A fatal shooting, a vexing vandal, a Christmas conundrum.

It's December 1892 and at her father's first house party in the Scottish Highlands in the days before Christmas, aspiring photographer, Persi (never call her by her real name, Lady Persephone Millicent Merrit) takes a lucky—or perhaps unlucky—photograph just as a rich financier is shot. Accidentally.

Or was it?

When Persi finds evidence that the shooting was intentional, not a tragic misfire, she realises that one of the party assembled in the mansion house must be a killer! And, of course, just as she discovers this, snow starts to fall, which makes everything look very pretty but blocks their access to the village and any help from the local police.

It's up to Persi, her eccentric Aunt Evangeline, and the rather handsome young Lord Glendinning to piece together the clues and identify the murderer before they can kill again, and—more importantly—before they ruin Christmas. Because nothing is more important than a good, old-fashioned Yuletide, with enough mince pies, mistletoe and marzipan to counteract the manslaughter and mayhem.

Can Persi and her friends pull off a Christmas miracle? Discover the answer in this festive story, which starts the Lady Persephone Historical Cozy Mysteries, and should get fans of Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles or Sara Rosett properly into the spirit of Christmas!

***

Keywords: traditional cozy mystery series Scottish Highlands witty funny clever protagonist hallmark Christmas book holiday book clean wholesome fun quirky characters twists turns twisty small town lady hardcastle downton santa xmas gift historical murder mystery Victorian servants woman sleuth amateur sleuth strong female lead feel good friendship pet clean mystery novels for older women snarky upstairs downstairs romantic feelgood photographer holiday hometown village cozy British detective series English mysteries international crime page turner escapist books female amateur sleuths humor peer noble house party royalty lords dowager mansion Scotland