Christmas is the best time of the year for everyone to be giddy. The snow (if you get any), the decorative lights, hot chocolate, presents, and family bring about the warm feeling of the holidays. Do you know what else brings cozy goodness to Christmas? It’s a riveting mystery to read under the Christmas tree. Like the fall season is an adequate aesthetic for a crime thriller, winter invokes the same need to curl under a fluffy blanket while reading cogitating reads. So, to add more holiday cheer, this week’s three-to-read will immerse you in the holiday spirit that up the stakes with cozy mysteries during the holidays.
HOT PICK
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
SUMMARY:
Maggie and Ethan are masters in the mystery thriller genre and are each other’s rivals as competing authors. Both are invited to an exclusive Christmas house party by their favorite legendary author and fan, Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death. Maggie and Ethan thought that having to share each other’s presence would be the most insufferable thing to happen during the trip. However, when Eleanor disappears from her locked room one day into the event, Maggie and Ethan must put their differences aside and work together to find out where Eleanor went or why she disappeared. Is it a murder or a simple missing person’s case? Whatever the case, the pair, such as the trope, will grow closer as they find the truth.
WHY:
Nothing completes the holidays like solving a mystery with an added enemies-to-lovers trope. If you like cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies, you’ll like Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt bicker like an old married couple. With the book cover screaming shenanigans courtesy of Maggie and Ethan, you won’t find their bonding to a couple as forced or tiresome. Not giving too much away, the book entices readers to the mystery of what’s happening.
COFFEE SHOP READ
Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
SUMMARY:
Ernest Cunningham wishes for a night of relaxation without solving a murder. Can’t any upcoming killers decide to take a break so that Ernest can enjoy his Christmas? No, no, they won’t. Unfortunately, duty calls as Ernest is called to solve the murder of the benefactor of the famous magician, Rylan Blaze. With the stage filled with potential suspects, all are masters of misdirection, proving the case to be hard to tackle. But Ernest also has some magic tricks up his sleeve. If he’s unable to enjoy the holidays in peace, he’ll at least entertain himself by seeing through the illusions of the case cause he’s that good at his job.
WHY:
A quick, witty read, Ernest is a charismatic protagonist you’ll love to follow as he puts the pieces of the crime together. As the third book of the Ernest Cunningham series, this Christmas special is filled with holiday cheer Ernest hoped he’d be in. If not him, then you’ll certainly be in the Christmas mood. With an advent calendar counting down the murderer’s reveal, it’s about the twists and turns Ernest goes through to find the culprit and finally enjoy the holidays with his loved ones. The book is much like the comedy murder mystery See How They Run. It’s not too light but doesn’t take itself too seriously.
DARK HORSE
A St Ives Christmas Mystery: The Must-Read Festive Cosy Crime Mystery by Deborah Fowler
SUMMARY:
Christmas in England sounds magical. But even the cozy Christmas atmosphere of Merrin McKenzie’s hometown does nothing to lift her spirits as she returns from a tragic event. Returning to St Ives’s was meant to be a readjustment period, but it turns for the worse as Merrin finds a dead body in one of the cottage rentals she was meant to clean. The body’s identity and death leave the police scratching their heads. When Merrin notices what the police don’t and voices them, she’s met with skepticism from Inspector Louis. A bigger distraction than Merrin asked for, there’s much going on in St Ives than meets the eye. With the holiday festivities commencing in the small town, underneath is an unrest of the truth revealing itself.
WHY:
While the book is more mellow in the holiday spirit and more serious, it compliments the story’s focus on the murder. In a peaceful small town by the seaside, the secrets creeping into the light will send shivers for what awaits Merrin. You’ll feel for her as he journeys through her troubles and grief. With subtle hints of Christmas cheer amidst the fear, appreciation for the holiday will grow as many crave its warmth. Can Merrin find the gentle joy of the holiday in her little town?
If you like the Knives Out franchise, you’ll get high-quality mysteries like the movies mixed with Christmas. Everything is better when the holidays are included. I’m particularly interested in Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret. Which one will you choose? Or will you read them all for the holidays?
For other Christmas recommendations, check out this previous Three to Read holiday edition!
Want for cozy reads? Explore Bookstr’s Comforting Cozy Mysteries to Curl Up With!
