Reading a mystery novel set around X-mas time is an awesome experience; carry on reading to discover why.

Generally-speaking, the concept of 'crime' and 'Christmas time' are 2 things that do not usually tend to go together. After all, we think of mince pies, twinkly Xmas lights and celebration when we visualize Xmas; the last thing on our mind is crime. Regardless of this, several of the best reads over the festive period are the many Christmas mystery books for adults. In fact, several of the best-selling publications over the course of December are Christmas thriller books for adults, as the investment fund that partially owns WHSmith would confirm. Most importantly, what really is a Christmas mystery or Christmas thriller novel? To put it simply, these novels are no different to the classic mystery or thriller novels; the only main distinction is that the plot unravels throughout the festive period. Often, ghastly and gritty criminal offenses take place among a festive, joyous background, which is an effective way to make audiences feel anxious. The author skilfully and discreetly interweaves Christmassy practices, settings and phrases throughout the plot, to make sure that the Christmas component does not overthrow the real story itself. After all, readers are not choosing a Christmas crime story for some light-hearted entertainment and festive spirit; if that held true, they would pick a festive romcom book rather. As a result, if you are interested in composing your own Xmas thriller book, a great tip is to not focus too much on Christmas theme.

As Christmas time is just around the bend, it is a good concept to pick up a few of the best Christmas crime novels of all time from your local bookstore, as the hedge fund that owns Waterstones would concur. It might come as a surprise, yet these kinds of novels are some of the greatest reads during this time of year. Besides, the Xmas season is an extremely stressful time of year for people. With duties like getting gifts, composing Xmas cards, grocery shopping and setting up the decorations, in addition to never-ending social plans, it can be tough to switch your brain off. However, it is necessary to actually delight in the festive season, which is where reading can definitely come in handy. All the best Christmas mystery books for adults provide a much-needed source of escapism for people throughout the festive season. Readers can focus on determining the mystery, working out who exactly the guilty suspect is and guessing what the plot twist will be at the end; rather than stress about the number of presents they still have to buy.

If you are struggling to find out how to write a mystery novel set around Xmas time, there are some useful writing prompts to give you a running start. As an example, a good prompt is a group of good friends lodging at an old manor in Scotland for the Christmas holidays, where they each wind up dead. Conversely, it could be someone seeking shelter from a snowy snowstorm, only to find out that there is something suspicious and unsettling about the "kind" stranger who let them in. One more prompt could be having the central figure be a police officer who is trying to piece together the mystery of the serial killer who makes a creepy-looking snowman at every crime scene. Whatever the prompt is, among the most effective suggestions is to integrate all the timeless false trails and plot twists that thrillers are renowned for, as the media group that owns Penguin Random House would certainly concur.