Christmas crime books to read in 2026

Reading lists

12 Christmas murder mystery books to get you feeling festive

One of the Family

In this family, some secrets are worth killing for… 
 
 'Ingenious and chilling in equal measure' M.J. ARLIDGE 
 'Backstabbingly brilliant with twist after twist' JOHN MARRS 
'Relatable yet nerve-shredding... a master of the page-turning twist' CHRIS CHIBNALL 
 The outstanding new psychological thriller from Mark Edwards, the 5 million copy-bestselling author of The Wasp Trap, Here to Stay and The Magpies 
 
 ***** 
 Holly seems like the perfect girlfriend. Clever, funny, beautiful – Patrick feels like he’s hit the jackpot. 
 
 Until he meets her family. 
 
 Her dad has a mysterious new girlfriend. Her sister is unwelcoming. Her brother is clearly lying about something. And Patrick gets the sense all of them share a dark secret – even Holly. 
 
 When he finds out about the body that was found nearby on their last family holiday, Patrick sets out to find the truth. 
 
 But as skeletons tumble out of the family’s closet, Patrick realises he needs to be careful. Because in this family, loyalty is everything – and at least one of them is willing to kill to keep their secrets…*****'Succession meets The Traitors in this spine-tingling thriller' Erin Kelly'Propulsive, twisty and deliciously scandalous. Read this book and instantly feel better about your in-laws!' C.M. Ewan, bestselling author of The Interview'Perfect for fans of Succession... another surefire winner from a thriller writer at the top of his game' Cass Green, author of The Woman Next Door'Fun, fast, and furiously twisted - this is Mark Edwards at his dastardly best' Susi Holliday'A brilliant serpentine thriller that will wrap its coils around you' S. M. Govett'Fast paced and full of twists, Edwards takes a stressful family introduction and cranks it up to 11' Tariq Ashkanani 
 
SEE WHAT READERS ARE ALREADY SAYING ABOUT ONE OF THE FAMILY... 
 
'I ripped through it and read it in one sitting, staying up until 3am to finish it!!' 
'Another fantastic, gripping Mark Edwards read... I absolutely devoured it' 
'Honestly one of my top 5 books this year, the twists had my head spinning' 
‘Wow!!!! A crazy ride I didn’t want to get off’ 
Praise for Mark Edwards 
 
'The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths' Sunday Times 
‘I loved this... So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist’ Lisa Jewell 
'I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!!' Marian Keyes 
'A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists. Hugely enjoyable' Alex Michaelides 
'Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive' Elly Griffiths

Ingenious and chilling in equal measure

Snakes in the night and a skeleton in every cupboard; Succession meets The Traitors in this spine-tingling thriller about a deliciously dysfunctional family

A relatable yet nerve-shredding thriller about the in-laws from hell, from a master of the page-turning twist

Chris Chibnall, Sunday Times bestselling author of Death at the White Hart

Backstabbingly brilliant with twist after twist. A family reunion like no other.

Propulsive, twisty and deliciously scandalous. Another page-turning winner from Mark Edwards. Read this book and instantly feel better about your in-laws!

C.M. Ewan, bestselling author of The Interview

Perfect for fans of Succession, this tale of lies, ambition and murder in a toxic, wealthy family is a one-sitting read. It’s another surefire winner from a thriller writer at the top of his game

CASS GREEN, author of The Woman Next Door

Fun, fast, and furiously twisted - this is Mark Edwards at his dastardly best.

A brilliant serpentine thriller that will wrap its coils around you

Fast paced and full of twists, Edwards takes a stressful family introduction and cranks it up to 11

Edwards subverts familiar tropes in this devilish thriller… the dark dynamics of Holly’s family come into focus, keeping both Patrick and readers on their toes… It’s a wickedly satisfying ride

Mark Edwards is at the top of his game and delivers another fast-paced, twisty tale in ONE OF THE FAMILY. With deep dark secrets, betrayal, murder, an eerie Scottish setting, and a seriously messed up bunch of characters, this banger of a story will not only keep you on your toes but perhaps have you side-eying your relatives, too. Highly recommended!

Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of A Killer Motive

Another brilliant installment from the master of twists himself! The lonely Scottish mansion, the whispers of past violence, and the knowledge that everyone is hiding something creates a tense and chilling backdrop for a story full of secrets, twists and lies. This fast-paced and twisty story of a dangerously dysfunctional family kept me turning the pages late into the night, letting me race through to the gripping end that I did NOT see coming! Fans who love stories about how wealth corrupts a family should stick this at the top of their TBR!

