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The Santa Klaus Murder
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
40 posts | 27 read | 25 to read
'This extremely clever country-house murder mystery is the perfect holiday gift for the avid cosy crime fan. It has an aristocratic setting, a dead earl, and a major suspect ... There are loads of clues, red herrings, and twists in a truly classic Christmas mystery with all the golden age patina.' --Globe and Mail Aunt Mildred declared that no good could come of the Melbury family Christmas gatherings at their country residence Flaxmere. So when Sir Osmond Melbury, the family patriarch, is discovered - by a guest dressed as Santa Klaus - with a bullet in his head on Christmas Day, the festivities are plunged into chaos. Nearly every member of the party stands to reap some sort of benefit from Sir Osmond's death, but Santa Klaus, the one person who seems to have every opportunity to fire the shot, has no apparent motive. Various members of the family have their private suspicions about the identity of the murderer, and the Chief Constable of Haulmshire, who begins his investigations by saying that he knows the family too well and that is his difficulty, wishes before long that he understood them better. In the midst of mistrust, suspicion and hatred, it emerges that there was not one Santa Klaus, but two.
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review
catiewithac
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this Christmas murder mystery! I knew it was going to be a good one because there was a house layout on the first page. I did figure out the murderer but there were a plenty of false directions. Solid holiday novel from the Golden Age of British mysteries! 🔫 ☠️ 🎄

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great cover 💜 11mo
55 likes1 stack add1 comment
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catiewithac
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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@Mitch thank you for sending me this festive holiday gift!!! #LitsyLove 🎁 🎅🏼 🎄 ☠️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️💚❤️ 12mo
AmyG Love the cover. 12mo
53 likes2 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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RainyDayReading
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Mehso-so

This was fine. Not mind blowing but entertaining for what it is. Though it would have been better if I hadn‘t read the synopsis since it gives away a major plot point that I think would have made me more invested in the mystery if I hadn‘t known about it. If you like classic crime and manor mysteries full of unlikeable rich people with a murderous holiday twist, you‘d probably enjoy this one.

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IndoorDame
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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I just discovered this title. I‘m definitely going to need to read this next Christmas! #Santa #DivineDecember @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Looks great! 2y
52 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kspenmoll
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#winterreadathondailychallenge #tree
Our tree will not be up until Sunday. So here is my little glass tree and a book with a tree on its cover.🎄🎄🎄

DieAReader 🎄♥️ 2y
Andrew65 Ours isn;t up yet either. Love that book cover 🎄🎄🎄 2y
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
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PurpleyPumpkin
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Pickpick

I read this book in December due to its Christmas theme. But it‘s a classic whodunnit that could be read at any time of year. An enjoyable English mystery that had me guessing until the end! 3.5/5⭐️
(January 15, 2022)

MemoirsForMe Good to know! I‘m always up for a little Christmas spirit any time of the year. 3y
57 likes1 comment
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CaitZ
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

Written in 1936, this reads like a classic murder mystery. A murder occurs during a Christmas celebration at an English country manor. The crime is first told by the family, then the police take over the narrative and finish it. It was a good story and kept me changing my mind about the conclusion.

#WinterGames2020 #ReadNosedReindeer #ReadYourWay #bookspinbingo #dashingDecember #WinterSolstice @StayCurious @Andrew65 @TheAromaofBooks @Bookgoil

TheSpineView 🤩📖📚 4y
Bookgoil Sounds great! ❤️ 4y
Andrew65 Sounds good 👏👏👏 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
29 likes5 comments
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veritysalter
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42 likes2 stack adds
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Librarybelle
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Pickpick

A classic mystery featuring murder and...Santa Claus! Hay uses the voices of various characters to set the scene, along with the voice of the local Colonel/councilor of the area. I liked this - almost a locked room mystery with red herrings thrown into the mix. And the lies! Who‘s telling the truth??? Short, quick read.

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veritysalter
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

#WinterGames #MerryReaders #24b42020 #HolidayRead - I‘ve finished my 24b42020 and all my Christmas reading with three hours to spare before I go to a NYE party!! Fabulous book.

