When the cold winter nights creep in, there’s nothing quite like a good old whodunit to keep us entertained during the darkest hours.
If you are looking for the most puzzling murder mysteries that will put your little grey cells to the test, then you have come to the right place. From cosy and locked-room mysteries to police procedurals, we have selected twelve Yuletide crime novels that will chill and thrill you in equal measure, awakening a secret sleuth in every reader.
So grab your eggnog and cosy up by the fire for full immersion into the world of crime.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
Lily Armitage never intended to return to Endgame House – the grand family home where her mother died twenty-one years ago. Until she receives a letter from her aunt, asking her to return to take part in an annual tradition: the Christmas Game. The challenge? Solve twelve clues, to find twelve keys. The prize? The deeds to the manor house.
Lily has no desire to win the house. But her aunt makes one more promise: The clues will also reveal who really killed Lily’s mother all those years ago. So, for the twelve days of Christmas, Lily must stay at Endgame House with her estranged cousins and unravel the riddles that hold the key not just to the family home, but to its darkest secrets. However, it soon becomes clear that her cousins all have their own reasons for wanting to win the house – and not all of them are playing fair.
As a snowstorm cuts them off from the village, the game turns deadly. Soon Lily realises that she is no longer fighting for an inheritance, but for her life.
Buy it on AmazonThe Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
“It has been thirty years since Ashley Smith, an American Art History student in London, spent her Christmas holidays at her classmate Emma Chapman’s family home in Clevemoor. Ashley, far from home and with no close family, was excited to have company during the festive season. Ashley is in awe of the Chapmans’ manor home and initially enjoys the company, trips to the local pub and the idyllic village, not to mention the attention she gets from Adam, Emma’s handsome twin brother whose company she particularly enjoys. However, Adam is suspected of having brutally murdered a local girl with whom he is said to have been romantically involved. Ashley also notices some strange occurrences around the house and is a tad confused with her host’s strange behavior. Needless to say, Ashley’s holiday might not be quite as idyllic as it seems.“ -Sujoya
Buy it on AmazonThe Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt
Set in sub-zero climate, this psychological thriller invites the reader to delve deep into the mind of a serial killer. When John Cardinal and Lisa Delorme are called to investigate a string of brutal murders, they soon discover that the raging ice storm might be the least of their worries. Their hunt for the perpetrator opens a Pandora’s box of wild secrets, covered up cases and political ambition that cast a different light on the inquest. But the closer they get to the killer, the further they are from the truth. Atmospheric and murky, this mind-twisting tale will pull you into a treacherous wilderness faster that your can say ”blizzard”.
Buy it on AmazonThe Adventure of The Blue Carbuncle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
“I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand. I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows were thick with the ice crystals. “I suppose,” I remarked, “that, homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to it–that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of some mystery and the punishment of some crime.”
Read it Free Here Buy it on AmazonA Christmas Killing by Blake Banner
“The Christmas holidays are meant to be a joyous occasion. Families together, presents. Not the case here. To say that this particular family is dysfunctional would be an understatement of mega proportions. A mentally challenged, cruel and sadistic wife. A highly intelligent, self serving scheming husband. A daughter who lived a childhood that was a living nightmare. A neighbor girl murdered when she became no longer useful because she didn’t or rather wasn’t attracted or in love with the right person. Another classic whodunit!!! An excellent read!”- D. Barron
The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour – it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions around the village.
Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi household are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music. Death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house.
Soon, amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is on the scene to investigate what will become a legendary murder case, but can this scruffy sleuth solve a seemingly impossible crime?
Buy it on AmazonThe Dead of Winter by Stuart MacBride
“What should have been a straight forward assignment for Detective Constable Edward Reekie turned out to be far more. His task was to collect a dying prisoner from HMP Grampian and deliver him to Glenfarach to live out his last remaining days in peace.
Glenfarach appears to be a very quiet peaceful place to live but looks can be very deceiving. Glenfarach is the final sanctuary for ex prisoners who have served their time but are still seen as unfit to be released into the general community. With blizzards approaching, Edward’s boss DI Montgomery-Porter, insists they head back to Aberdeen straight away but that changes when an ex-cop-turned-gangster is discovered tortured to death in his bungalow and someone needs to assume command.” -Gary
Buy it on AmazonDeath Comes at Christmas by Gladys Mitchell
It is December and Mrs Bradley has left London behind for a relaxing visit to the Oxfordshire countryside.
Then, on Christmas Eve, a local solicitor is found dead by the river. Everyone believes that he suffered a heart attack – but Mrs Bradley is suspicious and is soon investigating a series of disturbing clues.
As the frost thaws and spring begins, the inimitable detective must work fast if she is to protect the people close to her from a resourceful killer…
A Christmas Tragedy by Agatha Christie
“During a holiday retreat, Miss Marple’s observant eyes soon focus on fellow guests, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders. Their banter is cheery, but something seems amiss to our perceptive sleuth when it comes to Mr. Sanders. When the wife is found dead by her distressed husband, accompanied by Miss Marple, her suspicions appear to unravel. The answer lies in the details, will she be able to sift through them in time to catch the killer?
Dame Christie crafts a cunning whodunnit with one of my favorite amateur detectives. Nothing gets by the eagle eyes of Miss Jane! A baffling short-story sure to delight cozy mystery fans!”- V. Barton
Buy it on AmazonSugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
For Hannah Swensen, an accomplished chef and an amateur sleuth, an annual Christmas buffet offers a chance to showcase her new cookbook to Lake Eden’s residents. As the creme de la creme of Minnesota society sample her culinary delights, more guests are ushered in by an icy blizzard. But soon the festive bash turns sour when one of the guests is found dead. Now it’s up to the hostess to roll up her sleeves and dig up some clues to solve the case. Enriched with a diverse cast of whacky characters and mouth-watering recipes, this cosy mystery delivers a puzzling read for a holiday season.
Buy it on AmazonDeath on the Air by Ngaio Marsh
“It’s Christmas Day and Septimus Tonks intended to listen to the Christmas programs on his fancy wireless set. But he’s found dead, leaning up against the radio cabinet as if to listen more closely. It appears he’s been killed by his favorite hobby…but by whom and how? It’s up to Chief Inspector Alleyn and Inspector Fox to answer those questions.
This short crime story will delight readers with clever murder devices and black humour whileportraying family members completely unapologetic about their lack of grief over the tyrannical and abusive murder victim.” -Bev
The Glamour of the Snow by Algernon Blackwood
Nestled in a pristine Alpine valley, the Nature resort has been hosting ski enthusiasts for decades. Enchanted by the magnificence of the Swiss Alps, a lonely English traveller arrives at the hotel in the hope of enjoying his slice of paradise. But soon, a much-anticipated retreat turns into a hair-raising affair when the unsuspecting skier is lured up into the mountain by a cadaverous stranger. As the spectral chill of the night fills his lungs, Hibbert begins to suspect that beneath the glittering beauty lurks something far sinister that he could ever imagine.
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Stella
Stella is a Marketing Consultant and has been writing content for Full Text Archive since 2015. When she is not writing, she is meticulously planning our social and e-mail campaigns. Stella holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Russian Literature, which has provided a broad foundation from which she continues to explore the written world.
She spends her free time reading, visiting old castles and discovering new coffee shops. She can be reached at stella