For some people, the Winter holidays can't start soon enough or last long enough. Not all Holiday Fiction has a Christmas tree on the front either, though most do have snow. Holiday based fiction does have quite a following, and its almost as much fun to talk about the ones we like as it is to read them. The books below were metioned by the members of the Let's Talk Books group when we discussed Holiday Reads.
To learn more about Let's Talk Books and our upcoming discussions check out https://www.icpl.org/events/ages/adults
American Christmas stories
813.01 /American
Christmas took on its modern cast in America, and over the last 150 years the most magical time of the year has inspired scores of astonishingly diverse and ingenious stories. Library of America joins with acclaimed author Connie Willis to present a unparalleled collection of American stories about Christmas, literary gems that showcase how the holiday became one of the signature aspects of our culture. Spanning from the origins of the American tradition of holiday storytelling in the wake of the Civil War to today, this is the biggest and best anthology of American Christmas stories ever assembled. From ghost stories to the genres of crime, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, humor, and horror, stories of Christmas morning, gifts, wise men, nativities, family, commercialism, and dinners from New York to Texas to outer space, this anthology reveals the evolution of Christmas in America--as well as the surprising ways in which it has remained the same.
The Christmas card crime : and other stories
808.83872 /Christmas
A Christmas party is punctuated by a gunshot under a policeman's watchful eye. A jewel heist is planned amidst the glitz and glamour of Oxford Streets Christmas shopping. Lost in a snowstorm, a man finds a motive for murder. Featuring stories by John Bude and E.C.R. Lorac, as well as tales by little-known writers of crime fiction, this collection of mysteries explores the darker side of the festive season, from unexplained disturbances in the fresh snow to the darkness that lurks beneath the sparkling decorations"--
The Christmas promise
Evans, Richard Paul, author.
FICTION Evans Richard
Twins Richelle and Michelle Bach couldn't be more different, and their paths diverge as they embark after graduation. After several years they both come home for Christmas at their father's bequest.. What happens then forever damages their relationship, and Richelle vows never to see or speak to her sister again. In his last days, her father asks her to forgive Michelle-- but it's too late: Michelle is killed in an accident. Working a hospital PICU, Richelle begins to write a book: The Prodigal Daughter. When she meets Justin Ek, a man who harbors his own loss, a secret promise is revealed. -- adapted from jacket
The Christmas spirit : a novel
Macomber, Debbie, author.
FICTION Macomber Debbie
Two lifelong friends, a bartender and a pastor, decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way in this delightful novel from the queen of holiday stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Peter Rhinehart and Hank Meyer are best friends, but their lives couldn't be more different. Peter is a local pastor who is dedicated to his community. He spends his time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker gang. When Peter scoffs that Hank has it easy compared to him, the two decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To their surprise, the responsibilities of both bartender and pastor are similar, but much more difficult than either of them expected. As Peter and Hank begin to see one another's lives in a new light, and each discovers a new love to cherish, their lives are forever changed. In The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber celebrates the true meaning of the holidays and the inclusive community spirit that binds us all.
The deal of a lifetime : a novella
Backman, Fredrik, 1981- author.
FICTION Backman Fredrik
It's Christmas Even morning. Years ago a man abandoned his son to pursue professional success; now he wonders if it's too late to forge a relationship with him. One week earlier, in a hospital late at night, the man met a five-year-old girl with cancer. When the man is given the chance to do something selfless that could change the destiny of the little girl in the hospital bed, he needs to find out what his own life has actually been worth in the eyes of his son before he makes the deal of a lifetime.
Dear Santa : a novel
Macomber, Debbie, author.
FICTION Macomber Debbie
"Lindy Carmichael isn't feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. The man she thought was the one has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels completely devoid of creativity in her graphic-design job. Not even carolers or Christmas cookies can cheer her up but Lindy s mother, Ellen, remembers an old tradition that might lift her daughter's spirits. Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she'd wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen's encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa, one that will encourage her to have faith and believe just as she d done all those years ago. Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways."
