Kate Carlisle answered a question I’ve asked about her gorgeous book covers. The cover of The Twelve Books of Christmas, and, from what I can tell from her acknowledgements, other covers as well, was done by Daniel Craig. The cover is perfect with the library setting, the Christmas decorations, the Scottish tartan, and the cat. Craig captured the seventeenth book in the Bibliophile Mystery series perfectly.

Brooklyn Wainwright and her husband, Derek Stone, are celebrating Christmas week in their new second home in Dharma, California when she receives a phone call from Scotland. Brooklyn’s friend, Claire, wants to marry her fiance, Cameron McKinnon, Laird of Castle McKinnon, right after midnight on New Year’s Day. She would like Brooklyn and Derek to stand up for them. Because the Stone private jet is in California, it’s easy for Brooklyn, Derek, and Brooklyn’s parents to travel to Scotland. Claire warns Brooklyn, though, that she has a mystery involving books for the bookbinder to solve. It’s Brooklyn’s mother who says, “And as we all know, any mystery that involves Brooklyn and books invariably ends in murder.”

While the castle residents are still celebrating Christmas, they’re also preparing for Hogmanay, the ancient Sottish New Year’s rituals, and, of course, the wedding. But, Brooklyn wants to see the castle library and learn about the mystery. Claire hired a librarian to organize the library, but there are twelve books missing, all Christmas ones. Brooklyn doesn’t trust Olivia, the librarian, but it’s Brooklyn’s mother, Becky, who practices witchcraft, who confirms Brooklyn’s feeling, saying the woman has a dark heart. Olivia isn’t the only one, though. There’s a group of powerful women in the village who hate Claire for her relationship with the local laird, and they’re determined to take her down. It’s too bad for them that Claire has her own network of strong women, beginning with Brooklyn and Becky.

In between Christmas events, a little tourism, and preparations for Hogmanay, Brooklyn and Derek search the castle for the missing books. While searching one one of the towers, they find a body. Claire and Cameron push back their wedding in a show of respect, but another body makes Claire wonder if they should get married at all. Brooklyn and Derek are willing to tangle with local women, a killer, and even a Christmas tree or two if it means they can uncover a killer and a happily-ever-after for their friends.

Although this is the first book in Carlisle’s series to focus on Christmas, it’s not the first to feature Claire and Cameron. Followers of the entire series might recognize them from Little Black Book, the fifteenth mystery. However, you don’t need to have read the previous book. Carlisle does an excellent job in providing a brief background for the relationship between the characters.

I’ve had a problem with Brooklyn with the last couple books, finding her a little whiny. I’m happy to say she’s not whiny in this book. Instead, with the support of her husband and mother, she’s once again inquisitive, sharing her love and knowledge of books. The Twelve Books of Christmas are really just a tool to kick off the mystery, but Christmas books and a Scottish setting are always fun.

Kate Carlisle’s website is https://katecarlisle.com/

The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle. Berkley, 2023. ISBN 9780593637685 (hardcover), 320p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley from NetGalley so I could review the book for a journal.