About the Book
A festive murder mystery with a delightful twist.
Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?
Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.
Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.
The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.
And when the prize is to die for, it’s so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery…Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards
About the Author
Martin Edwards has won lifetime achievement awards for his fiction, non-fiction, short stories, and scholarship and his work has been translated into numerous languages.
You can find out more about Martin’s books on his website and on Facebook and Instagram
My review
Some books have a strange way of lingering in your mind long before you ever reach the final page — and Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife was one of those for me. After reading an extract last year, I was instantly hooked, and I waited patiently to discover how the story unfolded. Thankfully, it was more than worth the wait.
From the very first page, I felt completely drawn into the snowbound village setting. There’s something about a festive backdrop paired with an undercurrent of menace that immediately works its way under the skin, and Martin Edwards captures that atmosphere beautifully. The crisp winter setting feels deceptively cosy, but it’s laced with unease, making every interaction feel loaded and every detail feel important.
What I loved most was how the tension builds at just the right pace. This is a mystery that encourages you to slow down, to observe, and to think. I found myself constantly reassessing the characters, second-guessing motives, and mentally juggling clues as the story unfolded. It’s rare for me to feel like I’m actively playing along with a mystery rather than simply following it — but here, I genuinely did, and it was hugely satisfying.
The novel has a wonderfully playful intelligence to it. There’s a clear nod to golden-age crime — clever plotting, sharp dialogue, and that delicious sense that everyone might be hiding something — yet it never feels dated or overly nostalgic. Instead, it feels fresh, mischievous, and quietly confident in what it’s doing. The balance between homage and originality is spot on.
The characters themselves are vivid, flawed, and endlessly intriguing. More than once I caught myself thinking, “Oh, I don’t trust you one bit…” — which, for a mystery lover, is always a sign that a book is doing exactly what it should. Each character feels purposeful, and no one is quite as straightforward as they first appear.
Overall, this was an absolute joy to read: atmospheric, clever, and completely absorbing from start to finish.
Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife reminded me just how much fun a well-crafted mystery can be when it invites the reader to engage, question, and speculate. Martin Edwards has delivered a real treat for crime lovers here, and it’s easily one of my favourite reads of the year.
This review may also appear on my social media and selected book platforms. All links are correct at the time of posting.
Note from the blogger:
This review is shared with thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus (an Aries Book) for the digital advance copy provided ahead of publication. This review is not part of any promotional tour.
After reading the digital copy, I knew I wanted a hardcover edition to keep, and purchasing a signed copy from the independent bookshop Fox Lane Books felt like the right thing to do.
It was such a treat to hold a physical book with sprayed edges — it made the reading experience feel extra special.
However you choose to read it, I would highly recommend doing so.
#MartinEdwards #MissWinterInTheLibraryWithAKnife #HeadofZeus #FoxLaneBooks #NetGalley #BookReview
MoMoBookDiary 