Little did the journalist think that this investigation would have her joining the choir in preparation for the Christmas services or that her daughter, Elizabeth, would be so enchanted by the church.

It is likely that anxieties following the First World War led to a greater desire for the kind of escapism that crime fiction offers, where readers are greeted with puzzles and thrills in equal measure,” says Jonny Davidson, editor of the British Library’s Crime Classics series, a collection of republished golden age British detective fiction. Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been playing in London’s West End for 72 years, making it the world’s longest-running play. Plus, the game set comes in various versions to accommodate players of varying ages and group sizes. One minute, she’s in a meeting in her office in Birmingham – the next, she’s walking out on her job, her home, her life. But when local villagers start receiving threatening letters and then a dead body turns up, her festive plans are put on hold as she must solve the murder.With his loyal grandson and their golden retriever along for the ride, he sets off to investigate, but on arriving at the snowbound manor house on the English coast, they find that the wrong man has been killed. Agatha Davies was murdered, their family faced many of its demons, and Violet met the love of her life.

With the festive season fast approaching, amateur sleuth Juno Browne helps organise a Christmas Fair to raise funds for Ashburton’s local animal sanctuary. In addition, optional characters are available so parties above 200 can actively participate in the fun.

The post from 2023 that drew the most views was my Fabulous Festive Reads 2023 Part 1 : Murder and Mystery at Christmas with 963. Handsome Spear proposes marriage and Ursula Smart suddenly has a glimpse of the sort of happy life she had never imagined for herself.