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A Dodo Dorchester Mystery #6

Murder on Christmas Eve

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Dodo is invited to meet Rupert’s family for Christmas. What could possibly go wrong?Fresh off the trauma of her last case, Dodo is relieved when Rupert suggests spending Christmas with his family at Knightsbrooke Priory.The week begins with such promise until Rupert’s grandmother, Adelaide, dies in the middle of their Christmas Eve dinner. She is ninety-five years old and the whole family considers it an untimely natural death, but something seems off to Dodo who uses the moment of shock to take a quick inventory of the body. Certain clues bring her to draw the conclusion that Adelaide has been murdered, but this news is not taken well.With multiple family skeletons set rattling in the closets, the festive week of celebrations goes rapidly downhill and Dodo fears that Rupert’s family will not forgive her meddling. Can she solve the case and win back their approval?

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 16, 2021

274 people are currently reading
152 people want to read

About the author

Ann Sutton

28 books41 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

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5 stars
564 (52%)
4 stars
367 (34%)
3 stars
116 (10%)
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23 (2%)
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7 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Cheryl.
39 reviews
December 31, 2021
Perfect cosy Christmas mystery

Ann Sutton I think I speak for many here when I say " I'm positive that Dame Agatha would love your books as much as I do".
Dodo is the young lady who some of us when younger wishes we could be ( ook well I did anyway lol I dreamt BIG haha) and to top it of it looks like she's found the man to be her equal and support . Wow his family , talk about skeletons in closets , 2 for the price of 1, let alone sledging . Eggnog.and Christmas Eve dinner . Excellent character building , I felt I knew and still know all of them . The storyline was brilliant and I never ever would of expected the shock ending . This read helped make my Christmas a great one . Thank you I look forward to more adventures with Dodo and Julie . Happy 2022 to all
2,231 reviews44 followers
December 25, 2024
What better time to read a mystery that happens on Christmas Eve, than on Christmas Eve? That's exactly what I did with Ann Sutton's book. Dorothea "Dodo" travels to Knightsbrooke Priory to meet Rupert Danforth's family. She is introduced to his mother Henrietta "Etta", father Rupert, sister Julia, aunt and uncle Ruby and Lawrence Quintell, and grandmother Adelaide. Adelaide's friend is there and so is the Vicar and Rupert's other sister Beatrice. What starts out as a nice Christmas Eve gathering, turns tragic when Adelaide is murdered at the dinner table with cyanide. There is no shortage of suspects who think they'd benefit from bequeaths in her will! Dodo tries to piece together clues with help from her maid Lizzie and the inspector. This book had a nice flow and kept me reading to find out who the murderer was! Now I want to read other books in this series.
Profile Image for Mike Watson.
Author 5 books5 followers
December 17, 2021
Decent plot...but I knew who was going to die in the first few chapters. For a mystery, I'd like to have some mystery.

Then, there are all the anachronisms. Norman Rockwell was a young man in the 1920s, and not well known. He'd not yet become famous at the time of this story. A little research by the author would be welcome. There are other anachronisms in addition to Norman Rockwell. They've slipped my mind since I've slept since finishing the book.

BTW, it was obvious who was the killer. No mystery there, either.
667 reviews7 followers
January 2, 2025
Murder on Christmas Eve

Dodo Dorchester has been invited to her almost Betrothed young man's home for Christmas. His granny drops dead over the Christmas Eve Dinner. Because it is snowing, something that is unusual in this part of England, the Inspector and the Coroner can't get there to take care of the body. Dodo helps move her and smells bitter Almonds on her breath. She and Rupert begin to look for clues to who might have murdered the rich old lady. This isn't the only death that happens before the Law appears. Perfect reading for a cold Christmas Season!
58 reviews
December 26, 2021
Light and Predictable

Looking for a Christmas mystery chose this. Simplistic story and characters. Knew murderer and motive less than half in. Almost complete lack of grief for victim. Name of female lead of Dodo an insult to women as refers to stupidity of Dodo bird . Middle school level. Don't bother if you are a reader of classic writers such as Christie, MacLeod, Allingham, Randell, etc. Suggest MacLeod 's Peter Shandy series.
Profile Image for Jill.
381 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2022
A Christmas to Remember

Sometimes meeting your new boyfriend's family is just murder. Poor Dodo and Rupert thought they would have wonderful Christmas holiday. No one expected Rupert's grandmother to drop dead during Christmas Eve dinner. They have quite a time figuring out who dun it!
890 reviews6 followers
December 23, 2024
Rupert is taking Dodo home to meet the family over Christmas, who knew there would be a murder at dinner Christmas Eve, clearly one of the guests in the house were responsible, they all thought it was just death because of old age only Dodo was suspicious and called the police which lead down a very convoluted path deep into family history to find the motive and the killer. Really Good Read
129 reviews2 followers
November 5, 2025
Outstanding!!!

