Murder for Christmas

I loved the characters and the development of the story

Amateur criminologist Mordecai Tremaine has been invited to a country house Christmas party in Sherbbroome House by Benedict Grame. But at midnight Christmas Eve, a scream is heard, and as everyone rushed toward the noise they find the body of Father Christmas. With the help of the police Tremaine tries to find the guilty party.
An enjoyable and very readable Golden Age (written in 1949) mystery with the varied selection of guests. Probably more of a 3.5 star rating, as I look forward to hopefully reading more in this series if they are to be reprinted.
A NetGalley Book

Mordecai Tremaine arrives at the country estate of Benedict Grame on Christmas Eve. Soon he discovers that the holiday celebrations are in full swing in the sleepy village of Sherbroome. Yet, as festive as it may seem there is tension between the guests and the host.

Benedict loves to set a mood of an older time for his guests, including dressing up as Father Christmas and placing gifts on the tree. At midnight, a scream rings out, and the guests discover that presents aren't the only things nestled under the tree. The body of Father Christmas lays under the tree. With the snow falling and suspicions flying, it's up to Mordecai to find the killer and prevent a murderer from getting away.

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Series: Mordecai Tremaine Mystery Book 1
Author: Francis Duncan
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Vintage Books

Francis Duncan was the pseudonym for William Underhill, who was born in 1918 and died in 1988. Murder for Christmas was the first book in his Mordecai Tremaine Mystery Series.

Mr. Underhill was a prolific writer of murder mysteries and was of the same caliber as Agatha Christie. Although this book is not the fast pace style of a Christie novel, it nevertheless intrigues and entertains. Underhill could weave a story that kept the reader guessing until the very end and provided a conclusion to the mystery that fulfilled all the reader’s needs. His stories were well written, detailed and allowed the reader to drift away to a different place and time. Leaving them with the feeling of having actually walked the streets and investigated an old mansion in the heart of England. His writing was never boring.

The characters in Murder for Christmas are well rounded with personalities and quirks that make the reader smile and frown. Mordecai Tremaine is a very likable character with a penchant for romance stories. Readers will love his romanticism while staying impersonal and objective. His methods are unique, and his results cannot be argued.

The remaining characters, Denys, Roger, Charlotte, and so forth, as well as the killer, are wonderfully written with hints of secrets and motives. The reader will keep changing their mind about who did it as the clues are explained and the questions answered. The final reveal may even have readers stunned by how wrong they were, or congratulating themselves for being right.

The setting is picturesque and perfect for a Christmas murder. The reader will have a sense of winter, cold and a touch of holidays the way they used to be. The small village and the residents are described in such a way that the reader is taken back in time. A time when small town life meant everyone knew everyone else's business and strangers were spotted a mile away but did not remain strangers for long.

Mr. Underhill’s books and Murder for Christmas are highly recommended to those who are true murder mystery fans, lovers of Agatha Christie, and those that enjoy a journey through time.

Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan is a vintage Christmas mystery that was originally published in 1949. I enjoyed the setting of an isolated country house and the assorted characters that were gathered there to celebrate Christmas. The amateur detective, Mordecai Tremaine, was a little surprised to have been invited to the country home of Benedict Grame, but the attached note, sent by Mr. Grame’s secretary hinted that his sleuthing skills might be needed. Sure enough in the early hours of Christmas morning, a woman’s shrill screams awaken the household to the discovery of a body, dressed as Father Christmas under the Christmas tree. The police are called to investigate and Mordecai, assists by using his observation skills, discovering clues, and putting the pieces together resulting in a satisfying reveal at the end of the book. Overall Murder For Christmas was a good holiday mystery. Along with the Christmas setting, the author supplied plenty of motives and a few red herrings to keep the detective on his toes. I thought the reader could have been more involved in the solving of the murder, all too often we are left in the dark about what the clues being found meant or in what direction the detective’s thoughts were heading.

