Christmas Blog Tour ~ The Deaths Of December by Susi Holliday

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of this Christmas Blog Tour 

Thanks to the publishers for my invitation to be part of this tour and for my review copy of Deaths of December

I'm delighted to be able to share Susi's Favourite Christmas Foods

My Favourite Christmas Foods...

Christmas has become synonymous with a time to indulge in far more food than you could ever really need or want, often with things that you never have any desire for the other 364 days of the year. In no particular order, here are some of my favourite Christmas foods:

After Eight Mints

Extremely addictive. Started on at the end of Christmas dinner, because even if you are stuff to the brim you can always fit in an After Eight. Usually finished before everyone has left the table, with the wrappers left in the box to annoy anyone who comes along later and stupidly thinks there might be some left.

Cheese and Biscuits

Cheddar, brie, camembert, roule, port salut. Cream Crackers, those loaf-shaped Hovis digestives, wholemeal thins, Tucs or Ritz. Grapes, celery, cranberry sauce. Ok, I confess – I probably eat cheese and biscuits at least once a week, but not the full variety J

Kilted Sausages / Pigs-in-Blankets

Whatever you might call those little sausages wrapped in bacon, they rarely make an appearance except with Christmas dinner, and no matter how many you make, there will never be enough.

Stuffing

I’m not even sure I particularly like it, but I pretty much only have it at Christmas, and if there is a Christmas dinner served without it, there’s trouble.

Sprouts

Much maligned, these little green monsters often get subjected to a re-boot to make them more appealing to those who say they detest them. But I actually really like them.

Maybe not enough to have them at any other time of the year.

Turkey

I actually don’t like turkey. We never had it at Christmas when I was growing up, usually having roast beef or chicken instead – but I love all the trimmings – in fact I am sure cranberry sauce was invented to give turkey some sort of flavour. I’m always pleased when pubs start offering their Christmas Specials, because then I can usually fit in several turkey dinners. Just not on Christmas Day.

Nuts in their shells

I don’t think anyone ever eats these outside of December, but who doesn’t like getting their hands on the nutcracker? That crunching sound is so satisfying. 

Actually, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t eat these all year round . . .

P.S. I am not a fan of Christmas cake, pudding or mince pies!

Hodder&Stoughton
16 November 2018

It looks like a regular advent calendar.

Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors...and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one.

The police hope it's a prank. Because if it isn't, a murderer has just surfaced - someone who's been killing for twenty years.

But why now? And why has he sent it to this police station?

As the country relaxes into festive cheer, Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must race against time to catch the killer.

Because there are four doors left, and four murders will fill them...

It's shaping up to be a deadly little Christmas...

About the Author

Susi Holliday grew up in East Lothian. A life-long fan of crime and horror, her short stories have been published in various places, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural CWA Margery Allingham competition. She is the author of three novels in the Banktoun trilogy, Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly. She is married and lives in London.

Follow on Twitter @SJIHolliday #TheDeathsofDecember

@MulhollandUK

Huge thanks to Susi for her festive guest post today.