The House of Lords will never be the same again. Disinclined to watch her language or moderate her manners, Jack Troutbeck, assisted by her old friend Robert Amiss, plots vigorously with others to scupper an anti-hunting bill of which she violently disapproves. But she hadn't reckoned with the campaign of intimidation mounted by the animal activists and the attempt on the life of one of her allies, shortly followed by scenes of horrifying carnage amongst the peers...

The delightful Father Tom Christmas returns, and the cozy hamlet of Thornford Regis comes to life, in C. C. Benison’s witty, beautifully written series that is “a must-read for lovers of classic English mysteries” (Kirkus Reviews). Although Father Tom Christmas serves his little church in enchanting Thornford Regis with a glad and faithful heart, he never expects to find himself skydiving to raise money for it. Nor, safely back on the ground, to see two of the other divers leap from the plane, then tangle in a midair punch-up and begin falling to the earth. To say that there is tension between the men in question—Oliver, the 7th Marquess of Morborne, and his brother-in-law Hector, the 10th Earl of Fairhaven—would be an understatement. But the trouble among this ancient landed family really began a generation ago, when a marquess divorced his first spouse to marry his brother’s wife, fathering in his two marriages a viper’s nest of arrogant young aristocrats. Now they have all turned up for the show to witness this shocking event in the sky. Thankfully the men land safely, but death will not be slighted. Much to Father Tom’s dismay, he later discovers Lord Morborne lying deceased on castle grounds. Rumors of bigamy, art forgeries, and upstairs/downstairs intrigue fly. So do whispers of unvicarly behavior between Tom and Oliver’s beautiful half-sister, Lady Lucinda. In fact, the vicar may be headed for a very hard landing of his own. C. C. Benison gives a virtuoso performance in this gripping new puzzle, a compelling and wise holiday mystery with the irresistible allure of hot tea and warm scones on a cold winter’s day. Praise for C. C. Benison’s Father Christmas mysteries Ten Lords A-Leaping “A strong mystery reminiscent of P. D. James, with many well-developed characters, local color and a sensitive, intelligent investigator.”—Kirkus Reviews “An affable lead with a sympathetic backstory anchors Benison’s carefully crafted third Father Christmas mystery. . . . Readers will hope that Christmas will keeping detecting past the partridge-in-a-pear-tree volume.”—Publishers Weekly “This leisurely paced, English-country-house mystery has multiple plotlines and plot twists as Tom finds a long-lost relative of a friend and solves several mysteries.”—Booklist Eleven Pipers Piping “Benison uses the claustrophobia of village life to great effect, making the series a psychologically astute pleasure for fans of traditional cozies.”—The Washington Post “Smashingly clever . . . Readers will be crazy about this vicar.”—Library Journal “A great whodunit in the best British tradition.”—The Globe and Mail Twelve Drummers Drumming “A crime novel that Agatha Christie might have been justly proud to claim as her own.”—Margaret Maron “Benison does an admirable job balancing humor with suspense. . . . Father Christmas’s first case leaves you eager for his next.”—The Wall Street Journal “Splendid . . . an intelligent and empathic protagonist and skillful prose make this a winner.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The annual Burns dinner at Thornford Regis is an occasion for bagpipes, haggis and scotch. It ends up an occasion for tragedy when Will Moir, one of the pipers, is found alone, in a tower, dead of an apparent heart attack. Father Tom Christmas, the vicar of the town, is privy to all of the secrets of its inhabitants, and is one of the first to find out that Will Moir was poisoned. The town's suspicions go in many directions, and Christmas soon learns secrets that have been kept for generations--illicit trysts, even murders--the ramifications of which may have fallen onto poor Will Moir. Brimming with wit, laced with genuine surprise and featuring one of the most memorable (and unlikely) detectives in the cozy genre today, Eleven Pipers Piping mines the rich history of a small town to solve its most stunning crime.

“Here’s a song whose lyrics everyone knows and that therefore demands something spectacular to distinguish it. This version, sumptuously illustrated by Long, certainly delivers.” —The New York Times The astounding talent of Laurel Long brings this beloved song to life with breathtaking style. Set against a lush countryside, each day brings a new gift elegantly rendered. And like in the verses of the song, the previous gifts are repeated in every illustration, giving this striking artwork a hidden aspect, culminating in a staggering spread featuring them all. Readers will pore over every page, searching for golden rings, turtledoves, and all the rest, secretly tucked into each stunning painting. Laurel Long's unparalleled style makes this exquisite volume a treasure that will be cherished for years to come. “Ms. Long has secreted lyrical clues within each picture that children will relish hunting down.” —The Wall Street Journal * “Long expertly weaves religious and secular images into a visually arresting interpretation of the traditional carol.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Introducing a series utterly perfect for cozy fans of Alan Bradley, Alexander McCall Smith, and Louise Penny. The Reverend Tom "Father" Christmas, the newest vicar of Thornford Regis, an idyllic rural town in England, turns detective when one of his parishioners turns up dead in a drum, and everyone in town seems to have something to confess. Tom Christmas came to picturesque Thornford Regis with his young daughter to escape the terrible experience of losing his wife in the city. Her murder sent him packing to the bucolic and charming town, where violent crime isn't supposed to happen and the greatest sin is supposed to be nothing a member of the clergy can't handle. Then, at the town fair, a woman is found murdered. Tom soon learnsthat everyone in Thornford Regis has a secret to hide--infidelity, theft, even past murders. Twelve Drummers Drumming showcases a lovely place to live and/or die, and marks the debut of a planned twelve-book mystery series featuring the brilliant Father Christmas.

Kids love searching for Christmas gifts, and they can get a head start on the holiday with this joyful twist on the popular carol. You’ll recognize most of the words from "The Twelve Days of Christmas,” but instead of "my true love” giving the presents, jolly Santa’s leaving them all around the house. Sharp-eyed children can accompany a curious little bear to look for St. Nick’s cheerful handiwork--as well as some festive extras that artist Macky Pamintuan has playfully added to the art, including jingle bells, a candy cane in the toothbrush cup, and bright snowflakes floating over the bathtub. As the items accumulate, the delight heightens, with ten frog lords a-leaping and sliding; nine pretty pink pig ladies dancing a ballet; and cow maids ready to do their milking. The best is saved for last in a big ending: a huge double gatefold that’s actually four pages long, containing all the items delivered during the twelve days.

A unique collection of crochet patterns for the 12 birds of Christmas. Taking inspiration from the famous Christmas carol, Kerry Lord, author of the Edward’s Menagerie series and founder of TOFT yarns, has created this unique crochet collection. Including John the Spotted Woodpecker for 12 Drummers Drumming, Lydia the Greylag Goose for 6 Geese a-laying and, of course, Felix the Partridge in a pear tree, this is Christmas fun at its most creative. Patterns include: 12 Drummers Drumming – John the Spotted Woodpecker 11 Pipers Piping – Nina the Sandpiper 10 Lords-a-Leaping – Agnes the Heron 9 Ladies Dancing – Loise the Cormorant 8 Maids-a-milking – Delilah the Cattle Egret 7 Swans-a-swimming – Margot the Black Swan 6 Geese a-laying – Lydia the Greylag Goose 5 Gold Rings – Gilbert the Pheasant 4 Calling Birds – Peter the Blackbird 3 French Hens – Ruth the Hen 2 Turtle Doves – Beatrice the Turtle Dove And a Partridge – Felix the Partridge