10 Christmas Murder Mysteries Everyone Needs to Read This December

Honestly, my mood picks the book for me, and no reading challenge has ever changed that.

Every December, my mood points straight at murder, the cozy kind.

Cozy mysteries still have a crime at the center, but they trade the gritty darkness for amateur detectives, small towns, and a dose of suspense that never gets too heavy.

I’ve read every single book on this list and loved each one.

Many of them start a series, so you may end up with a whole shelf of new favorites.

Here are my 10 picks, in no particular order.

Lowcountry Boughs of Holly by Susan M. Boyer

This book felt completely different from the other holiday mysteries I’ve read, and that’s exactly why I fell for it.

The story takes place in the South, and the festive spirit comes with Southern charm.

Liz Talbot and her husband Nate make a shocking discovery: Santa, dead in a boat.

Liz is dealing with her own personal struggles and the holiday chaos at once, and she still refuses to give up on solving the case.

Family drama and buried secrets run through every chapter.

Reading it felt like a short Christmas getaway to the Lowcountry.

Pick it up if you want a Christmas murder mystery that’s thrilling and heartfelt together.

The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews

Decorating gone wrong is the best way I can describe this one.

Meg Langslow is helping her mother with a Christmas show house.

Then a designer turns up dead, and the decorations stop being her biggest problem.

I laughed out loud at the wild personalities Meg has to handle.

Donna Andrews keeps the humor coming while the mystery keeps you guessing.

If you want funny Christmas murder mystery books with quirky characters and small-town drama, grab this one.

It captured the holiday spirit for me, even with a body or two along the way.

A Christmas Tartan by Paige Shelton

Bookshop lovers, this Christmas mystery is for you.

It mixes Scottish charm, a missing girl, and the comfort of a bookstore.

Delaney works at the Cracked Spine in Edinburgh, and she finds clues inside a box of old items.

One of those clues is a photo tucked inside a worn copy of *A Christmas Carol*, and I loved that twist.

I kept picturing myself walking the Edinburgh streets in the snow, working through the clues next to her.

The story stays gentle but still grips you.

Add it to your list if you like Christmas mysteries set in bookshops.

Candy Cane Murder by Joanne Fluke

Three Christmas mysteries in a single book is a great deal.

This collection reads like a holiday movie with a murder dropped into the plot.

Joanne Fluke’s story was my favorite, because candy canes lead to a body wearing a Santa suit.

Laura Levine and Leslie Meier each contribute a story too, and they made me feel like a detective with a mug of hot cocoa.

The recipes inside felt like little presents.

It mixes suspense and sweetness so well that I plan to reread it every December.

Four Leaf Felony by Tonya Kappes

A murder on an airplane sounds grim, yet this book made me smile constantly.

Violet Rhinehammer finds a body in the middle of a flight, which is terrible timing.

She ends up stranded in the festive town of Holiday Junction.

Violet uses her reporter skills to crack the case, and I related to her more than I expected.

Humor, small-town charm, and a heroine chasing both a killer and her dreams all work together.

I cheered for her the whole way through.

Choose it for lighthearted Christmas cozy mysteries with a dash of adventure.

Trimmed With Murder by Sally Goldenbaum

Knitting, family, and friendship sit at the heart of this gentle holiday mystery.

A local woman is found dead, and Izzy’s brother becomes a suspect.

Izzy and her friends team up to clear his name.

The seaside setting made the story feel extra relaxing, and the knitting details added to that.

A tree-trimming contest adds festive energy, and I wanted to join in and help decorate.

It’s a great choice for anyone who loves small-town stories where everyone knows everyone.

Christmas Carol Murder by Leslie Meier

Lucy Stone only wants to enjoy Christmas and play a role in *A Christmas Carol*.

Then a local miser is found dead, and she finds herself investigating.

The story felt real to me, since many of the characters are struggling financially but still hunting for some holiday joy.

Lucy’s drive to solve the crime and protect her community won me over.

Leslie Meier always writes stories that comfort me, murder included.

I finished it wanting more festive whodunits with a mug of cocoa nearby.

Read it if you love small-town Christmas murder mysteries.

Ho-Ho-Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett

This book surprised me, and small snowy towns are one of my favorite mystery settings.

Liss visits a Christmas tree farm because she wants a quiet break.

She finds a murder hiding among the trees instead.

The farm works almost like a character, with secrets tucked away and suspicious neighbors nearby.

The tree maze creeped me out in the best way possible.

I stayed up late flipping pages.

It feels festive and eerie at once, which is my favorite mix in a holiday book.

Lady Cavendish’s Christmas Caper by Camille Cabrera

Charlie, who hates being called Charlotte, has until next Christmas to solve an art mystery and claim her inheritance.

The English village setting charmed me, thanks to all its tiny festive details.

A wager she makes leads to a Christmas party at a castle, which was my favorite part.

The mystery is light but still exciting.

I wished I could wander that village myself.

It suits you if you want a gentle British Christmas cozy mystery that reads like a fairy tale with a whodunit inside.

Charlie is a clever heroine, and the story skips the darkness.

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany

A town named Rudolph is about as festive as it gets.

Merry Wilkinson runs her own shop while she tries to solve a murder, and I found her very relatable.

Someone is sabotaging the town’s decorations, and a reporter has been poisoned.

The mystery unfolds slowly, which gave me time to soak up the Christmas charm of Rudolph, New York.

A gingerbread cookie clue made me smile.

Sweet shops and small-town drama fill the pages.

Rudolph might be my dream holiday town, as long as the murders stay out.

That’s the full list.

I loved every one of these books, so you can’t go wrong with whichever you pick first.

Tell me in the comments which title you’re planning to read.

Do you have a favorite holiday cozy mystery series that hardly anyone talks about? Share it with me, because I’m always hunting for new cozy reads.