If Christmas is the season of goodwill, crime fiction authors clearly didn’t get the memo. Each year, mystery writers gift us something far more delicious than socks or scented candles: murders in mansions, bodies by bookstalls, deadly pantomimes and enough suspicious characters to fill Santa’s naughty list twice over.
From locked-room mysteries and snowed-in sleuths to festive anthologies and ghostly Dickensian skulduggery, 2025’s Christmas crime crop promises more chills and thrills than a night in an unheated vicarage. After all, nothing says ‘Happy Holidays’ quite like a body in the library.
1 – The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson
The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson is a captivating festive murder mystery beginning on Christmas Eve 1943. The story follows Anthony and Elva Pratt, former entertainers now consigned to unglamourous war work, as they journey to the Tudor Close Hotel, where Anthony is to play piano and host a murder mystery game. Based on the creation of the classic board game Cluedo – AKA Clue – the plot takes an unexpected turn when the Pratts discover the body of Miss Silver, the local tobacconist, murdered in her store. As they try to solve the real-life murder amidst the dwindling grandeur of the war-torn hotel, they uncover dark secrets tied to both the guests and the hotel itself. With rich period detail, an atmospheric country house setting and a mystery full of twists, Upson expertly blends elements of classic crime fiction with the nostalgia of playing Cluedo, offering a thrilling and unpredictable holiday whodunnit. It comes as a beautifully bound little hardback, the perfect stocking stuffer. Read our full review here.
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2 – Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards
Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a clever, twist-laden homage to Golden Age detective fiction, infused with modern flair and interactive storytelling. Set in a snow-bound Yorkshire village over Christmas, Martin Edwards crafts a meta-mystery where six down-on-their-luck literary figures are drawn into a high-stakes murder game, only to find the lines between fiction and reality dangerously blurred. Told through mixed media – journals, texts, podcasts and more – the novel invites you to become a sleuth yourself, aided by playful genre references, bonus puzzle content and a retro-style Cluefinder appendix. With sharp commentary on the publishing world, a richly atmospheric setting and a slew of secrets and shifting alliances, Edwards delivers both a tribute to and deconstruction of classic crime fiction, resulting in an immersive, inventive and darkly witty read. Read our full review here.
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3 – Murder at Mistletoe Manor by FL Everett
Murder at Mistletoe Manor by FL Everett is a festive mystery that’s as warm with wit as it is chilling with suspense. When journalist Nick Caldwell runs into car trouble on the Yorkshire Moors and ends up stranded at a genteel hotel days before Christmas, he expects mulled wine and carols – not murder. Cut off by a blizzard, the Wi-Fi gone and the guests growing twitchy, Nick finds himself reluctantly leading an investigation as one death becomes two and the sense of claustrophobia tightens. Everett pays homage to Agatha Christie while giving the classic closed-circle whodunnit a contemporary edge: her stranded cast of 12 is sharply drawn, their quirks and secrets revealing both humour and unease. The atmosphere is beautifully rendered and the tension builds with quiet precision. Balancing menace and merriment, Everett delivers a smart, dryly funny and satisfyingly twisty mystery that captures the spirit of Christmas while reminding readers that goodwill can falter when snowed in with a killer. Read our full review here.
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4 – Death in Ambush by Susan Gilruth
Susan Gilruth’s Death in Ambush (1952), this year’s festive addition to the British Library Crime Classics series, is a Christmas mystery more attuned to post-war unease than holiday cheer. Set in the Kent village of Staple Green, it follows houseguest Liane ‘Lee’ Craufurd as she becomes entangled in the investigation into a magistrate’s murder after a hoax phone call lures his wife away. Told through Lee’s observant, quietly ironic narration, the novel blends classic whodunnit intrigue with sharp social insight, depicting a community clinging to civility amid class shifts, gender tensions and lingering wartime scars. Gilruth’s measured pacing and psychological depth evoke the transition from Golden Age puzzles to more character-driven crime fiction, making Death in Ambush both an engaging mystery and a subtle portrait of a society in flux. Read our full review here.
