Sleighing, Slaying, and Peak Christmas Cozy Vibes

Goodreads | A Killer for Christmas

Release date: September 22, 2026

Publisher: Crooked Lane

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis:

Wrapped in red has a bloody new meaning in this contemporary holiday romance with a murderous twist, perfect for readers who enjoyed The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

Christmasville, Maine, is the only place where Kelsey Hendricks has ever felt happy. When she loses both her job and her boyfriend, the move is a no-brainer, especially when she sees a listing for a position as Christmasville’s social media manager. Surrounded by twinkling lights and candy canes and with the perfect job, this tinsel town is working its magic on Kelsey. With two heartthrobs vying for her attention, her life is now just like a Christmas movie.

Except for the murders.

The first one is dismissed as an accident. But after the second, and definitely the third, it becomes abundantly clear that Santa is leaving coal in someone’s stocking this year.

Determined to bring back the holly jolly spirit to the town before tourists begin canceling their reservations, Kelsey must sleuth her way out of a chilling murder mystery and back to a holiday rom-com.

This charming and clever mystery-romance where a cozy winter wonderland warms the heart while suspense chills the bones is the perfect read for the holiday season.

Review:

A Killer for Christmas was such a fun surprise! Christmasville is exactly the kind of over the top holiday town I want in a Christmas cozy—twinkling lights, carolers, hot cocoa, festive events, and apparently…a serial killer. 😂 The combination shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does, but I had so much fun with it.

I really liked Kelsey as a lead. She’s easy to root for, and her new life in Christmasville gives the story that fresh start coziness I love. There’s also a burgeoning romantic relationship that has plenty of room to develop, and I would be thrilled if this turned into a series so we could spend more time with Kelsey, the town, and that relationship.

What really surprised me, though, was how invested I was in the actual mystery. Sometimes with cozies, I’m perfectly content to let the murder happen in the background while I enjoy the food, town, characters, and general vibes. Not here! The mystery was strong, moved quickly, and kept me genuinely curious about what was happening. The pacing made this incredibly easy to fly through.

It’s basically: there’s a serial killer on the loose, but first let’s grab some hot cocoa and listen to the choir sing Christmas carols. 😂 Cozy holiday charm + an engaging mystery was exactly the combination I wanted. We are either sleighing or slaying in Christmasville, and apparently we’re doing both.

Perfect for readers who love:

• 🎄 Over the top Christmas town charm
• 🔪 Cozy mysteries with a genuinely strong mystery
• ☕ Hot cocoa, carolers & holiday festivities
• ❤️ A little romance alongside the sleuthing
• 🎁 Fast, easy to binge seasonal reads
• 🕵️ Amateur sleuth heroines you want to follow
• ❄️ Murder mixed with maximum cozy vibes
• 🩸 A slightly darker edge to holiday coziness

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy

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