Death Comes at Christmas

Malabar House #4.6 - Indian Winter

by C.L. Taylor (Editor), Paul Kane (Editor), C.L. Taylor

Eighteen festive stories of murder and mystery in the grand tradition of Christmas crime fiction, from the masters of the genre. Including the New York Times bestselling J.T. Ellison, USA Today bestseller Sam Carrington, Sunday Times bestseller C.L. Taylor, and many more...

The award-winning Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic, British period crime stories. From locked room mysteries on Christmas eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these thirteen original seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn. So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows.

Introduction | Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane
How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop | C. L. Taylor
Christmas Yet To Come | Helen Fields
What She Left Me | Tina Baker
The Red Angel | Russ Thomas
O Murder Night | J. T. Ellison
Christmas Lights | David Bell
The Midnight Mass Murderer | Alexandra Benedict
The Wrong Party | Claire McGowan
Upon a Midnight Clear | Tom Mead
Last Christmas | Fiona Cummins
The Naughty List | Sam Carrington
Indian Winter | Vaseem Khan
Postmarked Murder | Susi Holliday
Frostbite | Samantha Hayes
A Deadly Gift | Angela Clarke
Secret Santa | Liz Mistry
Marley’s Ghost | Sarah Hilary
Icarus | Belinda Bauer

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Short Stories, Holiday, Anthologies, Fiction, Crime

Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2024

About the author

C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:

2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND

She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.

C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.

She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.

Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:

cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter


www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor

Reviews

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, with a lineup of authors like this, who wouldn’t want a little Christmas magic from them? Seriously, this book is exactly what you need! Each author brings their own unique twist, and their brilliant minds make this such an entertaining read. Some stories are short, but they’re packed with the perfect mix of everything you’re craving. Once you start, it’s hard to stop—you'll just keep flipping from one story to the next. Totally addictive! Big thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for letting me dive into this early copy!

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars

While I don't read a lot of short stories, I always make an exception for Christmas crime stories. I love my holiday stories… dark. I wasn't familiar with many of the authors in this collection so I went quite blind. I liked that these stories were directly centered around Christmas rather than some collections that are loosely set in winter. However I was disappointed that the stories were generally quite simplistic and left me wanting more.


Few stories caught my attention. My favourite story in the collection was The Deadly Gift by Angela Clarke. I enjoyed the closed room mystery involving an unlikeable relative who was killed off. I just wish it had ended with a punch.


Disclaimer I received received copy of this book from the publisher.

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: (From A Deadly Gift by Angela Clarke)
Miriam Pye wasn't particularly keen on her cousin Edward, but she still didn't wish to find him lying dead under the Christmas tree. He was sprawled out, a shiny gold bauble hanging above his head in a macabre approximation of a halo. Several wrapped presents, which had been ostentatiously piled up for this morning's festivities, had been kicked and strewn. One gift, intended for a younger member of the family, squirted bright Play-Doh from its split Rudolph paper. The large spruce Edward had ordered be cut from the estate had been knocked to a concerning angle. It was obvious, even to the untrained eye of Miriam; there'd been a struggle. A string of decorative pearls from the tree had been looped around Edward's neck, over his clip-on velvet bow-tie, and presumably his airway. She doubted even Edward - a veteran mansplainer who claimed to be an expert at whatever task he encountered - could strangle himself from behind.

ABOUT 'DEATH COMES AT CHRISTMAS': The award-winning Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic, British period crime stories. From locked room mysteries on Christmas eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these thirteen original seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn. So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows.

MY THOUGHTS: I do like a good collection of good short stories, and I was expecting more from this collection than it delivered.

I did appreciate that these stories were actually set at Christmas, rather than just the depths of winter which I have found previously on so-called Christmas collections. They just weren't as dark or as challenging as I expected, especially considering the stellar line-up of authors who penned them - Fiona Cummins, Angela Clarke, A.K. Benedict, Susi Holliday, J.T. Ellison, David Bell, Sarah Hilary, Claire McGowan, Tina Baker, Sam Carrington, Liz Mistry, C.L. Taylor, Helen Fields, Russ Thomas, Tom Mead, Vaseem Khan, Samantha Hayes & Belinda Bauer. I was particularly disappointed in the Belinda Bauer story - Icarus.