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5 – A Body at the Christmas Book Fair by Helen Cox
Leonard was dead to begin with. Well, maybe not to begin with, but certainly early on. In fact, his delightfully festive demise takes place while he’s on stage at the York Christmas Book Fair, delivering an otherwise impressive solo performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In the front row is Kitt Hartley, former librarian, now lead detective and partner in Hartley and Edwards Investigations. She and a festival volunteer administer CPR when Leonard collapses, but it’s too late. He’s dead within minutes. Plus, he seems to be decomposing even faster. What could have killed him? What led to the inexplicable state of his corpse? And why does he smell so strongly of cinnamon? Helen Cox’s A Body at the Christmas Book Fair opens with a darkly comic, Dickens-tinged flourish and then settles quickly into the cosy mystery terrain she knows so well: Yorkshire charm, bookish banter and a clever murder plot. The juxtaposition of festive joy and clandestine danger builds tension, while Kitt Hartley is as sharp, friendly and curious as ever.
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6 – The Dog Sitter Detective’s Christmas Tail by Antony Johnston
The Dog Sitter Detective’s Christmas Tail is a festive cosy mystery with a le Carré-esque twist. Actress-turned-amateur sleuth Gwinny Tuffel and retired DCI Alan Birch find themselves snowed in at a remote farmhouse just before Christmas, along with a group of eccentric retired spies and a lively Cocker Spaniel. When a body is discovered in the attic, the group’s secrets begin to unravel. Johnston blends festive atmosphere, canine companionship and a classic whodunnit structure with Cold War-era spying tropes. The setting recalls traditional country house mysteries but there are distinctly modern touches. Gwinny is a sympathetic, relatable sleuth: sharp-minded but vulnerable, compassionate yet determined. Birch adds warmth, while the dogs add a comforting element that softens the darkness of murder. The mystery itself delivers a satisfying puzzle.
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7 – Golden Age Christmas Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler
This anthology delivers a festive yet thrilling collection of 14 Christmas-themed detective stories drawn from the Golden Age of Crime. Penzler’s skill as an editor shines: he selects tales from celebrated authors, such as Ellery Queen, Mary Roberts Rinehart and John Dickson Carr, alongside lesser-known names, ensuring both familiar voices and fresh discoveries. What distinguishes the collection is its variety. Some stories are atmospheric and dark, turning the cheerful Christmas setting on its head; others approach the season with subtle humour or evoke cosy nostalgia before delivering a twist. Penzler’s introductions add value: the brief context on authors and stories gently guides expectations and deepens appreciation. For fans of classic detective fiction, especially those who enjoy the contrast between holiday cheer and crime, this anthology offers a mixture of chilling plots, clever puzzles and atmospheric settings.
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8 – A Scrooge Mystery by Andreina Cordani
A Scrooge Mystery is set around a year after the events of A Christmas Carol, re-imagining reformed miser Ebenezer Scrooge as a reluctant sleuth. Though Scrooge is trying to maintain his newfound benevolence, he is drawn into a dark plot when he encounters the ghost of a murdered young woman. To save his clerk Bob Cratchit and himself, he must discover who was responsible for her death. Andreina Cordani successfully marries the festive, Dickensian atmosphere of Victorian London with the tension and intrigue of a murder mystery. The period charm is perfect and the multiple POVs – including ghostly ones – enrich the storytelling, giving depth to both living and spectral characters. Scrooge remains recognisably flawed yet sympathetic: the struggle to hold onto redemption, the lure of profit and the fear of slipping back into old habits all make him more human. Supporting characters such as Tiny Tim add emotional depth and realism.
