Present Day—just before Christmas. A secluded retreat in northern England. Six individuals have been invited to the swanky retreat for a free Christmas holiday with the challenge of solving a fictional mystery for a substantial prize. When a blizzard downs communication and closes roads, the contestants and the staff of the Midwinter Trust find themselves dealing with a real mystery. As the snow gets deeper, so do the red herrings–and the pile of dead bodies.

This is a mystery within a mystery, along with a few other oddities. First, there is no one in the story named Miss Winter. There isn’t even a library, and none of the murders are committed with a knife—not even the fictional one. The story is told from multiple points of view, incorporating blog posts, historical documents, flyers, and, of course, the clues to the fictional murder. You have the fictional mystery, the real mystery (along with a bunch of bodies) and you have a mystery from years before–all spun together.

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a unique read—not your typical cozy mystery. It mostly works. Red herrings galore and surprises that do keep you reading. The characters are complete, though I would have liked to get to know a few of them better. And the ending is satisfyingly offbeat.

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is fun and different, which is enough for me to give it 5 stars. This book will be available on October 7 and is a perfect pre-holiday read. Save it for a winter’s night—after Halloween, of course.

NetGalley and the author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

What do My Tarot Cards Say?

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife thrives on misdirection and illusion, perfectly captured by The Magician and The Seven of Cups. The Magician—in this case, I have to say the Magician is the author, presides over the game itself—a puzzle built of sleight of hand, red herrings, and clever manipulation where nothing is quite what it seems. The Seven of Cups mirrors the contestants’ temptations: the promise of a prize that could change their lives, the cloud of false leads, and the difficulty of knowing which path holds truth and which hides danger. Together, these cards embody the novel’s gleefully offbeat heart: a holiday mystery where appearances deceive, choices matter, and survival may depend on seeing through the trick.

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

Six contestants. One chance at a new life. Who wouldn’t be tempted to cheat?

Award winning, renowned master of mysteries and editor of the British Library of Crime Classics, Martin Edwards turns up the heat for the most seasoned fair play mystery connoisseurs and puzzle afficionados just in time for a gleefully wicked holiday read.

Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. The challenge seems simple but exciting: Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote but wonderfully atmospheric village in north Yorkshire to win a prize that will change your fortunes for good.

Six members of staff from the shadowy Trust are there to make sure everyone plays fair. The contestants have been meticulously vetted but you can never be too careful. And with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, everyone needs to be extra vigilant. Midwinter can play tricks on people’s minds.

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.