My favorite story was A Deadly Gift by Angela Clarke, and from which the excerpt above is lifted. Last Christmas by Fiona Cummins and Marley's Ghost by Sarah Hilary were also entertaining. But I'm afraid I found the remainder were quite unremarkable. There was nothing particularly wrong with them, but neither were they very memorable.

⭐⭐.5

#DeathComesatChristmas #NetGalley

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Titan Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Death Comes at Christmas collated by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

short story collections, especially ones with multiple authors, always end up being hit or miss for me as was the case for this one, but it was a fun way to get some christmas themed reads in this year. the short story format prevented some of them from reaching the potential i hoped for, but my favorites were the ones from fiona cummins, helen fields, and angela clarke

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars rounded up. Eighteen short stories for Christmas, some more successful than others. I did find one author I'd like to read more from.

I used to buy my mother cozy mysteries set at Christmastime and now I'm doing it for myself to carry on the tradition. I found this one at Next Page Books, an independent bookstore in Frisco, Colorado, on a recent trip there. They were so welcoming and friendly! Support your local bookseller.

[Sarah Stubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good selection of stories for mystery fans who want to get into the holiday spirit.

[♡Leah♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★3/5 stars★

I really enjoyed this book. I feel like it was like a wine tasting but with authors. My favorite short story was the red angel. I thought it was really interesting and full of plot twists. I liked most of the stories, sometimes I skipped a few just because I wasn't enjoying them that much or it was a too heavy topic to read about at that time. Overall it was a pretty good book, not one of my favs but it was still good.

[Sara Hanley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve come to the realization I don’t like short stories

[Caroline Koffke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a fun book of short stories. Some were much better than others, but all brought that dry British humor to life. Highly recommend reading one a day with a group of friend.

[Shaelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy anthologies. I can usually finish at least one story while running errands, waiting for appointments, or driving. This one in particular has a lot more good or great stories than not so good . Almost every short story collection I've read/ listened to has led me to an author I hadn't heard of before and that in itself makes it worth my time. I enjoyed this holiday collection of stories written by many excellent authors. If you like short stories and want to possibly discover a new-to-you author, this one might be worth checking out.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death Comes at Christmas is a collection of eighteen christmas themed mystery/crime stories.
From locked room mysteries to good old murder there were a lot of different kinds of stories included. Some were funny, some were sad, and some were a tad spooky.
I ended up greatly enjoying this anthology and pretty much enjoyed every story included.
I don't think I recognised any of the authors, but I'll definitely have to check them out!

Some of my favourites were:
How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop (this one was a brilliant start to the book and was a joy to read)
The Red Angel (While it was a little predictable when I think back on it, the twist at the end still ended up surprising me, and I loved it!)
The Wrong Party (It is exactly as it is described, and it was just such a fun read that made me laugh)
O Murder Night (This had a brilliant gothic vibe that I just adored and creeped me out a little).

All in all, this was a great festive read that I'll definitely be recommending!
My individual ratings for each story are:
● How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop - 4⭐️
● Christmas Yet to Come - 4⭐️
● What She Left Me - 3⭐️
● The Red Angel - 4⭐️
● O Murder Night - 4⭐️
● Christmas Lights - 4⭐️
● The Midnight Mass Murderer - 3⭐️
● The Wrong Party - 4⭐️
● Upon a Midnight Clear - 3⭐️
● Last Christmas - 4⭐️
● The Naughty List - 4⭐️
● Indian Winter - 3⭐️
● Postmarked Murder - 3⭐️
● Frostbite - 3⭐️
● A Deadly Gift - 4⭐️
● Secret Santa - 4⭐️
● Marley's Ghost - 4⭐️
● Icarus - 2⭐️

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Death Comes at Christmas.

I'm wary of short story collections because I only end up liking a few stories, or just one or two but this was a surprise. In a good way.

I enjoyed most of the short stories (a couple weren't great, but didn't detract from the rest), especially how they centered around regular, relatable people who were either intent on solving the mystery or committing the murder.

This was a festive and fun compilation featuring murder and mayhem during the Christmas season.

