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CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES: AUTHORS F-L

Today, I continue the Christmas Mystery/Crime Fiction list, with Authors F-L. It's amazing how many mysteries are set during the holidays, but it's such a stressful time, I shouldn't be all that surprised.

Today Christmas Crime Authors F-L. Be sure and check the previous list Christmas Mysteries, Authors A-E. I've updated it. Please let me know if I've forgotten an author or book. And more authors and titles to come. Be Merry!

CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES: AUTHORS F-L

Fairstein, Linda A.: The Deadhouse; The Crime and the Crystal; A Small World of Murder.
Farjeon, J.J.: Mystery in White.
Farrow, John: City of Ice.
Fawcett, Quinn: Siren Song.
Fennelly, Tony: Home Dead for Christmas.
Fenris, Morris: Miracle of Christmas Boxed Set.

Ferrars, E.X.: Smoke Without Fire; The Small World of Murder; The Crime and the Crystal.
Ferris, Monica: Crewel Yule; A Stitch in Time.
Finch, Charles: The Fleet Street Murders.
Finnis, Jane: A Bitter Chill.
Fishback, Beatrice: Winter Writerland.

Fletcher, Jessica (Donald Bain): A Little Yuletide Murder; Manhattans and Murder.
Flower, Amanda: A Plain Disappearance; Candy Cane Crime.
Fluke, Joanne: Sugar Cookie Murder; Plum Pudding Murder; Candy Cane Murders; Gingerbread Cookie Murder; Christmas Caramel Murder; Christmas Cake Murder.
Flynn, Brian: The Murders Near Mapleton: Exit Sir John.
Foley, Rae: Hundreth Door; Where is Mary Bostwick?.
Follett, Ken: Whiteout.
Ford, Leslie: The Simple Way of Poison.
Fowler, Earlene: The Saddlemaker's Wife.
Fox, Sarah: Yeast of Eden.
Fraser, Anthea: The Nine Bright Shiners; White Christmas with a Wobbly Knee; Snowballs and Scotch Mist; Christmas Mourning.
Frazer, Andrea: Snowballs and Scotch Mist; Christmas Morning.
Frazer, Margaret: The Servant's Tale; The Widow's Tale.
Freeburn, Christina: Not a Creature Was Stirring.

Fremlin, Celia: The Long Shadow.

Freydont, Shelley: A Merry Little Murder; Silent Knife.
Frommer, Sara Hoskinson: Witness in Bishop Hill.
Frost, Jacqueline: Twelve Slays of Christmas; 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas.
Fruttero, Carlo & Franco Lucentini: Enigma in Luogo di Mare.
Furlong-Bolliger, S.: Christmas in Killarney.
Furst, Clyde Bowman: The Observations of Professor Maturin.
Fry, Patricia: A Picture-Purrfect Christmas.

Gaardner, Jostein: The Christmas Mystery.
Gagnon, Michelle: Kidnap and Ransom.
Galenorn, Yasmine: Ghost of a Chance.
Gano, John: Inspector Proby's Christmas.
Garner, James Finn: Politically Correct Holiday Stories--For an Enlightened Yuletide Season (collection).
Garnet, A. H.: The Santa Claus Killer.
George, Anne: Murder on a Bad Hair Day.
Gerber, Daryl Wood: Wreath between the Lines.
Gilchrist, Aimee: Mele Kalikimaka Murder.
Giroux, E. X.: Death for a Dietician.
Gold, Ginny: Gingerdead Man.
Goldenbaum, Sally: A Holiday Yarn; Trimmed with Murder.

Gonda, Judith: Murder in the Christmas Tree Lot.
Goodhind, J.G.: The Ghost of Christmas Past.
Goodman, Jonathan: Murder on the Aisle.
Gordon, Alan: Thirteenth Night; The Moneylender of Toulouse.
Gorman, Edward: Murder on the Aisle.
Gouze, Roger: A Quiet Game of Bambu.
Grabenstein, Chris: Hell for the Holidays; Slay Ride.
Grace, Alexa: Deadly Holiday.
Grace, C.L.: The Merchant of Death.
Grace, Margaret: Mayhem in Miniature; Manhattan in Miniature.
Grafton, Sue: E is for Evidence.
Graham, Heather: The Last Noel; A Season of Miracles.
Granger, Ann: A Season for Murder; Dead in the Water.
Grant, Ellie: Treacherous Tart.
Graves, Sarah: Wreck the Halls.
Greeley, Andrew: The Bishop and the Three Kings.
Green, Christine: Deadly Partners.
Greenwood, Kerry: Murder in the Dark; Forbidden Fruit.
Greenwood, Patrice. As Red as Any Blood.

Gregory, Susanna: A Conspiracy of Violence.
Griffey, Jackie: The Nelson Scandal.
Griffiths, Elly. Smoke and Mirrors.
Grimes, Martha: Jerusalem Inn; The Old Fox Deceived; The Man with a Load of Mischief.
Guest, Judith: Killing Time in St. Cloud.
Gunn, Victor: Death on Shivering Sand.
Gunning, Sally: Ice Water.

