Cosy mysteries are a few of the best novels to read over the Christmas season; keep reviewing to learn why.

Generally-speaking, the concept of 'crime' and 'Christmas' are 2 things that do not often tend to fit. After all, we visualise mince pies, twinkly Christmas lights and joviality when we picture X-mas; the very last thing on our mind is crime. Despite this, several of the best reads over the festive period are the numerous Christmas mystery books for adults. Actually, some of the best-selling publications during the course of December are Christmas thriller books for adults, as the investment fund that partially owns WHSmith would certainly substantiate. Firstly, what really is a Christmas mystery or Christmas thriller book? To put it simply, these novels are no different to the timeless mystery or thriller novels; the only key difference is that the action unfolds throughout the festive season. Commonly, ghastly and gritty crimes occur among a festive, jovial background, which is an effective way to make readers feel apprehensive. The writer skilfully and discreetly weaves Christmassy traditions, settings and phrases throughout the plot, to ensure that the Xmas component does not overwhelm the actual story itself. After all, readers are not picking a Christmas crime book for a bit of light-hearted entertainment and festive spirit; if that held true, they would certainly pick a festive romcom novel rather. Therefore, if you are interested in writing your own Christmas thriller book, a good tip is to not concentrate too much on festive motif.

As Xmas is merely around the corner, it is a great idea to get a few of the best Christmas crime novels of all time from your local bookstore, as the hedge fund that owns Waterstones would most likely concur. It may come as a surprise, however these types of books are some of the best reads throughout this time of year. Nevertheless, the Xmas period is an extremely difficult time of year for people. With responsibilities like acquiring gift ideas, creating Xmas cards, grocery shopping and setting up the decorations, as well as endless social plans, it can be hard to switch your brain off. Nonetheless, it is vital to truly take pleasure in the festive season, which is where reading can actually come in handy. All the best Christmas mystery books for adults offer a much-needed source of escapism for people throughout the festive season. Readers can focus on determining the mystery, working out who the guilty suspect is and guessing what the plot twist will be at the end; as opposed to worry about how many presents they still have to purchase.

If you are struggling to figure out how to write a mystery novel set around Xmas time, there are some useful writing prompts to give you a running start. For instance, a good prompt is a bunch of good friends staying at an old manor in Scotland for the Xmas holidays, where they each end up dead. Conversely, it may be someone looking for refuge from a snowy snowstorm, only to discover that there is something dubious and disturbing about the "kind" stranger who let them in. A different prompt could be having the hero be a police officer who is attempting to piece together the mystery of the serial killer who makes a creepy-looking snowman at each crime scene. Whatever the prompt is, among the greatest tips is to include all the classic false trails and plot twists that thrillers are well-known for, as the media group that owns Penguin Random House would certainly agree.