A Killer for Christmas
- Judith D Collins
- May 20
- 9 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
By: Kim Harrington
Narrator: Shaina Summerville
ISBN: 9798892425032
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: 09/22/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Wrapped in red has a bloody new meaning in this contemporary holiday romance with a murderous twist, perfect for readers who enjoyed The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.
Christmasville, Maine, is the only place where Kelsey Hendricks has ever felt happy. When she loses both her job and her boyfriend, the move is a no-brainer, especially when she sees a listing for a position as Christmasville’s social media manager. Surrounded by twinkling lights and candy canes and with the perfect job, this tinsel town is working its magic on Kelsey. With two heartthrobs vying for her attention, her life is now just like a Christmas movie.
Except for the murders.
The first one is dismissed as an accident. But after the second, and definitely the third, it becomes abundantly clear that Santa is leaving coal in someone’s stocking this year.
Determined to bring back the holly jolly spirit to the town before tourists begin canceling their reservations, Kelsey must sleuth her way out of a chilling murder mystery and back to a holiday rom-com.
This charming and clever mystery-romance where a cozy winter wonderland warms the heart while suspense chills the bones is the perfect read for the holiday season.
About the Author
Kim Harrington is the author of A Killer for Christmas, her debut adult mystery coming in 2026 from Crooked Lane Books. She is also known for her teen novels Clarity, Perception, The Dead and Buried, and Forget Me, as well as books for younger readers including Revenge of the Red Club, the Sleuth or Dare series, and Gamer Squad series. Her books have been published in ten countries. She lives in Massachusetts with her family and never leaves the house without a book. She has an MBA but would rather work on plot points than business plans. When not writing, she's most likely reading or fantasizing about her next vacation.
Awards/Honors: ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Lone Star Pick, Massachusetts Book Award Must Read, Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Starred Junior Title, South Carolina Junior Book Award Nominee, Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, Sunshine State Young Readers Award, Publisher's Weekly Starred Review, and School Library Journal Starred Review.
Kim is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the International Thriller Writers.
Connect with Kim
Exceptional Authors,
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
BEHIND THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR.
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS READERS WANT TO KNOW.
“An express ride with adult debut mystery author, Kim Harrington— stepping into the lift for an exclusive Lit Lift Mini Author Chat with her upcoming Christimas holiday mystery 'romystery,' A Killer for Christmas.
The Kim Harrington Edition
A Killer For Christmas
Welcome back to the Lift, book lovers!
Today we are celebrating the holiday season in style with author Kim Harrington and her adult debut mystery. Joining us for the first time get ready for a thrill ride, with A Killer for Christmas!
The Sleigh & Slay Hook
"What happens when a picture-perfect Hallmark holiday town gets crashed by a serial killer? We are diving deep into A Killer for Christmas—the ultimate 'romystery' where the tinsel is bright, the hot cocoa is deadly, and the heartthrobs are major suspects."
Welcome Kim!
The Ground Floor Hook
Q. Give us your best, high-velocity Elevator Pitch for A Killer for Christmas.
KH: Kelsey moves to a Christmas-obsessed tourist town for her dream job. The town is twinkling and charming. Two men are vying for her attention. Her life feels just like a holiday romance…except for the murders.
The "Romystery" Vibe
Reviewers are calling A Killer for Christmas the ultimate collision of a cozy Hallmark holiday movie and a Lifetime serial-killer thriller—a true "romystery."
Q. If Netflix optioned this for a limited series tomorrow, who is your absolute dream casting choice to play our social media-savvy sleuth, Kelsey?
KH: I think either of the King sisters would be fantastic. Joey King has the romcom thing down. And Hunter King has already starred in Hallmark movies. Either one of them would kill it as the lead in a romcom mystery.
The Christmasville Lockdown
Christmasville, Maine is the ultimate over-the-top winter wonderland—until a serial killer arrives.
Q. If you were trapped in a stalled elevator during a massive Maine blizzard with a killer on the loose, which holiday decoration or festive town prop are you weaponizing first to defend yourself?
KH: We’ve got to go with the sharp and pointy! A hard plastic decoration shaped like an icicle or candy cane would work.
The Author Floor
Share 3–5 surprising facts about YOU that your readers might not know.
