Christmas crime books to read in 2026

Reading lists

12 Christmas murder mystery books to get you feeling festive

The Hitchcock Hotel

SIX FRIENDS. ONE REMOTE HOTEL. A LONG-OVERDUE REUNION. 
WELCOME TO THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL . . . 
'As twisty as a Hitchcock film' Alex Michaelides'A scream from start to finish' Janice Hallett'Fans of Knives Out, Agatha Christie, and (of course) Alfred Hitchcock, rejoice!' - A.J. FINN 
– 
Welcome to the Hitchcock Hotel.Dedicated to the Master of Suspense.Full of props and memorabilia.Be sure to mind the birds. Be careful in the shower. 
Five guests are invited – all old friends.They go way back. Way, way back.No one’s seen reclusive owner Alfred in sixteen years. 
And the question everyone’s asking:why are we here? Is it a game? A puzzle?It’s certainly a mystery. 
But it’s also deadly serious.Because someone has a score to settle.And this will be the perfect opportunity.After all, it wouldn’t be Hitchcock without a murder . . . 
– 
Readers couldn't escape the thrills of The Hitchcock Hotel 
'What a ride! Whether you are a Hitchcock fan or just love a good old fashioned thriller mystery, this is your book!' 5***** Reader Review 
'Hitchcock fans rejoice! Here’s a novel which salutes the legendary director by spinning a tale to make him proud' 5***** Reader Review 
'It was one of the best books that I have ever had. I highly recommend this book' 5***** Reader Review 
'Awesome book. You don't want to put it down. It keeps you in suspense and dying to know what happens next. Great ending!! This is a must read!' 5***** Reader Review 
'I never expected the ending which made this an outstanding read' 5***** Reader Review

Stephanie Wrobel wittily recreates the mood of creeping suspense and comic horror that makes Hitchcock movies so endlessly entertaining

Hugely readable and tremendous fun. As twisty as a Hitchcock film, full of mystery and suspense, this is a hotel I recommend checking into - even if there’s no guarantee you’ll make it out alive…

A scream from start to finish – I can’t wait to book my room!

A fresh, unpredictable take. A neat tribute to the great film maker

A compelling story of murder in a Hitchcock-themed hotel. This is a richly atmospheric thriller with a premise to die for. Addictive and entertaining in equal measure

Fans of Knives Out, Agatha Christie, and (of course) Alfred Hitchcock, rejoice! The Hitchcock Hotel is cool, classy – but such fun; reverent – yet so original. And – above all – almost biologically impossible to put down once picked up. Hitchcock would’ve loved it. I sure as hell did

A spectacularly suspenseful thriller perfect for all crime fans and Hitchcock lovers - THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL is the most outrageously enjoyable mystery of the year

A slow burn of suspense, secrets, and lies that - in true Hitchcockian fashion - explodes into a series of twists, each more jaw-dropping than the last

Utterly gripping and Hitchcockian in the most literal sense, this staggering novel unravels the decades-old mystery surrounding six former college friends. Sinister, scintillating, and compulsively creepy, The Hitchcock Hotel is an irresistible, genius read that will astound you

A master stylist, Stephanie Wrobel strikes again with well-drawn characters, intricate plotting, satisfying surprises, and first-class entertainment. I don't want to visit The Hitchcock Hotel, but its story had me from the moment the guests arrived. Endlessly clever, ridiculously entertaining, and so damn FUN.

Stephanie Wrobel is a go-to author for stories full of suspense and social commentary. The Hitchcock Hotel is equal parts fresh and chilling. Filled with humor, tension, and intrigue, this twisty read will grip readers from start to finish!

The Hitchcock Hotel is not only enthralling and suspenseful, but author Stephanie Wrobel has managed to craft a wholly original thriller filled with the pleasures of homage and a tribute to one of the great suspense storytellers. Like any Hitchcock film, prepare for fantastic twists, complex characters, and an ending you'll think about long after THE END.

'Hitchcock would be pleased with the masterful twists and turns in Stephanie Wrobel's latest novel. Both a tribute to the iconic director's work without papering over his flaws, The Hitchcock Hotel is an addictive page-turner sure to win applause from movie buffs and book lovers alike'

Masterful in its layering of secrets and suspense, THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL is not only a clever tribute to the acclaimed movie maestro, but also a locked room nail biter in itself. I loved it!

Stephanie Wrobel is the author of This Might Hurt and The Recovery of Rose Gold, a Sunday Times and international bestseller that sold in twenty-one countries. Her third book, The Hitchcock Hotel, pays tribute to legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock. 
 
Wrobel lives in New York City.

