{"product_id":"the-merchant-of-menace","title":"The Merchant of Menace","description":"\u003cb\u003eIt's beginning to look a lot like murder\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Tis the season to jolly and suburban mom Jane Jeffry's in a mad scramble to finish her cookie baking and household chores before her teenage kids arrive home. Also expected are two moms-both the late husband's mother \u003ci\u003eand\u003c\/i\u003e the disapproving mater of Det. Mel VanDyne, Jane's significant other. The kitchen is a disaster zone, the dog has decorated the house with hair, and the earsplitting racket coming from the neighbors tacky, music-making Christmas display is driving Jane crazy. Now she has to get the green icing out of her hair and be ready to host her post-caroling dinner party.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne thing Jane isn't ready for is a surprise visit from a muckraking TV \"action reporter,\" disguised as Santa Claus. The nasty old St. Nick is out to wrap a happy holiday caroling into a package marked \"scandal,\" but before he has a chance to color the event with yellow journalism, his red-suited body slides off the neighbor's roof to land, silenced forever, on the horns of a plastic reindeer. It looks like Santa's mishap is no accident and, with the help of her friend Shelley, Jane finds plenty of suspects. The phony Santa has an ex-wife and a female assistant who both hate him, and plenty of nice people ruined by tales of naughtiness. Now Jane has to find the Grinch who thought murder was a way to save Christmas before the holiday turns into the unhappiest day of the year. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OUATB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48120431902975,"sku":"*R0031166*","price":2.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0487\/5550\/7364\/files\/15454753482323.jpg?v=1769709975","url":"https:\/\/shop.onceuponatimebooks.com\/products\/the-merchant-of-menace","provider":"Once Upon a Time Books AR","version":"1.0","type":"link"}