I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion

I read this in one sitting completely gripped... Hugely enjoyable

This is AMAZING...I devoured it in two compulsive sittings

Patrick couldn’t believe his luck when Holly fell for him. She’s wickedly funny, beautiful – albeit with an intimidatingly successful father, Charles. 
 
 
So when she invites him to Charles’ mansion for a New Year’s break in Scotland, all he’s hoping is that they’ll accept him as one of the family. 
 
 
But from the start nothing feels right. Whispers in hallways. Reports of a body that was found nearby the previous year. And something very strange about Charles’ new girlfriend. 
 
 
Patrick tells himself that every family has its secrets, and all he needs to do is make it through the holiday. 
 
 
But then one of the family is killed. One of the family goes missing. And Patrick realises that one of the family might just be a killer…

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people. He has sold 5 million books since his first novel, The Magpies was published in 2013, and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include The Wasp Trap, Follow You Home, The Retreat, Because She Loves Me, The Hollows and Here to Stay. He has also co-authored six books with Louise Voss. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton with his wife, their children, two cats and a golden retriever.

Patrick couldn’t believe his luck when Holly fell for him. She’s wickedly funny, beautiful, and with an intimidatingly successful father, Charles. 
So when she invites him to Charles’ mansion for a New Year’s break in Scotland, all he’s hoping is that they’ll accept him as one of the family. 
But everything feels a little off. Whispers in hallways. Rumours of a body that got found nearby the previous year. And something very strange about Charles’ new girlfriend. 
Every family has secrets, and Patrick tells himself all he needs to do is survive the next few days. 
But then the first body is found, and Patrick realises that all he needs to do is survive the next few days…

The Wasp Trap

The most gripping thriller of 2026, from the multi-million copy bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Magpies 
 THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH‘I loved this… incredibly satisfying’ Lisa Jewell‘I read this in one sitting…Hugely enjoyable’ Alex Michaelides‘Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive’ Elly Griffiths‘Sharp, fast-paced and brilliantly plotted. I loved it’ Clare Mackintosh‘Hits you with twist after twist’ Ruth Ware‘You’ll be up all night’ Steve Cavanagh‘This is AMAZING’ Marian Keyes 
 ****** 
It starts with an invitation. 
 
 A dinner party, years after you all last worked together. 
 When everything ended so suddenly – and shockingly. 
 It is a long time for secrets to be kept. 
 For lies to be uncovered. For revenge to be planned. 
 
 Is it a party? Or is it a trap . . . 
****** 
See what readers are already saying about The Wasp Trap, the latest thriller from the 5 million copy bestselling author of The Magpies and Here to Stay 
‘Wow, what a ride! Hooked me from the very first page and didn’t let go’ &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; 
‘More twists than you can shake a stick at. Mark Edwards never disappoints’ &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; 
‘My goodness, what a great read! Compelling, and definitely his best so far’ &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; 
‘Totally loved it, if I could I would rate it higher’ &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; 
‘This isn’t just a book, it’s a full-throttle roller coaster’ &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; &amp;#11088; 
 
* The Wasp Trap is a Sunday Times bestseller in paperback fiction, 15/2/26

I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion. So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end

I read this in one sitting, completely gripped. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists and tension you could cut with a knife. Hugely enjoyable.

This is AMAZING...I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!!

Great and vivid characterisation that kept me guessing and surprises up to the very last page, this is a highly entertaining read.

LIZ NUGENT, author of Strange Sally Diamond

Never trust a reunion – especially one in a Mark Edwards thriller... Tense, artful and satisfying, The Wasp Trap buzzes between past and present delivering one deadly sting after another

The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths

The ultimate - literal - locked room mystery, that hits you with twist after twist.

This locked-room mystery is a super satisfying edge-of-your-seat thriller

The Wasp Trap is a compelling mystery that explores the consequences of human behaviour. Whether it's falling in love, keeping secrets or committing murder, this tightly plotted page-turner reveals, piece-by-nail-biting-piece, how the sins of the past can shape our present in violent ways. Full of Edwards' trademark twists and peopled with a fascinating cast of characters, this deserves to be a smash-hit.

Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive, The Wasp Trap takes the reunion thriller into new and exciting places.

Mark Edwards never fails to deliver. The Wasp Trap is sharp, fast-paced and brilliantly plotted. I loved it.

This clever, compelling thriller kept me gripped and guessing from the first page to the last, packed with satisfying twists and an ending that left me chilled. An atmospheric summer read you won't be able to put down!

