Today’s Christmas Comforts blog post brings together two cosy crime recommendations from two of our authors! This week features Mick Finlay, author of the Arrowood series, and M.J. Hollows, author of The German Nurse. Scroll down to get some CRACKING crime recommendations, perfect for these dark winter nights…
Mick Finlay recommends…
Hayley Webster’s One Christmas Night is the perfect mystery for Christmas. It’s set in the days running up to Christmas on a single street where a series of burglaries have been committed. Two police officers arrive to investigate, and as the story unfolds, the secrets of the street are uncovered. A Christmas tale about character and relationships that leaves you feeling warm inside.
M.J. Hollows recommends…
Unsurprisingly the lead up to Christmas is one of my favourite times of year. The nights draw in and light takes on that jewel-like quality. What better evenings are there to get cosy on the sofa and read a good book? At this time of year, I can think of little better than getting lost in the pages of an atmospheric crime novel. In Scandinavia, a part of the world I am very fond of, it is even tradition to gift a crime novel to loved ones on New Year’s Eve so that they can spend Christmas Day immersed in its pages.
Every year I make sure to read at least one of my favourites by the great Agatha Christie. Her books are easy to read, meticulously crafted, and as heavy hitting as any crime novel. This year I will be reading The Murder of Roger Akroyd. This is arguably one of the best Poirot novels and an excellent example of Christie’s meticulous use of language and literary technique.
I also mentioned my love of all things Scandinavian, and there are none better, in my opinion, than the works of journalists Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. They used detective Martin Beck to highlight Swedish social issues in the 1960s. Their tight writing and authentic dialogue is incredibly engaging and infinitely readable. I will be adding The Fire Engine that Disappeared to my Christmas reading list.
Thank you Mick Finlay and M.J. Hollows for your excellent thrilling recommendations! Make sure you check out their books: the Arrowood Mystery series, and The German Nurse.
To read the other christmas comfort blog posts, click here. Keep your eyes peeled on here, or on our twitter for more Christmas Comfort Reads over the next few weeks.
