In dark, wintry Lochdubh, Christmas Cheer is about as welcome as a flat tyre on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in town has always resisted what they view as secular frivolity, so for most of the townsfolk there'll be no carols, feasting, gifts - or even whisky on Christmas Day! And for PC Hamish Macbeth there's no holiday from crime - he finds himself hunting for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Curt and unfriendly, the woman is convinced her pet has been stolen but once behind her heavily-bolted door, Hamish can spot her true problem - she lives in fear, though of who or what he cannot guess. Then someone steals a Christmas tree and lights from the nearby village of Cnothan. So it is up to Hamish to sort all these problems out - and he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon peal on the eve of Christmas. This one-off standalone story is a special Christmas treat for all fans of Hamish Macbeth and can be read at any point in the ongoing series. Also features the first UK publication of a Hamish Macbeth short story, Knock, Knock, You're Dead! Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series: 'First rate ... deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere.' Booklist 'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.' New York Times 'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast ... Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.' Library Journal 'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying.' Publishers Weekly

Celebrate the holidays with M. C. Beaton, the queen of cozy mysteries! In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, where the local Calvinist element resists the secular trimmings of Christmas, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Constable Hamish Macbeth soon finds himself protecting an unhappy girl, unlocking the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieving some stolen holiday goods. Now the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills to make things right. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the comforting embrace of Yuletide cheer. Praise for A Highland Christmas "Chock full of local color and sentimental cheer." - Booklist "An inspirational treat for the holiday season." - Library Journal "Fun throughout" - Publishers Weekly "A charmingly illustrated Christmas fable sure to please." - Kirkus Reviews

The Mackenzies gather for a clan Christmas and Hogmanay in Scotland. In the chaos of preparations for the celebration--the first of Hart and Eleanor's married life--one of Ian's Ming bowls gets broken, and the family scrambles to save the day. Daniel busily runs a betting ring for everything from the hour Eleanor's baby will arrive, to whether Mac's former-pugilist valet can win a boxing match, to who will be the first of the many guests to be caught under the mistletoe. Ian begins a new obsession, and Beth fears that the loss of one of his precious bowls has made him withdraw once more into his private world. Revisit the Mackenzies in this heartwarming Christmas tale. Book 4.5 of the New York Times bestselling Mackenzies series.

In bestselling author Vanessa Kelly’s irresistible Clan Kendrick series, Christmas in the Highlands means family, celebration—and for one brother, the beginning of a passionate adventure . . . Being thrown over by the man she expected to marry was humiliating enough. Now that Donella Haddon, grandniece of the Earl of Riddick, has also proven a failure as a nun, she has no choice but to return to her family’s estate. The brawny Highlander sent to escort her is brash, handsome, and the only thing standing between Donella and a gang of would-be kidnappers. But the scandal in her past can’t be so easily outrun . . . Wealthy widower Logan Kendrick was expecting to meet a plain, pious spinster—not a gorgeous, sharp-tongued lass who can hold her own in any ambush. Though she’s known as the Flower of Clan Graham, Donella is no shrinking violet. In fact, she might be the perfect woman to bring happiness back to his lonely little son’s life, just in time for Christmas. But first he must protect her from ugly gossip and a mysterious threat—and convince her that their wild, unexpected desire is heaven sent. Praise for The Highlander’s Princess Bride “A thoroughly satisfying Regency romance.” —Publishers Weekly

The bestselling star of No, David! turns Christmas traditions upside down with laugh-aloud humor. Readers of all ages will vividly remember trying to peek at hidden gift packages; writing scrolls of wish lists to Santa; and struggling to behave at formal Christmas dinner parties. Always in the background, we know Santa Claus is watching, soon to decide if David deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, here are common Christmas activities--but with David's naughty trimmings. A surefire hit that is destined to be an annual classic.

Fans of RaeAnne Thayne and Debbie Macomber will love this USA Today bestselling author's latest holiday romance about two single parents whose holiday wishes come true in the small town of Highland Falls. Can the magic of mistletoe bring together two busy single parents? Mallory Maitland knows all too well what it's like to feel abandoned, which is why she's sworn never to give up on her two stepsons -- her late husband's children. But when the teens land in hot water, she's got a whole new problem: how to resist the caring and incredibly hot Chief of Police Gabriel Buchanan. All Mallory wants is to give the boys a magical holiday. She doesn't need the distraction of wondering what it would be like to kiss Gabriel under the mistletoe. After his wife died, Gabriel left his job as an adrenaline-chasing New York City homicide detective to focus on raising his three sons. But back in Highland Falls, he doesn't have to go looking for trouble. It finds him -- in the form of a beautiful neighbor and her troublemaking stepchildren. With Gabriel's mother-in-law looking for any excuse to gain custody of his sons, Gabriel can't risk getting involved with Mallory, even though she's the only woman capable of making this Christmas -- and all the rest to come -- his best ever.

Eimhir Mackenzie has never been a biddable lass. Her mother thinks of her as a wild thing, and is pleased that she will be finally off her hands and wed to a future Chieftain, Angus Gordon—but Eimhir has a secret. When she slips away from the castle for a few hours of freedom before agreeing to accept Angus Gordon as her husband, she meets a man who promises her the kind of life she has dreamed of: adventure, excitement, and freedom. Liall Gunn is a free spirit, a seaman who has decided that his future lies with the same tumultuous seas that have always beckoned to Eimhir. He makes her a promise: that he will be back by Christmastide to claim her as his. But life moves on, and her father has promised her to Angus Gordon. If Liall cannot make it back by Christmastide, Eimhir’s dreams of freedom and love will come to naught...