Haddam, Jane: Not a Creature Was Stirring; A Stillness in Bethlehem.
Hager, Jean: The Last Noel.
Haines, Carolyn: Buried Bones; A Gift of Bones.
Hall, Parnell: A Puzzle in a Pear Tree.
Hall, Robert Lee: Benjamin Franklin and a Case of Christmas Murder.
Halliday, Gemma: Christmas in High Heels.
Hallinan, Timothy: Fields Where They Lay.
Hamilton, Victoria: White Colander Crime.
Hammett, Dashiell: The Thin Man.
Handler, David: The Snow White Christmas Cookie.
Hardwick, Richard: The Season to be Deadly.
Hare, Cyril: An English Murder.
Harmon, Ken: The Fat Man--A Tale of North Pole Noir. 

Harnetiaux, Trish. White Elephant.

Harper, Karen: The Queene's Christmas.
Harris, Charlaine: Shakespeare's Christmas.
Harris, Joanne: Chocolat.
Harris, Lee: The Christmas Night Murder.
Harrison, Janis: Murder Sets Seed.
Hart, Carolyn: Sugarplum Dead; Merry, Merry Ghost.
Hart, Ellen: Vital Lies; Murder in the Air.
Hart, Roy: Seascape with Dead Figures.
Harvey, John: Cold Light.

Hathway, L.B. The Vanishing of Dr Winter.
Haven, Heather: The CEO Came DOA; Iced Diamond; Christmas Trifle
Hay, Mavis Doriel: The Santa Klaus Murder.
Heald, Tim: Classic Christmas Crime.
Healy, Mel: Black Marigolds.
Heath, Sandra: Mistletoe Mischief.
Hechtman, Betty: You Better Knot Die.
Heistand, Jo: A Recipe for Murder.

Hellmann, Libby: Set the Night on Fire.
Hemlin, Tim: A Catered Christmas.
Hennrickus, Julie: A Christmas Peril.

Hess, Joan: A Holly, Jolly Murder; O Little Town of Maggody.
Hesse, Jennifer David: Bell, Book & Candlemas; Yuletide Homicide.
Heyer, Georgette: Envious Casca; A Christmas Party.
Hiassen, Carl: Tourist Season.
Hill, Reginald: Death's Jest Book; A Clubbable Woman; Red Christmas.
Hilton, John Buxton: Death in Midwinter.
Hinkemeyer, Michael: A Time to Reap.
Hochgatterer, Paulus: The Sweetness of Life.
Hodgkin, Marion Rous: Dead Indeed.
Holland, Isabelle: A Fatal Advent.
Holliday, Susi. The Deaths of December.
Hollis, Lee: Death of a Christmas Caterer.
Holmes, Dee. The Unexpected Gift.
Holms, Joyce: Thin Ice.
Honigford, Cheryl: Homicide for the Holidays.
Howell, Dorothy: Slay Bells and Satchels.
Howie, Edith: Murder for Christmas.
Howlett, John: The Christmas Spy.
Hughes, Cledwyn: The Inn Closes for Christmas; The Different Drummer.
Hughes, Mary Ellen: Wreath of Deception.
Hume, Fergus: The Coin of Edward VII.
Hunter, Alan: Landed Gently.
Hunter, Ellen Elizabeth: Murder on the Candlelight Tour; Christmas Wedding; Murder at the Holiday Flotilla.
Hunter, Evan: Come Winter.
Hunter, Fred: Ransom for a Holiday; 'Tis the Season for Murder; Homicide for the Holidays.
Husom, Christine: The Iced Princess.
Hyatt, Georgette: Envious Casca.

Hyzy, Julie: Hail to the Chef.
Iams, Jack: Do Not Murder Before Christmas.

Indridason, Arnaldur: Voices.
Innes, Michael: A Comedy of Terrors; Christmas at Candleshoe; There Came Both Mist and Snow.
Irving, Karen: Jupiter's Daughter.
Ivie, Judith: Drowning in Christmas.

Jackson, Melanie: Murder on Parade; Requiem at Christmas.
Jaffe, Jody: Chestnut Mare, Beware.
Jahn, Cathie: Add One Dead Critic.
Jahn, Michael: Murder on Fifth Avenue.
James, CeeCee: The Frosty Taste of Scandal.

James, Miranda: Six Cats a Slayin'.
James, P. D.: The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories (collection).
Jarvis, Nancy Lynn: Buying Murder.
Jecks, Michael: The Boy Bishop's Glove Maker.
Jeffers, H. Paul: Murder on Mike.
John, Cathie: Add One Dead Critic.
Johns, Madison: The Great Christmas Caper; Meows, Magic & Elves.
Johnson, Craig: Death Without Company; Christmas in Absaroka; Spirit of Steamboat.
Jonasson, Ragnar. Whiteout.

Jordan, Cathleen: A Carol in the Dark.
Jordan, Jennifer: Murder Under the Mistletoe.

Kales, Jenny: Spiced and Iced.
Kane, Henry: A Corpse for Christmas (aka Homicide at Yuletide).
Kaplan, Arthur: A Killing for Charity.
Kappes, Tonya: Freshly Ground Murder, Tangled Up in Tinsel; Christmas, Criminals, and Campers; Eggnog Extortion & Evergreens.
Katz, Fred: Not a Creature Was Stirring.
Kaufman, Karin: The Witch Tree.
Kavanaugh, Brian: A Canterbury Crime.
Kaye, M. M.: Death in the Andamans.
Kellerman, Faye: Sacred and Profane.
Kelley, Lee Charles: 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas.
Kelly, Mary: The Christmas Egg.
Kelly, Sofie: A Midwinter's Tail.
Kelner, Toni L.P.: Mad as the Dickens.
Kendrick, Stephen: Night Watch.
King, John: The Big Mouth.
King, Laurie R.: A Monstrous Regiment of Women.
Kingsbury, Kate: No Clue at the Inn; Ringing in Murder; Shrouds of Holly; Slay Bells; Decked with Folly; Mistletoe and Mayhem; Herald of Death; The Clue is in the Pudding; Mulled Murder.
Kinsey, T.E.: Christmas at The Grange.

Kirby, Peter. The Dead of Winter.
Kisor, Henry: Season's Revenge.
Kitchin, C.H.B.: Crime at Christmas.
Kitson, Bill: Killing Christmas.

Kleinholz, Lisa: Exiles on Main Street.
Knight, Alanna: The Dagger in the Crown.
Knight, Bernard: Crowner's Quest.
Knight, Kathleen Moore: They're Going to Kill Me.
Koch, Edward I.: Murder on 34th Street.
Koontz, Dean R.: Mister Murder; Santa's Twin; Robot Santa.
Kuhn, Cynthia: The Study of Secrets.
Lake, M.D.: A Gift for Murder; Grave Choices.
Landreth, Marsha: The Holiday Murders.
Lane, Vicki: In a Dark Season.
Langley, Bob: Death Stalk.
Langston, Josh & Barbara Galler-Smith: Christmas Beyond the Box.
Langton, Jane: The Shortest Day--Murder at the Revels; The Memorial Hall Murder.
Lanyon, Josh: So This is Christmas.
Lanyon, Josh & Sarah Black: I'll be Dead for Christmas.
Lathen, Emma: Banking on Death.
Lavene, Joyce and Jim: Treacherous Toys; A Dickens of a Murder; Murder Fir Christmas.
Lawley, Cate: Makin' a List.
Lawrence, Alfred: A Christmas Killing.
Lawrence, David: Cold Kill.
Lawrence, Hilda: Blood Upon the Snow; Death of a Doll.
Lawrence, Treat: Q As in Quicksand.
Leach, Christopher: A Killing Frost.
Lee, Amanda: Better Off Thread.
Lee, Ashton: A Cherry Cola Christmas.
Leon, Donna: Blood from a Stone.
Levine, Joan & Gail Owens: The Santa Claus Mystery.
Levine, Laura: Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge.
Lewin, Michael Z.: The Enemies Within.
Lewis, Ted: Carter's Law.

Licio, Adriana. A Mystery Before Christmas.
Lin, Harper: Fur-Miliar Felines; Killer Christmas.
Little, Constance: The Black-Headed Pins.
Livingston, Nancy: Quiet Murder.
Loan-Wilsey, Anna: Anything But Civil.
Locke, M. Louisa: Kathleen Catches a Killer.
Locke, William J.: A Christmas Mystery.
Lockridge, Richard: Dead Run.
London, Collette: The Peppermint Mocha Murder.
Long, Manning: Vicious Circle.
Lord, Christopher: The Christmas Carol Murders.
Lourey, Jess: December Dread.
Luber, Philip: Deadly Convictions.
Ludwig, Ken: The Game's Afoot OR Holmes for the Holidays.
Lyttek, Susan. Plundered Christmas.

CHRISTMAS CRIME FICTION: Authors A-E

Crime for the Holidays. Christmas time is a major time for murder! Every year I post a mystery list that's set during the Christmas holidays. It's such an extensive list, that I divide it into multiple parts. Here's the first installment, Authors A-E, of what will be a huge Christmas Crime Fiction list. I'll be posting the rest of the list over the next week or so. 

Although the list is updated every year, I'm sure I've still managed to miss a few authors and titles. Let me know, and I'd be glad to add them. 

I'll also be adding a separate section on Short Story Anthologies and Novellas. More to come! Be sure and check back.

