Yule Tide

by Brian Anderson

Following the death of Kris Kringle, the operation of Christmas is taken over by a shadowy organization known as the Company who shutter the toy line at the North Pole and reestablish their base in the newly minted city of Yule Tide. Suspecting their motives, the Archangelic Council recalls its liaison to Christmas—an angel named Harold. When Harold refuses to return to Heaven, he is stripped of his wings and is grounded on Earth. His influence gone, Harold is fired by the Company and becomes a none-too-successful private investigator. But when he is hired by the beautiful wife of a Company executive to locate her missing husband, Harold sees a chance at redemption.

Searching for the missing man, Harold uncovers secrets that the Company will protect at all costs. He must also balance his growing attraction to his client with a renewed hope of regaining his wings.

Genres: Mystery

252 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2024

About the author

I am a graduate of the University of Minnesota whose Dinkytown neighborhood provides the setting for my mystery series featuring private investigator Lyle Dahms. The Dahms novels spring from my lifelong love of mystery fiction, especially the works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, as well as more contemporary masters like Robert B. Parker and G.M. Ford. I am a three-time finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association mystery and suspense contest.

I spent much of my professional career working to alleviate domestic hunger serving as the operations director of the Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle & King County as well as the manager of the Pike Market Food Bank in downtown Seattle. Married with three beautiful daughters, I now live and write in Ocean Shores, a small city on the Washington coast.

Reviews

[Kim Ligon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Christmas from Evil Sam Spade style

Brian Anderson weaves exquisite word pictures that suck you into the story and don't let you go until the end. This marvelous tale features a fallen Angel, Harold (Harry) Angel, who stars in his own mystery trying to find a missing executive from the Company--an organization responsible for Christmas since the death of Kris Kringle. I felt like I was watching a black and white film noir complete with sexy dames, dastardly bad guys intent on evil, and a clever Spade-like detective, Angel, ably assisted by Billy, an elf and long time friend. The story is about missing persons, murder, elfin rights and abuse, and the need to eradicate pure evil from Christmas. The premise is original and compelling and the characters will have you cheering for their success. What a wonderful romp! Anderson has outdone himself. Highly recommended!

[Rosina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, I thought it was just the perfect amount of Christmassy. Whilst the characters were Christmassy and it was set in the run up to Christmas, the plot didn’t completely revolve around Christmas as a whole and really liked that. Intertwining the mystery/detective story was perfect, because you could have the feel of Christmas without having it thrown in your face, which I especially liked as I read this early!
A really good story, if you like mysteries but also it’s Christmas time, this is perfect for you!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susie Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew Christmas had a dark side? When a murky organization called the Company takes over Christmas after Kris Kringle’s death, it closes down the North Pole operation under suspicious reasons and reopens in a new city called Yule Tide. The only thing standing between the evil Company and the true meaning of Christmas being destroyed is a defrocked angel named Harold.
Author Brian Anderson has written a cleverly plotted tale that deftly weaves ribbons of fantasy into a taut plot driven by love, loss, trust, family ties, and the inner strength one must summon to face adversity created by fallibility and fate. The story moves at a fast pace that builds tension with every chapter. The tale is told by flawed, but believable characters who drive the plot. The characters evoke strong emotions in readers right from page one. This reader wanted to hug Harold on one page and throttle him on the next. Anderson creates enough conflict with a backstory to keep readers turning the pages to see how it all turns out.
Part mystery, part thriller, part paranormal, part redemption with a second chance at making things right, Yule Tide will capture the imagination of readers who enjoy a story fueled by a mix of fantasy and reality and believe that things are not always what they appear to be. This terrific book has more than earned the five-star rating this reader has given it.

[Jan Sikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Christmas story different from any I've ever read and I enjoyed it. As the blurb states, the original Kris Kringle has died and and Santa's entire operation has been moved from the North Pole to Yule Tide, California. The story is told through the POV of Harold Angel.
Harry (as he is called) is a fallen angel and lost his wings. Now, he's a private investigator in Yule Tide, with a penchant for scotch. His faithful sidekick, an elf named Billy, is his constant companion through all the adventures.
Evil is afoot. A man has disappeared and his beautiful wife has hired Harry to find him. But what Harry discovers goes much deeper than a disappearance. Mr. Scratch has taken over the entire operation. Elves left behind at the North Pole are being starved and treated horribly. It's up to Harry Angel and Billy to get to the bottom of the mess and restore the true spirit of Christmas.
I truly enjoyed this story as it is so uniquely different. The author describes settings and characters in such a way I could insert myself into the scenes. If you are looking for a Christmas story with a dark side that will keep you hooked from the beginning, you'll enjoy this. I highly recommend it.

[Kat Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years after the death of Kris Kringle—maybe an accident, or maybe not—a fallen angel turned private investigator attempts to wrest the operation of Christmas from the control of a shadowy organization that has taken over the whole holiday and twisted it to their own evil ends.