An elderly lady is up to no good
Tursten, Helene, 1954- author.
MYSTERY Tursten Helene
Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and... no qualms about a little murder. This funny, irreverent story collection by Helene Tursten, author of the Irene Huss investigations, features two-never-before translated stories that will keep you laughing all the way to the retirement home. Ever since her darling father's untimely death when she was only eighteen, Maud has lived in the family's spacious apartment in downtown Gothenburg rent-free, thanks to a minor clause in a hastily negotiated contract. That was how Maud learned that good things can come from tragedy. Now in her late eighties, Maud contents herself with traveling the world and surfing the net from the comfort of her father's ancient armchair. It's a solitary existence, and she likes it that way. Over the course of her adventures--or misadventures--this little bold lady will handle a crisis with a local celebrity who has her eyes on Maud's apartment, foil the engagement of her long-ago lover, and dispose of some pesky neighbors. But when the local authorities are called to investigate a dead body found in Maud's apartment, will Maud finally become a suspect?
The gift of the magpie : a Meg Langslow mystery
Andrews, Donna, author.
MYSTERY Andrews Donna
Meg is a decorative blacksmith by trade and an amateur sleuth due to her sense of curiosity. This year she's running the church chairty Caerphilly's Helping Hands for their holiday project, in which neighbors help each other with things they can't do and can't afford to have done. Her hopes for a relatively peaceful (if busy) Christmas vanish when someone murders Harvey the Hoarder, whose house the Helping Hands were decluttering. Was there any truth to the rumor that he had something valuable hidden beneath all his junk? Was one of his friends, neighbors, or relatives greedy enough to murder him for the rumored treasure? And what about the magpie that has been bringing her family bits of tinsel and costume jewelry - does the bird's latest gift hold a clue to solving the crime?
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Christie, Agatha, 1890-1976.
MYSTERY Christie, Agatha
Christmas Eve, and the Lee family’s reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed. When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man. . . .
The 20th book in the Hercule Poirot series was first published in the UK in 1938 under the title "Hercule Poirot's Christmas". In 1939's first US publishing the title was changed to "Murder for Christmas", and a 1947 paperback edition in the US had the title "A Holiday for Murder."
- Beth
Hogfather
Pratchett, Terry.
SCIENCE FICTION Pratchett, Terry
Hogfather, by Terry Pratchett, is the story of a beloved Discworld icon and the forces that wish to have him erased from ever existing. With the Hogfather out of commission for Hogswatch, Death dresses up in a red and white suit with a false beard and takes over delivering presents. Susan, Death's granddaughter, begins the search for the Hogfather while Death tries to keeps things running smoothly while they try to find how to get the Hogfather back to his proper place.
The 20th book in Terry Prachett's Discworld series of 41 novels. It is the 4th book in the "Death" sub-series.
- Beth
The holiday swap
Knox, Maggie, author.
FICTION Knox Maggie
All they want for Christmas is a different life. When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over. With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?
Maggie Knox is the pen name for writing duo Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley.
- Beth
The holiday trap
Parrish, Roan, author.
FICTION Parrish Roan
Greta Russakoff loves her tight-knit family and tiny Maine hometown, even if they don't always understand what it's like to be a lesbian living in such a small world. She desperately needs space to figure out who she is. Truman Belvedere has just had his heart crushed into a million pieces when he learned that his boyfriend of almost a year has a secret life that includes a husband and a daughter. Reeling from this discovery, all he wants is a place to lick his wounds far, far away from New Orleans. Enter Greta and Truman's mutual friend, Ramona, who facilitates a month-long house swap. Over the winter holidays, each of them will have a chance to try on a new life...and maybe fall in love with the perfect partner of their dreams. But all holidays must come to an end, and eventually Greta and Truman will have to decide whether the love they each found so far from home is worth fighting for.
A holly jolly Diwali
Lalli, Sonya, author.