Because don't some people feel murder-y (not me, of course 😆) when you have to spend time with your annoying family during the holidays? 🧑‍🎄🔪

[Lee Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A festive selection box of murder and mystery.

'Death Comes at Christmas' is a anthology of eighteen short stories, all written by crime and thriller authors, edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane. From stories in the style of Golden Age classics to gritty modern thrillers, set in the snowy English countryside to the heat of Bombay, India, we are treated to a delightfully gripping mix of brutal crimes and complex puzzles, with flourishes of comedy, romance and creepy chills, all with a sprinkling of seasonal fun.

My personal favourites were:
'Christmas Yet to Come' by Helen Fields, for its strong characters and devious plotting [a legacy sequel to Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'];
'The Red Angel' by Russ Thomas, for its gothic isolation and chilling atmosphere;
'The Midnight Mass Murderer' by Alexandra Benedict, for its twisty plot, deranged killer, and returning characters [a sequel to Benedict's own 'The Christmas Jigsaw Murders'];
'A Deadly Gift' by Angela Clarke, for its classic locked-room mystery complete with festive trimmings.

Overall, this is a collection of well-written, thrilling tales, many in the tradition of much-loved and classic Christmas tales and mysteries, and a fantastic showcase of writers from the world of modern crime fiction, each tale an enjoyable slice of Yuletide magic. Highly recommended reading for these cold nights as we count down to Christmas.

[Angela Watt · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like short stories, reading crime and Christmas - this is the book for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed dipping in and out of this collection of short festive stories from a myriad of great crime authors. It's a perfect gift for friends and family who like to read books of a darker nature and its perfect over the holiday season when it can be challenging to sit down with a novel because of everything else going on. With this book, if time is limited, you can treat yourself to one story. If you do find some uninterrupted reading space, you can keep going to find out what festive theme will be explored in the next story.

Like most short story collections where more than one author contributes, there are some I loved and others which were fine but didn't necessarily quite hit the mark for me. But that's books in general. We can't all like the same things and what a boring world it would be if we did. One of the other advantages is that this collection will help you find new authors and you can check out their back catalogue.

Some of my favourites were:

How to commit murder in a book shop by C L Taylor
Christmas yet to come by Helen Fields
Last Christmas by Fiona Cummins
Postmarked Murder by Susie Holliday
A deadly gift by Angela Clarke
Marley's Ghost by Sarah Hilary

My absolute favourite was Icarus by Belinda Bauer. As a writer as well as a reader, this felt like a masterclass in achieving something very moving, Christmas and crime themed in very few words. It was marvellous story.

Death comes at Christmas is out now, so you can purchase it in time for the holidays as a gift for others or for yourself.

[Sam Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the most niche books I’ve ever read - a collection of short murder mysteries set during Christmastime. I really liked some of the stories, especially the Red Angel one! Others were not as good, and I started to get annoyed towards the end that every story involved an affair and unhappy marriages that weren’t even relevant to the plots. Solid 3 stars, I’d still recommend this book!

[Erin Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan books for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was excited to read some murderish Christmas short stories and this book delivered on that! The short stories varied in length, some as short as 10 plus pages and others as long as 30-ish pages. Each was unique and not repeated which keeps the reader interested. I believe readers will enjoy this book for the holiday season! Happy release day!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty I’m not the biggest fan of short stories BUT I have enjoyed the different stories in this collection. Would heartily recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of a festive read tinged with a little bit of murder

[Kelly Van Damme · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Esha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read 2024: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Christmas Yet to Come: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-What She Left Me: ⭐️⭐️
-The Red Angel: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-O Murder Night: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Christmas Lights: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-The Midnight Mass Murderer: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-The Wrong Party: ⭐️⭐️
-Upon a Midnight Clear: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Last Christmas: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-The Naughty List: ⭐️⭐️
-Indian Winter: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Postmarked Murder: ⭐️⭐️
-Frostbite: ⭐️⭐️
-A Deadly Gift: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Secret Santa: ⭐️⭐️
-Marley’s Ghost: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Icarus: ⭐️⭐️

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely enjoyable, funny and shocking collection of Christmas short stories.

