Welcome to Day 4 of #12booksofchristmas. During December I am sharing 12 festive reads. The idea came from the wonderful Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod where a book is given on Christmas Eve and read together. My husband and I started this tradition a few years back with each other. #12booksof christmas will hopefully give you some ideas of books to pick. This is my 5th year doing this and you can check out a whole host of books on my books for Christmas page at the bottom of this post. In case you’ve missed any titles below is a list of #12books so far this year….

• Day One - Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas
• Day Two - Who KIlled Father Christmas Edited by Martin Edwards
• Day Three - This Christmas in Paris by Sophie Claire

I type up my reviews of any #12booksofchristmas books I know I am going to feature, and when I came to write this blog post thought I must have been drinking or something. The spelling was atrocious! It did make me smile trying to remember what I was up to. Today I have a wonderful country house Christmas murder for you.

The Plot

It’s Christmas Time in an isolated country house and, following a flaming row in the kitchen, there’s murder inside.

When a much disliked visiting servant disappears without trace after playing Santa Claus, foul play is at once suspected - and foul play it proves to be. Only suspicion falls not on the staff but on the guests, all so unimpeachably respectable with the very thought of murder in connection with any of them seems amost heresy. When Superintendent Roderick Alleyn returns unexpectedly from a trip to Australia, it is to find his beloved wife in the thick of this intriguing mystery.

My Thoughts

I don't know what it is about Christmas, but it would seem that any party taking place in a country house between the 1930s and 1950’s seems doomed to end in murder. This is no different. Written in 1971, this seems more progressive than it’s older cousins, but the essence is still there.

Hilary Bill-Tasman has an usual attitude to his staff, recruiting ex-cons, fresh out of prison to his staff. Mix this with a rogue friend of his father, a respectable Aunt and Uncle with a secret to hide and a narcissistic future wife and all of the ingredients are assembled for a wonderfully Christmassy murderous time.

Troy Alleyn, is also present to paint Hilary’s portrait and finds herself amongst the group when heavy snow falls. But then the manservant of the Aunt and Uncle disappears. Where did he go? He could not have gone very far with thick snow laying on the ground, nor does he appear to be anywhere in the grounds or house.

A series of terrible practical jokes is played on the guests, some malicious, some designed to get another person in trouble. Just what exactly is going on?

This was great fun, and absolutely perfect to read over the Christmas break when you need a little toes-up, complete with glass of sherry and a mince-pie. All guests fed and watered and hopefully none of them murdered in your house!

I very much enjoyed this, and have been meaning to read it for quite some time. Especially as it is on Malcolm Kershaw’s list of books for dark evenings. There is something about a cosy crime that is perfect for this time of year.