When a dead elf threatens to spoil Pine Grove’s Christmas, being on Santa’s naughty list is the least of Mattie’s worries. Mattie Modesky and her best friend are planning the 25th annual Christmas toy drive and charity dinner. Days away from the celebration, Mattie discovers a dead body—an elf—in the toy donation box. The elf is really a small-time hoodlum, and the killer is Santa Claus. Not the real Santa, obviously. Mattie’s husband, Mo, the chief of police, sustains a shoulder injury in a scuffle with the fake Santa. Now he’s out of commission, and the toys have been confiscated as evidence. Mo suspects Mattie’s stepfather, Lazy Lou, and it’s up to her to prove Lou’s innocence, figure out why the town councilwoman is railroading Mo into retirement, and solve the caper so she can get the celebration back on track.
