December Featured Cozy Mystery

Peppermint Cookie Murder

Book One in the Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries

Peppermint Cookie Murder

Trixie Silvertale
Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries
Paperback, hardcover, ebook, audiobook

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Peppermint Cookie Murder is the first book in the Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries by Trixie Silvertale. The main character is Cindy Cherubim Claus, an aspiring baker who also happens to be Santa Claus’s daughter.

Everyone expects Cindy to begin her official training and follow in her father’s footsteps, but she dreams of owning her own bakery and wants to prove that she is more than a Yuletide heir. With her mother and father’s blessing, she leaves the North Pole to open a bakery in Silver Shoals, a small town in the human world.

To ensure she doesn’t get into too much trouble, Santa Claus orders his most trusted advisor, a sly arctic fox named Artikoa, to accompany Cindy on her baking quest.

Life seems pretty sweet for Cindy…until the first human being she meets ends up dead and the police start asking a lot of questions. With her freedom and bakery dreams on the line, Cindy is forced to sift through clues and find out who the actual killer is before her goose is cooked.

Reasons to Read Peppermint Cookie Murder

Peppermint Cookie Murder is a whimsical whodunit that’s part fairy-tale, part murder mystery, and part coming-of-age story. It has a Christmas theme, but can be enjoyed any time of year.

The amateur sleuth, Cindy, is a sweet, earnest, and kindhearted protagonist. She loves holiday treats and has a passion for baking that she wants to share with other people. Cindy has known for years that she doesn’t want to take the reindeer reins and deliver toys to all the boys and girls, but “when you grow up with Santa Claus as your father, there’s not a lot of wiggle room in your career path.”

It is fun rooting for Cindy as she leaves the magical village she was born in for the first time. She is a true fish out of water who must get used to everything from slang to curious human behavior. Fortunately, her father’s arctic fox, Artikoa, is more well-versed in the ways of the human world. His knowledge, street smarts, and wry humor make him the perfect sidekick for Cindy.

The mystery is cheerful and fun with more twists than a peppermint stick. Every chapter delivers a new detail to unwrap and encourages you to sift through the clues right alongside the sleuth.

Anyone who enjoys culinary cozies will adore the holiday-themed recipes at the end of the book. The recipes explain how to make some of the festive treats mentioned in the story and help to keep the fun going after you’re done reading.

Peppermint Cookie Murder is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. The hardcover is 234 pages, and the paperback is 236 pages. The audiobook is 4 hours and 34 minutes long and narrated by Claire Duncan, an award-winning American actress and narrator of more than 100 audiobooks.

What Readers Say About Peppermint Cookie Murder

“The plot is well crafted, interesting and delightfully entertaining. The narrator did an outstanding job of bringing the characters to life and made the story even more engaging.”

— Barnes and Noble Review

“Wow what a fun Christmas story! I love the story of Cindy and who she was supposed to become. The adventures she has with Arti are so good, and they really make a fantastic pair. I can’t wait for more in this series!”

— Goodreads Review

“If you’re looking for a book that combines the warmth of Christmas with the thrill of a mystery, this is the one to pick up. It’s a feel-good story that’s sure to tickle your funny bone and engage your sleuthing skills. ”

— Amazon Review

“The story is as sweet and soul warming as the cookies it’s named after and I absolutely loved it. Trixie writes wonderful worlds that pull you in and wrap you up.”

— Kobo Review

Peppermint Cookie Murder Book Trailer

Peppermint Cookie Murder Reading Kit

If you're in a book club or if you just want to have some fun beyond the book, check out this free Peppermint Cookie Murder Reading Kit. It contains reader questions, book club activities, free printable bookmarks, coloring pages, word games, a festive recipe, an interview with author Trixie Silvertale, and other themed activities.

Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries in Order

The books in the Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries in order are:

Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries

Other Books by Trixie Silvertale

Trixie Silvertale writes several other paranormal cozy mystery series, including the Mitzy Moon Mysteries, the Harper and Moon Investigations mysteries, the Mysteries of Moonlight Manor (co-written with Molly Fitz), and the Magical Renaissance Faire Mysteries (co-written by Erin Johnson and Nova Nelson). All of her mysteries have humor, heart, and heroines you can root for. They can be read in order or as stand-alone mysteries.

Here is a list of Mitzy Moon Mysteries in order:

Fries and Alibis
Tattoos and Clues
Wings and Broken Things
Sparks and Landmarks
Charms and Firearms
Bars and Boxcars
Swords and Fallen Lords
Wakes and High Stakes
Tracks and Flashbacks
Lies and Pumpkin Pies
Hopes and Slippery Slopes
Hearts and Dark Arts
Dames and Deadly Games
Castaways and Longer Day
Schemes and Bad Dreams
Carols and Yule Perils
Dangers and Empty Mangers
Heists and Poltergeists
Blades and Bridesmaids
Scones and Tombstones
Vandals and Yule Scandals

Here is a list of Harper and Moon Investigations mysteries in order:

Ropes & Last Hopes (prequel)
Bells & Bombshells
Rodeo Clowns & Shakedowns
Stiffs & Petroglyphs
Fatal Wines & Valentines
April Curses & May Hearses
Wheels & Dirty Deals
Scripts & Empty Crypts

Here are the Mysteries of Moonlight Manor in order:

Moonlight and Mischief
Moonlight and Magic
Moonlight and Mayhem

Here are the Magical Renaissance Faire Mysteries in order:

Much A'Broom About Nothing
All Swell That Ends Spell
A Midsummer Knight’s Scream
Fairy Wives of Windsor
Tw'Elf Knight
The Taming of the Broom
All the Faire's a Stage
The Wizard of Menace
Double Double Royal Trouble

Mitzy Moon Mysteries (Books 1-3)

Interview with Trixie Silvertale

Read this Cozy Crime Reads interview with author Trixie Silvertale to learn more about cozy mystery books and her writing journey. You'll discover how she creates the cozy elements in her books and what advice she offers to other authors. You can also learn more about Trixie and her books on her website, trixiesilvertale.com.