The holidays are a busy time for everyone, and it can be tricky to find the time to read a full-length novel. Luckily, we have short stories to fill that gap – bite-sized wintry puzzles that can fulfill your mystery fix. Recently, the folks at William Morrow have pulled together a new collection of Agatha Christie’s best winter short stories, and we’re going to check it out today.

Seasonal sleuthing snacks

Midwinter Murder, published 2020, is a new collection of winter-themed short stories by Agatha Christie. The collection includes an essay from Christie about her childhood Christmas traditions, and it really sets the tone for the rest of the stories. The stories themselves span all of Christie’s most popular detectives – Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Parker Pyne, and Mr. Quin all make appearances.

Each of the mysteries are clever and clearly written – they all adhere to “fair play” rules. There’s a little bit of something for everyone: if you like traditional mystery stories, there’s plenty of Poirot and Marple puzzles. For something a bit more lightweight, you can read some the Tommy & Tuppence and Parker Pyne stories. And for those who love the mysterious, vibey stories, there are a few Harley Quinn stories as well. Each of the mysteries is a fun little treat – nothing too thematically resonant or deep, just a fun winter adventure.

The collection was clearly pulled together by someone who loves Christie. Even though some of the stories were familiar, I had such a great time reading this one. The plots are just twisty enough to give you a puzzle fix, and I can see myself coming back to this collection of old friends year after year.

Winter in all its forms

The variety of stories in this collection mean that we get to explore different aspects of winter and the holiday season. There’s the isolation and attendant creepiness of a snowed-in country house in “Three Blind Mice.” Multiple stories, including “The Chocolate Box” and “A Christmas Tragedy” invoke fireside storytelling and the warmth of recollection with friends. “Sanctuary” and “The World’s End” invoke more spiritual themes of forgiveness. We even get an escape to a warm winter getaway in “Problem at Pollensa Bay.”

While not every single story takes place on Christmas, as a collection the stories serve as an encapsulation of the many faces of the holidays. By the end of the collection, I found myself eager for this year’s festivities (for an avowed introvert, that’s quite the feat). The stories are full of the little narrative twists that, per Angus Fletcher, excise pessimism and renew hope. What could be more in keeping with the holiday spirit?

Greater than the sum of its festive parts

I loved this collection, and plan to revisit it every year as a new holiday tradition. Each story is like a glittering Christmas ornament that sparks just a little joy every time you experience it. And just like all the ornaments on a tree, the full arrangement of stories in Midwinter Murder creates a sparkling arrangement to lift your spirits this holiday season.

Random reading notes:

• This made me want to re-read Parker Pyne, who I find so funny, as well as all the Tommy and Tuppences…
• It was refreshing to not have every mystery be a murder in this one. There’s something kind of depressing about reading about a dozen deaths in a row, particularly if they’re all during “the most wonderful time of the year”.
• I initially intended to use The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding to fill this slot. But upon reading, it turned out that only one of the stories took place at Christmas / definitely in winter. Still worth a read – especially for the cute little Christie essay on Christmas at the front – just not a Christmas one.

Tomorrow, we’re going to get to some full-sized Manor House Mysteries for full winter isolation vibes. Until tomorrow, stay cozy, and stay curious!