Andrew65 Fantastic time! 🍾🥂🥳🎯🤩👏👏👏🙌 5y
Clwojick 21 pt 5y
32 likes2 comments
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quietjenn
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Happy Christmas! I hope yours is full of love and fun and no crime! xo

BookishMarginalia But lots of crime-filled books! 5y
Laura317 Santa apparently has a rap sheet. He did run over Grandma with. Reindeer. 5y
CarolynM Merry Christmas 🎄 5y
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LeahBergen And to you, too! 5y
quietjenn @Laura317 he's really in no position to be judging anyone as either naughty it nice, given his behavior. 5y
quietjenn @CarolynM @LeahBergen thank you, friends! 5y
61 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Hestapleton
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
Mehso-so

I always have a hard time with procedural mysteries, simply because I don‘t read many of them. It takes me too long to slip into the role of detective for it to be enjoyable. I find I like more action than speculation/ruminating. HOWEVER. I AM a sucker for a Christmas murder, so ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. #wintergames #holidayread #teamfozziwig

BarkingMadRead ❄️❄️❄️ 5y
batsy I love a good Christmas mystery, but found this quite slow. 5y
25 likes2 comments
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Mdargusch
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

I‘m a sucker for classic British house party murder books and this one did not disappoint. There were so many characters that could‘ve committed a murder dressed up as Santa Klaus! 🎅🏼. I didn‘t guess the culprit until the end, so that‘s always a win. This is a perfect December read.

batsy Glad you enjoyed it! 5y
BarbaraBB It looks super attractive! 🎄 5y
Reviewsbylola I loved the one I read this year! 5y
kspenmoll I enjoyed this too when I read it last Christmas! Happy holidays! (edited) 5y
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batsy
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Mehso-so

My murdery Christmas book binge continues 😆 'Tis the season 🎄🗡️ I adore the aesthetics of the BL Crime Classics so it bums me out when the books don't live up. This is one I've been anticipating but turned out to be average. It started out strong with multiple viewpoints, but midway after the crime, my eyes glazed over because the detective's perspective is a snoozefest. The resolution left me in slack-jawed amazement; it was so uninteresting.

Mdargusch Ha! I‘m getting ready to start this today! Sad you only gave it a “so-so”. 😕 5y
batsy @Mdargusch Don't let me put you off 😁 I hope you enjoy it! 🎅💀 5y
marleed Great review though of a so-so experience! 5y
See All 14 Comments
Tamra Oh shoot! 5y
youneverarrived I‘m always drawn to these because of the covers but then think they probably aren‘t for me. 5y
erzascarletbookgasm Oh, bummer..the cover looks promising! 5y
batsy @marleed Thank you 🙂 5y
batsy @Tamra 😬 5y
batsy @youneverarriveds I enjoy murder mysteries and have liked a few in this series. But this one sadly didn't work for me! 5y
batsy @erzascarletbookgasm These covers ❤️ 5y
rwmg There may be reasons these books went out of print. Which reminds me of the response to complaints that the first batch of revivals were all by men - the women never went out of print. 5y
readordierachel The drink looks delicious! Too bad the book wasn't as good. 5y
batsy @rwmg That's an interesting stat! I can't speak to most of the series because I've only read a couple before this one, and both of those I really enjoyed (one male author, one female :) 5y
batsy @readordierachel It's my standard at this cafe when I want to indulge... They call it a white Vienna... Cappuccino with a dollop of whipped cream 😁 5y
68 likes14 comments
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shanaqui
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
Pickpick

Sounds Christmas-y, but that's mostly just because of the Santa costume that is used during the murder. It's another bunch of dissatisfied family members hoping to inherit from a crotchety old man. Entertaining, but not outstanding.

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kspenmoll
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LeahBergen This was a fun one (I read it last Christmas)! 5y
43 likes1 comment
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Hestapleton
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Eeee thank you so much @Bookwormjillk !!! I woke up early so I could open everything before work and this was such a delight! The fun notepads are coming with me to work and the bookworm button will be excellent book mark! The books like fantastic and I can‘t wait to save the tagged one for Christmas. You‘re the best! #summersantagoespostal

erzascarletbookgasm Lovely gifts! 💗 5y
Hestapleton @erzascarletbookgasm I know right? Everything is so cute and summery!! 5y
Sarah83 I loved tagged book. Such a great mystery 😍 5y
Bookwormjillk I‘m glad you like it! 5y
71 likes4 comments
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mabell
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

Great read for the holiday season!
This murder mystery is filled with motives, prevarications, and flat out lies. A family country house Christmas party turns deadly, and the story is told from the point of view of various members of the family and the investigating detective. What clues inadvertently come out in their narrations? Which are the true clues among all the false leads?