"'A friend of mine once told me', Tremaine added reflectively, 'that I was a murder magnet. He said that no matter where I went murder seemed to follow me'"Mordecai Tremaine is the detective on the scene at a Christmas gathering at a country estate. One of the guests is murdered and the suspect pool is composed of several eccentrics. It's an entertaining murder mystery story, a bit of a puzzle although there's few noticeable clues which would aid a reader in identifying the killer. All is finally revealed in the last chapter. The identity of the murderer may catch many by surprise.The story was written in 1949, towards the end of the author's career, and reflects the language and customs of the time. In other words it's a bit dated. This does not however detract from the story. Recommended.

I had high hopes for this book. The Amazon descriptions sounded good, and I love a Christmas murder.I was sadly disappointed. The plot was decent enough, although the solution was far-fetched. But the writing wasn’t a style I could enjoy. Flowery and over-written, it made me skim many pages rather than give the story my full attention.I have one more by this author, and hope I’ll like it better.

This is the second book in this series but you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one. Mordecai Tremaine is invited to a Christmas house party. He shows up and then there is murder. There are many twists and turns within this story. I received a copy of this book from PBpublicity for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Amateur detective Mordecai Tremaine has been invited to spend the Christmas holidays at the home of Benedict Grame. Although this is Tremaine’s first invitation to this annual party, most of the guests are regular visitors. Along with his invitation, he had received a note from Grame’s secretary, Nicholas Blaise, who is worried that something may be wrong with Grame. Tremaine may be an amateur but he is determined to keep an eye on everyone. And it turns out that Blaine had reason to worry. Every year, Grame would dress up as Santa to attach presents to the tree. On Christmas Eve, the household is awakened by a scream. A body in a Santa suit is found under the tree and the gifts as well as a valuable necklace have gone missing.Murder for Christmas in an intelligent cozy mystery full of twists and turns and with interesting characters and setting. It was first published in 1949 by author Francis Duncan (his real name a mystery itself until recently). Although written after the Golden Age of mysteries, it shares many of the qualities that make those books so addicting. Set in a manor house in rural England, it is more a puzzle than an active thriller or police procedural. Most of the action happens off the page including the murder itself. The answer lies more in the words of the suspects, of which there are many, rather than in their actions, at least until the end. Tremaine is a very likable protagonist, gentlemanly right to the tip of his pince-nez wearing nose but very good at sussing out secrets even while dancing with many of the suspects and often despite their reluctance to talk. For anyone who enjoys Golden Age or Christmas cozies, Murder for Christmas is a fun read.Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Mordecai Tremaine has been invited to Benedict Grame's country estate for Christmas, along with a variety of other guests. His host dresses up as Father Christmas each year on Christmas Eve to deliver envelopes for each of the guests to the Christmas tree. However, this year, Father Christmas has been found dead under the tree, and the gifts are nowhere to be found. Fortunately, Mordecai Tremaine is an amateur detective who has a talent for solving murders.Murder for Christmas is a fantastic Golden Age mystery - country house and amateur detective included. The author has a comfortable style, and it was an easy and fun read. The clues were laid out, and one could attempt to detect along with Mordecai Tremaine. I enjoyed reading this book and will enjoy rereading it as well. I hope the publishers continue to re-release additional books by Francis Duncan.If you like classic, Golden Age detection, you will like this book.I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you are certain to respect the quiet intelligence of Mordecai Tremaine, the creation of Francis Duncan (a pen name for William Walter Frank Underhill). Murder for Christmas contains all the best elements of a period mystery. The setting is Sherbroome House, an old estate house which has been lost by the original family to a new owner, Benedict Grame. The time is during the Christmas season. A house full of people, a large Christmas tree and a constant uneasy undercurrent that settles on the festivities. Fearing something is wrong and hoping to keep any misfortune at bay, Nicholas Blaise, Grame’s confidential secretary and companion has invited Mordecai Tremaine to spend the holiday at Sherbroome House. Knowing he would not enjoy his Christmas if he was wondering about what was transpiring at Sherbroome, Mordecai accepts the invitation. ….”Mordecai Tremaine wanted to be more than a mere spectator in the stalls. He wanted to know what was taking place in the wings. He wanted to know how many acts the drama was scheduled to possess – how many of the case were aware of the significance of the parts they played.”So well thought out and written, the details don’t overwhelm the plot but lead you to the right place at the right time. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that this would have been a great project for Masterpiece Theater. Among the many prescient passages the following took my breath away: “It was all wrong that greed and hatred, fear and violence should find their way into the lovely places of the earth. It was all wrong that the cold winter beauty upon which he was gazing should be marred by man’s inability to live in charity with his neighbors and that murder should lie like an evil smudge across perfection.”Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc. for an ARCIf you enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you are certain to respect the quiet intelligence of Mordecai Tremaine, the creation of Francis Duncan (a pen name for William Walter Frank Underhill). Murder for Christmas contains all the best elements of a period mystery. The setting is Sherbroome House, an old estate house which has been lost by the original family to a new owner, Benedict Grame. The time is during the Christmas season. A house full of people, a large Christmas tree and a constant uneasy undercurrent that settles on the festivities. Fearing something is wrong and hoping to keep any misfortune at bay, Nicholas Blaise, Grame’s confidential secretary and companion has invited Mordecai Tremaine to spend the holiday at Sherbroome House. Knowing he would not enjoy his Christmas if he was wondering about what was transpiring at Sherbroome, Mordecai accepts the invitation. ….”Mordecai Tremaine wanted to be more than a mere spectator in the stalls. He wanted to know what was taking place in the wings. He wanted to know how many acts the drama was scheduled to possess – how many of the case were aware of the significance of the parts they played.”So well thought out and written, the details don’t overwhelm the plot but lead you to the right place at the right time. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that this would have been a great project for Masterpiece Theater. Among the many prescient passages the following took my breath away: “It was all wrong that greed and hatred, fear and violence should find their way into the lovely places of the earth. It was all wrong that the cold winter beauty upon which he was gazing should be marred by man’s inability to live in charity with his neighbors and that murder should lie like an evil smudge across perfection.”Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc. for an ARCIf you enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you are certain to respect the quiet intelligence of Mordecai Tremaine, the creation of Francis Duncan (a pen name for William Walter Frank Underhill). Murder for Christmas contains all the best elements of a period mystery. The setting is Sherbroome House, an old estate house which has been lost by the original family to a new owner, Benedict Grame. The time is during the Christmas season. A house full of people, a large Christmas tree and a constant uneasy undercurrent that settles on the festivities. Fearing something is wrong and hoping to keep any misfortune at bay, Nicholas Blaise, Grame’s confidential secretary and companion has invited Mordecai Tremaine to spend the holiday at Sherbroome House. Knowing he would not enjoy his Christmas if he was wondering about what was transpiring at Sherbroome, Mordecai accepts the invitation. ….”Mordecai Tremaine wanted to be more than a mere spectator in the stalls. He wanted to know what was taking place in the wings. He wanted to know how many acts the drama was scheduled to possess – how many of the case were aware of the significance of the parts they played.”So well thought out and written, the details don’t overwhelm the plot but lead you to the right place at the right time. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that this would have been a great project for Masterpiece Theater. Among the many prescient passages the following took my breath away: “It was all wrong that greed and hatred, fear and violence should find their way into the lovely places of the earth. It was all wrong that the cold winter beauty upon which he was gazing should be marred by man’s inability to live in charity with his neighbors and that murder should lie like an evil smudge across perfection.”Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc. for an ARCIf you enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you are certain to respect the quiet intelligence of Mordecai Tremaine, the creation of Francis Duncan (a pen name for William Walter Frank Underhill). Murder for Christmas contains all the best elements of a period mystery. The setting is Sherbroome House, an old estate house which has been lost by the original family to a new owner, Benedict Grame. The time is during the Christmas season. A house full of people, a large Christmas tree and a constant uneasy undercurrent that settles on the festivities. Fearing something is wrong and hoping to keep any misfortune at bay, Nicholas Blaise, Grame’s confidential secretary and companion has invited Mordecai Tremaine to spend the holiday at Sherbroome House. Knowing he would not enjoy his Christmas if he was wondering about what was transpiring at Sherbroome, Mordecai accepts the invitation. ….”Mordecai Tremaine wanted to be more than a mere spectator in the stalls. He wanted to know what was taking place in the wings. He wanted to know how many acts the drama was scheduled to possess – how many of the case were aware of the significance of the parts they played.”So well thought out and written, the details don’t overwhelm the plot but lead you to the right place at the right time. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that this would have been a great project for Masterpiece Theater. Among the many prescient passages the following took my breath away: “It was all wrong that greed and hatred, fear and violence should find their way into the lovely places of the earth. It was all wrong that the cold winter beauty upon which he was gazing should be marred by man’s inability to live in charity with his neighbors and that murder should lie like an evil smudge across perfection.”Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc. for an ARCIf you enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you are certain to respect the quiet intelligence of Mordecai Tremaine, the creation of Francis Duncan (a pen name for William Walter Frank Underhill). Murder for Christmas contains all the best elements of a period mystery. The setting is Sherbroome House, an old estate house which has been lost by the original family to a new owner, Benedict Grame. The time is during the Christmas season. A house full of people, a large Christmas tree and a constant uneasy undercurrent that settles on the festivities. Fearing something is wrong and hoping to keep any misfortune at bay, Nicholas Blaise, Grame’s confidential secretary and companion has invited Mordecai Tremaine to spend the holiday at Sherbroome House. Knowing he would not enjoy his Christmas if he was wondering about what was transpiring at Sherbroome, Mordecai accepts the invitation. ….”Mordecai Tremaine wanted to be more than a mere spectator in the stalls. He wanted to know what was taking place in the wings. He wanted to know how many acts the drama was scheduled to possess – how many of the case were aware of the significance of the parts they played.”So well thought out and written, the details don’t overwhelm the plot but lead you to the right place at the right time. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that this would have been a great project for Masterpiece Theater. Among the many prescient passages the following took my breath away: “It was all wrong that greed and hatred, fear and violence should find their way into the lovely places of the earth. It was all wrong that the cold winter beauty upon which he was gazing should be marred by man’s inability to live in charity with his neighbors and that murder should lie like an evil smudge across perfection.”Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc. for an ARC

