Although it’s only September, we’ve already received a sleigh-full of Christmas crime fiction novels and the first of these festive titles comes from Peter Swanson. Going on previous form, he’s not the first author you’d suspect of writing Yuletide mysteries but in this genre, expect the unexpected. We’ll spare you the Christmas-come-early gag, but as you’ll see over the next month or two, Christmas crime is going to be big in 2023.
In addition to Swanson’s Cotswolds caper, we’ve got new Yorkshire crime fiction from Glenda Young, indie crime fiction in Wales with Math Bird, a Filipino-American crime story by Cindy Fazzi and new indie crime fiction from Canada by Ed Green.
Um… Jingle books?
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
The kids are back at school and the nights are starting to draw in – too soon to be talking Christmas? Publishers apparently don’t think so, and as we all know, the best things come in small packages – so make a date with The Christmas Guest, a novella by Peter Swanson that’ll be ready to unwrap on 28 September. When American student Ashley Smith is invited to spend Christmas with her classmate’s family at their Cotswolds manor house, it seems like a perfect country idyll. She’s hoping for some traditional festive fun, and maybe a little romance with her friend’s twin brother. But the crumbling pile holds plenty of secrets and it soon becomes clear to Ashley that not everything is quite as it seems.
Order now on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young
Seaside landlady Helen Dexter is Scarborough’s answer to Jessica Fletcher. The previous books in this series have seen her uncovering the killers of an Elvis impersonator and an actor, and as Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel opens, Helen is welcoming a team of professional crazy golfers (yes, you read that right!) to her newly-awarded four star establishment. Soon, another murder has occurred, and our heroine will need to be on the top of her game to get to the bottom who had it in for Ricky Delmont. Lovers of Glenda Young’s brand of Yorkshire cosy crime will be happy to know that this one is out now.
Order now on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Border Sands by Math Bird
Let’s head to Wales for Math Bird’s new series featuring investigative journalist Mabon Pryce. It’s a hot August Bank Holiday in 1983, and everyone is enjoying themselves – until tragedy strikes and local beauty, Mary Reece is brutally murdered in the town where Pryce grew up and couldn’t wait to leave. Now he’s back for the funeral and soon finds himself drawn into the mystery of Mary’s death. With a nose for a story, it’s time for Pryce to start digging, but as he chases up each new lead he also uncovers lies and secrets hidden deep in the town’s history. Border Sands is out now.
Order now on Amazon
Multo by Cindy Fazzi
Filipino-American writer and former Associated Press reporter Cindy Fazzi begins a new series with Multo, out on 26 September. Filipino-American bounty hunter Domingo has made a career of catching criminal undocumented immigrants. He’s the best in the business, and it isn’t lost on him that he’s so good because of his similarities to his targets – he even spends spare moments on stakeouts and in between jobs writing a book of advice for aspiring immigrants. His latest job is to find biracial Filipino woman Monica Reed. But Monica keeps getting away, and as Domingo digs deeper he uncovers the story of a woman who has been living in the shadows, but was only ever searching for the truth.
Order now on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Murder is a Dying Art by Ed Green
This indie crime fiction novel published on Kobo has an interesting concept behind it. Hank appears to be an awkward IT geek but is secretly wealthy. Sophie is young, attractive and also manipulative. Their romance leads to their marriage but they enter into a highly unusual prenup which covers topics including betrayal and revenge. When one strays, the other begins a deadly game to lure them back and exact their vengeance. Two successful people. Scars from the past. Anguish and danger lie behind every twist and turn. Ed Green’s Murder is a Dying Art came out earlier this year.
Order now on Kobo
