Mysteries are such a cool genre, because you have mysteries for just about everything. Want a mystery with a detective who’s also a baker? Check. How about a crime-solving cat? Check. What about a Christmas-themed mystery? Check, check, and double check! And that’s what we have for you today–a whole host of Christmas mysteries to get you into the holiday spirit! Since some of these are later installments in their respective series, I’ll also give you the listing for the first book, as well.
Chief Inspector Brett Nightingale and Sergeant Beddos find an old woman dead in a gloomy flat. She is Princess Olga Karukhin, who has been living in hiding ever since she fled the Russian Revolution. Curiously, Olga’s grandson Ivan is seen fleeing the scene of the crime, only to return later as though he had no knowledge of what had taken place. This spirited mystery spans three days right before Christmas, culminating on Christmas Eve. Despite the Christmas theme, The Christmas Egg is a grittier piece from the Golden Age of Mysteries.
The Mistletoe Murder is the first in the Lucy Stone series. In this cozy Christmas mystery, poor Lucy has enough to worry about with getting ready for the holidays–baking Christmas cookies, knitting a sweater for her husband, and prepping her daughter’s costume for the church pageant. Plus, she’s working the night shift at a mail-order company. But, when the company’s founder is found dead by apparent suicide, Lucy knows that something is wrong. And as Christmas is drawing near, Lucy must solve the crime before the murderer puts her on the “naughty list” and takes her out for good.
Sarah Booth is tired of hosting the annual Christmas gathering, so this year she decides to go on a road trip with her friends. But, people keep getting hurt in mysterious ways. Someone takes a tumble down the stairs, and someone else is electrocuted by her microphone during karaoke. And when the woman who hired Sarah to discover who is behind the accidents is nearly killed by an arrow, Sarah knows that something very sinister at work. Garland of Bones is one of the later books in the Sarah Booth series, so if you wanted to start from the beginning, consider checking out book 1: Them Bones.
Meg Langslow has been volunteered to organize the annual Christmas parade. This year’s theme is “The Twelve Days of Christmas” featuring everything from twelve drummers (high school marching band) to ten leaping lords (from the drama club). And of course, there are other Christmas floats, ranging from a Nativity scene to Santa in a horse-drawn carriage. The parade itself is a daunting project, but when Meg’s nephew Eric points out that something is wrong with Santa, everything goes from bad to worse. The local curmudgeon, whose beard and belly made him the perfect Santa, has been murdered. And now Meg and Chief Burke must not only solve a murder, but also save Christmas! Six Geese a Slaying is part of the Meg Langslow series. If you want to start from the beginning, try Murder with Peacocks.
The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories is a collection of Christmas crimes that is perfect for the reader who doesn’t have the time to read a full book, but still wants to enjoy a good Christmas mystery. Gunshots ring out at a local Christmas party. A jewel heist is planned amongst the Christmas shoppers. While lost in a snowstorm, a man finds motive for murder. Explore the darker side of the holidays with this creepy collection!
