I just remembered that it’s time for me to ask you all about your favorite Christmas mysteries. The last time I did this was at Thanksgiving time (Favorite Thanksgiving Mysteries). We also made up a list of our Favorite Halloween Mysteries.
As you can see from all of the pages of Christmas Mystery Books, the Christmas mystery book theme is a really popular one. Many of my favorite authors have at least one mystery book in their series that takes place during the Christmas holidays.
I have enjoyed many Christmas mysteries, especially since living down here in San Antonio. Because the weather isn’t really “Christmas-y”, I rely on my authors to bring me the snow and cold associated with this time of year. I have to admit that I prefer reading mysteries that take place in cold climates at this time of year, rather than the Christmas in the tropics types of mysteries.
That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed Christmas mysteries that take place in weather similar to ours here in San Antonio. An example of this is Margaret Grace’s Mayhem in Miniature. Of course since Margaret Grace is one of my very favorite authors that’s no surprise. Luckily, as Camille Minichino she wrote The Helium Murder, which is set during Christmas in a very cold Massachusetts. That mystery did indeed give me my preferred snowy setting. Another Christmas mystery that just popped into my head is Charlotte MacLeod’s Rest You Merry. Who doesn’t love that Christmas mystery? My list of Christmas mystery favorites goes on an on, and on some more!
If you know of any Christmas theme mysteries that you think should definitely be on this Christmas mysteries recommendations list, please post a comment. And please tell us why you like it so much. Thank you!
Christmas Mystery Book Recommendations:
Marian Babson: The Twelve Deaths of Christmas
Jennie Bentley (aka Jenna Bennett & Bente Gallagher): Home for the Homicide
Carola Dunn: Death at Wentwater Court
Carola Dunn: Mistletoe and Murder
Shelley Freydont: Silent Knife
Jane Haddam: Not A Creature Was Stirring
Lee Harris: The Christmas Night Murder
Lee Harris: The New Year’s Eve Murder
Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Rest Ye Merry
D.R. Meredith: Murder by Sacrilege
Lynn T. says
Rest Ye Merry which Danna mentioned is my all time favorite.
Last year I read The Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson due to a recommendation on this blog. It is a haunting story. It lingered and stayed with me. This book is not a typical cozy but instead a dark tale. The chapters alternate. The murderer narrates every other chapter and one can see the person going deeper into madness. It takes place in a boarding house where they are preparing for Christmas. The boarding house chapters are the cozy side of the book. It reminds me of a Hitchcock tale or Jaws where danger is lurking beneath the surface. It was a fast read and I was surprised how the haunting tale has stayed with me.
One that I have almost finished is my first book by Jane Haddam. It is called Not A Creature Was Stirring. A dysfunctional wealthy family gather for the Christmas holidays. The mother is terminal and the father is an evil and unlikable person. Several murders ensue.
She does a very good job with developing interesting characters. It is a pleasure reading it as Jane Haddam is a good writer and story teller. I will continue with her series. I liked Gregor Demarkian.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn T, I forgot all about Marian Babson’s The Twelve Deaths of Christmas. Also, Jane Haddam’s Not a Creature was Stirring was a very good mystery for her to start the series with. It sure catches your attention.
Julia says
I also enjoy The Twelve Deaths of Christmas; as you said, it’s rather dark, but in some ways that’s what the season is about – the struggle between the dark and the light.
In somewhat the same vein is another Christmas mystery, “Murder by Sacrilege,” by D.R. Meredith. The mystery revolves around the death of a very young, and very unpopular, minister’s wife, but there’s also some fine moments of evolution in the two primary relationships in the series – attorney John Llyod Branson and his associate Lydia Fairchild, and police Detective Schroeder and his partner Detective Jenner. To fully appreciate the relationship aspect of the book, it is best to have read the previous mysteries in the series, but in all other aspects the book is fully capable of standing on its own. On the bright side, the books are each only 2.99 on Kindle!
Lynn T. says
Not A Creature Was Stirring by Jane Haddam is now in Kindle format. At this time, it is $1.99 on a December monthly deal. I believe it has been out of print for awhile. It is the first of the Gregor Demarkian series and a Christmas mystery also.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn T, thanks for telling us about Jane Haddam’s Not a Creature Was Stirring costing only $1.99. I read it years ago and remember enjoying it so much that I added Jane Haddam to my favorite authors list. (Since I read it back in the 1990s, I just bought the Kindle copy and plan to read it again during a future Christmas season.) Thanks, again!
Julia says
An old favorite of mine is Valerie Wolzien’s “We Wish You a Merry Murder.” I love the cozy aspect of the murder being set in the middle of the suburbs, where everyone thinks they know each other so much better than they really do, and the rather humorous aspect of trying to wedge solving a murder into the middle of shopping, wrapping, cookie exchanges, office parties, holiday concerts and, oh yes, everyday life.
My new favorite is Donna Andrews’ “Duck the Halls.” I love these mysteries anyway, with their rather loopy characters and the fact that a little town in Virginia has now been the site of so many murders its about to take over the title of “Murder Capitol of the World” from Cabot Cove, ME. This one, with all the requisite hustle and bustle of the holidays…plus a mysterious prankster aiming at houses of worship…is just really, well, sweet. Warm. Without giving too much away of the mystery itself, I’ll just say I like the way the citizens of the town all (almost all, anyway) pull together, regardless of religious persuasion, to help everyone have a joyful holiday season.
Jackie J. Griffey says
My daughter has recently read Duck the Halls and enjoyed it, Donna Andrews is definitely on our favorite authors list. My Nelson Scandal takes place during the Christmas holidays too. Am currently reading Cleo Coyle’s latest, thanks for all the heads up on Christmas stories.
Jackie
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia, I wish there was a Kindle copy of Valerie Wolzien’s We Wish You a Merry Murder. It has been years since I read it…
Julia says
I keep looking for a Kindle version, hoping that one day it will be there. I’m already on my second paperback version, and it’s looking a little worse for wear but I’m not sure you can even buy it anymore except secondhand.
MJ says
In October, I recommended ‘Silent Knife’ by Shelley Freydont. I don’t want to repeat myself (check Oct. recommendations for more info), so suffice it to say I enjoy this series – the characters are very interesting and the mysteries are good. This one has the added advantage of some yuletide mischief.
I have ‘Merry Market Murder’ by Paige Shelton, but haven’t read it yet. Each book in this series has been well paced with a complex mystery, so I see no reason that this one shouldn’t be also. Her last book (Killer Maize) in this series was also ‘thematic’, set at Halloween time. I most likely recommended that one a year ago.
BUT can’t give this one a ‘thumbs up’ just yet. I just wanted to bring it to the attention of those interested in a newly released Christmas cozy that has a strong possibility of be an enjoyable read.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, I’m glad you mentioned that Killer Maize is a Halloween mystery. For some reason I didn’t have it on the Halloween list. Please let us know about Paige Shelton’s Merry Market Murder.
Ann says
I love reading Christmas/winter stories this time of year.
Ann
Carola Dunn says
May I mention Mistletoe and Murder, my 11th Daisy Dalrymple mystery?
God Rest Ye Merry is one of my favourites, too.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carola, I’m so glad you mentioned Mistletoe and Murder. It has been years since I read your Death at Wentwater Court and I remember enjoying it immensely. I’m going to add that Christmas mystery to the list, also. (It made me into a Daisy Dalrymple fan.)
Carola Dunn says
Thank you, Danna 🙂
Kat says
Two old favorites of mine are The Christmas Night Murder and The New Year’s Eve Murder by Lee Harris. I believe that there is also a Hanukkah murder book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Kat, I have added both of the Lee Harris Christmas mysteries to the list.
Lee Ann says
Tis the season to be Murder by Valerie Wolzien. This one is also great
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lee Ann, this is another one I would love to see in Kindle format. (I have become “addicted” to being able to choose my own font size.)