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9 – Murder at Midwinter by Ada Moncrieff
It’s December 1937 and intrepid reporter Daphne King has returned to her old school, Midwinter Academy, for a 20th anniversary reunion, only for nostalgia to give way to dread when one of her old classmates turns up dead under suspicious circumstances. The novel cleverly intertwines this present-day murder with the shadow of a disappearance from two decades earlier, forcing Daphne to confront old secrets and long-buried guilt. Ada Moncrieff evokes the era with gentle elegance: the December chill, the quiet gravity of a school cloaked in snow and the tension simmering beneath polite conversation. Daphne is a thoughtful, determined protagonist whose return to detective work feels believable and emotionally grounded. Her reflections on past mistakes and relationships add unexpected depth. Rather than relying on flashy twists, Moncrieff builds suspense through mood, atmosphere and character – a reminder that not all mysteries need grand theatrics to be gripping.
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10 – The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra Benedict
The Christmas Cracker Killer brings back puzzle-setter and ex-Christmas-sceptic Edie O’Sullivan for a yuletide mystery with a twist. It all begins when Edie wins a two-day holiday at a luxury hotel on a remote Scottish island. The idyll quickly shatters when a guest dies under suspicious circumstances. As more deaths follow, Edie realises there’s a murderer on the loose, and the only clues lie in the Christmas crackers left by the victims. Alexandra Benedict excels at blending traditional cosy crime appeal with clever modern puzzles: the Christmas cracker riddles facilitate playing detective alongside Edie. The story balances atmosphere and suspense – the remote island, wintry setting and closed circle of suspects build tension effectively. Edie herself remains a compelling protagonist: witty, sharp and relatable, with a cast of supporting characters that enrich the mystery rather than clutter it.
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11 – The Christmas Market Murder by Peter Boland
A Christmas market in the quiet seaside town of Southbourne is meant to bring seasonal cheer but instead becomes the scene of a chilling crime in The Christmas Market Murder. When the body of a man is found inside a locked holiday market stall – a cabin sealed from within – the death is initially ruled a suicide, but suspicions soon mount: the stall is unnaturally spotless and the man’s distraught son refuses to accept the coroner’s verdict. Fortunately, Fiona, Daisy and Partial Sue – retirees who run a local charity shop and have a knack for amateur sleuthing – jump at the chance of solving another murder. Their dynamic brings warmth, humour and charm as they unravel clues, interview suspects and navigate the murky atmosphere of small-town secrets and the possibility of a serial stalker haunting the streets. The festive atmosphere (mulled wine, fairy lights, crisp winter air) is neatly balanced with suspense and a locked-room puzzle that grows darker the more they dig.
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12 – The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder by Fiona Leitch
The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder unfolds in the small town of Penstowan in the lead-up to Christmas. The local amateur dramatic society’s staging of Aladdin takes a deadly turn when – amid backstage chaos, costume changes and festive cheer – a corpse is discovered beside a bloodied magic lamp. The mysterious death pulls in a full cast of colourful suspects: actors, directors, the mayor’s spouse and townsfolk, who all have secrets to hide. Jodie Parker – former police officer turned caterer – finds herself reluctantly drawn into sleuthing alongside her partner Nathan, the local DCI. Their interactions, the small-town gossip and the various family dynamics insert humour and heart between clues and red herrings. The motives are murky, the alibis strong and the secrets well buried, which makes for a particularly fiendish festive puzzle.
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And a bonus stocking filler for younger crime fiction fans…
The Merry Christmas Murders by Alexandra Benedict
This one’s very different to the entry from the same author above. When a spate of suspicious deaths rocks a secondary school in the run-up to the holidays, Brooke and her new friends in the Neurokind club – each with different neurodivergent strengths – become investigators to unmask the culprit. There are clue-packed chapters, seasonal set-pieces (think perilous mince pies and a very tense Christmas Cup) and a fair-play trail that invites young readers to crack codes alongside the characters. Alexandra Benedict blends cosy sparkle with genuine stakes without tipping into gore. The story consistently frames difference as advantage, giving its cast distinct voices and purposeful roles while weaving in accessible brain teasers that reward close reading. The Merry Christmas Murders is brisk, high-spirited and properly twisty – a mystery that should delight budding detectives and any adult chaperone reading over their shoulder.
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Christmas mysteries is kind of a tradition here at Crime Fiction Lover. Check out the books we rounded up for Christmas 2024, here.