Why did he invite them? Why did they come? 
A hotel dedicated to the Master of Suspense &ndash; round-the-clock film screenings, movie memorabilia in every room, and an aviary of fifty crows. 
Owner Alfred Smettle invites his five closest friends from college to stay. He hasn&rsquo;t spoken to any of them in sixteen years. Alfred calls it a reunion. Really, it&rsquo;s a last chance. 
But Alfred is not the only one with an agenda. And it&rsquo;s only a matter of time before things get worse. After all, no Hitchcock set is complete without a dead body.

This Might Hurt

THE GRIPPING NEW THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF RICHARD & JUDY PICK THE RECOVERY OF ROSE GOLD 
'Deliciously dark and so very clever' CLAIRE DOUGLAS 
'Slick, smart and terrifying' 5***** READER REVIEW 
'Expertly paced, hugely unsettling and perfectly dark' ASHLEY AUDRAIN 
'Keeps the reader guessing' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB 
'Totally gripping' 5***** READER REVIEW 
________ 
 
Welcome to Wisewood 
 
Here are the rules: 
 
1) Only approved guests may stay 
2) This is your home for the next six months 
3) No phone, no email - no contact with family or friends 
4) Always follow the rules 
5) We expect total honesty at all times 
6) Conquer your fear 
7) No one leaves the island 
 
Six months ago, Natalie's sister Kit went to Wisewood, a retreat on a secluded Maine island. 
 
Today, Natalie receives a message: 
 
Would you like to come tell your sister what you did - or should we? 
 
Natalie has no choice: head to Wisewood. Rescue her younger sister. Confess the secret she's been 
keeping. Stop everything unravelling. 
 
But there's one thing she hasn't considered. 
 
While getting on the island is difficult, getting off might be impossible . . . 
________ 
 
'Original, sinister and compelling' PRIMA 
 
A tonic for readers of thrillers' MAIL ONLINE 
 
'Gripping and compulsive' LIZ NUGENT 
 
'Dark, hypnotic, and mesmerizing, This Might Hurt is a masterwork in family dynamics and the ties that bind--along with the ones that tear us apart. Prepare to be unsettled in the best possible way' LAURIE ELIZABETH FLYNN, bestselling author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here 
 
'A gut wrenching, propulsive story about vulnerability and power. It was impossible to put down' TARRYN FISHER 
 
'This Might Hurt has all the ingredients of a great mystery. Fun, creepy and incredibly fast-paced. A ridiculously wry and absorbing thriller' AMY STUART 
 
'Sharp and intriguing, unexpected and chilling, right up to the jaw-dropping finale. Dark and twisted in all the right places, I did not want to stop reading this book' MARGARITA MONTIMORE 
 
 
The Recovery of Rose Gold, Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Spring 2021

This Might Hurt is a mesmerizing and original ride . . . Expertly paced, hugely unsettling, and perfectly dark, you'll be gripped in this clever exploration of fear and vulnerability right until the flawless ending

A sharp and intriguing look at reinvention and self-empowerment. This Might Hurt follows three women, each confronting her own set of fears, with revelations and consequences that are unexpected and chilling, right up to the jaw-dropping finale. Dark and twisted in all the right places, I did not want to stop reading this book

A genius, ripped-from-the-headlines masterpiece with a cult at its center. Inventive, disturbing, and tense, This Might Hurt hypnotizes the reader, until we realize, too late, what is truly happening. The very definition of suspense, this extraordinary novel will steal your breath away.

SAMANTHA M. BAILEY, author of Woman on the Edge

A gut wrenching, propulsive story about vulnerability and power. It was impossible to put down

An immersive novel about our capacity to both love and destroy, This Might Hurt is genuinely shocking, laced with dark humor, moments of surprising tenderness, and nightmare fodder galore. I read it in 24 hours, but will be thinking about it for much longer

This Might Hurt has all the ingredients of a great mystery: a remote island, estranged sisters, some whopping secrets and a cult to boot. In the deft hands of sophomore author Stephanie Wrobel, these ingredients mix together to give us a novel that's fun, creepy and incredibly fast-paced. Wrobel is such an observant and clever writer; It's quite the trick to execute plot twists so perfectly that the reader at once doesn't see them coming but then can't believe they didn't catch on. A ridiculously wry and absorbing thriller

Dark, hypnotic, and mesmerizing, This Might Hurt is a masterwork in family dynamics and the ties that bind--along with the ones that tear us apart. Prepare to be unsettled in the best possible way

LAURIE ELIZABETH FLYNN, bestselling author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here

I don't know if blood is thicker than water, but I know that my blood ran cold at several points reading this book. Filled with menace, this was a gripping and compulsive read from first page to last. I thought I'd never get off that island!