Christmas Crime Fiction: 
Authors A-E

Abbott, Allyson: Shots in the Dark 
Abbot, Anthony: About the Murder of a Startled Lady; About the Murder of Geraldine Foster.
Abresch, Peter: The Faltese Malcom.
Adams, Deborah: All the Crazy Winters.
Adamson, Lydia: A Cat in the Manger; A Cat in the Wings; A Cat on Jingle Bell Rock; A Cat Under the Mistletoe.
Alan, Isabella: Murder, Served Simply.
Albert, Susan Wittig: Mistletoe Man; Rueful Death; Holly Blues: The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsetta Puzzle.
Alexander, David: Shoot a Sitting Duck.
Alexander, Ellie (aka Kate Dyer-Seeley): A Cup of Holiday Fear.
Alexander, Hannah & Jill Elizabeth Nelson: Season of Danger; Silent Night; Deadly Night/Mistletoe Mayhem.
Alexander, Maria: Snowed.
Alexander, Victoria: What Happens at Christmas.
Allan, Barbara: Antiques Flee Market.
Allen, E.A.: The Fifth Christmas; The Dandridge Charter.
Allen, Michael: Spence and the Holiday Murders.
Ambrose, Terry: The Killer Christmas Sweater Club.
Amo, Gary: Silent Night.
Amsden, Pat: A Christmas to Die For.
Andre, Joel: A Death at the North Pole.
Andrews, Donna: How the Finch Stole Christmas; Six Geese A-Slaying; Duck the Halls; The Nightingale Before Christmas; Lark! The Herald Angels Sing; Owl Be Home for Christmas; The Gift of the Magpie.
Andrews, Mary Kay (Kathy Hogan Trocheck): Fatal Fruitcake; Blue Christmas; Christmas Bliss; Midnight Clear.
Traci Andrighetti & Elizabeth Ashby: A Poison Manicure and Peach Liqueur.
Angela, Mary. A Very Merry Murder.
Appignanesi, Lisa: The Dead of Winter. 

Archer, Gretchen. Double Deck the Halls. 

Armstrong, Vivien: Fly in Amber.
Arnold, Carolyn. Christmas is Murder.
Arsenault, Emily: The Broken Teaglass.
Arts, David Jay: Quiet Desperation.
Ash, Maureen: Murder for Christ's Mass.
Ashe, Ellie: Chasing Tinsel.
Atherton, Nancy: Aunt Dimity's Christmas; Aunt Dimity and the Heart of Gold.
Atkins, Ace: Leavin' Trunk Blues.
Aubert, Rosemary: The Feast of Stephen.
Avon, Joy: In Peppermint Peril.
Baantjer, Albert: Murder in Amsterdam.
Babson, Marian: Twelve Deaths of Christmas; Line Up for Murder; Murder on a Mystery Tour.
Bailey, Jodie, Debby Giusti & Susan Sleeman: Holiday Defenders.
Bain, Donald (as Jessica Fletcher): A Little Yuletide Murder; Manhattans and Murder.
Baker, Deb: Murder Trims the Tree.
Baker, North: Dead to the World.
Baldacci, David: The Christmas Train.
Ball, Donna: Silent Night.
Ballard, Mignon F.: Deadly Promise; Hark! The Herald Angel Screamed.
Banks, Carolyn: Horse to Die For. 

Banville, John. Snow.

Barnard, Robert: Death in a Cold Climate; The Habit of Widowhood.
Barnett, T.L.: Murder for the New Year.
Barre, Richard: Bethany.
Barrett, Kathleen: Homicide for the Holidays.
Barritt, Christy. High-Stakes Holiday Reunion; It Came Upon a Midnight Crime.
Barron, Stephanie: Jane and the Wandering Eye; Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Bartlett, Lorraine & Gayle Leeson: Yule Be Dead.
Barton, Beverly: Sugar and Spice.

Battison, Brian: The Christmas Bow Murder.
Baxt, George: Scheme and Variations; A Christmas Story.
Bayard, Louis: Mr Timothy.
Beaton, M.C.: Death of A Snob; A Highland Christmas; Agatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye; Death of a Prankster; Christmas Crumble; Busy Body.
Beaumont, Cyril: The Mysterious Toyshop.
Beechy, Alan: Murdering Ministers.
Bell, Cindy: Mistletoe, Makeup and Murder; Christmas Chocolates and Crime.
Belle, Josie: Buried in Bargains.
Bennett, Jenna: A Done Deal.
Benrey, Ron & Janet: Season of Glory.
Bentley, Jennie: Home for The Homicide.
Berenson, Laurien: Jingle Bell Bark; Once Bitten; Wagging through the Snow.
Bernhardt, Susan: Murder Under the Tree.
Bernhardt, William: The Midnight Before Christmas.
Berry, Carole: This Year Will Be Different; The Year of the Monkey.
Bingham, John: Crime at Lark Cottage.
Bird, Nigel. Let It Snow.