Our Review: Devotees of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser PI and John R. Maxim’s Paul Bannerman will grab onto Brian Anderson’s Yule Tide and not let go. Something dark and uncomfortably evil has worked its way into all parts of the Yule season. Fallen angel turned flailing private investigator, Harold [as in Hark the Herald—get it?] seeks to return things to the way they once were. The way they should be. Loner Harold can’t do it alone so, employing a cast of unique and quirky two and four-legged characters, he thwarts the Organization at every turn. The dry humor and snappy dialogue—Anderson’s trademark—are always a treat. This one’s a beauty. Don’t miss it.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Yule Tide merits an 8.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark film noir meets It’s a Wonderful Life. Harry Angel is not quite Sam Spade, but Yule Tide isn’t quite a Sam Spade kind of city. This is a lot like Christmas time set in the film On the Waterfront. It has what could be called a muted Christmas vibe.

The mystery is intense, and you will be kept guessing until the very end. This is a mystery for fans of hard to figure out mysteries. You will keep turning the pages trying to figure out exactly what had happened. There is a certain flair for Christmas mentions that could lighten the book if one let them lighten it for them.

A must read for fans of Christmas mysteries. This will be a big appeal to those fans of Tim Burton’s take on Christmas. The wide appeal of this book should make this a must read during the run up to the big season.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mr. N

This review first appeared: https://substack.com/@nnlightsbookhea...

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, what a unique read. This was a little mystery, a little paranormal, and a little fantasy all with a dash of humor. I loved the premise; it was so much fun. An elf and a fallen angel? Who knew that could work but work it did. I’ve never read anything quite like this and it was so much fun. I read this one at the perfect time of year, set at the base of my Christmas tree. It was the perfect ambience for this memorable read. The writing was well done and it really felt like this book was believable. The characters were all well written and felt well developed. I appreciated how the secondary characters added to the story and helped it along.

If you’re looking for a fun Christmas read, then you need to check this one out.


Thank you to @thewildrosepress and @brianandersonmysteries for this book. All thoughts are my own.

[Roxanne Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful tale of good and evil masquerading as good. When jolly old Kris Kringle dies, Christmas is taken over by the Company, an organization that moves Christmas from the North Pole to California. In spite of promises to care for the elves left behind at the Pole, the Company’s leaders neglect them cruelly. Anyone who questions or opposes the Company is likely to disappear. Initially, Harold Angel, assigned angelic liaison to the Company, wants so desperately to believe they are will intentioned that he defies the Archangelic Council and sticks up for them. The Council strips his of his wings and grounds him on earth. When he realizes how evil the Company is, he risks all to root out the Company’s evil core, and in so doing, redeems himself and gets his wings back. Loved it.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yule Tide takes us as a reader to the town of Yule Tide, with our MMC named Harold Angel. Harold Angel lives in the town of Yule Tide where The Company employs all of the town after the death of Kris Kringle. Angel was thrown to earth and his angel wings taken. Angel becomes a PI investigator and he has a elf helper named Billy. A woman shows up at Angel's office looking for her husband Leo who is the secondhand man of Klaus. He has been missing for 5 days and is nowhere to be found so she has come for help to locate Luther. The story is engaging and fast paced with a lot of focus on Harold and Billy's story and also the story of what happened to Luther Deo. I loved the ending for Harold and hope to see more of his story in another book now that he is doing 'double duty':)

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 5 out of 5]

{ Yule Tide by Brian Anderson }
|| ARC REVIEW ||

Thanks so much to @thewildrosepress and Brian Anderson for my copy of 𝐘𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄, an absolutely unique, festive, action-packed thrill ride from start to finish.

An eclectic combination of light fantasy with dashes of action, romance, and emotions, I was absolutely blown away by my first (but definitely not last) read by Brian Anderson.

When Kris Kringle dies, a corrupt organization called the Company takes over, closes the North Pole, and opens a new city, Yule Tide. The only person who can find out the truth is “fallen” angel, Harold. I loved his character arc so much! He immediately made you relate to him and his mission. Such a fun and pleasantly entertaining read!

[Michelle Godard-Richer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This intriguing holiday mystery combines a dash of humor and the paranormal to make for a unique and enjoyable read. I loved the concept of a fallen angel and an elf working together as private detectives to find Santa's missing right-hand man. Yule Tide had the holiday nostalgia I wanted at this time of year but done in a unique way. Angel and Billy were great characters and the plotting kept me entertained the whole way through. If you're looking for a holiday mystery, I highly recommend this one.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a different and refreshing Christmas read! This most definitely was an unusual book with a very unusual storyline!
This is a fresh take on Saving the Christmas trope, with a touch of modern-day capitalism, to make it feel more real than fairytale-ish. But then again, it involves celestial beings, there is a very well-written angel here, Harry. It is the perfect blend of Christmas, mystery, drama, all things fantasy, and then a hefty dose of characters. And yes, it will also make you laugh now and then!

[Beary Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did a great job taking known characters and scenarios and making them feel truly unique. This was such a clever story that is perfect to read around the holidays. This story is high stakes and the plot is both fun and full of mystery which will hold your interest throughout. I highly recommend this book if you like to read holiday tales that have a twist.