The Crime Warp Advent Calendar: who needs chocolate when you can have a Crime Short Story each Day (13th - 25th)

Now for the second part of our Christmas count down with A Criminally Short Read - A - Day Christmas Treat.  From  the criminally comic to the nostalgically nefarious, from  the raunchy romance  to the decidedly dark, 
these reads are beautifully thrilling.

Counterfeit Christmas: A Nancy Drew Mystery (2015) by Carolyn Keene.
One for the teens! When counterfeit notes surface on the market and Nancy's friend inadvertently passes them along Nancy gets on the case to find the counterfeiters.
Available on kindle £4.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Counterfeit-Christmas-Nancy-Drew-Files-ebook/dp/B00SP34U6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447429496&sr=8-2&keywords=nancy+drew+christmas+mystery

Agatha Raisin and The Blood of An Englishman (2014) by M.C. Beaton
During a Christmas production of Babes In the Wood, one of the actors falls to his death through a trapdoor in the stage.  Immediately Agatha in her cumbersome  humorous 

manner begins to investigate the death.  A typical well written funny and Christmas themed Cotswold mystery for fans of Cosy Crime.
Available on Kindle£4.99, HB £13.48, PB £5.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Raisin-Blood-Englishman-Beaton-ebook/dp/B00NT1JRJW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447520050&sr=1-3&keywords=agatha+raisin

Bryant & May: The Secret Santa (A Peculiar Crimes Unit Story) (2015) by Christopher Fowler.
A delightful Christmas short story featuring the intrepid duo.  When a boy runs in front of a bus to his death, after visiting Santa in a department store, the peculiar crimes unit are called in to investigate.  A look back at an era when visiting Santa's grotto in a department store was he highlight of Christmas.  A very good read.

The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Hay is a delightfully old fashioned murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie.  When Sir Oswald Melbury is murdered on Christmas day all the Christmas visitors are under suspicion and each of them has his or her own motive for wanting the man dead.
Available free on kindle unlimited or £2.99 to buy or £6.29 in PB
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Santa-Murder-British-Library-Classics/dp/0712356304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448877965&sr=8-1&keywords=the+santa+klaus+murder

Santa 365 by Spencer Quinn, in an attempt to entertain his son over Christmas, Bernie employs Plumpy to fill the festive season with holiday cheer.  However after a theft from their home Bernie and his trusty sidekick Chet, set out to find the thief. A fun Christmas holiday read.
Available on Kindle 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ebooks-Santa-365-Bernie-Mystery-eShort-ebook/dp/B00VNX9JA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448878466&sr=8-1&keywords=santa+365

An Historic crime from the British Library The man In The Snow  by Rory Clements is a John Shakespeare mystery.  When a dead man is found naked in the snow with a holly wreath adorning his head, Shakespeare is confronted with a viscious murderer who threatens to kill again.
Available on kindle 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Snow-Christmas-Crime-Shakespeare-ebook/dp/B00A7BO1O8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448879508&sr=1-1&keywords=the+man+in+the+snow

Crime At Christmas by C.H.B. Kitchen (2015) is a nostaligic crime fiction in the style of Agatha Christie with her traditional murder mystery. Stockbroker sleuth Malcolm Warren is spending Christmas with friends and family at Beresford Lodge when a series of violent murders implicates one of the guests as the murderer.  It has a a vivid array of characters, a sumptuous setting and is one to read with a mug of cocoa and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Available on Kindle £3.79 or PB £6.11
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crime-at-Christmas-C-Kitchin/dp/0571325939/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449581460&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+crime+fiction

Here's one for fans of cozy crime
Dreaming Of a Silent Night by Lawrence J Slaton is a women sleuth mystery cozy festive crime story.  This is definately one for the commute as it'll only take half an hour to read.  When mayor Henry dies in a local restaurant after a severe allergic reaction where his epi-pen is missing, local weather girl Susan suspects foul play.  
Available on Amazon kindle £1.99 or free on kindle unlimited
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Cozy-Women-Sleuths-Collections-ebook/dp/B0184GEKXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1449583079&sr=1-1&keywords=dreaming+of+a+silent+christmas

The Eve of Murder by James Whitworth (2015) is set in Whitby on the eve of a great literary festival designed to put Whitby back on the cultural map.  When the festival organiser Georgina Callan is discovered strangled to death on the West Cliff at the spot her father committed suicide the previous year. Atmospheric and compelling a good read featuring DI Frank Miller. 
Available on Amazon Kindle £1.99 or free on kindle unlimited

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016AABED0?keywords=the%20eve%20of%20murder%20james%20whitworth&qid=1449582253&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

This one is for fans of historic crime: A Christmas Escape by Anne Perry (2015) takes us back to 1866 to Italy's volcanic island Stromboli where  the volcano threatens to erupt.  As Charles Latterly leads the guests to safety they become aware they hold a murderer in their midsts.
Available on Amazon kindle £8.49 or HB £12.74
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Escape-Anne-Perry-ebook/dp/B00PW5V8W2/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449583377&sr=1-12&keywords=christmas+crime+fiction

Dying for Christmas by Tammy Cohen is a thrilling and twisty psychological tale that'll leave you spinning.  A woman is kidnapped and to mark the twelve days of Christmas her killer gives her a gift every day.  Hold on to your seats because this is a whirlwind that will leave you breathless.
Available in Kindle for £4.99 or PB £6.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dying-Christmas-Tammy-Cohen-ebook/dp/B00M2P29E6/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449583377&sr=1-11&keywords=christmas+crime+fiction

The Christmas Killer by Jim Gallows is another seat of the pants Christmas thriller.  When the mutilated body of a young woman is found on a construction site on the days leading up to Christmas,Detective Jake Austin investigates.  When further remains are discovered it becomes clear the two murders are linked.
Available on Amazon kindle £1.99 or PB £7.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Christmas-Killer-Gallows/dp/1405920254/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51bdlCW-mLL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=08XS0ZXABFFD43GVSSVZ