Bishop, Claudia: A Carol for a Corpse.
Black, Gavin: Dragon for Christmas.
Black, Sarah & John Lanyon: I'll be Dead for Christmas.
Blackburn, Cindy: Three Odd Balls.
Blackstock, Charity: The Foggy, Foggy Dew.
Blake, Bethany. Paw Prints and Predicaments; A Midwinter's Tale.
Blake, Nicholas: The Corpse in the Snowman; The Smiler With the Knife; Thou Shell of Death.
Blanc, Nero: A Crossworder's Delight; A Crossworder's Gift; A Crossworder's Holiday; Wrapped Up in Crosswords.
Boatwright, Alice K.: What Child is This?.
Bodelson, Anders: Think of a Number.
Bohart, Lynn: Inn Keeping with Murder.
Bolen, Cheryl. The Theft before Christmas.
Borger, Gale: Totally Decked.
Borthwick, J. S.: Dude on Arrival; The Student Body.
Boucher, Anthony: The Night Before Christmas.
Bowen, Rhys: The Twelve Clues at Christmas; Away in a Manger; The Ghost of Christmas Past.
Boylan, Eleanor: Pushing Murder.
Boyle, Thomas: Post-Mortem Effects.
Bradley, Alan: The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches; I Am Half Sick of Shadows; As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust.
Brady, James: Hampton's Christmas.
Bramble, Forbes: Dead of Winter.
Bran, Helen. Silent Night.
Braun, Lilian Jackson: The Cat Who Turned On and Off; The Cat Who Went into the Closet.
Bredes, Don: Cold Comfort.
Breen, Jon: Probable Claus.
Brett, Simon: The Christmas Crimes at Puzzle Manor; The Shooting in the Shop; The Cinderella Killer.
Brightwell, Emily: Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen; Mrs. Jeffries & the Yuletide Weddings; Mrs. Jeffries & the Mistletoe Mix Up; Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight; Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women.
Brockman, Suzanne: All Through the Night.
Brook, Allison. Read and Gone.
Brown, Carter: A Corpse for Christmas.
Brown, Frederic: Murder Can be Fun.
Brown, Rita Mae: Rest in Pieces; Santa Clawed; Homeward Hound.
Bruce, Leo: Such is Death.
Brunette, Lisa: Framed and Burning.
Bryan, Mollie Cox: A Crafty Christmas.; Christmas Cow Bells.
Buchanan, Edna: The Ice Maiden.
Buckley, Julia: Cheddar Off Dead.
Buchanan, Edna.The Ice Maiden.

Budewitz, Leslie: As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles. 
Burdette, Lucy: Death with all the Trimmings.
Burke, Anna Celeste: A Merry Christmas Wedding Mystery.
Burke, Declan: Eightball Boogie.
Burke, James: A Present for Santa.
Burley, W. J.: Death in Willow Pattern; Wycliffe and the Quiet Virgin.
Bush, Christopher: Dancing Death. 

Byerrum, Ellen: Grave Apparel
Byron, Ellen: A Cajun Christmas Killing; Grave Appeal.

Authors C-E

Cahoon, Lynn: If the Shoe Fits.
Caine, Leslie: Holly and Homicide.
Cairns, Alison: New Year Resolution.
Callaghan, Hope. Reindeer & Robberies; Merry Masquerade in Savannah.
Carl, Joanna: The Chocolate Bear Burglary; The Chocolate Snowman Murders.
Carlisle, Kate. Deck the Hallways.
Carmack, Amanda. Murder at Whitehall. 

Cantrell, Rebecca: The World Beneath.

Carpenter, Sally. Flower Power Fatality.

Carr, Carol K.: India Black and the Widow of Windsor.
Carrier, Warren: Justice at Christmas.
Carrington, Tori: Queen's Ransom.
Carter, John Franklin: The Corpse on the White House Lawn.
Carter, Nick: The Christmas Kill.
Casey, Elizabeth Lynn: Let It Sew.
Caunitz, William J.: Exceptional Clearance.
Challinor, C. S.: Christmas is Murder.
Chan, Cassandra: Spider on the Stairs.
Chapman, Brenda: Cold Mourning.
Chaput, W. J.: The Man on the Train.
Chase, Erika: Read and Buried.
Chastain, Thomas: 911 (aka The Christmas Bomber).
Chaze, Elliott: Goodbye Goliath.
Cheever, Sam: Christmas Grift.
Chesbro, George C.: Second Horseman Out of Eden; Colde Smell of Sacred Stone.
Childs, Laura: The Teaberry Strangler; Eggs on Ice.
Christie, Agatha: Hercule Poirot's Christmas (aka Murder for Christmas, aka Holiday for Murder); The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (novella); The Sittaford Mystery.
Christmas, Joyce: Dying Well; Fete Worse than Death.
Churchill, Jill: Farewell to Yarns; The Merchant of Menace; From Here to Paternity.
Clad, Noel: Savage.
Claire, Edie: Never Mess with Mistletoe.
Clark, Carol Higgins: Iced.
Clark, Mary Higgins: All Through the Night; Silent Night; My Gal Sunday; Silent Night.
Clark, Mary Higgins and Carol Higgins Clark: Deck the Halls; The Christmas Thief; He Sees You When You're Sleeping; Dashing Through the Snow; Santa Cruise.
Cleland, Jane: Ornaments of Death.
Cleverly, Barbara: Fall of Angels.
Coco, Nancy: All I Want for Christmas is Fudge.
Coggin, Joan: Who Killed the Curate; Dancing with Death.
Cohen, Charles: Silver Linings.
Cohen, Tammy: Dying for Christmas.
Collier, Christine: Christmas at Cliffhanger Inn; A Holiday Sampler.
Collings, Rex: Clerical Crimes for Christmas.
Collins, Kate: Missing Under the Mistletoe.
Collins, Max Allen: Blue Christmas and Other Holiday Homicides (collection); No Cure for Death; Spree.
Colt, Jennifer: The Con Artist of Catalina Island.
Conant, Susan: Gone to the Dogs.
Connolly, Sheila. Gone to the Dogs.
Constantine, K.C.: Upon Some Midnights Clear.
Conte, Cate: Whisker of a Doubt.

Cook, Sharon Love: A Deadly Christmas Carol.
Cooper, Natasha: Evil is Done.
Cornish, Constance: Dead of Winter.
Cornwell, Patricia: Scarpetta's Winter Table.

