Free Holiday Reads: Christmas Cozy Mystery Edition

Happy Holidays!

Sugar, spice, and death by candy cane, a holiday cozy mystery just seems extra cozy, doesn’t it? Today’s Freebie Friday is all about Christmas cozy mysteries.

If you have any other free Christmas cozy mysteries to recommend, feel free to drop us some links in the comments. Also, next week is Holiday Paranormal Reads, so be sure to come back next Friday for more free reads!

This week’s recommendations:

More about the books:

Old lies, new threats. The chickens have come home to roost…

December in London, and Maximilian Cortado, the world famous violinist, has disappeared, the only clue being the unexpected delivery to his townhouse of a basket containing a live hen.

When it emerges that a number of other notable members of society have been receiving similarly unexplained fowl, the deliveries begin to appear more sinister.

Sherlock Holmes, however, seems more intrigued by a trivial incident in Sussex, where someone has been damaging Christmas trees intended for a local stately home. So when he is asked by the wife of a famous artist to investigate a robbery carried out twenty-three years before, Mrs Hudson sees an opportunity to assist.

At the centre of that mystery is the Christmas Canary, a solid gold decoration of mesmerising beauty, hand-crafted for the fifth Lord Empingham. For years it had graced the top of the Christmas tree at Frawling Hall – until its mystifying disappearance broke the seventh Lord’s heart. Fowl deeds are afoot, but can Mrs Hudson restore the canary to its perch before it’s too late?

A wonderfully evocative caper based in the legend of Sherlock Holmes, perfect for fans of M. R. C. Kasasian and M. C. Beaton.

Available for free on: Amazon

‘Tis the season for gold, frankincense and murder…

It’s winter in the small town of Dewstow, and Margery is preparing for her first Christmas as Summerview school’s kitchen manager. She’s supported by her wife, Clementine, and is trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

The pair are determined to stay out of the way of the Christmas concert planning that has gripped the rest of the staff. However, they are caught in the crossfire when the stage lights collapse at the first practice, killing Mrs Large, the music teacher.

Mrs Smith, the Head of Drama, is the prime suspect and is desperate for the Dinner Lady Detectives to clear her name. Mrs Smith is convinced that it’s sabotage by her rival, Mrs Blossom, the drama teacher at Ittonvale Secondary, but there’s evidence that points to her own misdeeds. Can Margery and Clementine trust their friend? And when things start to heat up in the kitchen, will they make it out in time?

A charming and festive British village mystery, perfect for fans of Robert Thorogood and Fiona Leitch.

Available for free on: Amazon

From USA Today Bestselling author C. A. Phipps, comes The Maple Lane Mysteries Prequel

Did she fall or was she pushed?

A world away from small town Maple Falls where she grew up, Madeline Flynn is working in a bakery in Manhattan. Baking is her dream come true—but not everyone is happy for her.

When a body lands at her feet, Maddie is suddenly thrown into the investigation. The death is literally too close to home and things don’t add up with the crime. With his uncanny sense of who is good and who isn’t, even Big Red, her larger-than-life Maine coon, is seeing things in the shadows.

Will she be the next victim? And what does an angry contestant have to do with a kidnapping?

If you love Murder, She Wrote, you’ll enjoy Maddie’s style because she’s not taking no for an answer either.

The Maple Lane Mysteries are light, cozy mysteries featuring a quirky cat-loving bakery owner who discovers she’s a talented amateur sleuth.

Each book contains an easy recipe!

Available for free on: Amazon

Bah, Hashtag!

When fashion insider and amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd lands a temporary assignment as a social media influencer two weeks before Christmas, she dives into the world of lifestyle goals. The job provides props and sample product to encourage drool-worthy posts, but when a colleague—the person who recommended her for the job—goes missing, the illusion of her perfect life fades like an out-of-date filter.

The only clues are found on the missing man’s Instagram timeline, which Samantha knows has been staged. Much of what she finds on his social media feeds cannot be trusted, and her normal sleuthing habits prove ineffective. Maintaining appearances takes a back seat to finding her colleague, but when the lines between authenticity and hype are blurred, she’ll either find the uncomfortable truth … or drown in a sea of hashtags.

Slay Ride is the tenth charming book in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like holiday mysteries, fashionable settings, and friendship fiction, or just love peeking behind the scenes of influencer culture, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s funny mystery.

Get slayed! #MerryChristmas #SamanthaKidd #Totallyfunny #HolidayMystery #YouKnowYouWantTo 🙂

Available for free on: Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Google Kobo

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a hilarious holiday whodunit!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Unless you’re Sally Muccio.

The full-time baker and sometime sleuth is ready to burst into song. She and her husband are expecting a bundle of joy, her sister’s wedding is just around the corner, and it’s Christmas, her favorite time of year. But when Sal’s the victim of a carjacking by Santa himself and a forgotten item links her to a murder, she doesn’t feel like ho-ho-hoing anymore.

Damian Ruger was a drug user, womanizer and first-class jerk. And unfortunately for Sal, she once had a connection to him in high school. The dough really hits the fan when her bakery’s gingerbread cookies are found next to his dead body, and Sal’s cake server is used as a murder weapon. Someone is trying to frame the expectant mother, but why? Sal has no choice but to try to clear her name…before she and the baby are singing Christmas carols in prison!

*Recipes Included!*

Available for free on: Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Kobo

Going home to Alabama for Christmas was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be relaxing. What I got instead was a dead neighbor.

When I told my kids and my new boyfriend that Christmas was better with family, and suggested we visit my mother, I didn’t realize we would be investigating a murder. But sometimes dead guys have secrets that get them killed.

My mother refused to believe her neighbor was involved in shenanigans, but when it nearly got me and my daughter killed, she had to admit something fishy was going on next door. Keep an eye on your neighbors, folks.

Santa Claus might be a jolly old elf, but I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if anyone thought I was going to sit by and do nothing about this murder.

Available for free on: Amazon