The Jayne Frost series by Kristen Painter

Last year after reading one serious crime book after the other (I know I shouldn’t complain because I LOVE the genre) I fell into a bit of a reading slump. I started about half a dozen books and I didn’t make it past the first couple of chapters…

It wasn’t the books, it was me.

I needed a break. I needed a change.

So, after browsing the kindle store, which is a total guilty pleasure of mine, I happened to chance upon the Jayne Frost series. For whatever crazy reason or another I had completely overlooked the amazing and entertaining words of Kristen Painter.

Big mistake.

And one I am still rectifying, one book at a time.

The first in the series Miss Frost solves a cold case – a Nocturne Falls mystery is a lot of fun, and for me it was exactly what I needed. It was a quick read with a feisty female lead, in this case Santa’s niece. At the start I did think I was getting a Christmassy story but apart from sneaking in and out places like her Uncle 😊 it’s more a mystery whodunnit with some helpful local hunks thrown in for good measure. To be totally cheesy about it, I felt like it was the refreshing blast of icy air that I needed in my reading life.

To date I have also read the second in the series - Miss Frost ices the imp, which follows a similar mystery whodunnit but this time with just a little more mayhem running amuck.

For me the strength of this series lies in the characters – I love Jayne and her motely band of helpers.  And the setting of Nocturne Falls, where supernatural beings can live among humans thanks to a certain spell in the town’s water supply, which makes the regular people less likely to notice any odd behaviour. Altogether the characters and setting make for some fun possibilities.

The only small complaint I have is that I could take or leave the love triangle. Preferably leave. Hopefully as the books move on Jayne will get around to making some decisions or opt out altogether and go in one route. Maybe a certain summer elf route. Personally, I think love triangles are boring. But that’s maybe just me.

Miss Frost solves a cold case and Miss Frost ices the Imp are totally the equivalent to some delicious junk food.

Junk reading?

Hmmm, that doesn’t have quite the right ring to it. But you get what I mean? The series so far has been entertaining, fun and something a bit different.

I will be reading book 3 as soon as the mood takes me.

Book blurb - Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.

Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost’s daughter, Santa Claus’s niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now…private investigator. Sort of.

Needing someone he can trust, her father sends her undercover to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees at the Santa’s Workshop toy store are going missing.

Doing that requires getting to know the town, which leads to interesting encounters with a sexy vampire, an old flame, and an elevator that’s strictly off-limits. The more Jayne finds out, the more questions she has, but the answers lead her deeper into danger.

Will her magic save her? Or will she come up cold?

Goodreads link is HERE if you are interested in more information about the series.

I purchased Miss Frost solves a cold case and Miss Frost ices the Imp.