Christmas Detective

When a beautiful Christmas package appears on Grandmama's porch, it's much too heavy for the Christmas pudding it holds. With her family away for the holidays, Grandmama digs in to the pudding, only to find a cannon ball baked inside. Instantly, her memory flies back to a friendship she destroyed a decade before. Hoping to make amends, Grandmama travels to Surrey and joins up with her former friend's grandson to solve the murder of his grandfather - who Grandmama once loved and whose death she blamed, out of jealousy, on her friend.

Welcome to Hope Falls where we're getting ready for a white Christmas… "Melanie Jackson is a talent to watch." —WritersWrite.com Chloe Boston, unofficial detective and meter maid, is on hand when the Christmas parade's grand marshal keels over in his antique car. Something is rotten among the candy canes and rollicking elves. Chloe is being pressured by the Chief to find the murderous Grinch, but will she have time to find the killer before Santa comes to town? "I was delighted to find Chloe Boston and all of Melanie Jackson's series." —Connie Shelton, author of the Charlie Parker and...

It is no ordinary Christmas at Lexham Manor. Six holiday guests find themselves the suspects of a murder enquiry when the old Scrooge, Nathaniel Herriad, who owns the substantial estate, is found stabbed in the back. Whilst the delicate matter of inheritance could be the key to this crime, the real conundrum is how any of the suspects could have entered the locked room to commit this foul deed. For Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard, 'tis the season to find whodunit.

Hoping for a relaxing break, Lulu sets off with Conrad on her canal boat The Lark to the picturesque city of Bath to visit friends. But Christmas cheer soon gives way to festive fear when the pair learn of a ruthless kidnapping plot that is plaguing parents in the area. As the kidnappers fuel panic with further demands, the pair must unravel clues faster than Conrad can charm with his witty banter if they are to stand any chance of bringing the criminals to justice in time to save the holidays . . .

Claudine Burroughs, a volunteer in Hester Monk's clinic for sick and injured prostitutes, no longer expects closeness with her coldly ambitious husband and dreads the holidays. Then, at a glittering Yuletide gala, she meets the attractive poet Dai Tregarron, and suddenly her spirits lift. But an hour later, this fascinating man is enmeshed in a nightmare - accused of killing a young streetwalker who had been smuggled into the party.

The festive season should be a time for generosity and goodwill, but in Glasgow, Leger finds that is not the case. His human companion's attempt to raise funds for a CT scanner for a local hospital has been thwarted by a callous thief who has stolen decorations from her seasonal garden display. Now Leger resolves to mend Annabella's broken heart by finding the thief. With Ginger nursing her newborn kittens, Isabella confusing him with erratic behaviour and Bob more interested in Hugh's discarded slipper than helping solve this mystery, Leger's only clue comes from an unexpected source - a ...

Penrose & Pyke have until Christmas Eve to save the orphans’ home, by unravelling a tangle of tinsel and trickery. Private detective Charlie Pyke was looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas with his fiancée, Grace Penrose. Instead, Charlie and Grace must stop a dubious deal, find a sneak thief and foil a mischievous brother, with the help of a pair of inquisitive orphans and the spirit of a dear departed grandmother. If they can decipher the clues and make it through the dessert course, they just might survive their first family Christmas together. Tinsel and Trickery is a half-...

Undercover Detective Arlie has his hands full again! Two very pregnant women, an overeager protégé, and a new arrival bent on making Anchorage the human trafficking hub of the world have complicated his life. Will he be able to handle all of them and still wear the Santa suit? Life has changed so much for the techno-clever Anchorage Undercover Cop since his trip to Arizona the year before (A Stingray Christmas). New people have come into his life - both good and bad. Will he be able to make it home to spend his first Alaska Christmas with his new wife and sons? Or will human traffickers ...

It’s Christmastime in the quiet Los Angeles County city of Vista Beach, home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson. The magic of the season fills the air as residents enjoy school concerts, a pier lighting ceremony and the annual sand-snowman contest. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Rory plans on painting ornaments to sell at the local craft fair and joining in on the holiday fun. But she finds the season anything but jolly after the house across the street is torn down, revealing a decades old crime. Past meets present when her father is ...