LIZ NUGENT,  bestselling author of Little Cruelties

A riveting exploration of sisterhood, suffering, and secrecy. With its unforgettable characters, spectacular setting, and intricate plot, This Might Hurt will take you on a journey to the heart of fear.

Original, sinister and compelling, this was a great read

Deliciously dark and so very clever, This Might Hurt is a tense, unsettling and twisty read. I was gripped from beginning to end. I felt like I was on the island with them! A brilliant, heart-thumping and compulsive thriller.

I loved This Might Hurt! I adore novels set within cults, and the inclusion of the magician element was completely engaging. Stephanie has woven a complex, fascinating novel exploring such an intriguing world. I was hooked from page 1

Sophisticated, tantalising and chilling, This Might Hurt is a masterful exploration of manipulation and deceit. Wrobel has a knack for conjuring worlds and characters that stay with you long after the final page

Praise for The Recovery of Rose Gold

Sensationally good - two complex characters power the story like a nuclear reaction, and won't let you forget them. Wrobel is one to watch

It's rare for something genuinely fresh to come along in this genre, but this book has it all - a killer premise, twisty plotting, crisp writing and compelling characters. Dazzling, dark and utterly delicious

A rivetingly nasty psychological duel

Pacy and vivid, this is a delicate, merciless probing of a topic as unsettling as it is intriguing

Welcome to Wisewood. We'll keep your secrets, if you keep ours. 
 
High-flier Natalie Collins always has a plan. Her younger sister Kit rarely does. 
 
Until she finds Wisewood. When Kit joins the self-help retreat on a secluded Maine island, Natalie has concerns. Why does it forbid contact with the outside world? Is it a cult? 
 
Then, after months of silence, she receives a message: 
 
Would you like to come tell your sister what you did - or should we? 
 
Who is digging into the Collins' past? Natalie will have to go to Wisewood to find out. 
 
But it turns out Wisewood is far easier to get into than to leave...

The Recovery of Rose Gold

MOTHERS NEVER FORGET. DAUGHTERS NEVER FORGIVE . . . THE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
'With a genuine menace seeping from every twist and turn. . . worthy of Patricia Highsmith at her finest' DAILY MAIL 
 
'A spine-chilling thriller . . . Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train' STYLIST 
_________ 
 
Rose Gold Watts believed she was sick for eighteen years. 
 
Turned out her mother was a really good liar. 
 
After five years in prison, Patty Watts is finally free. All she wants is to put old grievances behind her, reconcile with the daughter who testified against her - and care for her new infant grandson. 
 
When Rose Gold agrees to have Patty move in, it seems their relationship is truly on the mend. And she has waited such a long time for her mother to come home. 
 
But has Patty truly forgotten their past? 
 
And is Rose Gold really able to forgive? 
 
A gripping and electrifying tale that will make you question your allegiances until the very end . . . 
_________ 
 
'A riveting psychological duel' Sunday Times 
 
'Sensationally good - two complex characters power the story like a nuclear reaction, and won't let you forget them. Wrobel is one to watch' Lee Child 
 
'Has it all - a killer premise, twisty plotting, crisp writing and compelling characters. Dazzling, dark and utterly delicious' J. P. Delaney, bestselling author of The Girl Before 
 
'An absolutely brilliant book; funny, dark, authentic and a total page turner. I loved it' Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of The Family Upstairs 
 
'A dark, nerve-jangling read that kept us on the edge of our seats till the very end' Independent 
 
'A dazzlingly dark revenge novel, a genuinely fresh and original take on the domestic psychological thriller genre; the disturbing story of an evilly twisted mother/daughter relationship' Judy Finnigan 
 
'An intelligent and highly disturbing read' Literary Review

An absolutely brilliant book; funny, dark, authentic and a total page turner. I loved it

Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of The Family Upstairs

Sensationally good - two complex characters power the story like a nuclear reaction, and won't let you forget them. Wrobel is one to watch.

A rivetingly nasty psychological duel

With a genuine menace seeping from every twist and turn, the two central characters inhabit every page with captivating ferocity, and the denouement is worthy of Patricia Highsmith at her finest: quite superb

Pacey and vivid, this is a delicate, merciless probing of a topicas unsettling as it is intriguing, with no pat answers

A spine-chilling thriller injected with themes of obsession and revenge . . . Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Paula Hawkin's The Girl on the Train, The Recovery of Rose Gold is set to be next year's biggest thriller

A dark, nerve-jangling read that kept us on the edge of our seats till the very end

Takes twisted mum and daughter relationships to a whole new level. Think Misery meets Sharp Objects

C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Chalk Man

You'll be hooked on this revenge tale

J P Delaney, bestselling author of The Girl Before

One of the most captivating and disturbing thrillers I've read this year. An astonishing debut

Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife

I inhaled this book. The Recovery of Rose Gold delves so deep into family dysfunction that we are left gasping as the last pages turn. Compelling, intriguing, beautifully written and paced like a roller coaster ride, cancel all your plans when you pick up this terrific book

Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Unraveling Oliver and Lying in Wait

I love it. Fascinating, immersive, whip-smart, with a supremely clever ending that left me gasping (and slightly devastated in the best way)

Melanie Golding, author of Little Darlings

Wrobel writes a fascinating and thrilling debut that looks deeply into the complicated reasons a mother and daughter can hurt each other. A psychological twister that had me completely captivated until the end

Diane Les Becquets, author of Breaking Wild

Deliciously sinister. I defy any reader to work out exactly what these two spectacularly unreliable narrators are up to

A blackly comic and original novel with a fascinatingly complex heroine in Rose Gold - you will be both horrified by and rooting for her

A stunning exploration of love, revenge, and the devastating impact of childhood trauma. It's dark, disturbing and utterly gripping

I absolutely devoured it! It's right up my street and I couldn't get enough of Patti and Rose Gold, alternating my opinion of them at the same speed that I was turning the pages! A fabulous read!

Superb! And seriously twisted. This book will play with your mind...then STAY on your mind. Compelling and very, very clever

Teresa Driscoll, bestselling author of I Will Make You Pay.

Two extraordinary narrators drive the nail-biting action in this sensational, compulsively readable debut. A tour de force of captivating psychological suspense

An original, stunning debut! Masterful crafting of a split time-frame and utterly compelling characters will hook readers from the very first page until they finally learn the truth hiding within this chilling mother-daughter relationship. An intelligent, beguiling read that should be at the top of every reader's list

More than a page-turner-although it's undoubtably that - The Recovery of Rose Gold plumbs the depths of this poisoned mother-daughter relationship, asking probing questions about why we all hurt the ones we love. An explosive debut from a thrilling new voice

Kirsten Chen, author of Bury What We Cannot Take

A blackly comic and original novel with a fascinatingly complex heroine in Rose Gold - you will be both horrified by and rooting for her

Wrobel has crafted two gloriously complex characters who will swing the reader between horrified disbelief and empathy in the turn of a single page. Wrobel uses witty writing and clever plotting to ensure the reader will fly through the pages in search of the truth. It takes profound skill to craft such a twisty and darkly entertaining read, and Wrobel does it in her debut as deftly as only the best thriller writers can do

Amy Stuart, #1 bestselling author of Still Mine and Still Water

Very rarely does a book like The Recovery of Rose Gold come along . . . this is a book that wastes no time in enticing in a reader and keeping them guessing until the very last page

Sinister and chilling . . . The writing flows beautifully and I felt like each character was confiding in me, trusting me with their secrets. I loved every bit of this thrilling story and the ending was brilliant and perfect. It's an amazing debut looking at the tangled web of a controlling mother/daughter relationship and a must read in my opinion

Taut, twisted and with two terrifically toxic narrators, this thriller offers a wonderfully wicked perspective on complicated mother-daughter relationships. Gripping

Striking. Unsettling yet compelling reading

It will make you laugh on one page, exhibiting the darkest of humour, and then make you shudder at the very next

A gritty story of truth and fantasy

I haven't come across two more unbalanced characters in books than this mother and daughter

Horribly riveting. At times I wanted to, but I could not put it down

Wrobel's claustrophobic debut explores the sinister subject of parents who deliberately make their children ill . . . Find out who's manipulating who in this clever chiller

Deliciously icy. Wrobel's cleverly constructed plot twists and turns, undermining any sense of integrity the minute you catch a glimpse of it

'Sensationally good - two complex characters power the story like a nuclear reaction, and won't let you forget them. Wrobel is one to watch' Lee Child 
 
'A must read' Hello 
 
'Horribly riveting. At times I wanted to, but I could not put it down' Saga Magazine 
 
'Claustrophobic. Explores the sinister subject of parents who deliberately make their children ill. Find out who's manipulating who in this clever chiller' Sunday Express 
 
'One of the most unique books of the new year' Newsweek 
 
 
'A gripping mystery' Good Housekeeping

Rose Gold Watts believed she was sick for eighteen years. 
 
Turned out her mother was a really good liar. 
 
After five years in prison, Patty Watts is free. 
Forgetting old grievances, she wants to reconcile with her daughter and care for her infant grandson. 
When Rose Gold agrees to have Patty come home, their relationship seems genuinely on the mend. 
 
But has Patty truly forgotten their past? 
And is Rose Gold really able to forgive?

Stephanie Wrobel

Books by Stephanie Wrobel

Articles featuring Stephanie Wrobel

12 Christmas murder mystery books to get you feeling festive

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter