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Everyone this Christmas has a Secret
By Benjamin Stevenson
My name is Ernest Cunningham. I'm not a detective. I just happen to have a knack for what makes mysteries - and murderers - tick. I'd hoped, this Christmas, that any killers out there might be willing to take a break for the holidays. I was wrong. So here I am, backstage at the Christmas show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. From the magician's assistant to the hypnotist, my suspects are all professional tricksters. Masters in the art of misdirection. My clues are even more of a mystery: A suspect covered in blood, with no memory of how it got there. A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens. And an advent calendar. Because, you know. It's Christmas. Solving the murder is the only gift I want this year. But can I catch a killer, and make it home for Christmas alive?
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A Country Farm Christmas
By Pamela Cook, Penelope Janu, Lily Malone, Stella Quinn
A heartwarming collection of four brand-new festive stories from favourite Australian authors about farms, love and small-town Christmas charm. The Christmas Contract by Pamela Cook: No-nonsense lawyer turned farmer Bridie Grainger is determined to make a go of her organic produce business, but life is conspiring against her. Her father is calling time on the loan he gave her to set up the farm. Her ex is demanding more time with their five-year-old, Finn. And her elderly neighbour/nemesis has his sights set on her property. When Bridie enlists the help of his visiting son to get her place shipshape for the parental Christmas inspection, are all the resulting feels another complication or exactly what she needs? A Fairytale for Christmas by Penelope Janu: Big-city lawyer Juliette McAdams is living a small-town life in Ballimore for one reason only-to save her career by Christmas. Which is why she should say no to helping the town, to taking over the fairytale cabin in the forest, and to challenging the impossibly attractive farmer and local-boy-made-good Beau D'Arcy. Mostly she should say no to Beau. What is he hiding? Do his books in the cabin hold the key? A past left behind, a reimagined future. Can there be a happy ending to this fairytale? The Christmas Kindness Project by Lily Malone: After the break-up of her 26-year marriage, high-flying property manager Rosie Begg returns to Chalk Hill to start over. Rosie doesn't like surprises, and when she's nominated to represent her new employer in the Christmas Kindness Project, she struggles in the competition spotlight. Then enigmatic real estate valuer, Fletcher Graham (a nice surprise) takes an interest in Rosie's ideas for solving the rental housing crisis. If it's not a hot flush, maybe Rosie's love life is finally heating up? Christmas at Yindi Creek by Stella Quinn: Angela arrives in Yindi Creek desperate to restore a lost keepsake from her late mother: an opal earring. After a near miss with a roo and a run-in with a grumpy sheep farmer, she discovers that the opal dealers are closed till the winter tourist season. Robbie spends his days with his sheep and his ailing kelpie Bruce, determinedly not looking at the white cross planted by the gates of his property. But the meddlesome locals reckon he's grieved long enough, and it doesn't take long for them to hatch a devious (but romantic!) plan ...
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Four Weddings and a Christmas
By Phillipa Ashley
With her thriving business Cottage Angels, Freya Bolton prepares the Lake District's holiday homes for Christmas visitors. It's her job to think of everything, from cinnamon-scented candles to tasteful decorations and hampers of seasonal treats. If only her love life were such a success ... After being burned by past relationships, she's now determined to steer clear of love for good. So when she bumps into gorgeous -- and single -- ex-boyfriend Travis, a no-strings festive fling seems perfect. But when her feelings for him begin to develop, is she on track for another romantic calamity? Or could this Christmas give her the gift of true love?
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A Cotswold Christmas Mystery
By Rebecca Tope
Things are all set for a fantastic Christmas in the Slocombe house, but then a local lady disappears, relationships are put to the test, and there's a death. Christmas is coming to the picturesque Cotswold countryside, and the days are merry and bright at the Slocombe house. Thea's daughter Jessica has come to stay, much to her stepdaughter Stephanie's delight, and the family are looking forward to the festivities. But things soon take a turn for the worse. A local family, the Frowses, find themselves increasingly harassed by an aggressive landlord and his overbearing new wife. When Beverley Frowse suddenly goes missing without a trace, Thea and Stephanie both feel they should help to investigate her disappearance, if only to ease the growing concern of Beverley's son, and Thea's friend, Ant. Christmas Day arrives, with all the traditional trimmings and general goodwill, despite Thea's barely suppressed hankering to be involved in events at the Frowses' house, where a dead man has just been discovered nearby.