Corrigan, Maya: Gingerdead Man.
Cortez, Donn: Miami--Harm for the Holidays.
Cousins, Caroline: Fiddle Dee Death.
Coyle, Cleo: Holiday Grind; Holiday Buzz; Latte Trouble.
Craft, Michael: Body Language.
Craig, Alisa: Murder Goes Mumming.
Craig, Philip R.: A Deadly Vineyard Holiday; Off Season.
Crane, Hamilton: Starring Miss Seeton.
Cranston, Kathy: Mistletoe is Murder.
Crawford, Isis: A Catered Christmas; A Catered Christmas Cookie Exchange.
Creasey, John: Death of a Postman.
Crespi, Trella: Trouble with Thin Ice.
Crider, Bill: Cursed to Death.
Crighton, Michael: Coma.
Crockett, Jessie: Live Free or Die.
Crombie, Deborah: Water Like a Stone; And Justice There is None.
Cross, Amanda: No Word from Winifred.

D'Amato, Barbara: Hard Christmas.
Daheim, Mary: The Alpine Christmas; Nutty as a Fruitcake; The Alpine Winter.
Dain, Catherine. The Last Noel.
Daley, Kathi: Christmas Cozy; The Cat of Christmas Past; Alaskan Alliance; The Mystery Before Christmas; Celtic Christmas; The Catnap Before Christmas.
Dams, Jeanne M.: The Body in the Transept; Indigo Christmas; Winter of Discontent.
Dane, Joel: The Christmas Tree Murders.
Danielewski, Cynthia: Night Fire.
Darrell, Elizabeth: Czech Mate.
Davenport, Chari: The Christmas Party.
Davidson, Diane Mott: Sweet Revenge.
Davidson, Mary Janice: Undead and Unreturnable.
Davis, Frederick: Drag the Dark.
Davis, Krista: The Diva Runs Out of Thyme; The Diva Cooks a Goose; Not a Creature was Purring; The Diva Wraps It Up.
Davis, Mildred B.: Tell Them What's Her Name Called; Three Minutes to Midnight.
Dawson, Janet: Nobody's Child.
Day, Marlis: Curriculum Murders.
De Castrique, Mark: Grave Undertaking.
Dean, Spencer: Credit for a Murder.
DeAndrea, William L.: Killed on the Ice.
Dee, Ed: Little Boy Blue.
Deeb, Mary Jane: Christmas Mystery in Provence.
Delany, Kathleen: Murder Half-Baked; Purebred Dead.
Delany, Vicki: Winter of Secrets; Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen; We Wish You a Murderous Christmas; Hark the Herald Angels Slay.
Demaree, Steve. A Body under the Christmas Tree.
Dengler, Sandy: Murder on the Mount.
Dentinger, Jane: The Queen is Dead.
Deverell, Diana: Twelve Drummers Drumming.
Dexter, Colin: The Secret of Annexe 3; Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories (collection).
Dickson, Carter: The White Priority Murders.
Dobbs, Leighann: Grievance in Gingerbread Alley.
Dobson, Joanne: Quieter Than Sleep.
Donnelly, Deborah: Died to Match; May the Best Man Die.
Donovan, Rose: The Mystery of Ruby's Mistletoe.

Dorsey, Tim: When Elves Attack.
Douglas, Carole Nelson: Cat in a Golden Garland.
Douglas, Charlotte: Holidays are Murder.
Downing, Todd: The Last Trumpet.
Driscoll, Patricia: Shedding Light on Murder.
Drummond, John Keith: Tis the Season to be Dying.
Dubois, Brendan: The Gift of King Herod.
Duffy, James: The Christmas Gang.
Dunbar, Sophie: Shiveree.
Duncan, Elizabeth: A Killer's Christmas in Wales.
Duncan, Francis: Murder for Christmas.
Dunn, Carola: Mistletoe and Murder; Death at Wentwater Court.
Dunnett, Kaitlyn (Kathy Lynn Emerson): A Wee Christmas Homicide; Ho-Ho-Homicide.
Durham, Laura: Marry and Bright.
Durham, Mary: Keeps Death His Court.

Early, Barbara: Murder on the Toy Town Express; Death of a Russian Doll.
Eason, Lynette: Holiday Hideout.
Eberhart, Mignon G.: Postmark Murder.
Eddenden, A. E.: A Good Year for Murder.
Egan, Lesley: Crime for Christmas.
Ehrhart, Peggy: Silent Knit, Deadly Knit; Death of a Christmas Card Crafter.
Eickhoff, Randy Lee: Then Came Christmas.
Ekwensi, Cyprian: Restless City; Christmas Gold.
Emerson, Kathy Lynn (as Kaitlyn Dunnett): A Wee Christmas Homicide; Ho-Ho-Homicide.
Emrick, K.J.: Murder, Wrapped Up; Christmas Spirit; The Naughty List.
Englehart, Steve: Christmas Countdown.
Erickson, Alex: Death by Eggnog.
Erskine, Margaret: A Graveyard Plot.
Estleman, Loren D.: The Glass Highway.
Evanovich, Janet: Visions of Sugar Plums.

