(I will be editing this post for the current year. Entries from newly listed authors will be posted at the bottom in the new year’s section. Authors who have books in the first version of the post will have new titles listed in their original sections. Happy Reading!)

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Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a well-planned murder.

A few weeks ago, I asked my fellow Sisters In Crime, via our Guppies chapter email list, if they’d like to share their holiday-related cozy mystery titles. What a wonderful response I received! I’ll have plenty of mysterious mayhem to take me right through Christmas (and maybe next Christmas, too).

I’m binge-reading one book after another and having a blast. I have no doubt readers who stumble across this blog will love them, too. Whether you’d like to add some great Christmas-themed cozies to your own reading pleasure, or you’re looking for gifts for the mystery lovers on your list, these stories will give you a great start.

A quick search on Amazon.com will find most of the books. For those who prefer shopping local bookstores or supporting their libraries (both in person and through e-book catalogs), feel free to bring the list along. If you don’t already find them on the shelves, perhaps they can be ordered. With the season fast approaching, what bookstore or library wouldn’t want to add to their Christmas collection? Walmart already has its holiday department all blinged out. The colorful covers of these books put Walmart’s ornament aisles to shame.

Here are the delightful stories my talented Sisters In Crime shared with me. I now have the honor of passing them along to readers of this blog. I’ve written a brief description of each. Amazon will give you more of a preview, and many of the product pages include longer samples as well. (If a search for the novellas is unsuccessful, try the title of the mentioned collection.)

Happy reading … and Happy Holidays!

Dianne Ascroft

Century Cottage Mysteries

              Mistletoe and Murder (novella; available in the UK)

Marge Kirkwood is having a great time at the annual Christmas party, with friends and acquaintances, including her good friend, amateur sleuth Lois Stone. Then the sudden death of Marge’s old admirer ends the party in tragedy, and her ex-husband Ted finds himself suspected of murder! Can Marge and Lois find the real killer, exonerate Ted, and save the entire holiday season?

Short Story Collection

              A Right Cozy Christmas

This delightful short story collection includes Dianne’s story, The Gifts Grab. A gathering of fun mystery adventures for all, the book will be available for preorder in the UK in October.

Leslie Budewitz

Spice Shop Series

              Peppermint Barked

Pepper Reece is enjoying this year’s Dickens-themed Christmas celebration, especially the peppermint bark-off competition. Then, young Beth, an employee of Pepper’s friend Vinny’s wine shop, is assaulted. As Pepper hunts down clues, she uncovers a complicated web of danger-woven history behind the wine shop. Will Pepper’s investigation make her the assailant’s next victim?

Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries

              As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles

Erin Murphy has befriended Merrily Thornton, a young girl with a troubled past. Even Merrily’s parents have disowned her, but Erin believes that Merrily has turned her life around. When the girl disappears after she’s suspected of robbing her boss’s establishment, a search finds her … dead with a string of Christmas lights around her neck. Can Erin track down the killer without becoming a target herself?

Ellen Byron, also writing as Maria DiRico

Cajun Country Mysteries

              A Cajun Christmas Killing

It’s Christmastime in bayou country. But who is writing all of those terrible reviews of Maggie Crozat’s beautiful Plantation B&B? Maggie thinks it may be a sour-tempered guest, Donald Baxter, but then he is found dead. Investigations focus on Maggie’s boyfriend, Detective Bo Durand. Maggie has to partner with her old enemy Rufus Durand, who may be the only person who can help her track down the real killer.

Catering Hall Mysteries

              It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Murder

Santa’s Workshop displays are always fun, unless a dead body turns up among the elves. Mia Carina has a host of suspects to sort through. Could it be someone involved in one of the parties her family’s business is catering? What about the man who claims to be her friend Vincent’s long-lost brother? Was her own estranged mother’s reappearance just terrible timing?

