Have Yourself a Merry Read

Visions of sugarplums dancing in your head? That means it's time for our fourth-annual roundup of holiday-themed fiction. This year brings several first-time holiday entries to long-standing mystery series, short stories, humor, and the reissue of a translated tale. [For Yuletide love stories, see Kristin Ramsdell's romance column, p. 49.—Ed.]

In the seventh entry (and first Christmas tale) of Ballard's cozy mystery series (Too Late for Angels), guardian angel Augusta Goodnight assists her earthly charges in solving a mysterious death. A stranger takes a fatal fall from a balcony, and rumors swirl—Was it murder, or are there ghosts at work? "Heavenly" recipes are included. For collections where the series is popular.

The 16th entry in the Mrs. Murphy mystery series (Puss 'n Cahoots) is the first holiday offering from Brown. Regulars "Harry" Haristeen and her sleuthing cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, seek out a murderer when a dead body appears under the Christmas tree. For all mystery collections and essential for series fans.

Carl continues her "Chocoholic" (Crime de Cocoa) series this time in hardcover with a holiday treat. Lee McKinney Woodyard, who runs an upscale chocolate store in a Michigan tourist town, finds herself coordinating the local holiday art festival. When the guest juror ends up dead, Lee and her husband do some amateur sleuthing. For most mystery collections, particularly where food-themed cozies do well.

The fourth holiday volume from the editors of A Dixie Christmas and A Very Southern Christmas highlights short works by 12 Southern authors. Mary Ward Brown's "The Amaryllis" features a widower contemplating the past and the future, while Mark Richards's "The Birds for Christmas" is the bleak tale of two boys celebrating Christmas in an orphanage. Southern libraries will likely want a copy, but this is an optional purchase for most collections; best suited for libraries where the previous anthologies have circulated well.

Would it be Christmas without a tale from Evans (The Gift; The Christmas Box)? In the 1960s, Eric discovers his schoolmate Grace hiding in a dumpster after running away from her abusive stepfather. He offers her shelter in an old backyard clubhouse and becomes her best friend, not realizing the depths of her painful family life until it's too late. Years later, Eric, now a doctor devoted to helping abused children, reflects on this tragic period of his life. Touching and sad, this is sure to match Evans's previous successes on the best sellers list. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/08.]

Landvik's first holiday novel features her signature sense of humor and quirky characters. Young socialite Caroline Dixon gets out of rehab and attempts to live a more stable life. Having alienated everyone she knows, she goes into hiding and tries to reach out to people from her past. Narrated in a series of letters, emails, and gossip-column snippets, this quick, charming read is suitable for all popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/08.]

Thriller author Morrell's (Creepers) foray into holiday fiction brings us an action-oriented spin on the Nativity story. International spy Paul Kagan is willing to risk his life to rescue a baby kidnapped by the Russian mob. Fast paced and well told, this is suitable for all collections.

Best-selling author Perry offers her sixth annual Victorian Christmas offering (after A Christmas Beginning). Emily Radley is drawn to a remote Irish village to care for her dying aunt. A violent storm looms on the horizon, and a terrible secret haunts the villagers. Will Emily solve the mystery and weather the storm? A slight tale that will appeal to Perry's fans; for all mystery collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/08.]

Sefton's knitting-themed mystery series (Dyer Consequences; A Killer Stitch) makes its hardcover debut for the holidays. Kelly Flynn and her knitting group decide their holiday project will be helping the town librarian run a knitting program for children. Unfortunately, the librarian meets an untimely end, and it's up to the knitting crew to sleuth out the suspect. Includes holiday recipes and knitting patterns; for most mystery collections, especially where the series has done well.

This tiny tale, illustrated by Simkin's brother Daniel, is the story of Charlie, a little boy who decides to pack up all of his time and look for something better to spend it on. He travels the world searching for the one thing that will make him happy, finally realizing that what he wanted was at home the whole time. This delicate fable will charm readers of all ages. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/08.]

Two children, Conrad and Sanna, walk from their village in the Alps to visit their grandparents the day before Christmas. On their journey home, they take a wrong turn and are feared lost in a snowstorm. Lyrical and descriptive, this brief tale by Austrian writer, poet, and painter Stifter (1805–68) will do well where literary fiction is appreciated.

The cozy village of Ballybucklebo and its eccentric inhabitants make the holidays bright in Taylor's (An Irish Country Doctor; An Irish Country Village) first Christmas novel. Dr. Barry Laverty is dealing with competition from a new and incompetent doctor as well as the disappointment that lingers when his fiancée announces she may not be home for the holidays. Sprawling and warmhearted, this novel also features "Ulster Christmas Recipes." For most collections, especially where the previous two novels have been popular.

National Public Radio commentator White (Mama Makes Up Her Mind) collects her short stories, which she's read on air over the years. In "The Progress of Deglutition," Sally's Thanksgiving is cut short when her husband asks for a divorce out of the blue, while in "Return to Sender," a woman tries to order items from the 1909 Sears catalog reprint to keep her memory alive. While these stories are not cheery Christmas tales—several don't seem to have even a slight relationship with any holiday whatsoever—they are all interesting and well written. For most short story collections.

A dead Santa rains on Meg's Christmas parade.

TV host Beck knits a holiday tale about a handmade sweater.

The editors of Many Bloody Returns offer a collection of 15 werewolf-themed holiday tales. The contributors include Harris, Kat Richardson, Carrie Vaughn, and Dana Stabenow.