Deck the Hearse

by Rachael O. Phillips

A trio of intrepid friends tackle a series of mysteries plaguing their Michigan bakehouse this Christmas.

It’s Christmastime in Loch Mallaig, Michigan, and Bread on Arrival owners Molly, Laura and Carol are busy making everything merry and bright in their popular Scottish bakehouse. Sprucing up for the holidays takes a back seat when they receive an anonymous gift and start getting prank calls on the bakehouse landline.

Meanwhile, Laura gets a surprise visit from a ghost of her dating past when her ex shows up, looking for a second chance under the mistletoe and creating trouble in her new life. More creepy Christmas gifts appear at her house and in her car from an unknown elf, and she can’t help but think everything is somehow connected to the appearance of her ex. When things take a deadly turn, Laura finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. Can she and her friends wrap up the case and absolve their bakehouse of blame before more slay bells ring?

This clever whodunit is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, holiday stories, and female friendships.

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2025

About the author

Rachael Phillips, a church music director, began her unplanned writing career when the church secretary demanded newsletter articles, or else. She has written more than 400 articles, newspaper columns, devotions, and stories along with several books. Rachael enjoys speaking at women’s meetings and conducts writing workshops. She and Steve, her high school sweetheart and husband of thirty-eight years, live in Upland, Indiana. They have three grown children and five grandchildren.