and the dogs must team up with Thrasher and Harrington to capture The Yuletide Killer before he strikes again, this time far closer to home"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

The latest thrilling installment in the bestselling Mercy Carr mystery series

Mercy and Troy are looking forward to baby Felicity's first holiday season, and they're determined to make it a Christmas to remember. At Northshire's annual Solstice Soirée, hosted by Northshire's finest and funded by Mercy's billionaire pal Feinberg, Amy's little girl Helena is sitting on Santa Claus's lap. She's telling him she'd like a Bitty Baby doll just like little Felicity when the bearded man leaps up, thrusts the toddler at her mother Amy, and staggers away from the festivities. He disappears into the woods. By the time Elvis and Mercy find him, Santa Claus aka the town mayor, is lying on his back, dead. A yule log made of oak sits on his chest, burning bright, a beacon of light on the darkest day of the year.

This strange murder is the first of a series of similar Solstice-themed killings targeting the town's most prominent citizens. Beloved family friend Lillian Jenkins, the grande dame of Northshire, could be next. Mercy and Troy and the dogs must team up with Thrasher and Harrington to capture The Yuletide Killer before he strikes again, this time far closer to home.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Snow Lies Deep:

"Christmas minutiae and a truly complex mystery bring thrills and joy to a hometown celebration." -Kirkus Reviews

"Captivating.. Munier begins by hitting familiar small-town mystery beats, then ups the stakes with unexpected twists and hints of international intrigue. The results will keep even longtime fans of the author on their toes." -Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Mercy Carr Mysteries:

"Munier excels at multiple storylines in character-driven mysteries. This follow-up to Home at Night has a complex story that weaves together The Odyssey with murders and an account of returning veterans, such as Mercy and Elvis, who experience PTSD." - Library Journal on The Night Woods (starred review)

"Cerebral clues and high adventure combine in an exciting character-driven brain teaser." - Kirkus Reviews on The Night Woods

"Could not put it down!" - Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author on The Night Woods

"The fifth Mercy Carr mystery (following The Wedding Plot) combines Halloween, a gothic house, two working dogs, and environmental issues in a superb mystery that emphasizes the search for home." ― Library Journal (Mystery Pick of the Month) on Home at Night

"A thrilling combination of physical and mental feats by human and beast." ― Kirkus Reviews on Home at Night

"Munier writes like a modern-day Agatha Christie, and her latest takes her storytelling acumen to a whole new level." ― Jon Land, Book Trib on Home at Night

"Enjoyable... distinctive characters... This is a fine escapist fare for a hot summer day." ― Publishers Weekly on The Wedding Plot

"I love books where the story and the characters grow out of the place that they're set, and that couldn't be more true of The Hiding Place, which delivers a satisfying, twisty plot, an entertaining ensemble of locals and, of course, a pair of intelligent and heroic dogs." ― Ann Cleeves, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Vera and Shetland series

"[The] characters of both Mercy and Elvis are quickly developing into classics." ―Aunt Agatha's Bookstore

"There's so much to praise here: Munier's deep knowledge of the culture of hunting (especially the bow-and-arrow variety); her brisk, incisive characterizations; the way she maintains a taut line of suspense throughout; and, best of all, her portrayals of wounded yet still courageous pairs of humans and dogs. A not-to-be-missed K-9 mystery." ― Booklist on Blind Search

"The portrayal of working dogs will appeal to fans of David Rosenfelt and Margaret Mizushima. The blend of lovingly detailed setting and lively characters, both human and canine, makes this a series to watch." ― Publisher's Weekly on A Borrowing of Bones

About the Author

PAULA MUNIER is a literary agent and the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries. A Borrowing of Bones, the first in the series, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and named the Dogwise Book of the Year. Blind Search was inspired by the real-life rescue of a little boy with autism. The Hiding Place debuted in March 2021. Paula credits the hero dogs of Mission K9 Rescue, her own rescue dogs, and a love of New England, where she lives, as her series' major influences