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Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

Recommendations of Christmas Ghost/ Crime Books

41 replies

Ichangedmynameonce · 07/11/2023 11:14

I like listening to these and reading them in the run up to Christmas.

I'm thinking more MR James amd Agatha Christie than anything gruesome or terrifying.

I've exhausted PDJames and MR James.

Thank you

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Iwannaliveinstarshollow · 12/11/2023 21:43

Bargain @Nows ! Happy Christmas reading 🎅

GalileoHumpkins · 12/11/2023 09:59

NearlyMonday · 12/11/2023 09:51

Whilst purchasing The Haunting Season from Amazon, a book called The Whistling also caught my eye. A girl starts work as a nanny on a remote Scottish island- it gets great reviews (but no mention of Christmas)!

I've read The Whistling, it was just an OK read for me. Creepy in parts but the ending let it down.

NearlyMonday · 12/11/2023 09:51

NearlyMonday · 12/11/2023 09:46

SpeculatingRooks · 07/11/2023 11:59

I recommend The Haunting Season which is a collection of short stories by various authors like Laura Purcell and Elizabeth MacNeal

I will be checking this out!

Original poster

Ichangedmynameonce · 10/11/2023 23:22

Thank you, so many ideas now 😊

OP posts:

MmedeGouge · 10/11/2023 12:19

Mistletoe and Murder
Carola Dunn

WWGDD · 10/11/2023 12:05

Mrs Hudson and the Christmas Canary by Martin Davies. It's a spin on the Sherlock Holmes stories, where Mrs Hudson does her own investigating. This is the sixth one in the series I think but you don't need to read them in order.

JaninaDuszejko · 10/11/2023 12:01

Jeanette Winterson's Christmas Days are 12 Christmassy short stories, many of which are ghost stories.

A Maigret Christmas by Georges Simenon is a set of three short stories set at Christmas, all cozy crime.

sparklefresh · 10/11/2023 06:30

SpeculatingRooks · 07/11/2023 11:59

I recommend The Haunting Season which is a collection of short stories by various authors like Laura Purcell and Elizabeth MacNeal

Seconded. I loved this

Original poster

Ichangedmynameonce · 09/11/2023 18:34

Thanks everyone, lots to choose from!

I have the Christmas murder game but haven't started it yet. I saw the signalman in a little theatre a couple of years back 😊

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GalileoHumpkins · 09/11/2023 11:38

I read Dying for Christmas by Tamar Cohen years ago and really enjoyed it, I remember not being able to put it down.

GalileoHumpkins · 09/11/2023 11:37

I've just ordered The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict and The Signalman: A Ghost Story by Charles Dickens.

Nows · 08/11/2023 21:45

Iwannaliveinstarshollow · 07/11/2023 11:45

I love all the classic mysteries that Waterstones display on the end of a shelf. Often old ones that have been republished.

I have a few festive ones that I get back out to reread at this time every year.

Currently reading Crime at Christmas, by C.H.B.Kitchin; also The Santa Klaus Murder, by Mavis Doriel Hay; Another Little Christmas Murder, by Lorna Nicholl Morgan; Mystery in White, by J.Jefferson Farjeon, and Death if my Aunt, by C.H.B.Kitchin.

All those are deliciously festive, old school, excellently written murders. I love getting them out to read again every year.

Also, I'm a big Christie fan too. I have to read Hercule Poirot's Christmas and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding each December too!

Thank you for your suggestions @Iwannaliveinstarshollow. I've just bought Mystery in White for 88p on Amazon, and some of the CHB Kitchin books (kindle version) are currently 99p.

tobee · 08/11/2023 15:50

Actually, on looking properly, a lot seem to be by same author and this makes me sceptical of their quality. 🤔

tobee · 08/11/2023 15:46

NB I just searched A Christmas Appeal on Amazon and quite a few similar books popped up also. Might be worth checking out but obviously not as good as a Mumsnet recommendation.

tobee · 08/11/2023 15:43

I listened to Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh read by James Saxon a couple of christmases ago. Light but quite entertaining.

Alilacat · 08/11/2023 09:39

Georgette Heyer - A Christmas Party. Love her detective novels

Claysta · 08/11/2023 09:23

Just finished ‘The Christmas Appeal’ by Janice Hallett, which others have mentioned. I loved it, a really good festive crime (and funny)read.

Original poster

Ichangedmynameonce · 08/11/2023 09:20

Ooh thank you @Gobolino80

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Gobolino80 · 07/11/2023 23:36

Nicola Upson - The Dead Of Winter. The whole Josephine Tey series of books is fantastic but this is a Christmassy one.

SheikhDjibouti · 07/11/2023 23:26

Not sure the Susan Hill short stories were Christmassy, but they are good old fashioned ghost stories.

Original poster

Ichangedmynameonce · 07/11/2023 23:23

Thanks @SheikhDjibouti I've read both of those and really enjoyed them.

Has susan hill done anything Christmassy,? Thank you

OP posts:

SheikhDjibouti · 07/11/2023 23:19

I enjoyed The Winter Ghosts and The Mistletoe Bride, both by Kate Mosse.

Susan Hill has written some good ghostly short stories.

GalileoHumpkins · 07/11/2023 23:05

If you like Michelle Paver, Wakenhyrst is really good.

Original poster

Ichangedmynameonce · 07/11/2023 22:54

Thank you @SpeculatingRooks I enjoyed the Haunting Season and @swedesnow I completely loved Dark Matter.
Thanks @Hoolahoophop that sounds like a possibility!

Any more ideas?

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