Six short stories involving mayhem and merriment of the holiday season. In All I want for Christmas Pauline Sokol, medical insurance fraud investigator has to go undercover or should we say fully costumed to work for the dentist, Dr. Elfin Santana, who is under suspicion. Seems several of the dentists patients have never received dentures that were covered by insurance and fully paid for. So Pauline and her partner Jagger team up to expose the doctor and hopefully retrieve the much needed dentures. Problem is Dr. Santana is a delightful man with 7 children whose patients seem to really like him and Pauline is quite taken with him as well. In The Lords of Misrule Margaret Chase affectionately known as Mags learns that there are gifts and then there are gifts. And at Christmas time gifts come in all varieties. Ghost of Christmas Passed is a story about reconnecting with ones past. Families are complicated but Judith Wolfe is going to learn just how complicated hers really is. Cecilia Larimer in Partners in Crime is an organizational expert except when it comes to matters of her loves and life. In walks Joe Berenger who just might be her greatest challenge and who knows what else. In Holly Go Lightly Nick Fredericks is starting to see things more clearly for the first time in two years. Problem is his visions seem to be emanating from the ghost of his deceased girlfriend Holly. Holly is certainly going out of her way to make her presence known but the question is why and why now. A Very Vampy Christmas stars Maggie O'Brian and Don Orlando who are the lead actors in the soap opera "As A Vampire Turns" on the Digital Vampire Network. Maggie and Don are dying, pardon the pun, to turn their on set romance into a real life relationship. Not too worry these modern age vampires drink bottled synthetic blood and chocolate called Chocolood so human kind is safe.

This is an enjoyable assortment of holiday tales with some rather unusual plotlines. It's a nice introduction to some new authors with some interesting writing styles. All six were short and sweet but I have to admit Dana Cameron's contribution was my favorite. SUGARPLUMS AND SCANDALS will leave you smiling and ready for the holiday season.

Book Summary

And just in time comes this grand gift of seasonal mystery and romance from six of popular fiction's most supremely talented "Santas"—for 'tis the season for scandals, suspense, and all sorts of unexpected surprises! Enjoy Lori Avocato's tale of the sexy fraud investigator and the delinquent dentist, and Dana Cameron's suspenseful story of a not-so-merry Christmas Eve at an English manor house. Savor Mary Daheim's scrumptious gathering of lively loved ones and one ghostly guest, and Cait London's blood-chilling tale of a menaced Christmas do-gooder. Suzanne Macpherson delights with a Yuletide fable about a perky, persistent spirit and her haunted ex-fiancé. And take a walk with Kerrelyn Sparks on the otherworldly side to discover how the undead celebrate the holidays.