Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the Nick of Time | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 2 | Gabriel’s Secret | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 3 | Guarding Candy Kane | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 4 | Murder: Up on the Rooftop | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 5 | Tidings of Joy | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 6 | Holly in Hiding | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 7 | Starr Witness | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 8 | Noelle on the Run | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 9 | Golden Belles are Wringing | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 10 | Death by Figgy Pudding | 2018 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 11 | Sweet Revenge | 2019 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
| 12 | Merry Without Malice | 2019 | Alexa Verde | Buy |
The 12 Mysteries of Christmas series applies the cozy mystery format to a full calendar of Christmas novellas, each book title twisting a familiar holiday phrase or song: Golden Belles are Wringing, Murder: Up on the Rooftop, In the Nick of Time, Death by Figgy Pudding. The wordplay is part of the fun, and Verde commits to the naming conceit across all twelve entries.
Most of the books appeared in 2018, with two more in 2019 to round out the dozen. The quick publication schedule suggests Verde planned the full series at once and wrote to a format — each book is a seasonal mystery with a self-contained investigation, light enough to read quickly.
The series sits at the overlap of Christmas romance, cozy mystery, and inspirational fiction. Readers who want something festive with a little more plot than a straight holiday romance will find the mystery structure adds satisfying forward momentum.