[Akshara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on seasonal reading but no one story really stood out for me.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Suspensful holiday short stories. I felt some of them didn't make much sense.

[Clare Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars for Katie!

[Isabel (Isabel Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was incredible. I absolutely loved all the stories in this collection. For my complete thoughts watch my vlog:

https://youtu.be/iybqWH3GK3o?si=ORodD...

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
A collection of short Christmas mysteries, some were good, some were meh..

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun mix of holiday themed murder mysteries. I was not familiar with most of the authors so it was also a great opportunity to sample their work. Some leaned a bit more toward the cozy mystery side while several had dark twists. The stories also provided quite a few laughs along the way. I do not like horror or anything that leans too much into thriller/suspense or really dark, and these stories walked right up to that line but didn't cross it for me. (I even used this as bedtime reading)! I enjoyed this collection and finished it in a few days. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Tiffani · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐

Since the romance genre is not my favorite I try to find Christmas stories that offer something different, for at least part of my December reading. This book is a collection of short mystery stories written by multiple authors, each offering a holiday setting with a darker twist. While the premise of combining Christmas with mystery is intriguing to me, the execution left me disappointed. None of the stories stood out as particularly exciting, and although they were framed as mysteries, they lacked the suspense and tension that make the genre compelling. The result is a book that feels more subdued than thrilling, offering mild rather than gripping storytelling. And with an exception or two, other than taking place around Christmastime, the settings weren't festive enough.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of Holiday themed mysteries. These are perfect for the madness and rush of the holidays when you just want to sit down and have a little read and feel like you’ve accomplished something. Each one is perfect on its own and I can’t wait to read more from these authors in the future.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

One Liner: An eclectic collection

The book begins with an introduction by the editors. It helped adjust my expectations as I thought this would be a murder mystery. While the stories do have ‘death’ in some form, the approach is varied and left to the author’s perspective. The settings are also varied – historical, contemporary, countryside, city, India, UK, Ireland, etc. Some stories are stronger than others, which is to be expected in an anthology.

As always, I rated each story individually with comments written after reading the piece.

How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop by C. L. Taylor – 3.5 Stars

What happens during a Christmas party at a bookstore? This is an interesting piece with a bit of chuckle and dry humor. The approach to murder is definitely different from what’s expected. A decent start to the collection.

Christmas Yet To Come by Helen Fields – 4 Stars

Set in 1898, the story deals with a pompous but clever businessman and his Christmas dinner. It is easy enough to guess the events but the writing keeps you hooked.

What She Left Me by Tina Baker – 4 Stars

The protag arrives at her childhood home after her mother’s death before Christmas. There’s a lot of trauma and grief to process. However, there also seems to be something else she needs to do. A heavy story where death features prominently and a reveal that may or may not be resolved. Though this is not a mystery, I rate it high for the narration.

The Red Angel by Russ Thomas – 4 Stars

Gary and his girlfriend end up driving back home in a blizzard. Their arguments have soured things between them but the couple has a major concern to deal with when they are stranded in the middle of nowhere. Presented in Gary’s third-person POV, the plot builds slowly and reaches the final high. Though it is easy to predict for the fans of this genre, the setting is atmospheric and the narration gripping.

O Murder Night by J. T. Ellison – 3.5 Stars

The Edge House has a history, one, Yeats, the new owner, wants to use it to raise funds for renovation. However, when tragedy strikes, the mystery may remain unsolved forever. This is historical fiction set in Ireland. It is atmospheric and dark.

Christmas Lights by David Bell – 3.5 Stars

This is a painful read of what a parent goes through when their kidnapped child doesn’t return for years. While it is not a mystery, it has death, so fits the anthology (according to the foreword).
(TW: kidnapped child)

The Midnight Mass Murderer by Alexandra Benedict – 4 Stars

Sean takes his aunt/ mom Edie to a small town to help solve a case. Edie is known for her puzzle-solving talent and helped many investigations. Can she crack this one too? How will this Christmas end? A proper murder mystery with clues, police, and some deaths. I’ll have to check if the Edie is part of any series. Would love to read more books with her.

