The Crime Warp Advent Calendar: who needs chocolate when you can have a Crime Short Story each Day ( 1st - 12th Dec)

A Criminally Short Read - A - Day (and a few full length reads), Christmas Treat From  the criminally comic to the  nostalgically nefarious, from  the raunchy romance  to the decidedly dark, 
these reads are beautifully thrilling.

If Snow Hadn't Fallen (2012) by Sharon Bolton
A Lacey Flint short story.  When a Muslim man is set alight near Lacey's home the police fear it is a racist attack. But, who is the mysterious woman in black that Lacey sees hovering around the area?
Available on kindle £1.49
http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Snow-Hadnt-Fallen-Lacey-ebook/dp/B00AQIFMX6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447419529&sr=1-1&keywords=If+the+snow+hadn%27t+fallen


And here's one for  younger kids! Famous Five Christmas Short Story: Happy Christmas Five! by Enid Blyton.
It's Kirrin Cottage  at Christmas and Timmy is sent out for being a naughty dog leaving the house open to an opportunistic thief to steal all the presents.

Can our intrepid heroes solve this festive mystery?  This is a heart-warming story with lovely, modern colour illustrations to rejuvenate it. A nice little stocking filler.
Available on Kindle £3.99 or PB £5.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Famous-Five-Colour-Short-Stories/dp/1444916270/ref=sr_1_13_twi_pap_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447421376&sr=1-13&keywords=christmas+short+stories

Silent Nights:Christmas Mysteries (2015) edited by Martin Edwards for The British Library is a collection of classic Christmas crime fiction from the likes of G K Chesterton

, Arthur Conan Doyle, Margery Allingham and Dorothy L. Sayers, to name a few. Well worth a read to while away the long winter nights.
Available on kindle £2.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/381/dp/B0111Y3D1G/ref=sr_1_26?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447422015&sr=1-26&keywords=christmas+short+stories


Murder Decks The Halls (2015) by Deb Baker
When one of the Hall brothers is killed by an exploding stick of dynamite Gertie Johnson's plans for a peaceful Christmas fishing are dramatically changed.  A story full of heart and love for the festive season.
Available on  Kindle for 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Decks-Halls-Christmas-Johnson-ebook/dp/B017HNQBPK/ref=sr_1_54?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447423063&sr=1-54&keywords=christmas+short+stories




Richard Montanari's A Christmas Killing (2014) takes us back to Christmas Eve 1988. Detective Kevin Byrne and his partner Francis Sheehan delve right into the heart of New York's notoriously rough Devil's Pocket, where a woman has been brutally assaulted.  Gritty and gripping!
Available as an ebook exclusive.  Kindle 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Killing-Kevin-Byrne-Balzano-ebook/dp/B00OU7DC8Q/ref=sr_1_162?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447423959&sr=1-162&keywords=christmas+short+stories

Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas (2015) by Lesley Langtry.
All five of Missi Bomnbay's targets are on Santa's naughty list.  Agatha Christie style, on an isolated island, during the festive season the victims begin to die,one by one.  Both humerous and thrilling!
Available on kindle for 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Have-Yourself-Deadly-Little-Christmas-ebook-x/dp/B00WRMWU2A/ref=sr_1_230?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447426936&sr=1-230&keywords=christmas+short+stories

The Adventure of The Christmas Pudding (2013) by Agatha Christie.
A delightful classic from the queen of the genre, featuring Hercule Poirot.  In the countryside with the Lacey's for Christmas, Poirot must locate a missing ruby.  Come on get your little grey cells working before Christmas with this delightful mystery.
Available in Kindle 99p, HB £9.25, PB £7.99 and free with audible trial
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventure-Christmas-Pudding-Hercule-Poirot-ebook/dp/B00D64I4VY/ref=sr_1_303?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447427557&sr=1-303&keywords=christmas+short+stories

In A Deep, Dark December (2014) by Paul Finch.  
Five chillingly disturbing christmas nightmares for the price of one! Ghouls, pantomimes, the undead, winter goddesses and thieves will chill your heart in this short story collection.
Available free on Kindle unlimited or for 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Dark-December-Paul-Finch-ebook/dp/B00P2L21P4/ref=sr_1_367?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447428440&sr=1-367&keywords=christmas+short+stories

The Christmas Murder (2015) by M. A. Wallace
On Christmas Eve morning in Philadelphia, Detective Michael Ross is called in to investigate a grisly human dismemberment case.  However, when the case seems to involve Ross' recent past it gets a whole lot more complicated.
Available free on Kindle unlimited or 99p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/CHRISTMAS-MURDER-Michael-Ross-Novel-ebook/dp/B016QYD3CA/ref=sr_1_384?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447429088&sr=1-384&keywords=christmas+short+stories


Cherringham, cosy crime series : A Fatal  Fall (2015)  by M Costello & N Richards. 

This a monthly series of short stories set in the village of Cherringham.  Great for fans of cosy crime. just before Christmas

a builder complains about non-adherance to safety regulations and shortly afterwards is found dead.  Jack an ex cop from America and Sarah an English web designer soon become involved and find themselves at risk.
Available on Kindle £1.49
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cherringham-Fatal-Crime-Mystery-Shorts-ebook/dp/B00TYEVYIU/ref=sr_1_834?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447516799&sr=1-834&keywords=christmas+short+stories



Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Jackson Sharp 
When the body of a Police Officer is discovered Detective Inspector Kerry Cox refuses to believe it's a suicide.  Then, historical events seem to impact on the case and Kerry is drawn into a case involving paedophiles and a killer desperate for revenge.  A thrilling read for Christmas.
Available on Kindle £4.99 and PB £7.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twelve-Deaths-Christmas-Jackson-Sharp-ebook/dp/B010MZD63U/ref=sr_1_43?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447518614&sr=1-43&keywords=christmas+crime+fiction


A Cold White Fear:  A Meg Harris Mystery (2015)by R.J.Harlick

When a major blizzard cuts off access to Meg's cabin, she and her Adjidamo are stranded.  Then, two mysterious men turn up, one of them wounded.  Suddenly everything changes and Meg finds herself fighting to save herself and Adjidamo. Thrilling and suspenseful.
Available in Kindle £7.19 or PB £11.90
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-White-Fear-Harris-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00VM4ROIO/ref=sr_1_65?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447519505&sr=1-65&keywords=christmas+crime+fiction