LeahBergen I liked this one, too! 👏🏻👏🏻 6y
mabell @LeahBergen I‘m excited to finally get to my British Crime Classics! By this author, I also have 6y
LeahBergen I have that one, too, and also this one (set in a girl‘s school) 6y
39 likes1 stack add3 comments
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mabell
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Dipping into this Christmas classic murder mystery from the awesome @Gissy ! It is unique format - each chapter is "written" by a different character. It has a very informal, conversational tone.

Teddy left me *at least* a couple inches on the couch. ?

robinb This sounds good! Enjoy! 😊 6y
Sarah83 It's such a great book. Really loved it. 💕 6y
LeahBergen Shove over, Teddy! 😆 6y
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mabell @robinb I'm enjoying it so far, and it's such fun to read it by my tree! 😍❤️🎄😊 6y
mabell @Sarah83 oh good! I'm just a few chapters in. Lots of possible motives! 😅😂 6y
mabell @LeahBergen it's amazing how deadweight that bundle of 60 lbs can be. 😂 6y
robinb @mabell Everything is always better by the Christmas tree! 👍😊🎄 6y
Gissy That's good to know that you are enjoying it! Im here also reading last 2018 books. Perfect day to read since it has been raining all day. 6y
Gissy I forgot to mention that I have been eating also the delicious chocolate/mint cookies!😋 6y
mabell @Gissy Yay! I'm glad you like the cookies. 😊 Rainy day reading sounds really nice! I keep hoping for snow, but it has been a very mild winter so far. 6y
47 likes10 comments
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Bookwormjillk
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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This is the kind of thing I do on break that I always tell myself I should find the time to do regularly, but don‘t actually ever do until next year‘s break- sit outside, watch the sunset, light a candle, and read a book. Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

JoScho Same to you 🎄❤️ 6y
jenreads7 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! My kids call Christmas Eve Eve “Christmas Adam.” 😂 6y
24 likes3 comments
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kspenmoll
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#KAT #catsoflitsy #christmasread
Poe thinks my book is a snooze. He also loves stealing my pillow- loves the fleece case!

ReadingSusan Sweet Poe 😻 6y
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kspenmoll
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#teachersofLitsy #teachergifts #catsoflitsy #KAL

Emmy cannot stop snugging the snowflake hand towels I got from a student. Trying to write thank you notes to students tonight.Tomorrow is our last day before holidays! I have such generous students who delight in gift giving. The hand crafted ones are the best. Planning on reading tagged book when done.

Dragon 😻 6y
Suet624 💕💕💕 6y
83 likes2 comments
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Mdargusch
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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I‘ve been reading a lot of these British Library Crime Classics recently and this one not only comes with a map but a character list too! Oh happy day! 😍😍😍

erzascarletbookgasm Love it when they have maps in the books! 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Love it when they have maps in the books! 6y
emilyhaldi Perfect time to read 🎅🏼 6y
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LeahBergen I‘m reading it right now and keep flipping to the map. 😆 6y
Sarah83 Loved this one 🤩 6y
Reviewsbylola This looks cute! 6y
Reviewsbylola Have you read this one? 6y
kspenmoll Just started this ! 6y
Mdargusch I have to keep flipping to the list of characters! @LeahBergen 6y
Mdargusch No. But it sounds good @Reviewsbylola 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Merry Christmas ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
Mdargusch Merry Christmas @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ! 🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼 6y
89 likes1 stack add12 comments
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kspenmoll
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#Christmasmystery #2
Finished The Mistletoe Murder #pdjames #buddyread
Up next, the tagged book. 🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻🎁📚❣️🔔

50 likes1 stack add
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LeahBergen
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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The only thing that tops a good country house murder mystery is a good country house murder mystery at Christmas. 😉