FICTION Lalli Sonya
Twenty-eight-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She's always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she's always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she's laid off, Niki realizes that being practical hasn't exactly paid off for her. So, for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya's wedding. Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it's the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual. When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband, and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. And when she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life-to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life of which the old Niki never would have dreamed.
How the Grinch stole Christmas
Seuss, Dr.
j394.2663 Seuss
The Grinch tries to stop Christmas from arriving by stealing all the presents and food from the village, but much to his surprise it comes anyway. Could Christmas be more than presents?
It's a wonderful woof
Quinn, Spencer, author.
MYSTERY Quinn Spencer
Spencer Quinn's It's a Wonderful Woof presents a holiday adventure for Chet the dog, and his human partner, PI Bernie Little. Holiday time in the Valley, and in the holiday spirit-despite the dismal shape of the finances at the Little Detective Agency-Bernie refers a potential client to Victor Klovsky, a fellow private eye. It's also true that the case-promising lots of online research but little action-doesn't appeal to Bernie, while it seems perfect for Victor, who is not cut out for rough stuff. But Victor disappears in a rough-stuff way, and when he doesn't show up at his mom's to light the Hanukkah candles, she hires Chet and Bernie to find him. They soon discover that Victor's client has also vanished. The trail leads to the ruins of a mission called Nuestra Señora de los Saguaros, dating back to the earliest Spanish explorers. Some very dangerous people are interested in the old mission. Does some dusty archive hold the secret of a previously unknown art treasure, possibly buried for centuries? What does the Flight into Egypt-when Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus fled Herod-have to do with saguaros, the Sonoran desert cactus? No one is better than Chet at nosing out buried secrets, but before he can, he and Bernie are forced to take flight themselves, chased through a Christmas Eve blizzard by a murderous foe who loves art all too much.
Book 12 in the Chet & Bernie mystery series by Spencer Quinn
- Beth
A lot like Christmas
Snow, Jennifer, author.
FICTION Snow Jennifer
"Small-town bakery owner Jessica Connolly is officially done with dating. For the third time in a row, she's making a wedding cake for an ex who met the perfect woman after dating her. Dr. Mitch Jameson is emotionally exhausted from his last assignment with Doctors Without Borders. He's come home to Blue Moon Bay to recover with his family for the holidays before heading back to Cambodia. But a simple dessert pickup from the local bakery has him questioning everything.
The matzah ball
Meltzer, Jean, author.
FICTION Meltzer Jean
For a decade Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach. When her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration runs dry. Rachel is determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy-- Jacob Greenberg. Their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah, but as they spend time together Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah-- and Jacob.-- adapted from jacket
Snowed in for Christmas
Morgan, Sarah (Romance fiction writer), author.
FICTION Morgan Sarah
A FAMILY GATHERING. This Christmas, the Miller siblings have one goal--to avoid their well-meaning family's prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don't intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention. AN UNIVITED GUEST. Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She'll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn't want to intrude on the Miller family's perfect Christmas. A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER. When Lucy appears on the Miller family's snow-covered Highland doorstep, she's mistaken for Ross's girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they're snowed in--she can't leave, even if she want to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy's worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.
Winter solstice
Pilcher, Rosamunde.
FICTION Pilcher, Rosamunde
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life -- shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name -- still she finds herself lonely. Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile. Carrie returns from Australia at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and aunt sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her aunt's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America. Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house. It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan. It is in this house, on the shortest day of the year, that the lives of five people will come together and be forever changed. Rosamunde Pilcher's long-awaited return to the page will warm the hearts of readers both old and new. Winter Solstice is a novel of love, loyalty and rebirth.
Winter Street : a novel
Hilderbrand, Elin, author.
FICTION Hilderbr Elin
Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn. Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.
This was Elin Hildebrand's first Christmas novel.
- Beth
Book 28 and the 7th Christmas title in Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow mystery series.
- Beth