A cosy mystery perfect for fans of Sally Smith, Steve Higgs, LJ Ross, Robert Thorogood, and Richard Osman.

Karen McLaren has organised what she believes will be the perfect Yuletide celebration: a murder mystery evening based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It’s being held at Club Britannia; attendees are attired in period costume, and traditional food is on the menu. Everything has been planned to perfection…

…one of the guests dying, however, isn’t something that’s been scheduled.

A fictional murder mystery transforming into a real murder investigation throws Castillo and its residents into confusion. Everyone knows what has happened, but - as far as explaining why and how - they’re all mystified. Though she’s irritated at the disruption of her festival celebrations, Karen is delighted at receiving a Christmas gift in the shape of a new investigation.

Of course, challenges abound. This time around, the police are happy to work alongside The Jimi Hendrix Supper Club and its retired sleuths. But it doesn’t make things any easier; all parties know that there must be a logical explanation, but navigating red herrings and blind alleys makes uncovering the truth extremely difficult. The solution seems set to remain somewhere beyond the end of the rainbow.

How did a simple retirement plan of fine (mulled) wine and Spanish (winter) sunshine grow so complicated?

Author promise: this cosy mystery does not contain any gore, violence, or profanity. Nor does it contain any scenes of an explicit nature.

Although books featuring Karen McLaren can be read in any order, Christmas in Castillo is the fourth book in the series. If you enjoy cosy mysteries, then this is definitely the book for you!