Return to Christmas Town: A Psychological Thriller

by K. Z. Black

Some memories should stay buried. Some secrets kill to stay hidden.

When ER nurse Noel Carter returns to her snow-draped hometown for Christmas, she expects comfort, not the discovery that her father has vanished without a trace. The sheriff labels it a misunderstanding. The townspeople offer smiles that feel rehearsed. And anonymous holiday gift tags begin appearing… each carrying a message meant only for her.

As memories she can’t explain claw back to the surface, Noel uncovers a web of secrets tied to a long-buried barn fire and a deadly small-town cover-up. Everyone becomes suspect, the charming local who “helps too much,” the ex who knows more than he admits, even the festive shop owner burning evidence in her own yard.

Someone is watching her.
Someone wants her to forget.

And someone will kill to keep the truth from coming out.

With her sanity questioned, her past unraveling, and her father’s life on the line, Noel must uncover what happened years ago, before the town’s darkest secret silences her too.

She thought the truth would set her free…
until she realized discovering it might be fatal.

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 20, 2025

Reviews

[Mandy Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

K. Z. Black does it again with another unputdownable thriller, Return to Christmas Town, which transforms a cozy holiday setting into a chilling playground of dangerous secrets. When ER nurse Noel Carter returns home for the holidays, she expects comfort but instead finds herself trapped in a nightmare where her father has vanished without a trace. With the sheriff dismissive and the townspeople offering rehearsed smiles, Noel is forced to dig for the truth alone as cryptic, anonymous gift tags begin appearing with messages meant only for her.
​The suspense is masterfully built through an unreliable atmosphere where festive shop owners burn evidence and the holiday cheer feels increasingly claustrophobic. As Noel peels back the layers of a deadly small-town cover-up tied to a long-buried barn fire, she must fight for her own sanity while her past unravels. The psychological tension keeps the reader on edge, questioning who can be trusted when every friendly face hides a potential threat.
​The stakes in Return to Christmas Town couldn’t be higher, with a father’s life on the line and a killer who will do anything to keep the town’s secrets silenced. This is a haunting, high-stakes mystery that proves some holiday traditions are built on lies, making it a must-read for any fan of psychological thrillers.

[DianaRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

RETURN TO CHRISTMAS TOWN is a psychological thriller by K. Z. Black. This story is well-written with a good plot. The suspense kept me glued to my chair to see what was going to happen next. As I got into this mystery, I couldn't wait to connect the pieces to see if I could figure out the who, what, and why of the secrets, fear, and forgotten memories.

When Noel returns to Christmas Town to visit her father for Christmas, she finds him missing. The Sheriff isn't worried, and everyone she tries to talk to looks frightened.

As Noel tries to find her father, forgotten memories of a fire start to surface. When she begins to feel someone is watching her, she wonders if she's paranoid. Soon she is getting veiled warnings about her search and the questions she's asking. Noel begins to wonder if her dad is still alive. As she perseveres, she feels eyes are watching her as loosely veiled threats keep coming.

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

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thrilling edge of your seat mystery that hooks you from the beginning and never lets you go until the great ending! Noel Carter is an ER nurse who is going back to her hometown to spend Christmas with her father. But when she arrives there, she finds her father missing. The sheriff thinks nothing of it so Noel has to figure it all out herself. Gift tags with message appear for her and there are clues to her past long forgotten and secrets long held. Can Noel find her father, uncover the secrets that someone doesn't want out and stay safe? This is a page turner that you can't put down once you begin! If you like really well written edge of your seat thrillers, I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw this book and read the title, the first thing that came to mind was that this was just another fluffy Hallmark Channel style feel good story. Boy was I wrong. This is a crisply written taut psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. It is short, around 150 pages, and can be read easily in one sitting but it's packed with plenty of drama and leaves you wanting more.
Small towns often have dark secrets and this one is a doozy. The "do anything to keep the secret" plotline is often used in this genre but the author does it well. As I read, I kept trying to guess who was trying to keep the secret and why. I was wrong.

[Ali O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return to Christmas Town by K.Z. Black
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an entertaining thriller/mystery story.
Noel is going to see her dad for Christmas, but when she gets to his house, she can’t find him. He’s missing. What has happened to him?
Noel begins a thrilling and suspenseful journey to unravel secrets and lies to try and find her father.

This is a fast paced and exciting read. I was invested in the mystery of what happened to Noel’s dad.

Thank you to Booksprout for an arc of this fun twisty thriller.

*This book is out now and it’s a fun and entertaining thriller/mystery story. Check it out!!*

[LINDA BASS · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, what a thrilling story that I COULD NOT PUT DOWN! Noel, an ER nurse who returned home for Christmas to see her dad, she felt something was off when she got to his house as there were no lights on and he wasn't there. The front door was unlocked, and no lights were on, and his mug of hot cocoa was still tepid. She had felt that she was being watched which was odd as she had grown up in town. I loved that Noel did not back down as the people acted afraid. This book I will remember EVERY CHRISTMAS

[karin whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novel from ARC, and this is my review. Noel comes home to her hometown Christmas to visit her father at Christmas holidays. But he has disappeared as many others have. Everybody either knows or is afraid to know what is happening. A twisty holiday story. Fast paced,well developed characters with a strong storyline.

[Michael Heidle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, interesting, suspenseful read!

This was a quick, interesting, suspenseful read! The suspense started in the very first chapter, where I noticed a plethora of descriptive words that were well used to heighten the suspense right away! And the suspense never let up!
Recommended read!!

[Nicole Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a good book a nice winter read with all the snow they have they can keep that snow lol but i enjoyed the story the truth always comes to light.

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

[Jean Roehrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Truth Lives

A very intriguing story. What starts out as a missing person case evolves into a coverup, death, and years of intimidation. I recommend it. Jean, Advance Reviewer

[Kat Herondale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really solid psychological thriller and a total page-turner. I loved the creepy, tense atmosphere and not knowing where the story was going for most of the book. The ending didn’t fully land for me and the reveal wasn’t as wild as I expected, but overall I was hooked.

[LaRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining, chilling read! Was very hard to put down as I couldn't wait to find out what happened and why! Very satisfying end!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Town

Not usually the type of book that I read but I’m so glad that I did get this book. Different, but very interesting plot. A nice change to my usual books. Thanks.