The Wrong Party by Claire McGowan – 4 Stars

This is a short and funny dangerous story about a Christmas party and something that goes wrong. Not much detail or backstory but it is not necessary. The writing has a humorous note, which lightens up the story and turns it into a semi-farce.

Upon a Midnight Clear by Tom Mead – 3 Stars

This is a standalone mystery with the lead detective, Joseph Spector, who has a mystery series to his name. The historical setting, the possibility of a ghost, and the Christmas party are well done. However, due to the word limit, I believe, the info dump at the end is too much. I’ll check out the series, though.

Last Christmas by Fiona Cummins – 3.5 Stars

A widowed woman, her daughter, and teeny granddaughter go to their family’s favorite hotel for Christmas to follow the same tradition. However, this one leads to interesting developments. A nice story with a mellowed narration; suits the main character.

The Naughty List by Sam Carrington – 4 Stars

Joseph Snow gets an email about being on the Naughty List. Is it a prank, scam, or something sinister? This is more of a thriller than a cozy mystery. It sustains the suspense with enough tension and delivers a strong ending.

Indian Winter by Vaseem Khan – 4 Stars

A classic locked room mystery featuring Inspector Persis Wadia of the Malabar House series (I need to read it). How did the sixty-year-old Harriet die in a locked room? Who killed her, and why? The mystery is kept simple which works for the word count. The writing style is fun to read.

Postmarked Murder by Susi Holliday – 3.5 Stars

What happens when a Christmas card comes with something extra? Tilly knows what it is but she has some decisions to make. Well, I like the story and the tone, though I wanted a little more at the end.

Frostbite by Samantha Hayes – 4 Stars

Snow, isolated cabin, and a blood trial do make a good start for this genre. Ellen might just find something after all! Well! Another thriller-ish story with death during Christmas. The themes are predictable but I like the ending.

A Deadly Gift by Angela Clarke – 4 Stars

A locked room mystery where Miriam has to solve the case before she gets arrested. The progress is slow but steady with teeny bits of chuckles thrown into the mix. And there’s a surprise too! Really enjoyed this one.

Secret Santa by Liz Mistry – 4 Stars

What happens when Gary’s determination to not mess up the Secret Santa gift brings more trouble? Told from Gary’s third-person POV, we see a range of emotions and thoughts, leading to the finale. This reads like a semi-thriller. A good one.

Marley’s Ghost by Sarah Hilary – 4 Stars

Ninna and Kim go to visit her family for Christmas. It sure would be fun. Right? This is a twisty story but also straightforward. It rests on Ninna’s shoulders and Kim’s eyes. I like it.

Icarus by Belinda Bauer – 2 Stars

A super short story about a statue and toxic relationships. This was too short to feel anything for anyone. Wonder why they put this at the end.

To summarize, Death Comes at Christmas combines cozy mystery, suspense, thriller, and slow-burn narratives to create a collection of stories where a death occurs during Christmas. Not all of them have a resolution. Read no more than one or two per day to get the maximum enjoyment out of the book.

The rating averaged 3.69, a decent number for an anthology with as many stories. The author bios are provided at the end.

Thank you, Edelweiss+ and Titan Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

[Helen Leecy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting some of the stories in Death Comes at Christmas to be so short! It was quite disorienting moving from one story to the next, especially with each having a new author, writing style, and set of characters. Normally, when you finish a book and start another, you have time to ease into it, but with these brief tales, there’s no such luxury. It often felt like I was just settling in when the story ended. Despite that, I really enjoyed the collection as a whole. Some of the stories stayed with me long after I’d finished reading, which is always a sign of a good book. For me, it’s a solid 4-star read.

**There may be slight spoilers in the reviews below**

Fiona Cummins - Last ChristmasThis was a quick but impactful story about a woman revisiting the hotel where her husband had died a year earlier. I appreciated that the story explained itself clearly, as I’d been worried it might be one of those abstract tales that leave you guessing. It wasn’t, and it was all the better for it.

Angela Clarke - A Deadly GiftAnother locked-room whodunit (the third in the collection). This one was the longest, but it dragged a bit due to an overload of description. The characters seemed to pause mid-action while the scene was over-explained, which disrupted the flow. The reveal of the culprit felt a bit silly, and the romantic note it ended on didn’t really fit the tone of the story.

A. K. Benedict - The Midnight Mass MurderI had the sense that the main characters had appeared in previous stories as it felt like I’d missed some backstory. It was nice to have a proper crime investigation, as I’d expected more of that from other authors. However, the conclusion was a bit muddled. There were too many characters introduced in a short space of time, so it became tricky to keep track of who was who. The 199 steps motif didn’t tie in well, as the numbers kept shifting, making it all a bit confusing.

Susi Holliday - Postmarked MurderThis one had an open-ended conclusion, and I’m still not sure if she’s going to kill the blackmailer with the letter opener or pay them off. If she’s so wealthy, why did she care so much about the cost of stamps for Christmas cards? The backstory was much more gripping than the present-day plot.

J. T. Ellison - O Murder NightI’m not sure I understood this one at all. The timeline was confusing. It’s set in the past, but then there’s mention of food deliveries, and the present day made the past feel even further away. None of the motives made sense—why were the women killed, and why was Angus a target? The woman’s final comments were too subtle for me, and it lacked any festive feel.

David Bell - Christmas LightsA bit dull, to be honest. It’s about a father’s closure after his daughter’s body is found nine years after her disappearance. However, there’s no detail about the actual crime—we’re just told she was kidnapped. Most of the story is about Christmas lights, which didn’t really hold my interest.

Sarah Hilary - Marley’s GhostThis one went over my head. A woman tricks her family to disinherit them, but why go through such an elaborate performance when she could just change her will? It felt like an over-complicated setup for something that could have been simple. Not my favourite.

Claire McGowan - The Wrong PartyA short, light-hearted tale where a woman ends up at the wrong Christmas party and nearly gets killed. It’s very silly, but sometimes that’s all you need.

Tina Baker - What She Left MeThis was very short but emotionally intense. It’s about a woman processing the death of her mother, and I’d guessed early on what her mum had done. Despite its brevity, the emotional depth was palpable.

Sam Carrington - The Naughty ListThis one had a fantastic twist at the end! For a short story, it had me guessing all the way through. The protagonist was well-written, and the ending was genuinely shocking. A standout story for me.

Liz Mistry - Secret SantaAn office Secret Santa with a twist! I felt sorry for Gary as his co-workers were horrible to him. His revenge, while a bit extreme, was satisfying and made for a fun read with a cracking ending.

C. L. Taylor - How to Commit a Murder in a BookshopThis one started off in a frenzy. The focus on the bookshop’s inner workings felt unnecessary, as it took attention away from the main story. That said, the ending was a great shocker.

Helen Fields - Christmas Yet to ComeI was surprised to see a story set in 1899, as I’m so used to Helen Fields’ modern-day crime stories. Even more surprising was that it’s a follow-up to A Christmas Carol! It felt a bit cheeky to piggyback on such a famous classic, but it worked. The story was long enough to feel complete, and Adelaide was a likeable character.

Russ Thomas - The Red AngelThis story was full of tension! Gary was thoroughly unlikeable, and I could see why none of his past girlfriend’s parents were keen on him. The atmosphere at the farmhouse was chilling, and I was properly on edge. Another abrupt ending, but it left a strong impression.

Tom Mead - Upon a Midnight ClearThis was an old-fashioned Cluedo-style whodunit with too many characters. It’s the classic “everyone is in the same room, so no one could have done it” scenario. Spector’s retelling of how the crime was carried out was overly complicated, and by the end, I’d lost interest.

Vaseem Khan - Indian WinterNot my favourite. The writing style was too flowery, and it didn’t have the Christmas feel of the other stories. The murder’s motive was underwhelming, and it felt like another Cluedo-inspired plot.

Samantha Hayes - FrostbiteI’m still confused about this one. Why was Blake there, and why was he so angry? Ellie’s character was flat, and her emotional response to her husband’s death didn’t ring true. It felt like a pointless story with too many loose ends.

Belinda Bauer - IcarusThe shortest story at just three minutes long, and I’m baffled by it. It’s like the author forgot to finish her assignment. I’ve read one other book by Belinda Bauer, and I wasn’t impressed then, either. This didn’t change my mind.