Amateur Sleuths Christmas

Sydney Nash is tangled in a Christmas mystery when a hired Santa collapses at a book reading and dies unexpectedly. With her clever cat Jinx, Sydney stumbles upon a rare coin that might hold the key to unraveling the truth. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that could explain the man’s sudden demise and its dark motives. Can Sydney and Jinx crack the case before the holiday spirit turns to danger?

Samantha Sweet is back at Sweet's Sweets, turning out her amazing cakes and pastries for the busy holiday season, when Emily Plankhurst, the new young librarian in town, stops in. Emily tells Sam a strange story involving a hidden niche in the library revealed to her in a vision, supposedly, by her dead grandmother. It turns out the hidden space contains a rare painting, The Ghost of Christmas, which was believed to have been destroyed in a fire twenty-five years ago at the luxury home of a hedge fund billionaire.

A baker who sees the dead. One too many suitors. And a killer. Living in Honey Hollow can be murder. MURDER IN THE MIX Cozy Mystery Christmas Special A laugh out loud standalone cozy mystery by New York Times Bestseller Addison Moore ***Includes RECIPE*** My name is Lottie Lemon, and I see dead people. Okay, so I rarely see dead people, mostly I see furry creatures of the dearly departed variety, who have come back from the other side to warn me of their previous owner’s impending doom. The holidays have arrived, and the Jolly Holly Tree Lot is hosting a special event that has pets and ...

In Holiday Corner, Vermont, with snowflakes dancing through the frosty December air, excited residents are placing the finishing touches on their annual Snowman Festival. This year, the festive holiday spirit is shattered when the town’s art gallery owner is found murdered two days before the festival is to begin. The man’s frozen body is discovered hidden beneath a carefully crafted snowman which has an uncanny resemblance to the deceased. As word spreads through the small town, twin sisters, Alexa and Aria, become the unwitting suspects. Several eyewitnesses claim they saw two figures...

Enjoy the holiday season with three festive mysteries set in coastal Maine. This anthology includes "Yule Log Murder" by Leslie Meier, "Death by Yule Log" by Lee Hollis, and "Logged On" by Barbara Ross.

In the New England town of Frog's Ledge, the Holiday Light Festival is a Christmas tradition. Killing Santa is not. To bring joy back to the season, organic pet patisserie owner Kristan "Stan" Connor will have to find another Santa before it's too late . . . To the townspeople's delight, the annual lighting of the tree is a spectacular success. Unfortunately, Santa pulled up in his sleigh, DOA. At first Stan is sure it's Seamus, her boyfriend's uncle, inside the red suit. But the victim turns out to be an employee from the town's Christmas tree farm.

When Iris Woodmore visits Winchester for their annual pantomime, murder is the last thing she expects to find. And there seems to be no valid reason as to why anyone would want to hurt lead actress, Rachel Lacey – kind and philanthropic, she organized the Christmas performance to raise funds for the Winchester Cathedral Great War Fund. Determined to uncover the sinister forces at play, Iris and her dear friend Percy embark on a perilous journey through the snow-lined streets of Winchester, where secrets lurk around every corner and danger looms in the shadows.

In the quaint town of Holiday Corner, Vermont, Christmas is in the air. The twinkling lights and aroma of freshly baked gingerbread create the perfect festive atmosphere. But beneath the surface of this holiday bliss, dangerous rumors swirl, like a poisonous ingredient hidden in a delectable dessert. Joy Holiday, Holiday Corner Events Planner, invites renowned chef Ava Merryweather to create a spectacular feast for the town's annual Santa's Workshop Dinner, a beloved charity event. However, the excitement turns to shock when Ava is discovered dead in the snow, a plum pudding by her side. As...

When a romantic Christmas movie starts filming in Crystal Falls, no one thought murder was part of the script. A motion picture company chooses Crystal Falls as the setting for their romantic Christmas movie but when a crew member is murdered and the star of the film is poisoned, Luke and Bandit rush in to solve another mystery in their small hometown. Deadly “accidents” start to plague the production and sightings of an off-balance celebrity stalker sets everyone on edge. Luke searches for clues with help from the telepathic link he shares with his dog Bandit, his cop crush Brooke, and...

Welcome to Frostvale, a picturesque town where holiday cheer meets magical intrigue! Holly Bell, a seasonal witch with a penchant for festive spells, returns home for the holidays expecting gingerbread cookies, sparkling snow, and the warmth of family traditions. But when Frostvale's beloved Santa impersonator, Jolly Jack, is found frozen in a mysterious block of ice, the festive season takes a chilling turn. Armed with her wits, her grimoire, and her mischievous black cat, Onyx, Holly dives into the heart of the town's secrets. Could it be the candy shop owner with a vendetta? Jack’s ...

