Merry Christmas, my reading friends! Thank you for following along on this seasonal murder mystery ride. I hope you’ve had as much fun as I have – it’s great to be able to read and share thoughts on books with so many lovely people.

I’ve got a couple of thoughts on how to wrap this all up neatly, starting with a review of all that we’ve read together. Then I’ve got some more thoughts on holiday season crime novels – and what makes them sing.

I’m dreaming of a crime Christmas…

Before we get into the deeper thinking, let’s do a quick rundown of all that we’ve read this year. In order (and just to see them in one place), here’s the full list:

1. The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories by P.D. James
2. The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
3. Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger
4. The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict
5. The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
6. Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
7. Murder Most Festive by Ada Moncrieff
8. Murder at the Theatre Royale by Ada Moncrieff
9. Murder at Maybridge Castle by Ada Moncrieff
10. The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani
11. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
12. The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

These reads have been all over the map in so many dimensions. We’ve had novellas and short story collections; thrillers and cozies; and even the odd epistolary (wild!). Yet as I read all these novels, I found myself segmenting them by the seriousness of the puzzle, and the “flavor” of Christmas spirit. Possibly my biggest surprises were picking up something cozy-looking and finding quite a dark story inside… Not inherently bad, but something worth watching out for as you peruse the crime shelves each holiday season.

P.S. If you’re searching for even more holiday murder, you can find last year’s roundup post here.

May your days be merry and bright

Because I like charts, here is a map of all the reading from this year:

And here is a map of the same, but with my ratings for each:

You will notice that I tend to rate both great puzzles and more celebratory writing about the holiday season more highly. I want my holiday mysteries to puzzle my brain at the same time they remind me of all that I’m grateful for. Perhaps this is a function of life lived – I think a younger version of me would have found the juxtaposition of thrillers with the holidays deliciously ironic. But, perhaps particularly post-COVID, it feels a little bratty to complain about the time of year when we celebrate those we hold dear.

In my two years of reading holiday mysteries, I’ve found that the best ones use the holiday as more than window-dressing, or irony. Instead of simply highlighting the irony of murder when others are happy, they use the theme to explore the meaning and value of family, of community, and of life itself. Even when great holiday stories go dark, they rise back out of that darkness, to show a path towards hope. Isn’t that the entire point of winter solstice celebrations, after all?

A winter wish from me to you

So this holiday season, I hope you are with you chosen community, whether that’s found family or relatives. I hope you have warm drinks and fluffy blankets galore, and time to cuddle up with a Fun Book. (Nothing too serious – it’s a holiday, after all!) I hope your days are joyful, and murder-free, and that your house is warm and full.

We’ll end the year with a bit of ruminating on my reading adventures – and some plans for 2024. Until then, stay cozy, stay curious, and the warmest of winters to you and yours!