Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Robber and the Witness by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: The Robber and the Witness
Series: Christmas Cabin Historical Romance Novellas #3
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date: July 21, 2026
Genre: Christmas Historical Romance/Mystery
Christmas … a time of reunions and unexpected surprises.
A simple favor, a best friend's promise, and the end of the line.
Wisconsin, 1931—When Gideon Lundgren agrees to escort his best friend's sister to Manitowish Waters, plans go awry when she witnesses a robbery. He thinks he's merely escorting the girl he once knew, but she's grown into a charming beauty.
Evangeline Whitaker's older brother always warned that her kind heart would be the death of her. It might at that. First, when she's an unwitting accomplice to a robber. Second, when her childhood crush becomes her bodyguard.
With a robber on their trail and a tangle of emotions between them, Evangeline and Gideon detour to his boss's cabin to wait out the ensuing manhunt. However, Evangeline's Christmas spirit might be the death of them both.
One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.
A sweet 1931 Christmas mystery featuring a closed-door romance between a protective bodyguard and the woman who witnessed too much.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy from the Author | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
Book Excerpt
He had seen one too many hardened criminals, females included. But Evangeline was innocent—not naïve, though, no matter what Evan thought of her. Her goodness came across as naïveté, but always had. He’d never trade her child-like faith for his jaded perceptions of humanity.
Evan never quite saw his sister as the whip-smart little girl she had been, but Gideon had. In fact, he thought it easy to spot in the way she had been able to keep up with them. Even if he and Evan had wanted to leave her behind, she never begged them to play with her, never whined for them to wait up. She simply … kept up.
Now, here she sat beside him, looking vulnerable in a way that struck him in the heart. Evan had charged him with her protection, but this knapsack business made that simple promise a tangible oath.
More in This Series
About the Author
Danielle Grandinetti writes award-winning 1930s historical romantic mystery and suspense. She is the 2026 Holt Medallion winner and a second-generation Italian-American. Fueled by tea and nature, she crafts hope-filled historical romance novels exploring immigrant heritage, found family, and cozy Midwest traditions. Find her at daniellegrandinetti.com.
Author Interview
Q: What inspired you to write The Robber and the Witness?
Danielle: I love taking characters and tossing them into a situation and seeing what happens. That’s how The Robber and the Witness started. I knew I wanted a heroine who witnessed a crime and a hero charged with escorting his best friend's sister. The rest emerged as I wrote the story.
Q: How long did it take to write this book?
Danielle: About three weeks. I tend to write my Christmas Cabin novellas over the Christmas break because I’m fully in the Christmas mood and they’re so much fun.
Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel?
Danielle: I loved chasing down the historic train maps, so the tracks I mention in the story are based on real-life ones from the 1930s. What I found most fascinating, however, was the train plows they used. Basically, these were like modern snow plows, but attached to steam train engines. They’d clear the tracks for the trains, but with the Soo Line (the line in The Daughter’s Goodbye) was often blocked due to blizzard conditions that left snow on large segments of track.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote from The Robber and the Witness?
Danielle: Evan fully believed that she was too trusting, that she was too kind. And yet, Evangeline couldn’t understand why that was such a bad thing. Yes, her brother constantly worried about her safety, but didn’t Jesus ask them to be kind? Wasn’t she supposed to help those in need?
Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
Danielle: I’ve wanted to be an author for a long, long time. Perhaps better said, I’ve loved story since before I can remember and wrote my first short story at the age of eight.
Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?
Danielle: One of my favorite Christmas songs is Carol of the Bells, and I’m particularly fond of the version performed by the Trans Siberian Orchestra, called “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”
Q: Are you a fan of the "Christmas in July" concept?
Danielle: Oh yes! This is my third year in a row releasing a Christmas novella during Christmas in July. I love it!
Q: What is your favorite genre to read?
Danielle: I love romantic mysteries, whether contemporary or historical.
Q: What are you currently reading?
Danielle: I just finished a beta read of Amazed, the third book in Roseanna M. White’s romantasy series, Awakened.
Q: What is your favorite season and why?
Danielle: Autumn is my favorite season. I just wish it was about two weeks longer so it includes Christmastide!
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a signed paperback of The Robber and the Witness, a notebook/pen set, and a wooden ornament!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 22, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 29, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
