Elvis and the Blue Christmas Corpse — Peggy Webb

Someone's ringing slay bells and Callie, her bodacious Cousin Lovie, and the basset hound who believes he's the King reincarnated must go on the hunt for a killer who's anything but jolly.

It may be Christmas in Tupelo, but there's precious little peace in the valley for the Valentine gang. Callie Valentine Jones' not-quite-ex Jack is trussed up like a holiday turkey, recovering from a shattered leg. Cousin Lovie's on the rebound, looking for love in all the wrong stockings. And Elvis the basset hound is out for revenge on the Lhasa Apso who's been singing “Merry Christmas, Baby” to his sweet French poodle behind his tail.

Everyone finally gets into the spirit when Uncle Charlie is pressed into service as Santa at a weekend charity event in the mall. But Yuletide cheer turns to Yuletide fear after a killer tries to zap Charlie back to the North Pole marked “Return to Sender” -- and sends Rudolph to the big reindeer pen in the sky.

Determined to find out who's decking the mall with Christmas corpses, Elvis and the Valentines fill up their sleigh with suspects. Could it be the cookie lady who puts more than sugar into her Christmas goodies? The deranged vet who vows to barbecue Santa? Or the former beauty queen who's been stalking Charlie in her spare time? Can the Valentine gang unmask this devil in disguise in time to turn their “Blue Christmas” all Christmas-y and white?