This has been the first book I have read in the series. Dodo has a creative mind and her brain is working every minute on the final details that many overlook. Ms. Sutton has done an outstanding job of creating all the pieces and neatly putting them together in the end.
116 reviews5 followers
December 18, 2021
Enjoyable

A fun Christmas read . The story got better and better as it went on. There were a great assembly of characters and a good cosy, Manor House feel.
Grab your favourite drink,cosy up by the fire and enjoy.
12 reviews
December 22, 2021
waste of time

Seems like a bunch of various Crimes, motives pulled from Christie’s books and added here . A
detective who enlisted the help of a beautiful fashionable rich aristocrat ,who in turn solves the whole thing in between romancing and being fashionable .
Profile Image for darlene .
132 reviews4 followers
January 13, 2022
Enjoyed

Dodo does it again. I love all the twist and turns. Just when you think you know who did it something else comes up. I would recommend this book to all my friends. Can not wait for the next book
Profile Image for Marie Shirley Griffin.
808 reviews10 followers
March 10, 2022
So-so

I have read the entire series, assuming this is the last book.

Over all it's just a so-so series, particularly if you have read DC Smith Investigations, Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, etc.
133 reviews
May 6, 2022
A Christmas not to remember

Dodo goes to meet Rupert’s family for Christmas. Things do not go smoothly. Rupert’s mother takes an immediate dislike for Dodo. Then his grandmother drops dead.
337 reviews1 follower
March 13, 2023
Wonderful

Another cracking good read, these characters are brilliant so easy to read and are really enjoyed, I love reading about big county houses, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cosy mystery stories.
444 reviews2 followers
September 2, 2023
Murder on Christmas Eve 📕 book 6

A good murder mystery romance opening up past secrets of shame,willing spoiled indulgence with out caring of others welfare..Manipulation, and other forms,oh my 🙀❣️😢🧐😉
Profile Image for Amanda Jane.
1,337 reviews9 followers
April 19, 2024
Borrowed plot

As a prolific reader keen on crime, I've read, re-read, and own every Christie novel published. It was immediately apparent where the tale was headed. It's not identical but obvious enough for a full-blown Christie fan to spot what was coming.
Profile Image for Mark Lucas-Taylor.
540 reviews
December 20, 2024
Murder on Christmas Eve

This is a fairly typical example of the cosy murder mystery set in an upper class house at Christmas. It is well written but I found the solution to be easy to deduce. The clues were laid out rather liberally.
Profile Image for Eirlys.
1,763 reviews16 followers
December 24, 2024
A good read

An engaging story, with Christmas being spent at Rupert's family home. Dodo jokes about being a magnet for murder, but when a murder occurs, Rupert's mother is not amused. The characters were of the time and seemed pretty authentic.
190 reviews3 followers
December 19, 2021
Read it if you like the players—spoiler alert now—

…but not for the plot or plot development. If Agatha Christie were still around, Ms Sutton might be called in for plagiarism. Ah, as we neared the denouement, the mirror cracked…
Profile Image for Dolly Macfarlane.
136 reviews3 followers
December 19, 2021
Dodo does it again

I could hardly wait for the next book in the series. I am not disappointed. The book is as good as the previous 5 books. I highly recommend you read the series.
Profile Image for Christine Margaret Costello.
311 reviews
January 13, 2022
Christmas murder

Dodo saves the day, another good story set in the home of her boyfriend, Rupert. Who will be the one to murder, very exciting.
Profile Image for Vicky Lee Owen.
87 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2022
Love this series

I have read all but the last book always look forward to the next won. Not a serious book fun romp fun and easy read good series to take on a trip with you
Profile Image for Christina.
101 reviews
December 22, 2024
A nice little cozy Christmas mystery. Perfect short read for holiday week. Interesting story, a bit predictable but still enjoyable to read.
Profile Image for Courtnie ~ courtniemustreads.
256 reviews6 followers
October 10, 2025
Another great Dodo mystery! I loved the description of Christmas festivities leading up to the murder and how this case left me second guessing. Can’t wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Suzie.
2,557 reviews23 followers
December 25, 2024
Great read

The time period of just after WWI is a favorite of mine, and I do love a British manor as the setting. The characters are well fleshed , the plot is twisty, and the pace is steady. I really enjoyed the clue finding and the mystery.
I was happy to find there are 5 previous books to this series and am off to catch up now.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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