Ghost of Christmas Past by Rhys Bowen

Regular review readers know that I enjoy mysteries and that Rhys Bowen is a favorite author so I was grateful to receive a copy of her newest - GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST - through NetGalley. Once again, Molly Murphy Sullivan is faced with solving a mystery – this time at a fancy house party in the New York City area. Molly and her husband, Daniel, soon discover that the only child of their hosts, a young girl, went missing ten years earlier – with no body or ransom note ever discovered. Molly is persistent, though, and begins to solve the puzzle.  Or does she? There are plenty of surprises and suspects. The early 1900s, a mansion along the Hudson, servants and the Christmas season combine nicely to form the backdrop for one of the stronger entries in this 17 book (so far) series.

Award winning author Bowen has crafted many memorable characters, including Evan Evans, and Lady Georgiana Rannoch (Royal Spyness series), plus I also recommend her stand-alone novel from last Spring, In Farleigh Field, for fans of mystery and historical fiction.

Looking for another Christmas cozy? I loved the beautiful cover (shown above) of CHRISTMAS IN LONDON by Anita Hughes. This novel has a contemporary setting and plenty of romance, although perhaps too much for some? Two young women, one a chef and the other a TV producer, head to London for a holiday show and while there encounter some rather immature men. Despite drama and conflict, the story itself could be more engaging, but the food, shopping, and evoking of London at the holidays is great  – escapism and pure fun!

Yuletide Murder and more….

As the snow fell and temperatures dropped, I turned to some totally fun reading by several favorite mystery authors.  Look for their short stories in Mistletoe Mysteries or Christmas Stalkings – two collections edited by Charlotte McLeod and just re-released in eBook form.  It was so relaxing to pick Mistletoe Mysteries, a definite “Christmas cozy,” and to read these older works (first published in 1989) by bestselling authors like Sharyn McCrumb, Mary Higgins Clark, Aaron Elkins, Marcia Muller – even Isaac Asimov contributes a tale about training department store Santas. The list could go on and on but look especially for Peter Lovesey’s “Haunted Crescent” set in Bath, England. There is as much of a “feel good” holiday spirit as there is mystery to this collection.  

 

Christmas Stalkings is somewhat darker set of stories and features a different set of authors, including Reginald Hill, Elizabeth Peters, and Margaret Maron to name just a few.  If you don’t readily recognize some of the contributors, it is a great introduction to their writing and to their often well-known characters. 

What Light by Jay Asher

We can rarely keep Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why on the shelf since it is so popular with student readers and they will undoubtedly be excited to learn that he has a new book being published this week: What Light.  I have had a chance to see a preview excerpt and found it to be a very different type of book; the focus is on romance for Sierra whose family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon.  Every year, she moves with them to California for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the tress are sold from their lot. That’s also when she shifts between lifelong friends, joining Heather for a few weeks and this year, discovering a strong attraction to Caleb who has a troubled past.  

Calling What Light “an uplifting story about love,” Jay Asher explains that “themes of hope and forgiveness have been at the center of my interactions with teens.” Our copy of What Light is on order – it seems especially likely to appeal to late middle schoolers and younger high school students, particularly fans of titles such as Gordon Korman’s Son of the Mob and those browsing for a feel good holiday read. I am looking forward to hearing students’ thoughts and reactions to these characters.