1. Though this is my debut adult novel, I’ve had eleven young adult and middle grade books published!
2. Like my main character, Kelsey, my degrees are in Marketing.
3. I was a DJ on my college radio station.
The Gift of Reinvention
A major thread in your book explores how Kelsey packs up her life for a fresh start after a massive loss.
Q. If you could type any year into the elevator keypad to give your younger self one piece of advice before you published your very first book, where are you going and what are you saying?
KH: This isn’t a fun answer, but I wouldn’t do it due to the butterfly effect. I love my life and wouldn’t want to inadvertently change it for the worse. Every struggle brought me here, so I don’t regret any of it.
The Top Floor
The elevator doors are opening on the top floor.
Q. The minute a reader turns the very last page of A Killer for Christmas this September, what reaction are you hoping for: screaming out loud, immediately checking their front door locks, rushing to brew a cup of hot cocoa, or summing up the festive suspense in just one single word?
KH: I hope they sit back in their favorite reading spot, close the book, and think, “That was FUN.” My goal is to take the reader away from the real world for a bit and entertain them. And I hope when they finish they want more Kim Harrington books!
Wild Card Rapid Fire Floor
Q. How many total books have you written now? (Including your awesome YA/Middle Grade titles!)
KH: A Killer for Christmas will be my 12th published book, though I have many others that did not sell or are hopefully on their way to selling. Fingers crossed for more!
Q. What is your superpower, secret weapon snack, or beverage while plotting?
KH: I am powered by Diet Coke.
Q. Are you a morning creator or a midnight oil burner?
KH: Morning. My brain slows down at night.
Q. Pantser, Plotter, or a hybrid Plantser?
KH: Hybrid. Before I start drafting, I do detailed character sketches, and I have a general outline of the beginning, end, and some scenes in the middle. But I don’t outline the whole book. Some scenes pop up organically.
Q. Your Zodiac Sign, favorite color, and favorite season?
KH: Gemini, purple, summer
Thank you, Kim, for spending time with us today!
Fascinating! It was a blast getting to know you better (DJ-fun) and congrats on your adult debut mystery.
Readers...
Be sure and order your cozy mystery copy of A KILLER FOR CHRISTMAS today!
Available September 22 in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook formats.
Praise
“I confess I guessed the wrong killer in this well-crafted treat of a mystery — or is it a Christmas romance? It's actually both, sparkling with plenty of small-town holiday cheer, so curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and discover whether Kelsey has found true love . . . or a devious serial killer.”
—Leslie Meier, New York Times bestselling author of the Lucy Stone Mystery Series and the Carole and Poopsie Mysteries
“Curl up with some hot cocoa and candy canes for this clever cozy Christmas mystery! When a serial killer sets up shop in the charming town of Christmasville, Maine, it takes the twinkle out of the winter wonderland. But social media maven Kelsey won't let this murderous twist spoil her happy holidays. A Killer For Christmas is the perfect blend of Hallmark Christmas movie romance and homicide.”
—Olivia Blacke, Anthony-award winning author of A New Lease on Death
“Harrington's absolutely delightful A Killer for Christmas is what happens when a Hallmark Christmas movie and a Lifetime thriller get together, fall in love, and live happily ever after. The blend of romance and cozy mystery hits all the right notes, and the hot cocoa is good enough to die for. Be sure to add this bookish treat to your Christmas wish list this year!”
—Tamara Berry, Lilian Jackson Braun Award Winner of the By the Book Mysteries
My Review
Twinkling lights, fresh snow, and... a dead body?
If you love your holiday spirit served with a side of small-town secrets and high-stakes suspense, A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington needs to be on your radar.
"A delightfully addictive holiday treat where a Hallmark Christmas movie meets a Lifetime thriller."
In A KILLER FOR CHRISTMAS, talented author Kim Harrington delivers her debut adult mystery, a dazzling, fast-paced contemporary holiday whodunit. A Hallmark-style Cozy Romystery: A year-round Christmas town with closed-door romance and a serial killer.
The Elevator Pitch
The narrative follows a displaced social media manager seeking a fresh start in an over-the-top winter wonderland, only to find herself dodging a killer rather than mistletoe—picture-perfect festive magic vs. cold-blooded small-town murder.
