New Christmas mysteries for 2026! This year I’ve sorted all the titles I found into cozy, chilling, and historical, with ratings for holiday vibes, coziness, and suspense so you can find your perfect holiday read.
Mystery lovers know that nothing says the holidays like a body lying under the mistletoe!
This year I’m putting all the new Christmas mysteries in one place, sorted three ways: cozy Christmas mysteries for curling up with some cocoa, chilling Christmas mysteries for readers who like their holidays with a side of dread, and historical Christmas mysteries set in Regency ballrooms, Victorian country houses, and old New York.
Quick Picks by Vibe
| If you want… | Read this |
| A Christmas-obsessed small town with a killer on the loose | A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington |
| Bridgerton-style ballrooms with a body | Murder of a Merry Gentleman by Celeste Connally |
| New holiday novella that made my holiday best of list! | Do You See What I See by Peter Swanson |
| Holmes and Watson in December | Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Murders by Stuart Douglas |
| Full-on Christmas horror | ‘Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson |
| Romantic suspense in a snowed-in mansion | It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter |
New Cozy Christmas Mysteries for 2026
As always, I rated the cozy Christmas mysteries from this list that I have read on:
- Holiday Vibes: twinkle lights, Holiday gatherings, and Christmas spirit.
- Coay/Creepy Level: warm and comforting vs scary and disturbing
- Plot: even cozies need a mystery that keeps you guessing.
Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey
What It’s About: two special agents are sent to a picture-perfect town called Christmas, where crime supposedly never happens, to investigate a stabbing.
What I Thought: Home for the Homicides is a lot of things at once: a Satirical Spicy Christmas Romance Mystery.
I’d argue that it’s more for romance readers than mystery readers, who may find that all the snark and spice crowd the mystery into a corner.
Two exes are sent to investigate murder of a tourist in a small, Christmas obsessed town. (Yes, the book mocks Hallmark Christmas movies and cozy Christmas romance book (if they don’t solve the case, the Jingle Bell Jubilee will be RUINED.
Home for the Homicides is also a SPICY romance between the two investigators, State Bureau of Investigation agents assigned to the case (and assigned to the honeymoon suite in the town hotel. One bed trope, for you romance readers.)
If you enjoy the Kiss Marry Kill series by Ally Carter (the new installment is below) and want a more satirical version, this is the book for you!
Home for the Homicides Had:
- A holiday-themed small town setting
- A murder investigation carried out by awkward exes.
- SPICY romance scenes and a satirical “meta” tone
- New collaboration from the author of the Finlay Donovan series and the author of the Black Harbor series.
- Publication date: October 13, 2026 by Minotaur. Thanks to them for my advance copy!
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes: 5/5 Set in a Christmas obsessed town called Christmas!
- Coziness Level: 3/5 This is a hard rating. It’s “meta” with a snarky tone and mocks Christmas cozies
- Suspense Level: 3/5 More comic than cozy or suspenseful!
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter
What’s it About: Billionaire heir Liam Montgomery vanishes after his grandfather’s will is read. Ella, daughter of the former Montgomery housekeeper, becomes the prime suspect in his murder.
What I Thought: Coming soon!
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Had:
- Romantic holiday suspense
- Wealthy family full of suspects
- Snowed-in mansion in a mountain town
- Series: Kiss Merry Kill #2
- Book One, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, is on my list of Favorite Christmas Mysteries
- Publication date: October 13, 2026 by Avon. Thanks to Avon and Libro.fm for my ALC!
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes:
- Coziness Level:
- Suspense Level:
Listening now! Review and Ratings Coming Soon!
Merry Spooky Love by Josie Silver
What It’s About: Ghost-seeing Melody is hired by Lucy Libertine, the ghost of an owner of a beloved department stor, to sort out her squabbling family. She left the store to her niece and two nephews, who are divided about whether to sell the store or keep it in the family.
What I Thought: This book leaned more toward romance than mystery, but the story does have intrigue and fans of cozy paranormal romance and since those books are usually set in the fall, this book is a bit of an anomaly.
Merry Spooky Love Had:
- Paranormal romance set during the holidays
- A fun setting of a department store at Christmas
- A cozy feel but some SPICE too
- Series: Melody Bittersweet #3
- Publication date: October 13, 2026 by Dell. Thanks to them for my advance copy!
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes: 4/5
- Coziness Level: 4/5
- Suspense Level: 2/5
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Murder by Jacqueline Frost
What It’s About: Holly has just welcomed her new baby when she finds a body at the petting zoo.
Deck the Halls With Boughs of Murder has:
- A Christmas tree farm setting
- A small-town holiday cozy feel
- A songtime series heroine
- Series: Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #7
- Publication date: October 13, 2026 by Crooked Lane Books
Jay to the World by Donna Andrews
What It’s About: A dangerous prankster runs amok during the holiday season.
Jay to the World has:
- Humor and a big, colorful cast
- Series: Meg Langslow #40
- Publication date: October 13, 2026 by Minotaur. Thanks to them for my advance copy!
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes:
- Coziness Level:
- Plot:
Review and Ratings Coming Soon!
Joy to the Bones by Carolyn Haines
What It’s About: Sarah Booth sets out to find the truth about the car crash that killed her parents.
- Southern cozy series
- Deeply personal stakes for the sleuth
- Series: Sarah Booth Delaney
- Publication date: October 27, 2026 by Minotaur.
The Heist Before Christmas by Lucy Score
What It’s About: Psychic Riley Thorn and Nick deal with holiday chaos, wedding stress, and a mystery.
- Comedic psychic sleuth
- Established couple
- Romance-forward, leans light
- Series: Riley Thorn #5
- Publication date: November 10, 2026 by Bloom Books
A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington
What It’s About: A woman moves to a Christmas-themed town and ends up solving murders that threaten its holiday tourism.