Up next ... here‘s hoping it‘s a good one. 🎅🏻

Aimeesue Great reprint series! I have both of the short story collections, which are mostly excellent (with a couple of What The Hey‘s for casual misogyny , etc.) And the covers are lovely! 6y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders Love this cover! 6y
JoScho Looks fun! 6y
See All 10 Comments
Reviewsbylola 🥰🥰🥰 perfect holiday reading. 6y
batsy 😍 6y
robinb Ohhh, stacked! 👍😊 6y
LauraBeth But if Santa is killed, then who will deliver the presents? 6y
merelybookish Any chance you're spending Xmas on the Sunshine Coast? 6y
LeahBergen @merelybookish Oh, crap! I forgot to answer you last time. I‘m so sorry! No, not this year. ☹️ We tend to go there in summer (and sometimes in spring). We should meet there sometime in August for the Writer/Book Festival! 😄 6y
merelybookish @LeahBergen Well I'm sure it's nicer in the spring/summer. It's pretty dark and dreary in December! 6y
110 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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kspenmoll
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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#TBR #latepost #SeasonsReadings #Day1

My picks for December. Just got around to posting this. 🎄🎁🎅🏻❄️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great stack!! 6y
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quietjenn
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Finally made it home to my #sss #stuffedstockingswap package. How wonderful and generous you are, @nelehelen - I'm gobsmacked by your kindness and don't know where to begin. Thank you ever so much! And thanks to @Avanders for organizing! Merry Christmas, y'all!

nelehelen You‘re so welcome! I had so much fun picking stuff out for you. Merry Christmas!! 6y
Avanders 😍🎄♥️🥰❄️ 6y
mcipher Wow!! So many fun things there 😊 6y
69 likes3 comments
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Jess_Read_This
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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🎅🏻Murder in the English countryside?
🎄During a Christmas house party?
🎅🏻Suspect found with a gun dressed as Santa Claus?
🙋🏽‍♀️Yes, please! I‘m all in!

#currentlyreading #whodunit #hastherebeenamurder
#mysterylover

batsy I just got this in the mail, hope I actually read it this year 😆 6y
Jess_Read_This @batsy I got this one earlier this year and have been saving it in anticipation of the holiday! 6y
LeahBergen I‘ve been saving this for a Christmas read, too. 👍🏻 6y
See All 8 Comments
LeahBergen @batsy 😆 You‘ve described me perfectly. 6y
Sarah83 I really loved this one last year. 😍 @batsy @LeahBergen 6y
batsy @Sarah83 Nice! I remember you posting about it ☺️ @LeahBergen We're incorrigible 😂 6y
Jess_Read_This @batsy @LeahBergen So if I get distracted and this one falls to the wayside, it‘s completely forgivable? 😂 6y
batsy Absolutely! No judgment from me 😂 6y
83 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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Bookwormjillk
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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I‘ve been waiting all year to read this.

Sarah83 It's such a great one 😊 6y
Jess_Read_This Me too! I just started reading this last night. 6y
23 likes2 comments
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Palimpsest
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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@Sarah83 I can‘t thank you enough for for the book which was so kind of you to give me, but also for the delightful bookmarks! What a wonderful surprise to find in the mail today! Yes, this gives me motivation to improve in German. Danke! 😄

Sarah83 Glad it arrived safe. 🤗 7y
38 likes1 comment
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Sarah83
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

What a nice cozy mystery. 😍 I really liked this one. It deals with another writing structure, I used to read and this was really great. Some characters were a bit annoying, but they fit in the story. 🤗

As I liked it, I would start a little #giveaway, as I got this book twice on Christmas. 🙈 If you are interested, please comment below. It's open internationally and you can enter until January 1st, 20 pm (European time). 🤗

