It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Here at The Cozy Owlet, we’re huge fans snuggling up with a great book when it’s cold (and windy) outdoors. It’s a great time of year to appreciate the comforts of a warm home and a supportive community.

Of course, there’s no better way to throw that into relief than reading about some poor, unfortunate souls. In years past, I’ve done my fair share of cozy mystery reading at this time of year. It can be great to drop into a warm community with familiar faces and get the full holiday aesthetic.

But this year, I wanted to do something different. I’ve been on a Golden-Age mystery kick, so I thought it would be fun to review some Christmas classics. These older mysteries are sometimes more brutal, in a way that can make you much more thankful for modern comforts. Many are classic English Country House mysteries, which create a perfectly cozy and isolated setting for a winter murder scene. And it’s pretty fun to learn how people used to celebrate – what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. So for the next 7 days, we’ll take a trip down memory lane, to see how some of the original mystery legends celebrated the holidays.

As I read each book, I’ll rate each on 1) holiday vibes, including the timeline and 2) mystery elements, including how much I liked the major investigator. (Many of these books feature new sleuths I’ve never read before, so this has been a chance to expand my horizons a bit.) The last read will land on the 24th, and then we’ll get a chance to reflect on all the readings on Christmas.

Going into this, I’m hoping that I get to discover some new authors and protagonists to read in 2023. Of course, I’m hoping that I can share some fun winter reads with all of you. And I’m excited to explore what make the Christmas mystery tick. Specifically, I’m interested in what makes a holiday mystery really effective – what does the holiday setting add, beyond gift wrap and mistletoe? Are there particular themes and plots that are particularly resonant?

The posts will be in no particular order, but we’ll get to see a ranking of my favorites at the end. And of course, all this reading has me waxing poetic about the holiday season. Come back tomorrow for the kickoff, starting with The Nine Tailors.

Edit: If you’re looking for the quick list of all the books I profiled this year, here they are:

1. Day 1: The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers
2. Day 2: Death Comes At Christmas by Gladys Mitchell
3. Day 3: Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie
4. Day 4: The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay
5. Day 5: Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan
6. Day 6: An English Murder by Cyril Hare
7. Day 7: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

Until tomorrow, stay cozy, and stay curious!