What I Thought: read this cozy mystery set in Christmasville, Maine. Main character Kelsey is starting her new job as the town’s social media manager. Unfortunately, there’s a dead guy in the bathtub of the Christmas Creek Inn. How will Kelsey spin this and can she stay ahead of the killer?
This book was too cozy for me, but did have a fun setting.
A Killer for Christmas Had:
- Christmas-themed town
- Amateur sleuth
- New to town
- Publication date: September 22, 2026 by Crooked Lane Books.
My ratings of A Killer for Christmas
- Holiday Vibes: 5/5
- Cozy/Creepy: 4/5 Cozy
- Plot: 3/5
Christmas Mysteries at The Mysterious Bookshop by edited by Otto Penzler
Eighteen Christmas short stories commissioned by New York’s Mysterious Bookshop. Every story needs a Christmas setting, a crime, and the bookshop itself as a location.
- Short story anthology: great for busy holiday reading
- Contributors include Megan Abbott, Mary Higgins Clark, Rupert Holmes, and Ed McBain
- Mix of funny, thrilling, and classic detective stories
- Publication date: September 8, 2026 by The Mysterious Press.
I’m not a fan of anthologies, so I will not be reading, this, but in 2024 I reviewed a prior collection, Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop here.
New Chilling Christmas Mysteries for 2026
I rated these chilling Christmas mysteries on:
- Holiday Vibes: is Christmas part of the story, or just the backdrop?
- Suspense Level: how late did it keep me up reading?
- Plot: twists, pacing, and a reveal that pays off.
Do You See What I See by Peter Swanson
A writer agrees to help another author finish his book, and ends up investigating two dead bodies.
Back in 2023, I read The Christmas Guest, another Peter Swanson novella.
Swanson is back with a new holiday offering, Do You See What I See, and I highly recommend it to readers looking for a quick but compelling holiday mystery.
Do You See What I See is centered around one of my favorite recent tropes: backstabbing authors. Nicholas is a struggling writer invited to help a bestselling author finish a book (hello, Verity!) He agrees to travel to Cape Cod over the holidays and help Marco finish his book.
The book includes an accusation of idea-stealing, epistolary/ story-within-a-story elements, Daphne du Maurier references, and a very “meta” feel. It’s clever and fun and surprisingly well-developed for a 128 page story.
Do You See What I See Had:
- One of my favorite tropes: backstabbing authors
- A Christmas in Cape Cod setting
- A “meta” feel
- Epistolary “story within a story” elements
- Publication date: October 6, 2026 by William Morrow. Thanks to them for my advance copy.
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes: 5/5 I do find Christmas in Cape Cod to be Christmas-y!
- Suspense Level: 5/5 It kept me guessing!
- Plot: 5/5 Very clever and “meta”
Blood on the Snow by Alex Pine
Two friends on a holiday break are found dead in a hot tub. There is no sign of a break-in, their phones are missing, and there is a tangled web of suspects.
- Snowbound police procedural
- Locked-scene puzzle
- Darker tone
- Series: DI James Walker #7
- Publication date: October 22, 2026 by Avon.
‘Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson
A reporter investigates a string of disappearances in a Maine village that worships Santa.
Twas the Night Had:
- Horror elements
- Creepy small-town holiday traditions
- A very dark Christmas feel
- Publication date: October 6, 2026 by William Morrow. Thanks to them for my advance copy!
My ratings:
- Holiday Vibes:
- Suspense Level:
- Plot:
Review and Ratings Coming Soon!
New Historical Christmas Mysteries for 2026
I don’t read much historical fiction so I do not think I will have time for this batch, but wanted to include them! If you’ve read or reviewed them, please tell us in comments!
A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman
Frances and her sister look into a neighbor’s suspicious death during a family holiday gathering in Norfolk.
- Victorian country Christmas
- Sisters sleuthing together
- Established amateur-sleuth series
- Series: Countess of Harleigh Mysteries
- Publication date: September 29, 2026 by Kensington.
Murder on 34th Street by Mariah Fredericks
A Macy’s employee hunts for a killer after the store’s Santa receives a death threat.
- Historical New York
- Department store Christmas
- A nod to Miracle on 34th Street
- By the author of The Girl in the Green Dress and the Jane Prescott series
- Publication date: October 6, 2026 by Minotaur
Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Murders by Stuart Douglas
Holmes and Watson must connect a series of Christmas-themed murders across London.
- Sherlock Holmes pastiche
- Victorian London at Christmas
- Multiple victims
- Series: Part of Titan’s Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes line
- Publication date: November 3, 2026 by Titan.
Murder of a Merry Gentleman (Lady Petra 4) by Celeste Connally
London, December 1815. Lady Petra is helping with a series of bachelor-auction dances before Christmas Eve when one of the “Merry Gentlemen” is found dead below the ballroom balcony. It’s ruled an accident, until another bachelor is nearly killed.
- Regency London at Christmas
- Heroine with a scientific mind (and lock picks)
- Pitched as Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie
- Series: Lady Petra Inquires #4
- Publication date: November 10, 2026 by Minotaur
The Museum Detectives’ Christmas Mystery by Jim Eldridge
A Christmas mystery framed around art and murder in London, December 1906.
- Edwardian London
- Art world setting
- Detective duo series
- Series: Museum Mysteries #13
- Publication date: December 1, 2026 by Allison & Busby.
Looking for more Christmas mysteries to read?
Here’s a list of my Favorite Christmas mysteries!
Here is my list of Chilling Christmas Mysteries for 2025
And my list of all the Cozy Christmas Mysteries for 2025!
