Cover of The Christmas Tree Murders

The Christmas Tree Murders

‘Imagine Janice Hallett writing a Victorian murder mystery’ – A gripping, festive read from the HWA shortlisted author
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The Christmas Tree Murders

By: Katie Lumsden
Narrated by: Rufus Wright, Joanna David, Katie Lumsden, David Nellist, Montserrat Lombard, Liam Garrigan, Esh Alladi, Nikki Patel, Cicely Whitehead, Sam Swann, Roy McMillan
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THE DELICIOUSLY DARK VICTORIAN MURDER MYSTERY

It is December 1884, and we have a murder to solve.

Come, my friend – follow me, for we have much to see this festive season.

First, a house: a brand-new country estate, with all the latest technological innovations – electric light-bulbs, running water, dumb-waiters, hydraulic lifts.

Second, a family: celebrated inventor Sir Russell Morgan, his grown-up children, his elegant new wife.

Next, their guests: the great and the good (well, the rich), dressed in all their finery, eager to celebrate Christmas at Clifftop House.

And finally: a body – for what festive mystery would be complete without one? Here lies one of the servants, laid out beneath the Christmas-tree, his hands covered in burns.

The police dismiss his death as an accident, but our heroine, Millie – kitchenmaid and keen reader of sensation novels – is not so sure.

Christmas Day is fast approaching. Can we solve the mystery of Clifftop House before another guest meets an untimely end?

'Clever, intriguing and beautifully atmospheric...an immaculate slice of festive fiction. The characters are vivid and electric, the plot unfolds like a perfect Victorian puzzle-box and the writing is just sumptuous' ALEX HAY

'Superb...a rich puzzle imbued with all the splendour of the Victorian Gothic’ TOM MEAD

'Delightfully festive and irresistibly addictive. An essential addition to your Christmas list' JESSICA BULL

Perfect for fans of:
- Female sleuths
- The Victorian period
- Upstairs/downstairs dynamics
- Witty narrators
- Cosy crime

© Katie Lumsden 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Holidays Mystery
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Reviews

A fabulous book, I was immersed from the very first page. Katie Lumsden writes with wonderful style, confidence, and absolute control. The Christmas-Tree Murders is superb entertainment, a rich puzzle imbued with all the splendour of the Victorian Gothic (TOM MEAD, author of DEATH AND THE CONJUROR)
Clever, intriguing and beautifully atmospheric, The Christmas Tree Murders is an immaculate slice of festive fiction. The characters are vivid and electric, the plot unfolds like a perfect Victorian puzzle-box and the writing is just sumptuous. Katie Lumsden is such a talent. (ALEX HAY)
This immersive Victorian treat of a book is packed with fascinating characters and clues. It's an absolute delight (JOSIE LLOYD)
Delightfully festive and irresistibly addictive, The Christmas Tree Murders is an essential addition to your Christmas list. Just brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! (JESSICA BULL)
Full of atmosphere and fantastic characters. This is a proper Victorian murder mystery that kept me turning the pages to find out whodunnit. A perfect Christmas read. (LOUISE HARE)
Imagine Janice Hallett writing a Victorian murder mystery, and you have this book - a perfect Christmas read (EMILY KOCH)
Uniquely voiced, and murderously charming, this thoroughly beguiling whodunnit should be under everyone’s Christmas tree this year. (LISA TIMONEY)
This is the perfect read to curl up with on Christmas Day. I was completely immersed in the windswept, snowy surrounds of Clifftop House, captivated by the charming and wry omniscient narrator from the very first line, and thoroughly entertained by the eclectic cast of characters who have plenty of secrets between them. The chapters are expertly paced, and the attention to historical accuracy is (as fans of Lumsden have come to expect) impeccable. Katie has outdone herself with this clever, witty and warm mystery. I hope it goes flying off the shelves and winds up under Christmas trees up and down the country. (LEXY HUDSON)
A deliciously entertaining murder mystery with a unique historical setting. I loved the feast of characters, especially the unstoppable Millie, and the very original narrator was a touch of genius (SARAH DUNNAKEY)
An absolute joy of a book, told in Katie’s inimitable style. The central mystery keeps you guessing to the end, and the unique setting makes for an extra layer of intrigue (ANNE CORLETT)
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