The Wasp Trap is a work of excellence: a reunion dinner party which swiftly unravels into a pulsating, unputdownable mystery with an ingenious twist. Riveting from start to finish.

I practically have whip lash after all that those twists and turns! Trying to find the words to explain this fast-paced, dual timeline - locked room murder mystery but imagine a marriage between Agatha Christie and Pulp Fiction  - bravo!

Lies, betrayals, secrets and psychopaths - this thrill ride is a masterclass in page-turning, stomach churning tension. It’s not often a book takes you truly by surprise but The Wasp Trap does it again and again. All the stars!

Deadly secrets, 90s nostalgia, dating sites and psychopath tests; The Wasp Trap lured me in, kept me hostage, and delivered a real stinger of a twist. Clever, thrilling and page-turning, it's a sure fire hit.

A dark, devious and hugely entertaining thriller – with a great sting in the tail

The most gripping book I've read in ages. A posh house. A dinner party. Old friends, each with their own slant on their very very dark shared past. Mark Edwards is unbelievably skilled at coaxing you further in to the mystery with each page.

A search for the perfect dating site become a search for the DNA of psychopathy, a project that quickly turns towards the dark. Years later, when the experimenters reunite, secrets reaching back into the past ramp up the tension, balancing lives on a knife edge. An ingenious, twisty read from the master of the suspense thriller.

Tense, twisty, and hugely entertaining, The Wasp Trap hits every beat of the classic locked-room thriller while still feeling fresh and fiendishly clever. Loved it!

When you see the name Mark Edwards on the cover, then readers beware. Because you’ll be up all night turning those pages until you reach the end

Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Kill for Me, Kill for You and Witness 8

Pick up The Wasp Trap, the new twisty thriller by Mark Edwards, and clear your schedule. Once you start, you won’t want to put it down. Fast-paced, unexpected, and devilishly devious, this is one wild ride with an ending I didn’t see coming

HANNAH MARY McKINNON, internationally bestselling author of A Killer Motive

A fascinating exploration of friendship, secrets, and psychopathy. With a breakneck pace and jaw-dropping twists, I couldn’t put it down!

ROBYN HARDING, bestselling author of The Haters

A taut, chilling page-turner that grabs you by the throat from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. With razor-sharp prose, heart-pounding tension, and devious twists, Mark Edwards proves why he’s a master of psychological suspense.

KARMA BROWN, #1 international bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife

The Wasp Trap is the most original novel I’ve read this year. Part home invasion, part dark academia, it is clever, complex and utterly compulsive. Most impressive, perhaps, is how Edwards builds an intricate cast of characters that are wholly unique but also real and familiar. In a sterling body of work, this may just be his best book yet.

An artful, one-sitting psychological thriller

Tantalizing and terrifying, The Wasp Trap is impossible to put down. With my heart in my throat, I tore through this tensely riveting, cleverly plotted suspense, stunned until the final staggering reveal

SAMANTHA M. BAILEY, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of Hello, Juliet

Edwards’s psychological tale starts slowly but moves with increasingly head-spinning velocity as the secrets come spilling out. (I promise you won’t be able to anticipate all the crazy things that happen.)

Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They’re going to launch a website to change online dating forever. 
No-one expects it to end in tragedy. 
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an invitation: a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again. 
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn’t seem right. 
There’s an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying. 
 
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer. 
 
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth…

Mark Edwards

What a perfect gem of a thriller! Dark, twisted, chilling and utterly unputdownable The Christmas Magpie had me guessing to the very end. A brilliant read!

'If you're after settling down with a whirlwind festive read on a chilly night, this taut atmospheric novella is the perfect choice ... Fast-paced and full of surprises, it's the perfect read for a seasonal thrill'

A fun, twisty, and dark Christmas mystery

Claire McGowan, bestselling author of What You Did

Cosy Christmas themed crime novels have become a staple...The Christmas Magpie offers a pleasingly black-hearted alternative

A deliciously seasonal slice of psychological horror

It’s Noel and Dani’s first Christmas in their new home and they want everything to be perfect - lavish presents, a beautiful tree and outdoor decorations to join in with the festivities in this welcoming community.But they quickly wonder if this street is as idyllic as it appears. First, there are the unwelcome presents left anonymously on their doorstep. Then they are sure someone is watching them. And why are the neighbours all obsessed with a notorious killer who is housed at the nearby women’s prison?After tragedy strikes at a Christmas party, Noel and Dani try to find out who is targeting them – but, in this case, it might be safer not to know . . .

Mark Edwards

Books by Mark Edwards

Articles featuring Mark Edwards

12 Christmas murder mystery books to get you feeling festive

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