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The Quality Street girls
By Penny Thorpe
At sixteen years old, Rene Calder is leaving school with little in the way of qualifications. Fearing a life in service is all she can hope for, she lands a seasonal job at Mackintosh's Quality Street factory, and vows to work harder than anyone else so that they keep her on past Christmas. Rene quickly makes friends, especially with Mary, and with Max, one of the managers. But it's also easy to fall foul of the rules at Mackintosh's and Rene soon makes an enemy of Frances, the most hated supervisor at the factory. When a shocking accident damages the production line, it puts the country's supply of Quality Street at risk and soon the staff are working flat out making the chocolate by hand. Will Rene be able to prove herself and keep her job - and can the whole community pull together make this a Quality Street Christmas ...?
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Owl be home for Christmas
By Donna Andrews
It is a few days before Christmas, and Meg's grandfather is hosting a scientific conference on owls at the Caerphilly Inn. Most of the family are there, helping out in one capacity or another, including Meg's grandmother, Cordelia -- invited by Grandfather in rare gesture of peace-making, to share her expertise on rehabilitating large birds, including owls. An unexpectedly severe snow storm traps the conference-goers in the hotel, and one of the visiting ornithologists is murdered. Even if Caerphilly is able to clear the roads in time, Chief Burke doesn't want the various suspects to scatter to half a dozen continents before he identifies the killer, so there's a very real possibility that none of them will make it home for Christmas ... at least not unless Meg comes to the rescue. Full of intrigue and snow, this Christmas mystery will take readers home to Caerphilly for Christmas.
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The Christmas Bookshop
By Jenny Colgan
Carmen has always worked in her local department store. So, when the gorgeous old building closes its doors for good, she is more than a little lost. When her sister, Sofia, mentions an opportunity in Edinburgh - a cute little bookshop, the spare room in her house - Carmen is reluctant, she was never very good at accepting help. But, short on options, she soon finds herself pulling into the snowy city just a month before Christmas. What Sofia didn't say is that the shop is on its last legs and that if Carmen can't help turn things around before Christmas, the owner will be forced to sell. Privately, Sofia is sure it will take more than a miracle to save the store, but maybe this Christmas, Carmen might surprise them all...
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Christmas Among the Gum Trees
By Jennie Jones, Susanne Bellamy, Lauren K. Bellamy, Nicole Flockton, Ainslie Paton
12 days at Silver Bells House: Escaping to the country, Kate has twelve days to find herself. The last thing she expects is to find an attractive yet uncommunicative man living in her holiday home. Can the enchanting Silver Bells House and a community dripping in holiday spirit bind Kate and Jamie together? Or will love get lost on the highway back to the city?
Her Christmas kisses: Stranded in Rainbow Cove with no car, no work and no prospect of saving her family's restaurant, Flick needs a Christmas miracle. It may have been his car that put her in this mess but Xander, luxury resort owner, might just be the solution Flick is looking for -- if only Flick and Xander can ignore the undeniable spark between them.
Naughty or nice: Claire wants one thing this Christmas: to land the big promotion at work and finally dispel the office gossip. 'Nice guy' Hamish has his own reasons for wanting that same promotion. The last thing either of them needs is an office fling. Their naughty games could ruin everything, but are Hamish and Claire about to discover what it truly means to win?
Christmas in Ghost Gum Springs: A lover of all things Christmas, publican Connor is determined to bring Christmas spirit to the small town of Ghost Gum Springs. He's ready to take on the grinchiest of Scrooges -- even the unhappy American girl staying at the pub who would obviously rather be anywhere else. He just didn't expect Scrooge to be quite so attractive...
Tinsel in a tangle: It's Shelby's job to make sure the office Christmas party is a success. She didn't think she needed to worry about the shy new guy, her inappropriate crush, ending up in the emergency room after decking one of their colleagues. But since Shelby's New Year's resolution is to go after what she wants, maybe there's still a chance this season will be jolly.
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Murder under the mistletoe
By Richard Coles
It is Christmas Day and at Champton Rectory, Canon Daniel Clement and his mother Audrey are joined by the residents and guests of the big house to drink, eat and be merry. At the festive feast, peace and goodwill prevail. Until two meet under the mistletoe. One of them falls down dead. And Daniel suspects murder has returned to Champton. Can Daniel and Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo solve the crime and catch the Christmas killer?
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A Christmas gift for the East End library girls
By Patricia McBride
With the echoes of war reverberating around London, Cordelia, Mavis, and Jane are delighted to be blessed with some good news: the King and his Queen will be making a visit to the East End. As excitement builds, so does their apprehension. With each passing day, the threat of destruction from air raids increasingly plagues their worried minds. But with Christmas on the horizon, their morale is at an all-time high, and the girls are determined to display to their esteemed guests all they have done with the library - and with so little. For Mavis especially, she is more focused on the library than ever - her beloved Joe is still fighting overseas and she is waiting for news on whether she might adopt young Joyce. But perhaps the royal visit will not be the only Christmas gift she will be surprised with this year...?