Ross and Dorie are planning a Christmas Eve wedding. Someone wants Dorie out of the way, permanently. Could it be his mother, escaped from Central State Hospital? Ross really thought Dorie was imagining things while he was in California, but now that he’s home, though sleeping at Riley’s until the wedding, she continues to see things being moved and lights on in the attic. When someone steals his credit card and sends Dorie flowers from him with it, he just has to find out what is going on. Dorie finds out the secret about what happened with Ross’s mother on Ross’s 5th birthday ...

Christmas has descended on Lana Cove. It should be a time of merriment, but in one swoop, a news broadcast changes everything. Michael, an author, finds himself on the trail of a rogue Santa, intent on ruining Christmas and the lives of some residents. George is the usual Santa for Lana Cove, so who is the secretive newcomer, and why is he taking over all of George’s jobs?

As Melanie attempts to deck the halls in a house overrun by pampered poodles, her event planner friend, Claire, is busy playing Santa for the wealthiest clientele on Connecticut's Gold Coast. A personal shopper gig in the affluent town of New Canaan seems like business as usual. Except Claire's stylish stint comes at a higher price than she bargains for when she stumbles over her newest customer's dead body. Named a prime suspect for murder, she begs for Melanie's help, then vanishes like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve.

Whilst dining at the Bantrys, Miss Marple is asked to tell a murder mystery. She recounts the time she could tell from a man’s behaviour that he was planning to kill his wife. But at the time of the murder he had a perfect alibi.

A dead Santa under the mall’s Christmas tree has a way of taking the ho, ho, ho out of the holidays. The dead man was dressed in a red Santa suit, furry cap and black shiny belt and boots. There was though one item of clothing obviously missing – his pants. The attention grabber, other than dead Santa’s lack of pants, was the chalk board sign resting in his lap. The sign read: “I’ve Been a Naughty Boy.” Pam and Paul and their Sunrise Harbor, Maine early morning mall walking friends quickly decide that if Santa’s murder is going to get solved, it’ll be up to them to solve it....

Meadowood has a new mystery and it's just in time for the holidays! Strings of miniature sparkling lights adorn tree branches and hang across the entrance to the holiday pavilion. Christmas carolers try to enhance the holiday mood, but it was murder in the air, not friendship and goodwill. What can Meredith Gardner do when suddenly her new friend plus the sheriff collapse after drinking cups of poisoned mulled cider? Suspicion and fear run rampant in the town of Meadowood as local businesses are burglarized and everyone becomes a suspect. Newly promoted Chief Deputy Sheriff Doug Gardner ...

It is Christmas Day and at Champton Rectory, Canon Daniel Clement and his mother Audrey are joined by the residents and guests of the big house to drink, eat and be merry. At the festive feast, peace and goodwill prevail. Until two meet under the mistletoe. One of them falls down dead. And Daniel suspects murder has returned to Champton. Can Daniel and Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo solve the crime and catch the Christmas killer?

Summer had passed, and the holidays were fast approaching. Everyone at the Shipwreck Cafe was getting ready for The Seashells and Christmas Bells Ball. Jay, true to his word, delivers a letter to the selectman of Anchor Point stating his intentions of taking his privately owned beach and parking lot back from town use. Sid Swann, a selectman used to getting his own way, confronts Jay in public about his decision and heated words are exchanged. The next morning, Sid is found murdered in his office at the town hall and Jay is the number one suspect.

When Mary Blake agrees to help an old acquaintance being blackmailed, she never imagined she’d stumble into another murder investigation. Within 24 hours of her arrival, a suspicious death occurs, plunging the Rudolph Hotel into chaos just before their big Christmas event. With the police dismissing foul play, Mary dives headfirst into the case, joined by her trusty assistant Dot and her eager brother Pea. Together, they must track down the killer and prove their worth in their new career as amateur sleuths. “…plenty of suspects and twists lead to an unexpected conclusion.”

A cosy mystery perfect for fans of Sally Smith, Steve Higgs, LJ Ross, Robert Thorogood, and Richard Osman. Karen McLaren has organised what she believes will be the perfect Yuletide celebration: a murder mystery evening based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It’s being held at Club Britannia; attendees are attired in period costume, and traditional food is on the menu. Everything has been planned to perfection… …one of the guests dying, however, isn’t something that’s been scheduled. A fictional murder mystery transforming into a real murder investigation throws Castillo ...