ON A DARK CHRISTMAS NIGHT 25 Holiday Spook Classics & Murder Mysteries gathers together an exceptional anthology that bridges the festive cheer of the holiday season with the intriguing shadows of mystery and the supernatural. This collection boasts an impressive palette of literary styles, weaving through the eerie corridors of gothic tales, the enigmatic puzzles of classic mysteries, and the chilling whispers of ghost stories. It illuminates the oft-overlooked darker side of Christmas literature, promising to surprise and captivate readers with its unique juxtaposition of holiday warmth against a backdrop of suspense and spectral ambiance. The range of narratives included showcases the versatility and innovation of its celebrated contributors, making it a standout compilation in the genre of holiday literature. The anthology is curated by a distinguished assembly of authors whose names are synonymous with the pinnacle of English literature and the development of the mystery and supernatural genres. Figures such as Charles Dickens, recognized for intertwining the spectral with the festive, and Arthur Conan Doyle, master of the detective story, contribute to the anthologys rich canvas of holiday noir. The collection not only aligns with the literary movements of Gothic and Victorian mystery but also reflects the eras fascination with the ghostly and the macabre, breathing new life into the traditional Christmas narrative. By combining the works of such illustrious writers, this anthology provides a multifaceted exploration of the themes of redemption, duality, and the supernatural that these holidays evoke. ON A DARK CHRISTMAS NIGHT is an invitation to readers to venture beyond the conventional holiday tales into a realm where the festive spirit meets the mysterious and the uncanny. It offers a unique opportunity to revel in the mastery of classic storytelling while exploring the complex intersection of joy and fear, celebration and contemplation. This collection is an indispensable addition for those who seek to deepen their appreciation of literary craftsmanship and are intrigued by the shadowy dimensions of holiday lore. Its educational value and the rich dialogue it fosters between the different authors works make it a must-read for enthusiasts of literature, history, and the arts alike.

When a double murder takes place in a Norwegian village high school, a teenager finds himself subject to trial by social media ... and in the dock. Bestselling, highly emotive and award-winning Nordic Noir... 'One of the finest writers of the Nordic Noir genre' Ragnar Jnasson 'Satisfyingly tense and dark' Sunday Times 'Spine-chilling and utterly unputdownable' Yrsa SigurardttirBRBRBRBRWhat turns a boy into a killer?/BBRBRWhen the high school in the small Norwegian village of Fredheim becomes a murder scene, the finger is soon pointed at seventeen-year-old Even. As the investigation closes in, social media is ablaze with accusations, rumours and even threats, and Even finds himself the subject of an online trial as well as being in the dock ... for murder?BRBREven pores over his memories of the months leading up to the crime, and it becomes clear that more than one villager was acting suspiciously ... and secrets are simmering beneath the calm surface of this close-knit community. As events from the past play tag with the present, he's forced to question everything he thought he knew. Was the death of his father in a car crash a decade earlier really accidental? Has a relationship stirred up something that someone is prepared to kill to protect?BRBRIt seems that there may be no one that Even can trust. But can we trust him?BRBRA taut, moving and chilling thriller, IInborn You loved Quicksand and We Need to Talk about Kevin, now read Inborn 'A pithy, twisty, challenging tale with a cracking concept ... The ending caught in my throat, piercing, then shattering my crime-sleuthing thoughts. Inborn is so very readable, it also provoked and sliced at my feelings, made me stop, made me think, it really is very clever indeed' LoveReading 'If you like your crime smart, dark and morally compelling then you'll absolutely love this book' 17 Degrees Magazine 'Clever plotting and thought-provoking premise. Another feather in Thomas Enger's cap' Crime by the Book 'Thomas Enger's novels are intelligent and emotionally aware and Inborn is no exception ... an exciting and thought-provoking novel' New Books Magazine 'One of the most unusual and intense talents in the field' Barry Forshaw, Independent 'MUST HAVE' Sunday Express S Magazine 'Intriguing' Guardian 'Sophisticated and suspenseful' Literary Review 'Full of suspense and heart' Crime Monthly 'Inborn is a small-town murder mystery and courtroom drama with multi-faceted characters and compelling twists that will keep you guessing until the very end' Culture Fly 'A tightly plotted mix of thrillers and courtroom drama ... compelling, twisty and full of emotion' Off-the-Shelf Books

