Most of you know that I have a very long list of Christmas & Hanukkah mystery books on the site. In fact, the list is so long that I have had to cut it into alphabetical pages. We are so lucky to have so many holiday books available to us. While I haven’t read all of the books, I have read several of them.
Recently, I started thinking about the problem some of us might have choosing just one holiday themed mystery. Since there are so many Christmas theme mysteries on these lists, where should we begin? How can we decide which books we want to read? What’s a person to do?!?
That’s when I started thinking that we should make up a list of each of our very, very favorite holiday mystery book. Only one Christmas or Hanukkah mystery book, with each of us telling why the one Christmas or Hanukkah mystery book is our very favorite holiday theme mystery book for this time of year.
It’s the only time of year when I read anthologies. I know, I know! I’m missing out on a lot of great introductions to many different authors, I just happen to prefer mystery novels. But as I said, this is the time of year when I read both holiday stories and novellas. So, if your one favorite mystery book is an anthology, go for it!
If someone new to holiday theme mystery books asked you for one suggestion, what would that be? I know it’s difficult! Believe me! I have one pretty strong idea about the one Christmas mystery book I would suggest, but let me think about it a little longer! Besides, I’m going to have to go “revisit” the book so that I can tell you why it would be the one I suggest.
Here are some of our favorite Christmas Mystery Books:
Marian Babson: The Twelve Deaths Of Christmas
Mignon F. Ballard: Hark! The Herald Angel Screamed
Rhys Bowen: The Twelve Clues of Christmas
Agatha Christie: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding on Kindle format
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding on Nook format
Conan Doyle: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (which can be found in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
Heather Graham: The Last Noel
Cyril Hare: An English Murder
Kate Kingsbury: Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery Series (So far there are 8 Christmas mysteries in this series.)
Charlotte MacLeod: Rest You Merry (1st in the Peter Shandy Mystery Series)
Rest You Merry on Kindle format
Rest You Merry on Nook format
Katherine Hall Page: Body in the Sleigh
Valerie Wolzien: We Wish You a Merry Murder AND ‘Tis the Season to be Murdered
Deb says
My favorite has got to be Rest Ye Merry, by Charlotte MacLeod, part of her series of Peter Shandy mysteries set at Balaclava Agricultural College, home of the Balaclava Buster rutabaga. All of the Shandy mysteries are hilarious, but this is the best. If you’ve ever groaned at over-the-top Christmas house decorations, you’ll really appreciate this!
MacLeod’s Sarah Kelling series set in Boston is also terrific, though not as funny. Books in both series are available for NOOK and Kindle.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Deb, I remember loving this book. I after reading the comments about it, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t revisit Balaclava this month.
Bnphite13 says
You should. I do at least a year. Rest You Merry is my favorite.
linda c says
Deb, I loved this book “Rest You Merry” too. I really had forgotten about this book until I read what you had written. Then I started to read “Christmas Stalkings” edited by Charlotte MacLeod. The first story in this, (I’m not sure what this type of book is called, maybe an anthology, something like that!!?? or just maybe a collection of short stories) is a story with our Peter Shandy as our wonderful main sleuth again titled “Counterfeit Christmas.” How I love this character!! So real and so refreshing!!
In this story our Peter relates what happened when he previously tries to pull a stunt on his neighbors that back fired. Thanks for reminding me of this wonderful author and her wonderful Peter Shandy.
Sometimes I think a writer spoils a series when he or she has our main sleuth get married (example Rhys Bowen’s Evan Evans) but in this case Peter really did need a wife to guide him along!!
Gayle says
Thank you and the other replies that have me reading “Rest Ye Merry”. I am really enjoying the book and will read the rest of the series. I would like to know if anyone who has read the book knows if the “Coconut Cow Pats” is a real dessert and if yes, where I might find a recipe. They sound interesting.
Deb says
It appears they are only made at Balaclava, alas. Perhaps some enterprising cozier could develop a recipe!
Gayle says
Thank you, Deb.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Aha, Deb, that would explain the mystery of the Coconut Cow Pats… a Balaclava secret recipe!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Gayle, I think Charlotte MacLeod’s Rest You Merry is one of the best introductory mysteries to a long-standing series. As for the “Coconut Cow Pats” >>> You’ve got me there!
Judith says
I would recommend Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod. The first chapter is one of the funniest you could imagine, Peter Shandy is a wonderful sleuth and, as this is the first book in the series, you can read the holiday mystery without being dropped in the middle of an ongoing tale that you don’t know about. Of course, after reading the holiday mystery, I would want to read the rest of the Peter Shandy, then the Sarah Kelling, and then the books she wrote as Alissa Craig. . . but at least I would have started at the beginning.
Kay says
I’m in with Deb and Judith. Rest You Merry is the book that comes immediately to mind. I love all of Charlotte MacLeod’s series – quirky, great characters and lots of fun.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judith and Kay, if I was looking for a new Christmas Cozy, I think Rest You Merry would be a very strong contender!
Stephanie says
I particularly love An English Murder by Cyril Hare. I believe it was written around 1950, so it’s hard to find in bookstores most days (although I just saw that Amazon does have some new copies available).
The setting itself is almost a stereotypical British cozy – a limited number of aristocratic types and their servants are celebrating Christmas in a manor house. A blizzard cuts off access to town when the tranquility is (inevitably) shattered by a murder that an amateur detective is determined to solve. The characters and actual solution to the caper are anything but stereotypical, though – Cyril Hare could weave a great yarn.
Christmas is always in the background of the book, but it’s a bit understated compared to the modern (and American) version of Christmas. But I imagine the book probably reflects what Christmas meant in 1950s Britain. And the book never fails to put me in the Christmas spirit – I’ve read it at Christmas time for the last few years. I guess it’s about time to track down my copy again!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I could not have said this better, Stephanie. I absolutely loved this British Christmas mystery book. What says Christmas Cozy better than an isolated British estate in the middle of a blizzard, with a killer to boot!
I LOVE Cyril Hare’s An English Murder and if they finally decide to make a Kindle version of it, I’ll join you in reading it every year!
BB says
Anyone interested in a Kindle copy can facilitate it by going to Amazon’s page for the book and clicking “I’d like to read this book on Kindle” next to the Kindle pic. Amazon passes the requests to the publisher. Hopefully when they see enough buyers are interested, the publisher will Kindlize the book.
BB says
I should add that after clicking that link, I do a Kindle search for the book because as mentioned in another comment, Amazon doesn’t always have the Kindle version listed with the hardcover, paperback, etc.
Linda Y. says
Cyril Hare’s books are superb! I used to live near a library with a collection of his mysteries and devoured as many as I could find. I hope they all get reprinted following “An English Murder”. The subtle tones of his books contrast wonderfully with the colorful human dramas in play, and well constructed.
Susan* says
“The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding” by Agatha Christie. It is an anthology, and every story is excellent.
Ms Christie isn’t referred to as ‘The Queen of the Cozy’, for no reason, after all.
Happy Holiday Reading everyone! 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Here’s yet another great British Christmas Cozy Mystery book. Thanks, Susan*, for recommending it.
Deahna says
I haven’t read so many holiday themed mysteries yet, mostly as they come up in a series. But one I really, really loved is “Hark! The Herald Angel Screamed” by Mignon F. Ballard. There’s just enough Christmas stuff in it to put it into this season but it’s not overpowering the mystery. It’s also lighthearted and in places funny with one of the two heroines being a guardian angel and the situations this provides. The mystery is believable, only the end is bit over the top for me, but still okay.
It’s not a stand-alone but the other books in the series before this have other humans involved so you won’t miss anything by starting in the middle.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I agree, Deahna. Mignon F. Ballard’s Augusta Goodnight mysteries can be read out of sequence. Thanks for reminding us about Hark! The Herald Angel Screamed.
linda c says
Danna, As I first started to respond to this topic, I realized that I couldn’t remember the name of the author that wrote one of my favorite Christmas novels. As I went through your Christmas / Hanukkah listings I found that several novels had the same title “The Last Noel.” The one, though, that I read and enjoyed was the one written by Heather Graham. It has been a few years since I have read this book but I seem to remember the story line was a family going to spend Christmas in a family cabin. While there, a criminal of some sorts holds the family hostage. One bad guy spends the time telling a little boy about the tale of the Three Wise Men and about their journey to visit the Christ Child. It is a story that I had always thought happened on the night that Our Lord Jesus was born. But this story gave me a different outlook into how the visits from the Wise Men actually came about.
As you can probably tell by reading what I have just written that I am sort of confused about a lot of what happened in the book. So I intend to try to pick up that book at the library and read it again.
Right now I am reading “Holly and Homicide” by Leslie Caine. This seems to be a good book. I don’t remember reading any other books by this author. A lot of times if there are quite a few books on the shelves by any particular author, I will look to see if there is a Christmas book in the series. If the Christmas book is a good one then I will try reading some of the other books in the series.
I just think if a writer can weave a Christmas theme into a good mystery then that author just might be able to pull off other good mysteries. This might not be very scientific but for me it works rather well.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda C, holiday mystery books are the only ones I read out of sequence. I do exactly what you do. And, I have been lucky to find a few authors who I have added to my favorite authors list that way.
linda c says
Danna, I am now positive that some of you and your other responders here to this forum of yours think I must be off my rocker somewhat. I could have sworn that “The Last Noel” by Heather Graham was about a family being held hostage on Christmas Eve and that one of the bad guys had related the story of The Three Wise Men to a young boy. I couldn’t really remember a whole lot about the story so I reread the book. Yes, the story was about a family being held hostage on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day but this was not the one where one of the bad guys relates the Three Wise Men story to the boy. Now I can’t remember WHAT that book was titled nor do I remember who wrote the book! Maybe some of your other responders can shed some light on this for me!!
I have been reading quite a few Christmas novels. I have been reading the Thomas Kinkade/Katherine Spencer Christmas novels as well as the “Shirley, Goodness and Mercy” novels by Debbie Macomber.
I do remember reading “The Christmas Train” by David Baldacci and really liked it. This one had me stumped until the very end.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, I (for one) don’t think you’re “off your rocker”! I sometimes have to check the mystery I’m currently reading to see what the title is.
BB says
Linda, anyone who reads a lot is bound to occasionally get a few details confused. Don’t worry about it – most, if not all, of us have done it.
"Auntie" says
Loving your blog!!!!
Thank you for this post, in particular.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Auntie. I think there are some really good suggestions on this Cozy Christmas mystery book list.
Sharon says
I just finished “The Twelve Clues of Christmas” (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries) by Rhys Bowen and loved it. Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, it is a tradition to read “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.” Certainly will try some of the recommended books.
Holly says
I was so intrigued by Rest You Merry that I used your link to go to Amazon to buy it. It says that it is not available for Kindle. But, if you do a search for it under Kindle books it is available. It was $7.69. I just wanted to share that for anyone who might be looking for the Kindle version of the book. Merry Christmas!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Holly, for letting me know. (I just added it to the list in Kindle format.)
BB says
Unfortunately, I run into this frequently (in general). I don’t know why Amazon doesn’t always have the Kindle version listed unless it’s cases where the Kindle version is by a different publisher or self-published to Amazon by the author.
Donna says
Amazon is such a huge site that sometimes things just fall through the cracks and it takes forever to get it corrected. My books are tagged with the series name so the reader can click on one little tag and see all the books and ebooks on one page, and all the prices displayed for comparing. I always check that feature when I’m shopping, it’s pretty reliable.
linda c says
Donna, I really like the Amazon listings of books too. Their web site gives quite a lot of information such as when the book was written, the order they were written in, if the book is still available. I love it when the book cover is shown because I do often use the book cover as a tool in whether I want to read the book in the first place!! This web site also has a little bit about what the book is about. Not only that but then a little down the page the web site has a listing of other books that people who have read or bought or enjoyed other books. This is a wonderful service. This has been a big help in helping me to find other authors who are similar. Love this about Amazon.
I haven’t ordered any books from Amazon from the internet because I got burned ordering something (not a book) online years ago and by the time I got everything all situated what I ordered coast me almost 6oo dollars in penalties, late fees and so forth. Someday maybe I will try again.
linda c says
Holly, I have a daughter named “Holly Ann.” She was born on Christmas day, 1966. What a perfect Christmas gift!!
Regina V says
Danna, I find it difficult to think of my favorite Christmas book, but I must agree that I found Charlotte Mc cleod’s “Rest You Merry” one of my all time loved books. I laughed so hard I cried when I read it. I think I will see if it is available on the Nook so I can own it.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Regina, I just added the Nook format to Rest You Merry. It looks like that book is a big hit for the Best Christmas Cozy Mystery Book list! It is the book that started me reading Charlotte MacLeod’s Peter Shandy Mystery Series. I had been reading only MacLeod’s Sarah Kelling series, but this book convinced me that Peter Shandy and his Balaclava group was a great addition to my favorite authors list – making MacLeod one of the few authors I enjoy reading in more than one series. (Hope that makes sense!)
Regina V says
Danna After I left the blog yesterday, I went to BN and downloaded “Rest You Merry, but I will save it until Christmas. Charlotte MacLeod is an author that I started reading in the middle of the series then reverted to the first books. In a matter of fact, I think “Rest You Merry” was my introduction to her books.
Nancy says
I love the Kate Kingsbury Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries. I am actually reading the first one, No Clue at the Inn for the second time, which is something I seldom do. I love the period of the early 1900’s in England. I love the inn setting and the main character is great on so many levels. She is a strong woman who is hard working, intelligent, kind and generous. I am so happy that Kate Kingsbury has written a couple more books of this series in the last few years. I had read a couple of them out of order and intend to start over and read them in order again. I usually read them only at Christmastime so it will take me a while to get through all of them which is good for me.
linda c says
Nancy, I am now reading “The Clue is in the Pudding” by Kate Kingsbury. I too love this series. Poor Cecily! She must hate to see Christmas come around and the curse that was put upon her inn! (I know I know!! This is fiction!!) Wonderful series!! Loved each and every book in this series!! Just the kind of story that I want to read at Christmas time!
MJ says
OMG – What a difficult decision to pick a ‘favorite’! Many of my favorite authors have written a mystery with a Christmas theme, all of whom write good stories with interesting and complex plots. Of course, at this time of year you have to add in the ‘endearing’ and ‘heartwarming’ factors. Katherine Hall Page’s “Body in the Sleigh’ is memorable. The family is at their Maine island vacation home because Faith’s husband is recuperating from surgery. Page’s descriptive writing of the snowy surroundings/landscapes is very picturesque and makes one feel they are right there. It’s definitely an ‘idyllic’ holiday setting with many Christmas activities. This mystery even involves ‘finding a baby in a manger’.
linda c says
MJ. I loved this book by Katherine Hall Page as well. My only problem is reading about the wonderful Christmas goodies that Faith makes. These goodies sound really good! Makes me want to go out and get the ingredients and try to make some of these things myself. But then I remember that I am not such a good cook! (My main problem is that I am just too impatient). Somehow these books like this one makes me feel like I am not doing enough for my family crew. But hey!! That’s what those people who do like to cook are for, isn’t it?? These people are for people like me. People that can cook for people like me who can’t or for people who don’t want to!!
People like me are the kind of people that make it necessary for there to be good caterers in this world!! Just think of how many people are employed as caterers just because of people like me!! There is always a good side to everything, isn’t there!!??
Hey, we all can’t be good at everything, can we!!?? It would be a dull world if we were all the same!! (Just trying to give myself a good reason for going out to the stores to buy things, especially Christmas goodies, that I don’t have the heart to make myself!!) I know in my own heart that where I like to read I wouldn’t be able to write a book that someone would want to read. But Thank God that there are many people who do write books that others want to read!! Writing a book is easy. Getting people to read it is quite another story!! Lots of things to thank God for, aren’t there!!??
Sheila says
This has nothing to do with holiday books but I just got this link for a preview of “Kinsey and Me”. Thought some Sue Grafton fans might be interested.
http://www.suegrafton.com/pdf/Grafton_KINSEY_AND_ME_preview.pdf
Amy says
I love this series. Thanks for the link. Do you know when it is being published?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Amy, Sue Grafton’s Kinsey and Me will be released on January 8, 2013.
Donna says
I’ve just begun reading an Agatha Christie novel I haven’t read before, titled Hercule Poirot’s Christmas. It will probably be my favorite! I always read her books again and again.
(This might belong on the Kindle list, I wasn’t sure where to put it.)
A Sparrow Falls Christmas, 99 cents on Kindle and Nook.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AG9GD1A
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sparrow-falls-christmas-donna-mclean/1113880404?ean=2940015796186#product-commentaries-1
There is a mystery but not a murder, and a brief mention of the baby in the manger. It’s not about snow and elves and such.
Christmas Eve, the night of the most prestigious event in the tiny southern town of Sparrow Falls, North Carolina. Morwenna Goss, the mysterious story keeper of the old Scottish burying ground, invites guests to dine at the beautiful old family manor house. On this night, all eyes are upon a rare and valuable emerald necklace desired by every guest, but for very different reasons. When the priceless gem vanishes right before their eyes, who among those present could have dared to steal it? Spunky senior sleuth Tilda sets out to find the answer before the clock strikes twelve in this short story based upon the Sparrow Falls Mystery series.
Patti S. says
Could anyone tell me if Agatha Christie’s “The Adventure of the Plum Pudding” is still available to buy? I love her and I can’t believe that I missed this one! I also have to say that Rhys Bowen’s “The Twelve Clues of Christmas” is wonderful. What a great read!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Patti, I just changed the list above to include the links for The Adventure of the Plum Pudding on book, Kindle, and Nook format. Hope that helps!
linda c says
Patti, I don’t know that this could help you or not but I just read “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding” by Agatha Christie yesterday. I found this short story in a paperback book that has a collection of Christmas mysteries. The book is titled “Murder for Christmas’ and is edited by a Thomas Godfrey and was published by The Mysterious Press. The copyright is dated 1982.
So far this has been a very delightful collection of Christmas short stories. The first story, “Back for Christmas” by John Collier was wonderful! This story has an Alfred Hitchcock flair to it! It set the stage for the rest of the stories in the book.
Not only are the stories very good but the illustrations and the little tidbits in between stories are very good as well. This is one paperback that I intend to keep for as long as I can. Simply a very good collection of Christmas stories.
I will look for the “Adventure of the Plum Pudding”. Sounds like a good story.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda C, I think The Adventure of the Plum Pudding is The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding. (Although, I have been known to be wrong!)
Murder for Christmas is a good collection of Christmas mysteries. I remember John Collier’s Back for Christmas. I also watched the Alfred Hitchcock half hour show featuring this story, and it was delightfully clever.
Donna says
Many Christie books and stories were retitled over the years as they were re-released. Makes things difficult for a collector! I’ve been a fan since a teenager, but never read Hercule Poirot’s Christmas because I had always assumed it was just another name for the Plum Pudding story. It is definitely not the same story! I’m reading Hercule Poirot’s Christmas now and enjoying it, but the odd thing is that there is hardly any mention of Christmas-y type stuff in this one. It takes place over a long Christmas weekend at an English manor house, that’s about it.
The Hitchcock episode you mentioned is a good one. Love that guy! 🙂 I will be looking for the Mysterious Press book today, linda c, thanks for the recommendation.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for the info, Donna. I thought they were one and the same. I’ll have to track down the Plum Pudding story. (Is that the one that deals with spy sort of happenings, with some lost aerospace engineering plans?)
linda c says
Donna, maybe the different titles to the same books is the reason that often times I swear a book is one that I had read before. Sometimes I have seen that stated on the information page, that a book was previously published under a different name. I suppose I could check this out when I pick up by books but that still seems a bit sneaky for publishers and/ or authors to do.
Donna says
And now, to add to the confusion, I finally found the plum pudding Agatha Christie story tucked away in one of my anthology collections – and the title is “The Theft of the Royal Ruby”! No wonder we’re all so confused! 🙂 I think this is the original title, too, but it was later changed so that people would recognize it as a Christmas Christie. Danna, there’s no mention of spies and aerospace plans but I’m sure there is an Agatha story somewhere that mentions such things. Maybe one of the Tommy and Tuppence stories? Does this ring a bell for anyone? (A jingle bell, perhaps?)
Donna says
linda c – you’re right, it is a sneaky thing for a publisher/author to do! 🙂 I collect a specific edition of Christie paperbacks and there are a number of retitled editions that were released a year or so after the first ones, so tracking them down is a real challenge. I need the help of Poirot and Marple.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Donna, the one I’m thinking of is The Big Four. (I think.)
Julia says
If I had to pick just one holiday mystery to recommend (and, oh, what a struggle it is to pick JUST one!), I would have to go with “We Wish You A Merry Murder,” by Valerie Wolzien. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the suburbs (though not quite as upscale as Susan Henshaw’s Connecticut suburb), but I really like all the details of holiday preparation that have to continue on despite Susan’s determination to solve the murder. I like the baking, and the holiday concert, and the neighborhood parties, and the in-laws who have to be entertained, and the repeated trips to the mall to get ‘one last gift.’ And in the midst of all the holiday chaos, and the everyday chaos of being married with teenagers, I like that Susan (and Kathleen) still plug away at the murder because SOMEONE has to do it (and who better than a mom can understand that?)
linda c says
Danna, I know that you did ask for our favorite Christmas/ Hanukkah mystery and I did say that one my favorites was ” The Last Noel” by Heather Graham. Since then I have read “The Twelve Clues of Christmas” by Rhys Bowen. Although I really don’t think this will become an all time favorite, this was a very good book. The title gives the premise away but the story was great!
Realizing that she is not actually wanted nor welcome to spend the Christmas holidays in the family home that her brother, the Duke, has inherited, Lady Georgianna answers an ad in a newspaper, or some such publication, requesting the services of a lady in good standing from a good family to help with a holiday party at an estate.
Several upstanding ladies and gentlemen from various parts of the world are to be in attendance during this time. So with her personal maid Queenie, Georgianna travels to this estate and helps the lady of the manor give the guest a “traditional English” Christmas.
Without giving any more away about the story, this is a very good book. It is exactly the sort of book that I enjoy reading during this time of the year.
The only thing that I can say that sort of disturbs me is the casual mention of Hitler. How I wish I could tell these people in England to not take this person so lightly! I guess that is one of the great drawbacks of reading novels that are set in historical times.
How I love this author and this series!!
Right now I have just started to read “All Through the Night” by Mary Higgins Clark. This seems like this novel too, will be a good one. How can it not be a good book since it is written by such a very good author!
Deb says
I really enjoyed The Twelve Clues of Christmas, too, though I didn’t twig to the theme until several days had gone by. I always enjoy Lady Georgianna and her family (including Queenie, the worst lady’s maid ever!), and this one didn’t disappoint. Rhys Bowen is such a good writer, and she has 3 wonderful series: her first one featuring Constable Evans, her Molly Murphy series, and these Royal Spyness mysteries. May she remain prolific for a very long time!
linda c says
Danna, Would you please explain the boxes below the submit window. Do you not want us to respond to others who contribute to this forum? Sorry, I guess I am a little slow here in understanding exactly what these boxes mean.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, the program I use for the blog area has been automatically updated. (I have no control over those little boxes.) A lot of Cozy Mystery readers get my posts on the RSS feed. The little boxes are another way of getting all of the posts. Also, some people are interested in reading every comment that is posted, so they check the comment box.
BB says
How does the RSS feed work? Do you get individual posts, a daily digest of all posts, or something else?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
BB, you have to have a feed reader. I think the people who get the RSS feed get the new posts, just like anyone who signs up for the new posts by checking one of those two boxes.
lisa says
Danna, what a great question! My favorite is “The Twelve Deaths Of Christmas” by Marian Babson! It’s a great story. A group of both Brits & non-Brits find themselves sharing Christmas with the rest of their boarding house instead of their families. Babson takes us inside the killer’s mind in alternating chapters. It’s really hard to figure out who-done-it! Deliciously malicious Christmas cozy!
linda c says
Danna, I so love this blog of yours, especially when you ask for us to give our favorites!! I can get a very good variety of new -to-me authors this way. But have you noticed anything about this type of question?? Not many of us are able to give “Only One!!??)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank to all of you who commented about your favorite Christmas theme mystery book. I was happy to see that my favorite (Cyril Hare’s An English Murder) made the list.
There are two n the list which I haven’t read, so I will definitely make a note of them.
Thanks, again, AND enjoy your holiday reading!
Joshua says
Hi Danna,
Thought I’d post this here since it’s thematically on topic, but more for your regular cheap kindle reads list. Two of Kerry Greenwood’s books, set during the Christmas season, are on sale for 99 cents each this month. #15 in the Phryne Fisher series, Murder in the Dark, and #5 in the Corinna Chapman series, Forbidden Fruit. I bought both today and haven’t read either yet but Phryne is one of my definite favorites.
Cheers! and Holiday greetings to you and your family!
Joshua
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joshua, Happy (and Safe) Holiday greetings to you, also. And thank you so much for telling us about these great Kerry Greenwood (Murder in the Dark and Forbidden Fruit) cheap Kindle deals.
Deb says
Thanks, Joshua! I just bought both of them plus Earthly Delights (the first Corinna) and Cocaine Blues (the first Phryne). I saw Phryne Fisher titles I hadn’t seen before, so as soon as my Kindle arrives I’ll see if I can borrow some of them.
I haven’t given up my NOOK by any means, but I got the Kindle Keyboard so I can get the free and 99 cent cozies (and probably a few other books as well….)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Deb, I’m pretty sure that had I initially gone with a Nook, I would be adding a Kindle to it. I can’t get over how many more Kindle mystery books are either free, or very, very cheap.
Joshua says
Yes, indeed, this is one of the reasons why I do love my kindle. When I first discovered the Phryne series I had a hard time finding the books – they were all expensive hardcover editions, sometimes imports. 20 bucks and more a pop. So I rationed them out, and picked up used ones when I could. Then this year, they’re all on kindle for affordable prices. Terrific. I think it must be partly because of the TV show of the series doing so well in Australia. But, for whatever reason, I am grateful. Always nice to see a Phryne fan, Deb! I haven’t read any of the Corinna ones yet but have bought a few for future indulgence. I like supporting La Grenwood – as my friend (who’s a fan too) and I called the author – she’s a lot of fun.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joshua, I didn’t know they are showing a Phryne Fisher series in Australia. I am guessing it’s only a matter of time before it will hit the USA.
Joshua says
I hope so! I heard that netflix Canada and maybe North America in general acquired the rights so at very least hopefully it’ll show up there. I think it deserves a real TV run on PBS or somewhere. I got a hold of the episodes thru the internet (shh! don’t tell anyone) and I think they’re really well done. They’ve changed the books somewhat but I’m not a stickler for that, so long as the show is still interesting and fun. And they’ve basically condensed each book to an hour’s length, so some changing was inevitable. Even so they really capture the essence of the books and lovely period recreation. I heard it’s renewed for a second season, so it’s gotta come here, right?! 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joshua, I hope your sources about the Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries are correct. I would love to try this series of shows.
Joshua says
Hi Danna,
I just saw today that AcornTV is now showing series 1 of Miss Fisher’s MM as part of their programming. You have to be a premium member (which I’m not) to see all the episodes but the first one, Cocaine Blues, is streaming on their website for free. You have to sign up for a basic free membership to view it but it’s definitely worth it if you wanna try the series on for size. I hope this means it’s soon destined for netflix or other places as well.
Cheers,
Josh
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Here’s hoping, Joshua!
linda c says
Danna, I have been reading quite a few novels this Christmas season, not all of them being mysteries, though. My latest was “The Christmas Sweater” by John Beck. This was a very good book. The story was a very good story: one that I wish I would read again but this time with my heart instead of just with my head.
Not only was the story very good but the last part of the book where John Beck explains some of what happened and how and why some of these things took place in the story came about. I am not one to think that EVERY Christmas will solve EVERYTHING for EVERYone but this book did give me things to think about as it concerns things that have happened in my own life. The moral of this book, to me, forgiving not only others but about each of us forgiving our own selves is what Christmas is about. Very good book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for telling us about The Christmas Sweater, Linda.
Nancy Jill says
Book 6 in the Jillian Bradley mystery series “Waiting for Santa” is full of our families Christmas traditions – everything from snickerdoodles to our favorite game – Christmas Eve Gift. Jillian and her Yorkie, Teddy, manage to solve several homicides due to a suspicious power failure. Oh, and there’s also fruitcake…my favorite!