Jeanne Reviews: Murder at the Mistletoe Ball by J.D. Griffo

Alberta Ferrara has a lot to be grateful for in her life:  a generous bequest that has allowed her a lovely home and independence; an adoring, accomplished, and high-spirited granddaughter; a sister and a sister in law who have aided, counseled, and taste-tested flavored vodkas with her; and a beau with whom she is finding love. The one huge disappointment is her life is that she and her daughter Lisa Marie have been estranged for years. Mother and daughter never got along and, despite some overtures from Alberta, Lisa Marie has never seemed at all interested in any sort of reconciliation.

Now, however, Alberta has received a message from her daughter.  Lisa Marie needs her help. Her son Sergio has disappeared, apparently enthralled with some woman named Natalie, and Lisa Marie is desperate.  Can the Ferrara Family Detective Agency track down the errant son?

They’re certainly going to give it their best shot, though they may make a little detour to the Mistletoe Ball, a major fundraiser for a local hospital and possibly the social event of the season.  Unfortunately, one attendee isn’t exactly welcomed with open arms:  it’s Natalie, and she’s very dead.

This is the sixth in the series and I did find it entertaining.  The negatives I’ve found throughout (too much exposition, for example, and stereotyping) are still here, but I enjoy the dialog between the characters enough to keep reading. The plots can also be more than a bit over the top.  A similar series is Maria DiRico’s Catering Hall, which has faster pacing but just as much humor.  I also admit that I appreciate the fact that Griffo employs senior sleuths as his main characters. While this might not be everyone’s flavor of vodka, the series makes me laugh enough that I’ll be picking up the next in the series.

While the books don’t have to be read in order, there is some notable character development among the supporting cast. There’s also been the long simmering situation with Lisa Marie, but don’t let that stop you from picking up any of the books.  Previous books in the series are:

Murder on Memory Lake

Murder in Tranquility Park

Murder at Icicle Lodge

Murder at Veronica’s Diner

Murder at St. Winifred’s Academy (March 2022 Review)