Lisa Binion Author December 13 2013
Twelve Days of Christmas Mayhem and Murder is a mystery-comedy spoof in which Miss Marpleis known as the hilarious Miss Marble. In this story, someone is trying to do away with her so she will no longer stick her nose where criminals feel it doesn’t belong. Cheatham castle in northern England provides the setting for this story during a brutal British winter and the Christmas season. The 500-year anniversary is seen as a time to draw attention to the castle and prepare to turn it into a tourist magnet. During this celebration the castle is full of guests and one or more of these guests wants snoopy old Miss Marble dead. Others among the visitors do not want her to stay alive. There are enough red herrings, attacks, narrow escapes, and murders to satisfy any fan of mystery fiction. I don’t believe that there will ever be another Agatha Christie, but Aaron Knight has successfully written a satisfying spoof of one of the brilliant detectives she created. If you are a fan of Miss Marple stories, you might get a kick out of seeing her in a different light. There are plenty of red herrings and mysteries to satisfy any mystery fan.