I’m Jess Walker, and as the manager of a B&B, I’m always planning months ahead. By December, I’ve done everything I can to prepare for Christmas, so my sisters attack the to-do lists while I get ready for Valentine’s day.

I can’t anticipate everything that might go wrong during the various winter holidays, but I hope to at least avoid the sorts of challenges my friends have experienced, like a missing Santa, several unrelated heists, random chaos, and even murder! Fortunately, they all had happy endings, and I hope your holiday crises do too!

Jamie Adams, “Search for the Silent Santa,” Ghost Town Mysteries
Santa’s missing, and Lily, the manager of Calico Rock Mine and Ghost Town, races to find him before the Christmas Eve parade starts. Children are counting on her. With C.I.S. agent Cody’s help, she tries to unravel a mystery that threatens to put an end to the holiday spirit.

Catherine Bruns, “Nothing but Truffle,” Cookies & Chance Mysteries
All baker Sally Muccio wants for New Year’s Eve is a quiet night alone with her husband, but her crazy family insists on throwing a party instead. To take the cake, their cantankerous neighbor’s valuable necklace has gone missing. Sal will need to track down the culprit before some serious fireworks erupt!

Jennifer Fischetto, “Ornaments, Surprise & Dead Guys,” Gianna Mancini Mysteries
When a shopping trip to pick up her fiancé’s gift turns into a locked-room murder, ghost whisperer, Gianna Mancini and her detective brother must sift through suspects, holiday clutter, and a Santa-like ghost. Can they unwrap the truth before the killer walks away with more than Christmas cheer?

Lena Gregory, “Gossip, Guilt, and Gingerbread,” Coffee and Cream Café Mysteries
The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is a fun, family event, until an unhappy competitor confronts Danika Delaney, intent on seeing the Coffee & Cream Café shut down for good. But the festivities turn deadly when Dani discovers the Christmas tree has been toppled and a killer has left Katherine underneath.

Gin Jones, “A Hearty Homicide,” Bourbon B&B Mysteries
A blizzard is approaching the Three Sisters B&B, which has one too many guests for Valentine’s Day weekend. They refer him to the Valley Inn, where he ends up dead. Jess Walker swears she’s not getting involved this time, and yet …

Christine Knapp, “You can’t see the Forest for the Christmas Trees,” Modern Midwife Mysteries
A Christmas jewelry heist in Langford? Once again, modern nurse midwife, Maeve O’Reilly Kensington, and her wealthy acerbic sister, Meg, are called on to crack the case. With babies, holidays, and a robbery, these seaside mysteries never disappoint.

Annie McEwen, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Mischief,” Northwoods Mysteries
In this merry prequel to the Northwoods Mysteries, Emmy Cooper returns home to Cooper’s Cove and the quaint town of Covington, where holiday hijinks are snowballing into sleuth-worthy shenanigans. With mischief afoot and mystery under the mistletoe, Emmy’s ready to crack the case before the pranks sleigh the season.

Kelly Rey, “Larceny & Twinkle Lights,” Jamie Winters Mysteries
A Christmas shopping trip for her boss leaves Jamie Winters, her sidekick Maizy Emerson and a mysterious shopper in hot pursuit of a modern-day Grinch.

Misty Simon, “Jingle Bell Rocker,” Sunny Side Up Mysteries
It’s the most wonderful time of the year at The Sunny Side Up Diner, but things get dicey as a long-ago betrayal bubbles to the surface when a local celebrity comes to town. Can Jax and Dani save Christmas with a bit of mischief and a whole lot of cheer?

Rosalie Spielman, “A Hometown Christmas Caper,” Hometown Mysteries
It’s the cusp of Christmas Eve in New Oslo, Idaho, but someone has been stealing holiday decorations from the town’s businesses. Eager to help their friends, Army veterans Tessa and Aunt Edna visit each business to investigate their loss. Will they find the decorations and restore the town’s holiday cheer?

Anne Marie Stoddard, “Holidays & Heists,” Aloha Lagoon Mysteries
Aloha Lagoon resident Kaley Kalua finds herself teaming up with an unlikely ally when a crime strikes the resort’s Yule Log Luau charity event.

Erica Wynters, “Holly, Handcuffs, and Hearsay,” Camelot Flowers Mysteries
Florist Gwen Stevens faces holiday chaos when a Christmas Market booth ignites and accusations fly. With her nine-months-pregnant best friend refusing to leave before the mystery is solved, Gwen races to untangle rivalries and secrets—before Christmas arrives and a baby is born amid the hot cocoa, crafts, and arson.

HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES
Genre: Short Story Collection
Release: December 2025
Format: Digital
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

From twelve USA Today bestselling and award winning authors, comes a short story collection stuffed full of mirthful mysteries, clever criminals, and holiday cheer! These short holiday bites are perfect for enjoying between rounds of wrapping or binge-reading over a cup of cocoa!

About the authors
The dozen authors of Holidays & Homicides share a love for storytelling, especially in the mystery genre, often with a bit of romance and/or humor, but have a wide variety of experiences and interests that you can explore further at the Gemma Halliday Publishing website at www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com/authors.