Claudia Miller, a recent widow (several times over), has just blown into Colorado from Florida and is giving normally quiet and shy librarian Juliet Renfrow (her last name a clever play on a description of Juliet as a little brown wren) a run for her money where her new boyfriend, Jeremy Cunningham is concerned. But Christmas is Juliet’s time to shine: she creates beautiful Alpaca capes which transform her into someone special on the outside. 

This year, though, Juliet’s triumph and life are cut short when she is killed. Several people, including Claudia’s ex-step-daughter Sheila who is convinced that Claudia killed her father, think that Claudia killed Juliet over Jeremy. Kelly, for some reason, just doesn’t think that Claudia is the monster Sheila is making her out to be and sets out to prove Claudia’s innocence. First, though, she must participate in a few of Fort Connor’s traditions that aren’t necessarily up Kelly’s alley, such as knitting charity hats and mittens and baking cookies for an exchange. 

Fleece Navidad continues the delightful series featuring Kelly and her friends from the House of Lambspun. The friends, young and old, know how to celebrate the holidays in grand style, making for a very welcoming atmosphere. Because the new characters introduced in this book are very few, the murderer stands out easily, and the resolution is arrived at easily and is not much of a surprise. 

Kelly has been in Fort Connor for almost a year. She has found a love interest and has fit into her new community seamlessly. She continues to be fiercely loyal to her new friends and a champion of the underdog, making her the only person who believes in Claudia’s innocence in both Juliet’s murder and the deaths of her former husbands. 

Fleece Navidad is a fun, quick read to curl up with when the stresses of the season get to be too much.  Knitting patterns and holiday recipes of the treats Kelly and her friends share complete the experience.                                         

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry