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It’s time to say a Festive Farewell to seasonal reading …
OR IS IT?!
There’s something uniquely satisfying about a murder mystery wrapped in the glimmer of festive cheer. Whether it’s the buzz in the air or the idea of solving puzzles by the light of a reindeer’s nose, Christmas crime novels feel like the perfect seasonal indulgence.
But what happens when these thrilling tales are just too good to leave until December? In this post we’ll review 3 captivating Christmas mysteries that prove murder doesn’t stick to a calendar.
Featuring Sophie Hannah’s clever homage to Christie in Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night, Jessica Fletcher’s wintry escapades in Murder in Season, and Ada Moncrieff’s delightfully twisty Murder at Maybridge Castle, this post is your ticket to crime-solving in an off-brand Santa suit.
Grab a cup of hot chocolate, pull on your sleuthing hat, and let’s uncover why these stories are timeless treasures all year round.
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Happy Reading, Friends!
Series or Standalone?:
This is Book 5 in the ‘New Hercule Poirot Mysteries’.
'Hercule Poirot's Silent Night' Back Blurb:
It’s 19 December 1931. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are called to investigate the murder of a man in the apparent safe haven of a Norfolk hospital ward. Catchpool’s mother, the irrepressible Cynthia, insists that Poirot stays in a crumbling mansion by the coast, so that they can all be together for the festive period while Poirot solves the case. Cynthia’s friend Arnold is soon to be admitted to that same hospital and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim, though she refuses to explain why. Poirot has less than a week to solve the crime and prevent more murders, if he is to escape from this nightmare scenario and get home in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, someone else – someone utterly ruthless – also has ideas about what ought to happen to Hercule Poirot.
What did we think?: 5 Stars!
This was a hoot and really warmed my heart. I’ve not read any Sophie Hannah before, but will be sure to follow along with her other Poirot adventures. Poirot is one of my favourite Agatha Christie characters, however I’m by no means across the character’s ins and outs – and I think that worked in my favour, as I don’t bring die-hard views on how Poirot is supposed to behave to the reading. I enjoyed the story, following Poirot and Inspector Catchpool as they’re called to solve a crime before they can get on with their Christmas. I loved how much Catchpool’s mother got under his skin – and the relationship between Catchpool and Poirot was sooo sweet, it made me love them both even more. “It is hard to describe how I feel whenever Poirot walks into a room I am in. it is the mental equivalent of light being transformed into colour by a diamond’s fluorescence.” (p209) – Catchpool about Poirot. “Had I known that our friendship would result in a (spoiler) for me, I would still have chosen to embark upon it.” (p249) Recommended for lovers of classic cosy crime.
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Series or Standalone?:
This is Book 52 in the ‘Murder She Wrote‘ series.
'Murder in Season' Back Blurb:
With work on the reconstruction of her beloved home almost complete, Jessica Fletcher is in high holiday spirits, spearheading the annual Christmas parade and preparing for her nephew Grady and his family to come to town. The only thing dampening the holiday cheer is the discovery of two sets of bones on Jessica’s property- one set ancient, the other only about a year old. It’s concluded that they were both placed there during the reconstruction, and Jessica suspects that, despite the centuries between them, the remains might be connected. Soon tabloid reporter Tad Hollenbeck arrives in Cabot Cove to write a story about what he calls “the murder capital of the country.” But when Tad himself is murdered, Jessica speculates that his arrival, his death, and the discovery of the bones are all somehow linked. As Jessica digs deeper to find the connection between the bones and Tad’s murder, everything seems to come back to a mystery that has long plagued Cabot Cove. If she wants to solve the case, she’ll need to delve into her beloved town’s dark history, or else this holiday season may be her last.
What did we think?: 3 Stars!
I didn’t love the writing style of this one, compared to another Jessica Fletcher book I’ve read in this series – I did a sneaky Google and turns out there were a number of authors contributing to the collection. Sometimes the tale just doesn’t jump out as a favourite either – so I won’t immediately write off Jon Land. We can rest assured it’s not Jessica Fletcher’s fault regardless. She’s a marvel. Also, she is living in the murder capital of the world – so there’s lots of fodder for books, and room for her to leap in and investigate without any qualifications. “Come to Cabot Cove for Christmas, where there’s a body under every tree.” (p71) Jessica is a crime writer, which seems to give her full access to the police department and associated goings-on. Good on you, Jess! Even though Jess is amazing, I had issues with how much the Doctor and Police defer to her opinion and seem to rely on her for next steps. Seth, the doctor is described as doddering and ready to hang up his stethoscope, even though he’s only 60 yrs old – and is written more like he’s in his late 80s. There was a decided overuse of catch phrases in this one too – with Harry McGraw saying ‘little lady’ almost every time he opened his mouth – and the Doctor Seth saying ‘ayuh’. All in all though, this was a cosy if clunky read – I’ll keep sleuthing my way through the Fletcher series. Recommended for lovers of Christmas crime.
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Series or Standalone?:
This book is part of the ‘Christmas Mysteries‘ series.
'Murder at Maybridge Castle' Back Blurb:
It’s Christmas 1937 and an eclectic list of guests and staff have gathered for the grand re-opening of Maybridge castle, a newly renovated yet still crumbling hotel deep in the Cumbrian countryside. They are: The ex-socialite owner. The Doctor and his new wife. The stylish journalist. The know-all housekeepers. The still-grieving widower and his son. The tarot readers. The passionate academic. The persistent investigative reporter. The elder amateur sleuth, and her cat. An innocent game of murder-in-the-dark will turn into a real game of life and death. And by the time the first sherries have been drunk, one of these people will be dead – and one of them the killer. Someone has changed the rules, but who?
What did we think?: 5 Stars!
This was a cosy Christmas mystery that ticked all the boxes for a comforting festive read. There is an extensive cast of characters outlined in the first few pages, which can sometimes be overwhelming – but feel free to ignore this, as all of the characters are pretty well defined, and you’ll pick up who’s who as the plot progresses. We mostly follow from the perspective of Daphne King, an investigative reporter – which I enjoyed. I liked Daphne, and teamed with elderly Amelia Thewley and her cat Duke, they made a great pairing and I’d read more of their adventures in a heartbeat. There were a few new to me words, which sometimes felt like Moncrieff was using big words just for the sake of it – i.e. ‘froideur’ instead of ‘coolness or reserve’; ‘lachrymosity’ instead of ‘sadness’. Overall, this is a great book to add to your xmas stockings or to read any time of year! Pair it with your favourite feline, cup of hot choc and sleuth your way to Christmas or beyond!
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