Christmas Themed Mystery and Suspense

Many people look for books set in the season or around upcoming holidays. There is something special about getting cozy during the holidays while reading a great book set in the same season that you are currently enjoying. When that inclination hits it can be hard to find a book that is entertaining and well written while not falling in the middle of a larger series. Here are some mysteries that can thrill and chill readers with a holiday flare.

A Carol for a Corpse by Claudia Bishop focuses on the Quilliam sisters, and what promises to be a not so merry Christmas. Their business, the Hemlock Falls Inn, has not been doing well since a ritzy resort opened close by. The one hope Sara and Meg have is a high profile magazine and television show is featuring the inn. However, that is not necessarily a great thing when a magazine editor's husband dies on the ski slope. Meg and Sara have their doubts about the death being an accident, and need to find the proof in order to prevent a lawsuit. To make matters worse, inflatable Santas all over town are being taken down by someone with a paintball gun.

Christmas Is Murder by C. S. Challinor is about a Scottish barrister, Rex Graves, who has gone to the Swanmere Manor to celebrate the holiday. However, any festive feelings vanish when one of the guests turns up dead. Soon there is another dead guest, and another. When the manor is snowed in Rex is determined to solve the mysteries. But are the murders the only mystery? This is a modern mystery that has a distinct flavor of classic Christie.

Death Beneath the Christmas Tree by Robert Nordan is the story of one woman's death, than gains her more attention than she ever received in life. Frances Sedbury was the kind of person that never attracted any attention to herself in life. But when she out of a Living Christmas Tree, dead from gunshots fired from the balcony of the packed church, she is the center of attention. Mavis Lashley does some serious digging into the town's dirty secrets to discover the who and why behind Frances' death. She also uncovers deadly corruption that reaches all the way from a rundown house in the country to an exclusive upper-class enclave and in Mavis's own backyard.

Deck the Halls with Murder by Valerie Wolzien is the story of building contractor Josie Pigeon who runs an all female construction crew. AS they work quickly to finish a large job before the holiday the carpenter Caroline Albrect dies from poisoning. Josie quickly figures out that it must be one of her own crew that has committed murder. It will take some smart sleuthing and a quick wit to discover the whole truth and find the murderer.

Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield follows Detective Inspector Jack Frost as he spends the holiday season on the hunt for a missing child. The insubordinate Frost is paired with the Chief Constable's nephew as a new partner, Detective Constable Clive Barnard. Frost is both assisted and annoyed by Barnard. Frost in turn shares his large store of tasteless anecdotes for every occasion, and proceeds with working in typically unorthodox style. Additional help is gained from a local witch, whose assistance leads them to Dead Man's Hollow and a skeleton. Everything leads back to an unsolved crime which might cost Frost his life

Murder is a Girl's Best Friend by Amanda Matetsky is about quirky Paige Turner, who is working at a pulp mystery magazine in 1954. Her boyfriend, detective Dan Street, is not exactly supportive of her job at Daring Detective. They are in the midst of the hectic preparations for the holiday season when an Army buddy of Paige's late husband arrives. Terry has come to ask for help in solving the murder off his little sister. The murder is looking for something precious left behind, and is now watching Paige's every move waiting for the right time to strike. Paige is now looking to not just have a Merry Christmas, but to literally survive the holidays.

Other suggested titles that blend mystery, suspense, and the Christmas season include; A Puzzle in a Pear Tree by Parnell Hall, The Queene's Christmas by Karen Harper. T. Dunne, Ringing in Murder by Kate Kingsbury, Season's Revenge by Henry Kisor, Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews, The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell, and 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas by Lee Charles Kelley.