CHANUKAH CRIME FICTION: A List

Chanukah (no matter how you spell it - Hanukah, Hanukkah) is celebrated for eight days. Hanukkah starts on Thursday night, so you have plenty of time to read all these books! Let me know if I've missed any mysteries. This is an updated list.

Hanukkah Mystery Novels
A Crafty Christmas by Molly Cox Bryan
Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle (mostly about Christmas but Hanukah is mentioned)
Beautiful Lie the Dead by Barbara Fradkin
Strength to Stand by Sheyna Galyan
Festival of Deaths by Jane Haddam
Hanukkah Gelt by T. Lee Harris
Out of the Frying Pan into the Choir by Sharon Kahn
Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry by Harry Kemelman
Murder at the Minyan by Shlumat E. Kustanowitz
The Body in the Sleigh by Katherine Hall Page (mostly about Christmas but Hanukah is mentioned)
Dog Have Mercy by Neil Plakcy
Chanukah Guilt by Ilene Schneider
The Tattooed Rabbi by Marvin J. Wolf
Mom Lights a Candle by James Yaffe

Children's Hanukah Mysteries
Rabbi Rocketpower and the Mystery of the Missing Menorahs - A Hanukkah Humdinger! by Rabbi Susan Abramson and Aaron Dvorkin and Ariel DiOrio
Too Many Latkes: A Chanukah Mystery by Sonia Zylberberg
The Mohel from Mars by Miri Ariel
The Case of the Disappearing Chanukah Candles by Ellen Roteman
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket.

Mystery Short Stories
"Mom Lights a Candle" by James Yaffe, appeared in Mystery: The Best of 2002, ed. by Jon L. Breen.
"Hanukah" by Morris Hershman in Cat Crimes for the Holidays, ed. by Martin Greenberg, Edward Gorman and Larry Segriff
"The Worse Noel" by Barb Goffman in The Gift of Murder, ed. by John M. Floyd
"Death on the List" by B.K. Stevens (AHMM, January 1999)
For more info on Jewish short story mysteries, check out Steven Steinbock who blogs on Criminal Brief, the Mystery Short Story Web Log Project.
"Navidad" by Elizabeth Zelvin, EQMM, January 2011
"No Candles for Antiochus" by Barry Ergang
Murder is no Mitzvah: Short Stories about Jewish Occasions, edited by Abigail Browning
The Latke in the Library & Other Mystery Stories for Chanukah by Libi Astaire

Mystery Anthologies
The Melancholy Menorah (Jewish Regency Mystery Stories Book 4), Libi Astaire
The Latke in the Library and Other Mystery Stories for Chanukah, Libi Astaire
36 Candles: Chassidic Tales for Chanukah, Libi Astaire
Murder is No Mitzvah: Short Mysteries About Jewish Occasions, Abigail Browning
Jewish Noir, Edited by Kenneth Wishnia

Mystery Games
Children's software mystery game: Who Stole Hanukkah? offered in five languages: English, Hebrew, Russian, French and Spanish
Other Games for Children: The Case of the Stolen Menorah: An Enlightening Hanukkah Mystery

SUBSCRIBE or RENEW MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL FOR 2021

Mystery Readers Journal: Subscribe to Mystery Readers Journal (Volume 37) for 2021. 

MRJ is going into its 37th year of publication! 

Themes in 2021: 

History Mysteries I: History Mysteries 2; Texas; Cold Cases.

Mystery Readers Journal: Quarterly themed review periodical. 80-120 pages each issue: Reviews, News, and Author! Author! essays

Call for Articles! 
We're looking for articles and Author! Author! essays for the 2021 issues: Author! Author! essays are 500-1000 words, first person, upclose and personal about yourself, your books, and the "theme" connection. Themes in 2021: History Mysteries 1; History Mysteries 2; Texas; Cold Cases.

For more info, email: janet @ mysteryreaders.org

Many back issues of Mystery Readers Journal are available as single copies in hardcopy or PDF.

***

Holiday Mystery Lists

I love lists, and I post holiday themed lists on my blog Mystery Fanfare. It's a great place to look for the most up-to-date list -- from Halloween to Mother's Day to Veteran's Day to Christmas (which is actually split into 5 posts).

Find all the Holiday Mystery Lists in one place on the Mystery Readers International website. Find any titles or authors missing? email me at: janet @ mysteryreaders.org 

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BLOGS 

Mystery Fanfare 
Dying for Chocolate

THE BACK ROOM: Guest post by Hank Phillippi Ryan & Karen Dionne

Remember book launches? How much fun those used to be? An author’s book would publish, there would be a big festive party with refreshments and hugs and applause, and everyone would celebrate. For authors, it meant that their precious book, the one so close to their heart, was finally in the world.And book tours! Meeting readers face-to-face. Answering their questions, chatting with them in the signing line, and snapping selfies. Seeing old friends and making new ones while sharing our love of reading and a real sense of community. 

And then the pandemic hit. Bookstores nimbly shifted to hosting online events. Zoom interviews and Facebook Lives became the new normal. But while authors are deeply grateful that we can still speak to readers this way, online platforms have one critical (and frustrating) limitation: the author can’t see the audience. And as a result, that dynamic, energizing, and totally wonderful real-world connection between authors and readers is missing. 