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Christmas shopaholic
By Sophie Kinsella
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) adores Christmas. It's always the same - Mum and Dad hosting, carols playing, Mum pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the next-door neighbours coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers. And now it's even easier with online bargain-shopping sites - if you spend enough you even get free delivery. Sorted! But this year looks set to be different. Unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocado, Becky's parents are moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch and have asked Becky if she'll host Christmas this year. What could possibly go wrong? With sister Jess demanding a vegan turkey, husband Luke determined that he just wants aftershave again, and little Minnie insisting on a very specific picnic hamper - surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear. Will chaos ensue, or will Becky manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas?
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White Christmas
By Katie Flynn
December, 1938: Rozalin Sachs has grown up in the vibrant city of Frankfurt. But with the Nazi Revolution gaining power, her family is forced to flee Germany. When a tragic accident separates Roz from her parents, she finds herself aboard the Kindertransport bound for Holland. Here Roz meets a young lad called Felix and they vow to stick together as their journey takes them to England. Eventually they find themselves in Liverpool with the promise of a new life, until a devastating incident takes Felix away. And in a desperate attempt to escape the terrible situation she has found herself in, Roz joins the Women's Land Army. On the sprawling farm at Hollybank Roz meets Bernie, a dashing farmer's son, who has more than just friendship on his mind. Roz is flattered by his affections, but will he win her heart, or will her love for Felix remain as strong as ever?
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Christmas everlasting
By Nora Roberts
Local Hero: Single mother Hester Wallace hardly has time for the holidays. Between settling in to her new apartment and chasing after her nine-year-old son, Radley, she's beginning to feel the pressure of trying to have it all together. So when her neighbor, comic book writer Mitch Dempsey, offers to look after Radley in the afternoons, Hester reluctantly accepts. Mitch is a stranger, after all, even if he is generous and has a connection with her son. Eventually, Hester finds herself relying on Mitch... and even worse, admitting that he's found his way into her heart.
All I want for Christmas: Wanting a change from her fast-paced life in Manhattan, Nell Davis moves to the small town of Taylor's Grove, Maryland, to revamp the local music program. Her sweet students, identical six-year-olds Zeke and Zack Taylor, have already stolen her heart -- though she can't say the same for their brooding father, Mac. A single parent, Mac firmly believes that any romance will only distract him from raising his sons. Little does he know, a mother like Nell is exactly what the boys are hoping for this Christmas...
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The Christmas rose
By Dilly Court
As the ship glided into the harbour, guided by the wintery waters of the Thames, Rose took a deep breath. Had she done the right thing? Leaving everything behind her to follow the man she loved? But as London refused to appear through the thick fog that engulfed it, Rose felt more lonely than ever.Raised in Australia, Rose Munday is on the way back to the city she was born in. But, expecting to be met by her sweetheart, she is left alone on the waterfront, surrounded by whistles and scornful glances, chilled by the east wind coming off the docks. How could Max have abandoned her? With no money and no family left in London, Rose must go to work. Finding herself a position as a typist in a slowly modernising London, Rose's future begins to take shape in ways she would never have foreseen. But London is a treacherous place for a young woman, and what initially seemed a brave decision, might just be a dangerous one.
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The twelve long, hard, topsy-turvy, very messy days of Christmas
By James Patterson and Tad Safran
No stockings, no gifts, no tinsel, and no tree -- has Christmas been cancelled? It's mid-December and for the fifth year in a row, there is little sign of the festive season in the Sullivan family's household in Harlem. But this year, a mysterious someone is sending gifts to widower Henry Sullivan and his two children, Will and Ella. First, a small-beaked and feathered face pokes its head out from between the branches of a pear tree. Before they know it, the Sullivan's home is quickly full of boisterous animals and house guests, all demanding their attention. The next twelve days turns the Sullivan family's lives upside down in ways they never could have imagined. And even though this Christmas will be messy, it may be just the gift their family needs.
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Snowed in for Christmas
By Sarah Morgan
This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal--to avoid their well-meaning family's endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don't intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention. Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She'll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn't want to intrude on the Miller family's perfect Christmas. When Lucy appears on the Miller family's snow-covered Highland doorstep, she's mistaken for Ross's girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they're snowed in--she can't leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy's worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life"
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