Consider picking up a Christmas-themed murder mystery from your local library if you’re looking for a book to help you “kill” some time this holiday season:

Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke – Juggling the responsibilities of opening her shop with the demands of Christmas, Hannah Swensen is surprised by the writing talents of an elderly local whose murder story chillingly comes true.

The Noel Stranger by Richard Paul Evans – Still reeling from a scandal that ended her marriage, Maggie Walther finds renewal in a relationship with the kind man who owns the local Christmas tree lot and is also starting his life over, but just as she begins to trust him, she discovers a dark secret from his past.

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown – When the Christmas Hunt is interrupted by the discovery of a body, Jane Arnold and her company of loyal hounds find their efforts to uncover the truth complicated by the meddling antics of loathsome Victor Harris.

A Christmas Revelation by Anne Perry – When an orphan boy witnesses a woman’s kidnapping just days before Christmas, he is determined to save her, but the woman doesn’t want to be rescued and is taking steps to bring her captors to justice for crimes far worse than kidnapping.

The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle by Susan Wittig Albert – The Christmas season in 1934 Darling, Alabama finds the Dahlias lending their talents to a new bakery, the biggest puzzle of Charlie’s career, an exploited young performer, and Sheriff Norris’s investigation at a nearby prison farm.

A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines – A much-needed break during the holiday season in Zinnia, Mississippi is upended when a friend begs Sarah Booth for help rescuing a pregnant, estranged family member.

The Christmas Mystery by James Patterson & Richard DiLallo – When a cache of priceless paintings goes missing at the height of the holiday season on Park Avenue, dashing French detective Luc Moncrief takes a crash course in the art of the steal to stop a cold-blooded killer.