"Exceptional fourth anthology of golden age Christmas-themed mysteries"—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review A Postman murdered while delivering cards on Christmas morning. A Christmas pine growing over a forgotten homicide. A Yuletide heist gone horribly wrong. When there's as much murder as magic in the air and the facts seem to point to the impossible, it's up to the detective's trained eye to unwrap the clues and neatly tie together an explanation (preferably with a bow on top). Martin Edwards has once again gathered the best of these seasonal stories into a stellar anthology brimming with rare tales, fresh as fallen snow, and classics from the likes of Julian Symons, Margery Allingham, Anthony Gilbert and Cyril Hare. A most welcome surprise indeed, and perfect to be shared between super-sleuths by the fire on a cold winter's night.

"A COMPLEX, CREEPY, AND INSIDIOUS NOVEL ABOUT AMBITION." --THE GUARDIAN "READERS OF RUTH WARE AND GILLIAN FLYNN WILL LOVE IT." --LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW) "FASCINATING, BRILLIANT, CREEPY." --GOOD HOUSEKEEPING If you had the perfect life . . . how far would you go to protect it? Professor Olivia Sweetman has worked hard to achieve the life of her dreams, with a high-flying career as a TV presenter and historian, three children, and a talented husband. Only one other person knows that Olivia's perfect life is in fact a desperate tangle of lies: Vivian Tester, the socially awkward, middle-aged housekeeper of a Sussex manor who found the Victorian diary of a pioneering female surgeon on which Olivia's new biography is based. In a gripping narrative that shifts between London, Sussex, and the idyllic South of France, Olivia and Vivian will learn knife-edged truths about themselves and discover just how far each will go to protect her reputation.

Helene Tursten's explosive new series features Detective Inspector Embla Nyström, a sharp, unforgiving woman working in a man's world. When one of her peers is murdered during a routine hunting trip, Embla must track down the killer while confronting a dark incident from her past. Twenty-eight-year-old Embla Nyström has been plagued by chronic nightmares and racing thoughts ever since she can remember. She has learned to channel most of her anxious energy into her position as Detective Inspector in the mobile unit in Gothenburg, Sweden, and into sports. A talented hunter and prizewinning Nordic welterweight, she is glad to be taking a vacation from her high-stress job to attend the annual moose hunt with her family and friends. But when Embla arrives at her uncle’s cabin in rural Dalsland, she sees an unfamiliar face has joined the group: Peter, enigmatic, attractive, and newly divorced. And she isn’t the only one to notice. One longtime member of the hunt doesn’t welcome the presence of an outsider and is quick to point out that with Peter, the group’s number reaches thirteen, a bad omen for the week. Sure enough, a string of unsettling incidents follow, culminating in the disappearance of two hunters. Embla takes charge of the search, and they soon find one of the missing men floating facedown in the nearby lake. With the help of local reinforcements, Embla delves into the dark pasts of her fellow hunters in search of a killer.

Tucked away inside an old lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, bakeshop café owner Lindsey Bakewellis ready to make her first Christmas in town shine bright. But her merry plans crumble fast when murder appears under the mistletoe . . . With the spirit of the holidays wafting through the Beacon Bakeshop, Lindsey thinks she has the recipe for the sweetest Christmas ever—winning the town-wide cookie bake-off. Unfortunately, striving for a picture-perfect December in Beacon Harbor is a lot like biting into stale shortbread. Low on staff and bombarded by visits from family, Lindsey can barely meet demands at work, let alone summon the confidence to face fierce competition . . . Self-appointed Christmas know-it-all Felicity Stewart is determined to take the top spot in the bake‐off, and she’s not afraid to dump a little coal in everyone’s stocking to do it. Just as the competition heats up, everything falls apart when the judge is found dead—and covered in crumbs from Lindsey’s signature cookie! Solving a murder was never on Lindsey’s wish list. But with her reputation on the line during the happiest time of the year, she’ll need to bring her best talents to the table in order to sift out the true Christmas Cookie culprit. Includes Delicious Recipes!