The Setup
Christmasville, Maine, is the only place Kelsey Hendricks has ever felt genuinely happy. When she loses both her job and her boyfriend at the same time, moving there is an absolute no-brainer—especially when she lands the ultimate role as the town’s official social media manager.
Suddenly surrounded by competitive winter festivities and two handsome suitors vying for her heart, Kelsey feels like she is starring in her own holiday film. But the festive illusion completely shatters when a series of local deaths—initially brushed off as accidents—unmask a dangerous killer lurking in the snow, hiding among the tinsel.
Setting
The festive tourist town of Christmasville, Maine.
"A cleverly executed, delightfully festive mystery where candy canes and twinkling lights hide a trail of bodies, and saving the holiday spirit means hunting a serial killer in Santa's hometown."
Vibe: Hallmark movie meets a chilling whodunit.
Charming, cozy, and highly suspenseful. Perfectly pairs the lighthearted romance and decorations of a classic holiday movie with the creeping dread and puzzle-solving of a serial-killer whodunit.
Genre
Cozy Holiday Whodunit Mystery / Romantic Suspense / Romystery
Themes
~Reinventing Yourself After a Loss
~The Surface Gloss of Tourist Towns
~Dating Dilemmas in Small Communities
~The Juxtaposition of Holiday Cheer and True Crime
👥 Standout Characters
~Kelsey Hendricks: The bright, resilient protagonist. She uses her sharp instincts as a social media expert and her observational skills to track down clues that the local authorities completely miss.
~The Christmasville Rivals: Two distinct, charming local heartthrobs who compete for Kelsey's attention while adding a great layer of romance—and a subtle dash of suspicion—to the unfolding case.
Author Writing Standout
Harrington’s debut adult mystery is a masterclass in tone management. She avoids the usual predictable tropes of standard seasonal mysteries by delivering genuinely clever plot twists and keeping the suspense consistently high. She seamlessly interlaces lighthearted small-town politics and rom-com banter with the chilling stakes of an active murder investigation, keeping the reader completely glued to the page.
Takeaway
Even the brightest winter wonderland can hide cold secrets in the shadows; sometimes, finding your true home requires the bravery to face the dark side of a perfect town.
Title Significance
A Killer for Christmas plays perfectly on the classic holiday romance wishlist trope. Instead of finding love under the tree, the title warns the reader that Santa has brought a dangerous antagonist to town, turning seasonal traditions into a desperate race for survival.
Metaphor
The town’s elaborate, highly competitive tourist decorations serve as the central metaphor of the novel. They represent the heavy societal pressure to mask real-world pain and anxiety behind a polished, picture-perfect exterior, which completely unravels once real danger cracks the surface.
Why You Should Read
Perfect for readers who love closed-door romantic tension and small-town amateur sleuthing. If you are a fan of witty, festive mysteries like The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year or love the charming, small-town romance elements of a Hallmark movie, but secretly wish the script had a bit more edge and a genuine puzzle to solve!
My Thoughts
This festive season just turned fatal. Kim Harrington delivers the ultimate holiday whodunit where everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe by the fireplace. Perfect for reading under a warm blanket with a hot cup of cocoa!
Deck the Halls with... Danger?
Looking for a fast-paced, festive mystery to shake up your reading list? A Killer for Christmas balances holiday cheer with a chilling small-town murder that will keep you guessing until the final page.
Harrington creates a lively and unique, split-personality atmosphere with fun and mystery. The setting of Christmasville is captured with such vivid, tactile realism that you can practically smell the hot cocoa. Kelsey is an exceptionally relatable lead; her professional drive, humor, and determination to protect her new hometown make her an unforgettable sleuth. A cleverly structured, fun mystery with an incredibly satisfying holiday ending!
Verdict: 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars
"An absolute seasonal triumph that serves up the perfect blend of cozy winter comfort, sharp romantic tension, and spine-chilling suspense."
📚 Recs/Read-alikes
These titles share the same festive, small-town atmosphere layered with a sharp, suspicious edge:
~The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
~Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey (Oct 2026)
~The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
~Also for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey, Holly Cassidy, and Viola Shipman's holiday stories.
Special thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Creator & Host of #AuthorElevatorSeries
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: September 22, 2026
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