For the British, as I understand it, it’s customary to read murder mysteries at Christmas time. I must say that if Francis Duncan’s Murder for Christmas is any indication, it’s an excellent observance of the season. Duncan’s book is a traditional country-house murder, set at Christmas time with all the standard Dickensian elements -- Father Christmas, a tree decorated with presents, carollers, the village vicar -- the full program of Christmas. Of course, in this one, we’ve several Father Christmases, presents stolen from the tree, and ultimately, a dead body left on the rug. It features a slightly offbeat sleuth -- Mordecai Tremaine, an unmarried and rather affable, retired tobacconist with a set of pince-nez that tend to slide out of position on his nose. Searching for a fictional parallel, he's reminiscent more of Miss Marple than Hercule Poirot. There is a manageable allotment of suspects - among others, an accomplished pianist, a scientist, a politician, etc. and a lovely romantically involved pair (Denys and Roger). This last set has a certain appeal for Mordecai who harbors a peculiar fondness for the type of love stories found in the Romantic Times publication. We watch him intuit and subsequently solve the problems driving the narrative, while interrogating suspects as he twirls them about the ballroom. The Christmas tree standing in the ballroom is by turns a pleasant, a depressing and ultimately even a malevolent presence. It’s a great puzzle mystery, but if you’re the sort who pays attention to the narrative structure of mysteries, you may figure out who done it fairly readily, even if you can’t think why. Murder at Christmas seems to me to be a meditation on the appeal of murder mysteries at Christmas. Why at this ostensibly peaceful and celebratory time of year, do we enjoy something so dreadful as murder? Because properly speaking, it should really dampen our spirits to be thinking about corpses and suspects; fear, suspicion and terror shouldn’t be the three ghosts of Christmas. And yet, as fictional elements, the tartness of those emotions does appear to enhance our enjoyment of the season.