New in 2025:

Vintage Cookbook Mystery #4

              Crescent City Christmas Chaos

Ricki James-Diaz’s parents are coming to New Orleans for the holidays. That should mean a wonderful family celebration, shouldn’t it? Not when the dark secrets of the past lead to discoveries of blackmail and, then, a murder. The holidays go truly haywire when Ricki’s own mother becomes the prime suspect! Can Ricki track down the real killer in time to get her mom off Santa’s naughty list? (Release date in November, 2025.)

Eileen Curley Hammond

Merry March Mysteries

              Murder So Festive

When Merry’s swindling ex-husband is unexpectedly released from prison, Christmastime turns into chaos. Merry soon finds herself involved in a murder investigation. How is her ex involved? Can she help the police discover the truth? Most importantly, can Merry protect her daughter?

Syrl (S.A.) Kazlo

Samantha Davis Mysteries

              Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder (Release date 3 December 2024)

              A local not-so-jolly Santa is not only found dead, he’s been run over by a plastic reindeer and has a string of Christmas lights around his neck. Unfortunately, he’s also a rival of Samantha’s own father. Can Sam clear her dad of suspicion in time to have a happy holiday?

Kassandra Lamb

Marsha Banks and Buddy Mysteries

              A Mayfair Christmas Carol (novella)

Building a new skating rink for a town’s holiday extravaganza doesn’t seem so far-fetched, unless you consider that it’s being built in Florida. Things become even more complicated when a decades-dead corpse is found while excavating the rink’s location! Service-dog trainer Marsha Banks is determined to help uncover the truth and return some holiday cheer to her little community.

 Kate on Vacation Mysteries

              An Unsaintly Season in St. Augustine (novella)

Kate Huntington and her P.I. husband thought they were just visiting her parents for the holidays. Then, an elderly friend of the family went missing. Is he lost? Is he in danger? Is he even alive? Can Kate find him and reunite him with his wife for Christmas?

C.o.P. on the Scene Mysteries

              The Twelve Heists of Christmas (novella)

A series of robberies, perpetrated by a thief in a Santa mask, baffles new Chief of Police Judith Anderson. The pressure is on to find the criminal. Things go seriously wrong when a shopkeeper accidentally shoots a teenage bystander while trying to defend his store. Can Judith unmask the thief before someone else is hurt, or even killed?

Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook

Haunted Library series

              Read and Gone

Wouldn’t everyone want to have their dad home for Christmas? Carrie Singleton’s father, however, has an ulterior motive: to locate his half of a 20-million-dollar jewel heist. When Jim Singleton’s partner in crime, jeweler Benson Parr, turns up dead, guess who becomes a prime suspect. Can Carrie clear her father of possible murder charges? Will the library ghost, Evelyn, be able to help?

Edith Maxwell, also writing as Maddie Day

Country Store Mysteries

              Candy Slain Murder

Robbie Jordan’s holiday season is turned topsy-turvy by a fire that reveals a decades-old skeleton in the attic of a local doctor’s home. Who was she? Was she murdered? Why? Things get even more complicated when a mystery man shows up claiming to be the half-brother of Robbie’s faithful employee.  Should Robbie get involved, even if it puts her in danger?

              Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse (novella, available in the Christmas Cocoa Murder collection)

Robbie’s country restaurant becomes a focus for the police after local businessman Jed Greenberg is found dead. Was Pans ‘N Pancakes’ special hot cocoa involved in his death? Why was the chocolate lab named Cocoa crying over Jed’s body? Robbie must track down the killer to clear her restaurant of suspicion and bring justice to Jed.

              Scarfed Down (novella, available in the Christmas Scarf Murder collection)

A diner at Robbie Jordan’s Pans ‘N Pancakes restaurant dies suddenly while knitting a green scarf. Why would the police be looking at Robbie’s dear Aunt Adele as a suspect? Robbie must unscramble clues that will point to the truth, clear her aunt’s name, and save the holidays!

Cece Barton Mysteries

              Murderous Mittens (novella, available in the Christmas Mittens Murder collection)

              Cece Barton plans to spend a peaceful Christmas at her twin sister’s quaint Bed & Breakfast. Those plans are tossed into chaos when, after an evening at the wine bar, the proprietor is found dead!

Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries

              Murder in a Cape Cottage

On the day after Christmas, “Mac” Almeida thinks her biggest problems are preparing for her New Year’s Eve wedding, and starting the bathroom renovations in the cottage she shares with her fiancé, Tim. Then, the reconstruction reveals a decades-old skeleton in the wall, a cold case that is practically frozen solid, and a path of discovery that leads Mac into danger. Who killed the bride in the wall? After all this time, is the killer even alive?

Clara McKenna

Hattie Davish Mysteries

              Anything But Civil

It’s the end of the 19th century. Hattie Davish has accompanied her employer on a research mission for his biography of a Civil War general. Little did Hattie suspect that the Christmastime excursion would find her in the middle of a murder investigation!

Stella & Lyndy Mysteries

              Murder On Mistletoe Lane

The joy of celebrating her first Edwardian English Christmas as Lady Stella Lyndhurst is shattered when Stella’s housekeeper becomes suddenly ill and dies. The suspicious circumstances force Stella into a search for the truth that grows more complicated … and more dangerous … every day. Will Stella and Lyndy find the killer before they become victims themselves?

Gigi Pandian

Secret Staircase Mysteries

              The Christmas Caper (novelette)

When Tempest Raj decided to visit Scotland for Christmas, she never expected to become wrapped up in solving a crime. A bizarre art theft has baffled law enforcement in Old Town—a theft that seemed impossible to pull off. Can Tempest put this puzzle together and reveal the true picture?

Kathleen Rockwood

              Uncommon Gifts (Short story for Writers Who Kill blog)

Astrid the Elf thought her biggest problem was her doubtful skill as a toy maker. Then, a fire in the hayloft of the reindeer barn turned her world upside down. In the chaos of the fire, several animals panicked and ran into the forest. Would the missing reindeer all be found safe? Kathleen Rockwood has penned a delightful short story that will bring a smile to your holiday season.

https://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2020/12/uncommon-gifts-christmas-story-by-km.html

Cindy Sample

Laurel McKay Mysteries

              Dying For A Decoration

A six-foot tall elf? A herd of stolen reindeer? An eccentric grandmother dating a man decades her junior? Laurel McKay’s holiday season would seem like a comedy if not for the fact that a client has turned up dead! Will Laurel be the sleuth who saves Christmas?

Lois Winston

Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries

              Drop Dead Ornaments

At the local holiday craft fair, Anastasia meets her son Alex’s girlfriend’s father, Shane Lambert. When a woman eavesdropping on their chat turns up dead, Shane becomes a suspect. Can Anastasia clear Sophie’s dad’s name?

              Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide

An irate neighbor is unhappy with Anastasia’s half-brother-in-law’s front-yard Christmas extravaganza. He expresses his upset over the light and decoration show by assaulting Ira. The next morning, the neighbor’s found dead in Santa’s sleigh! Anastasia has promised her kids she’ll stay out of police business, but Ira Pollack is not only extended family, he’s now a murder suspect!

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2025 Additions

Kelly Brakenhoff

Cassandra Sato Mysteries

              Dead of Winter Break

In Dead of Winter Break, Cassandra Sato simply wants her first Christmas in Nebraska to include hot cocoa and a long nap. Instead, her boss is dead, her house is impaled, and her foster dog isn’t house trained. This isn’t the holiday break she ordered.

Christine Knapp

Modern Midwife Mysteries

              Murder on the Books

Is there anything so lovely as a New England Christmas? Maeve O’Reilly Kensington isn’t just looking forward to the idyllic holiday, she’s also looking forward to the birth of her second child. Everything is perfect … until she finds the body of the local library director in the snow! Not only is the pressure on to find the truth, time is not exactly on Maeve’s side. Will she and her sister Meg solve this mystery before Santa … and a new baby … arrive?

The Required Reveal:
the Amazon link is, in fact, an associate link.