10 Captivating New Holiday-Themed Mysteries

Homicide for the Holidays, by Cheryl Honigford
When burgeoning radio star Vivian Witchell stumbles upon a stack of cash in a locked drawer in her late father’s desk, she takes the opportunity to hire dashing detective Charlie Haverman to help her investigate. Viv begins to wonder if she should have left well enough alone when the trail of clues begins to point toward her beloved, upstanding father’s potential involvement with none other than Al Capone. The second novel in the Viv and Charlie Mystery series, set in 1938 Chicago, will delight fans of period mysteries featuring colorful characters.

Eggnog Murder, by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross
You’ll never look at eggnog the same way after enjoying this creamy collection of stories spiked with murder and deceit. The famously unhealthy beverage is prominently featured in all three holiday-themed tales—and yes, it’s laced with poison in at least one story. This delicious tongue-in-cheek trio will help you get in the “bah, humbug!” spirit just in time for the holidays.

Hark the Herald Angels Slay, by Vicki Delany
As one might expect, the town of Rudolph, NY is filled with the Christmas spirit all year long—but especially during the languid summer months, when Santa arrives on a boat to enjoy his summer vacation on the lake during a Christmas in July celebration. But when Max Folger, the ex-fiance of Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, arrives in town as well, Merry is perturbed. It quickly becomes obvious that Max’s explanation for why he is there—that he’s working for a magazine that’s covering the festivities—is a ruse. Max is there for one reason and one reason only: To win Merry back. But that plan is derailed when he’s found dead, strangled in her store, and Merry’s busy to-do list includes catching a murderer.

Murder for Christmas, by Francis Duncan
Fans of good old fashioned murder mysteries in the style of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot series will want to settle in for a long winter’s read with this sharp Christmas-themed tale. A number of guests have gathered at Benedict Grame’s country house for some holiday revels, including amateur investigator Mordecai Tremaine. As tends to happen when may different visitors gather together under one roof, tensions are high among the partygoers—and things take a grisly turn when the a body dressed as Santa Claus is found under the tree. Can Mordecai unmask the killer before anyone else gets a deadly, unwanted gift for Christmas?

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d (Flavia de Luce Series #8), by Alan Bradley
In the eighth novel in Bradley’s wickedly charming Flavia de Luce series, the young prodigy has been thrown out of Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy, and she’s delighted to be sailing back to England. Unfortunately she is greeted upon her return with the terrible news that her father is ill. Flavia’s irritating sisters and cousin are ruining her homecoming—until she stumbles upon the body of a lonely woodcarver in his cottage in the woods. The man is hanging upside down on the back of a door, the only living witness on the scene is an unperturbed cat. Things pick up quickly for Flavia after that, and fans of this precocious young detective will thoroughly enjoy her vigorous investigation into this shocking murder.

Christmas Caramel Murder (Hannah Swensen Series), by Joanna Fluke
Trouble is brewing this holiday season in Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah and her buddy Lisa are providing the refreshments for this year’s production of A Christmas Carol, but Lisa is not thrilled that her husband has been cast as Santa…and his ex-girlfriend as Mrs. Claus. Before the show can get off the ground, though, Mrs. Clause is found dead in the snow…in a costume that is definitely not g-rated. Everyone’s a suspect in this madcap mystery which comes with 12 bonus holiday recipes from The Cookie Jar!

A Christmas Return: A Novel, by Anne Perry
When her investigation into a long-ago murder that sundered a friendship prompts the arrival of a mysterious and disturbing Christmas package on her doorstep, grandmother Mariah Ellison, the winning star of Perry’s newest Christmas-themed mystery, finds herself traveling to Surrey to pay a visit to her estranged friend, the murdered man’s widow, in an effort to make amends. There, she teams up with the victim’s grandson, who is hot on the killer’s (cold) trail. But now that they’re stirring up old crimes, every new lead puts this unlikely pair deeper into danger.

Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women, by Emily Brightwell
Christopher Gilhaney seems to have made enemies at a recent Guy Fawkes Night dinner party—judging by the fact that he was shot dead later that night. Granted, he did spend the evening insulting every guest in attendance, to the mortification of hostess Abigail Chase. The mystery of Christopher’s murder, which is suspected to be related to a botched robbery, remains unsolved six weeks later, and Inspector Witherspoon’s expertise is called upon. But the holidays are approaching, and Witherspoon and his household at large are concerned that their holiday plans are at risk of being interrupted. Can they put this one to bed, or will the truth forever elude them?

The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers, by Peter Lovesy
What do you get for the crime reader who has everything? How do you get your favorite armchair gumshoe into the holiday spirit? And where can you find 18 hilarious, chilling, and bizarre stories centering around suspicious mall Santas, mysterious dinner parties, and stolen diamonds? The answer to all of these questions (and so many more) is The Usual Santas, A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers, an anthology featuring stories by some of your favorite Soho Press authors and their most unexpectedly twisted Christmas-themed tales.

How the Finch Stole Christmas, by Donna Andrews
Eschewing his typical one man show, Meg’s husband has decided to launch a full-cast production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol—starring their sons Josh and Jamie as Tiny Tim and young Scrooge of course, with Meg as stage manager. But the faded-star celebrity he brought into town to play Scrooge has brought a whole lot of trouble with him, in the form of a veritable zoo of animals, including a collection of finches. Fans of Andrews’ lively and charming Meg Langslow series will be crowing about the twisty 22nd installment.
What mysteries are you digging into this December?