After we did an online event together with Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor (and commiserated later about the format’s challenges), we realized we needed a way for readers and authors to connect online and keep that fabulous face-to-face. 

Six weeks later, our new author series, The Back Room, had its premiere. 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: That Literati event was such a catalyst, wasn’t it? As we talked on the phone afterward and compared notes, we realized we both felt nostalgic for being in the same room with people. There’s a wonderful call and response element to a book talk—the author is telling stories and answering questions, and that’s great—but the special part is the audience reacting. With laughter, or agreeing nods, or even applause. That’s incredible fuel for the speaker and builds such a bond between author and audience. I felt as if I made new friends at every appearance. 

KAREN DIONNE: So true! My first experience with the limitations of online events came when I taught a writing class to a private Facebook group using Facebook Live. It was so bizarre to speak to students I couldn’t see. I had no idea how many were in attendance, if my students were connecting with what I was saying or if it was going over their heads or if they were bored out of their minds. It took a lot of energy to keep smiling and talking for an hour without audience feedback. 

And while a typical online book event is much better because you’re in conversation with an interviewer, there’s still that issue of not being able to draw energy from the audience. Friends have told me after the fact that they came to one of my online book events, and I didn’t even know they were there! 

HANK: Oh, so agree! My Zoom launch for THE FIRST TO LIE—in the midst of the pandemic, a tropical storm, and multiple power outages—still had a gloriously crazy number of people. But I never saw one of them! It was incredibly exciting, but nevertheless strange and disconcerting. It’s always a memorable moment, that first time you try out your new book speech. You’re gauging whether people are interested, and you can tell whether they think the book sounds good. But instead of talking to friends and family and readers, I was just… talking to a screen. 

And so many authors shared the same pandemic dilemma—trying to get the word out in a completely unfamiliar situation where every single system they’d relied on in the past simply did not exist. No matter if they were veteran authors who knew the ropes or debut authors who had looked forward to their pub day for years, it was a daunting challenge. 

So, you and I both realized, as we chatted in that initial phone conversation, that we needed a new idea. 

KAREN: That was such a great moment! And I love how as soon as we realized that Zoom breakout rooms could be a game-changer, we couldn’t wait to give it a try. 

The Back Room format is very simple: after a short, introductory session with a panel of four authors, attendees are divided into four Zoom breakout rooms, with one author assigned to each room. Attendees stay in their breakout room for the rest of the program, while the authors rotate through each room in turn. Everyone’s video is turned on and their mics are open. It’s all very relaxed and casual and fun—like a virtual cocktail party! 

Wendy Walker and Tori Eldridge joined us for our first author panel with Robin Agnew as our guest host, and the breakout rooms worked even better than we’d hoped! Everyone was so excited to be able to enjoy actual conversations. Since then, hundreds of people have attended Back Room events—many of them more than once—and more than 50 fabulous authors have signed on. 

And we were so honored when BOLO BOOKS’ Kristopher Zgorski wrote on Facebook, “I just have to give a shout out to Hank Phillippi Ryan and Karen Dionne. They have really hit on something very special with this Back Room idea. This concept is brilliant and so much fun. I can’t think of an event that was this much fun since the pandemic began. It’s so well-run and just a total blast.” 

HANK: A blast is right! It’s so much fun to see who attends—not just avid readers, looking for some real book talk and conversation, but reviewers, authors looking to network, industry professionals, and writers working on their manuscripts. It’s a terrific way to make connections. And each breakout room develops a personality, where people can really get to know each other. As for the panels, we focused from the beginning on making sure they were inclusive in every way. And it’s so exciting, isn’t it? To see that evolve with the top-notch veteran and debut authors who create such wonderful energy, and the excitement around that. 

And even when the pandemic is over (soon soon soon) we’ll keep this going. Don’t you think? 

KAREN: Oh, absolutely! The Back Room may have come about because of the limitations imposed by the pandemic, but it’s quickly become an important element of our community. Even after we’re able to meet again in person, The Back Room will continue. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy face-to-face conversations with award-winning, bestselling authors from all over the world in the comfort of their living room? 

Meanwhile, our winter schedule has just been posted and it’s incredibly exciting, with mystery and thriller authors, historical fiction authors, cozy mystery authors, and more. But space is limited, because keeping the breakout rooms to a manageable size is what makes Back Room events so much fun. Check out the schedule at www.the-back-room.org, and we’ll see you in The Back Room.

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Karen Dionne is the USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of the award-winning psychological suspense novel The Marsh King’s Daughter, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in the US and in 26 other countries. Her follow up novel, The Wicked Sister (August 2020, G.P. Putnam’s Sons), is also an international bestseller and was chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of their Best Books of 2020.

Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 12 thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, four Anthonys, the Daphne, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs. THE MURDER LIST ( Forge 2019) won the Anthony Award for Best Novel, and is an Agatha, Macavity and Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee. Hank’s newest novel is THE FIRST TO LIE. The Publishers Weekly starred review says "Stellar… Ryan could win a sixth Agatha for this one.”