A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman: Book Review

A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder is the ninth book in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. Expected to be released on September 29, 2026, it follows George, Frances, and the rest of their family as they spend the holiday season in the country. A bad storm hits after they do, and the next day the men are recruited to help with storm cleanup in nearby villages. Frances and the rest of the group decide to head into the village to offer their aid to those in need. Instead, they find a dead man in the field. Who is he? How did he get there? How did he die? No one is around to investigate; should Frances step up and find out what happened?

I want to thank Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder. All opinions presented here are my own.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Frances and George are looking forward to a Christmas season enlivened by all the diversions London can provide. But family comes first, and George’s sister Fiona and her husband persuade everyone to gather at their Norfolk estate for the holiday. The weather will be chilly, but the prospect of snow delights the youngsters. And with blazing fires and invigorating country walks in store, Frances envisions a peaceful, jolly Christmas. 

Instead of a picturesque snowfall, however, Norfolk is hit by pounding rainfall and high winds. In the aftermath of the storm, Frances, Fiona, and the children make an unpleasant discovery in a nearby field—the body of their neighbor, dead in suspicious circumstances. Sir Joshua Penhollow was the local doctor, though not a well-respected one. Indeed, most viewed him as a quack, and even his own stepdaughter held a grudge against him.  

With the menfolk gone to help clear a blocked road, the investigation falls to Frances and Fiona, who must also curb the young people’s excitement at encountering a real-life murder. Combing through a village full of colorful characters and more than a few suspects, Frances feels any hope of a quiet Christmas slipping away. But more pressing is the need to stop a killer whose heart is as cold as the season…

My Opinions

I added A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder to my TBR when I learned it was coming out. Why? Because I wanted to read a holiday book that wasn’t just a cozy romance.

Imagine my surprise when I learned it was the ninth book in a cozy mystery series. I worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it because I hadn’t read the first eight books. Thankfully, that’s not a problem. Sure, you may miss out on understanding a few events that are discussed in previous books, but overall, that doesn’t inhibit the enjoyment of the book. It helps that Frances is in a setting that is relatively new to her and has to be introduced to everyone and their habits.

Set in December 1900, the book showcases a late Victorian-era Christmas. But it also features women who can be independent of a man. Yes, Frances and Fiona are both married. But with their husbands away, they take matters into their own hands and work on the investigation. One man they turn to for assistance and guidance insists they are doing well on their own, and he doesn’t feel the need to step in. The other asks only what help he can give without questioning their authority.

The mystery part of A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder is quite interesting. The victim is the village doctor, and the suspects are everyone in the village. Of course, the reader knows that an entire village can’t murder one person. Or can they?

Overall, A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder is a fun holiday read. But if you want to read a book heavy with a Christmas theme, you’re in luck! Sure it’s part of the story, but it’s not the only part. Either way, you should give A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder.

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.