Book_Shark This sounds great! Might just have to get a copy myself. Thinking it would be a great addition to my #BooksOf2018 ! 📚🦈 7y
Palimpsest Ich lerne Deutsch. I am somewhat of a beginner though, so this book may be too difficult for me to understand, but it could be a good motivation too! 😊 (edited) 7y
Mdargusch I would love a copy I‘m a big cozy fan. 🙋🏼‍♀️ 7y
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Sarah83 @Mdargusch but you know it's a German edition 😉 7y
Mdargusch Oops. No I did not see that Never mind. 😁 7y
Sarah83 @Mdargusch so you don't want to get it? 😉 7y
Mdargusch I would hate to have that book languish on my shelf 😛 7y
Sarah83 @Mdargusch ok 😂 7y
Sarah83 @Palimpsest I think you are the only one, who wants this book. 😘 Please write me at Goodreads your address. My is handle is Sarah83L 7y
Palimpsest @Sarah83 Thank you very much! 😊 I sent you my address on your Goodreads account. 7y
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Sarah83
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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After the comics I need another cozy mystery. This one seems pretty perfect. 😊
It's my 99th book this year, I hope I will manage 100.
But as I have to work the next days, it won't be easy. 🙈

drokka Here's hoping you'll be able to squeeze one more in. Perhaps a children's book? 7y
Sarah83 @drokka that might be a good idea. 😉 But first I have to read this one. 😉 7y
Amandajoy Time to pick the shortest book you can find! 7y
Sarah83 @Amandajoy that's a really good idea. 😉 7y
75 likes4 comments
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Gissy
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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Pickpick

A murder occurred during Christmas Day and every one is a suspect.Full of lies that will conduct to resolve the mystery.Narrated in general by some character's perspective & by Col Halstock analysis of the event.The end was a stereotyped one.Novels should been analyzed within their zeitgeist context but it was difficult to stay away from my cognitive schema🤷🏻‍♀️there are some discriminatory comments against woman But in general I enjoyed it 3⭐️

mabell I love the British golden age mysteries, but you definitely have to be willing to overlook very classist remarks. Servants and the "lower classes" were frequently deprecated as not equal. Policemen were below the gentry. At times it can make me very uncomfortable. But you're right, you have to keep in mind the time period. 7y
Gissy @mabell If you have know other good ones please let me know. The majority of these ones had been by Litsy recommendations! I love Litsy! 😍 7y
mabell I love love love the Georgette Heyer mysteries. (Except Penhallow 👎) I'll keep an eye on your feed for ones to add to my list! 😂 7y
Gissy @mabell Then I will read A Christmas Party!! 🤗I will order it right now! I'm in the Christmas spirit and here we celebrate this season until January! 👍I'm reading right now a fluffy one but it had been in my tbr since last year. But as soon as I finish that one and the sequel I will read Mystery in White! 7y
mabell Yes do! A Christmas Party (also called Envious Casca) is so good! I just reread it, didn't want it to end and started reading it again 😆 Mystery in White is also on my TBR, thanks to Litsy! 7y
60 likes5 comments
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Sarah83
The Santa Klaus Murder | Mavis Doriel Hay
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I loved the left one last year around Christmas, so I had to buy the right aswell. In German the titles are quite the same. The left one uses the colour white and the right one the colour read. Maybe next year there will be a third book, which uses the colour green? Then all Christmas colours appeared. 🤗 #coverbuy

rubyslippersreads 😍📚😍 7y
batsy Love these covers! 7y
Sarah83 @rubyslippersreads @batsy Thank you so much. 😍 7y
See All 9 Comments
Jess_Read_This These covers are just perfection! ❤️ 7y
Sarah83 @Jess_Read_This yes. So lovely 7y
Kaylamburson I agree with everyone. These are great covers!! Makes me want to curl up and read them. 7y
Sarah83 @Kaylamburson In Germany they are published as 'forgotten treasures of literature'. 😏 7y
Kaylamburson Ohhh, I love that!! 7y
Sarah83 @Kaylamburson that's why I needed to buy it. 😍 7y
51 likes9 comments
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rabbitprincess
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This was a pretty darn Christmassy read!

#seasonsreadings2016

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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

Definitely a festive read, and a gorgeous cover!

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rabbitprincess
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👍 A++ unintentional pun 😄

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AAdamson
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Continuing my Christmas themed reading. Excited about joining the #LitsyReadingChallenge2017!

OSChamberlain I might join too since I'm finally done with my degree ☺️ 8y
MarthaG I had not heard of this challenge. Must check it out. 8y
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CJEskriett
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bolshevist tendencies of the WI!!😂