Lonely Charles Latterly arrives at his small hotel hoping that the island's blue skies and gentle breezes will brighten his spirits. Unfortunately, there's no holiday cheer to be found among his fellow guests, who include a pompous novelist, a stuffy colonel, a dangerously ill-matched married couple, and an ailing old man. The one charming exception is orphaned teenager Candace Finbar, who takes Charles under her wing and introduces him to the island's beauty.

Enjoy the third book in this fictional comedy series of mystery novels, as we join Lady Ashcroft, and her friends for a Christmas Eve party. Plymouth, 1950, a large yacht plays host to a small crowd of wealthy guests. All wearing masks, to create the atmosphere of excitement, awaiting a murder to take place. Who are the suspects, and who is the victim? Is there anyone that can be trusted when all goes horribly wrong? Terry is on his way for some advice, and is caught up in an explosive conclusion, as the yacht heads for an escape, and towards an impending doom! Detective James Young has his...

An English bobbie returning from night patrol finds a corpse in evening dress locked in the stocks on the village green. He identifies the body immediately. Andrew Vereker was not a well-loved man, and narrowing down the suspects is not going to be an easy job. The Vereker family are corrupt and eccentric - and hardly cooperative. It's another case for the resourceful Superintendent Hannasyde, who sets off on the trail of a killer so cunning that even his consummate powers of detection are tested to their limits.

Monty´s has no idea that his Christmas adventures are only beginning when he shrinks to the size of a mouse and meets a real mouse called Mortimer. They not only discover that his toys have come alive but that the whole of his Magic Kingdom is in danger. Not only has the Box of Hocus Pocus been opened but they are being visited by the Four, Black Cowboys of Disaster – and perhaps even a pixie. A cozy, magical story for all the year round. Suitable for 7-120 year olds.

It’s Christmas - so why not accept a dare to explore a creepy old haunted house? On this third book of the Ava & Carol Detective Agency series, fearless best friends Ava and Carol set out to prove that the Butcher house isn’t haunted. Only, Carol is pretty sure she saw something inside one of the windows - and moments later, they are chased by a headless monster! The girls receive an ominous threat: Stay away or else! Now, more than ever, the girls are determined to find out who is trying to scare them away.

Leaping Yule logs! Santa Claus has gone missing! And it's almost Christmas! Where is he? It's a Christmas-tery! What happens when Santa goes MIA? Well, Tweedle the elf decides they need to hire an amazing Private Eye to find him. Unfortunately, all they can afford is Nick Flebber. Flebber's a private eye riding a dry patch, income-wise, looking to take any case that walks through his door. Sure, the elf's money looks legit, but how does he know this isn't the effects of some mind altering drugs? Then he remembers he can't afford any mind altering drugs. So, before you can say “pa rum pum ...

Who shot Santa Claus? During a trip to see Santa Claus, journalist Roland “Beanie” Bean and his young sons Ethan and Evan are shocked when Old St. Nick is shot! Beanie is anxious to cover the story of Santa’s shooting, but his editor at the Palmchat Gazette has other plans for him. Beanie has to investigate the grisly murder of a victim found dead in a car that had been set on fire. After he learns the man died of a gunshot wound and that the car was torched to cover up the crime, Beanie searches for more information, but his efforts are hampered by the detective on the case, a man ...

Snow falling at the Nature Station means the wildflowers have retreated undercover for the winter. Kristen Matthews goes undercover as well, after a body is discovered on her property. Trying to catch the killer before the joy and peace of the holiday season are shattered further, will Kristen be able to solve the mystery before more lives are shattered--including her own? Taking a break from holiday event planning at the Nature Station, Kristen Matthews and her friend, co-worker, and bride-to-be, Hope Johnson, travel to Chicago to select Hope's wedding dress. Eating lunch at their favorite...

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 ...

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 ...

Abbie’s holiday spirit vanishes when she overhears a troubling conversation. But her friends are certain she must have misunderstood. The Cozy Chess Club brainstorms theories, but clues are hard to find. When all hope seems lost, a mysterious angel appears and takes them on an extraordinary journey, revealing important truths from the past, present, and future. Can Abbie’s friends help her regain her Christmas spirit before the day ends and the long holiday break begins? Book 3 is scheduled for release in August 2025, and Book 4 is right on deck!