Janice says
I just finished reading “Home for the Homicide” by Jennie Bentley and enjoyed it a lot. Although it does involve a homicide (hence the title) it was not violent. I don’t like Christmas themed books that have too much violence or are too graphic. That doesn’t seem to fit with the season.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Janice. You’re right about a lot of graphic gore and adult situations not quite feeling right with the Christmas theme.
BrendaC says
I’ve just stumbled on this site and bookmarked it! I also agree with Janice about the issue of keeping holiday books aligned with the spirit of the season and didn’t realize there were so many great holiday themed books available in the cozy mystery genre. I will be starting a TO READ list of my own.
May I mention a 3 author holiday series in which I participated? Each novella is a complete romance, with a mystery running through all three books that is resolved in the last story.
A Frost Family Christmas Trilogy:
BOOK 1: What Child is This by C. J. Carmichael
BOOK 2: Home for Christmas by Roxy Boroughs
BOOK 3: The Holly & The Ivy by Brenda M. Collins
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi, Brenda, thanks for stopping by. I actually have your book listed three different way on my Christmas mystery lists; under your name, C.J. Carmichael’s name, and Roxy Boroughs’ name: A Frost Family Christmas Anthology
BrendaC says
Wow, how did I not know that!!!! I’m relatively new to the published author ranks (May 2012 debut) and I’m playing catchup with a lot of the social media. >;-} Thank you so much for your efforts in grouping and presenting book information so that readers can find what they want to read more easily.
Patti S. says
My Librarian husband just brought me home Isis Crawford’s “A Catered Christmas Cookie Exchange”. I have not read it yet, but it sounds good!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Patti S, please let us know if I should add that to the list…
Austin says
I don’t really know where this should be posted, but since Christmas falls in December…. The crossword puzzle turns 100 this month, so I guess any cozy mystery with a crossword puzzle theme could be listed. I know Nero Blanc has a mystery series with a crossword puzzle theme. Are there any others?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Austin, I just looked at my Crossword Puzzle theme page, and Parnell Hall’s Puzzle Lady Mystery Series is the only one I know about with the crossword theme other than Nero Blanc’s Crossword Mystery Series.
susan j says
I love reading and rereading Joanne Fluke’ s Hannah Swenson copies, especially the Christmas themed ones.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan J, which of Joanne Fluke’s Christmas mysteries do you think I should add to this Favorite Christmas Mysteries list? (I, too, am a Joanne Fluke fan!)
joan j says
in November 2013 I saw in the new books at my library THE BIG BOOK OF CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES. 648 page of short stories edited by Otto Penzler. All types cosies, traditional etc. I Imediately realized I couldn’t read it all at once. LOL So I ordered it and read many of the stories. It is so nice to pop into the book and read a story or two.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joan J, I usually don’t read short stories, except for Christmas time. I like them for the reason you state, but also because they sometimes introduce me to authors who I enjoy reading, who I have never tried before. Otto Penzler’s The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries is on Christmas Mysteries P, Q, R, & S page on the site.
Susan* says
The following is a series of Christmas Mystery Anthologies that I discovered a little while ago, and after speaking to Danna about, completely forgot to post! Lol! (Sorry Danna!)
Not all cosy stories, they’re a mixture. Some are, some are not.
Crimes for a Summer Christmas.
More Crimes for a Summer Christmas
A Corpse at the Opera House: A Crimes for a Summer Christmas Anthology
Murder at Home: A Crimes for a Summer Christmas Anthology
Love Lies Bleeding : A Crimes for a Summer Christmas Anthology
Moonlight Becomes You : A Crimes for Summer Anthology
The first four are all edited by Stephen Knight, the last two by Emily Rodda and Jean Bedford, respectively.
The series title (Summer Christmas) makes sense when you realise they’re Australian. December (And Christmas) is in Summer here. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, thank you so much for this list of Christmas anthologies! I’ll be adding them to my Christmas lists tomorrow.
Thanks, again!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, I remember swimming at Christmas parties when I lived in Chile.
rabid.digital says
Merry Christmas!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rabid, Merry Christmas to you as well!